Can't take it anymore!
#69894 - 05/12/04 02:28 PM
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Vicam
Reged: 02/24/04
Posts: 1955
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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I'm so sad right now, I don't even know what to do with myself.
I went back to my primary doc today armed with all my courage, to tell him that the stupid GI refused to look over the results of my "inconclusive" gall bladder findings on the ultrasound. I feel this is very important, because from all the research I've been doing, my symptoms are extremely similar to gall bladder disease, and I want someone to look at it.
I went in there and told him that I wasn't comfortable having this doc do my colonoscopy since he wouldn't even give me the time of day when it came to a positive finding (a test I had to specifically request because he didn't feel it was necessary). My doc said it would take too long to get into another GI, and since my colonoscopy is so close (couple of weeks) I should just do it and then if this GI still doesn't help me out, he'll forward all my information over to a new GI. I said I wanted a new GI now, but he basically wouldn't do it! I couldn't believe it! So now I'm stuck having this stupid doctor doing a colonoscopy that may not even be necessary if it is gall bladder disease, but I don't have a doctor who will actually look at the ultrasound results and check my gall bladder!
In the meantime, I'm eating barely anything, and in almost constant pain  I asked my doc if he could even just do a gall bladder function test which I've read about (a blood test I thought) and he said it didn't exist, they'd have to do an ERCP! Why do I feel like I know more than my docs?
I just don't know what to do...the average waiting list for a new primary doc in my city is 1 1/2 years, and it will probably take 3-4 months to see a new GI, and at the rate I'm losing weight, I'll be way too sick by then.
I don't know what kind of advice I can ask for, I guess I'm just venting, I'm just so upset
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Oh, god, Kelley, that's awful. I'm so sorry this is happening to you. You DON'T DESERVE IT.
Oh, maybe this will at least make you smile. Jack Benny was given an award for something and he said I don't deserve this award, but then I have arthritis and I don't deserve that either!
Big HUGGGGGSSSSSSS! Wish I had a concrete suggestion, but this is outside my area of knowledge.
Feel better, hon. Lots of healing calming white energy coming to you.
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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Kel, I'm so sorry you're having to go through all this.
i really don't have much advice except to say maybe you can try to find out more about that test you read about. print up or copy what you can and take that in....
can you start looking for a new doc now so as to get a jump on the process, and maybe book an appt now just in case things don't work out with this dude, or if you try that will you mess everything up? i don't know how that works in Canada.
(((hugs))) and smooches.
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Argh! Kelly, I'm sorry everything was so frustrating. It's horrible when you feel so prepared and brave and then just get brushed off! What is an ERCP? That sounds scary...
As for the waiting list, is there any way to file a complaint against the GI or your doc to speed up the waiting process? Either way, put yourself on that list now.
That's all I can think of, since I don't know about the Canadian medical system.
Have you been able to eat? We certainly don't want you losing weight and even worse, being in so much pain. Pain itself is draining on the body too! Did your doc have any suggestions about that? (I'm guessing not!)
take care 
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--Julie
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THank you all for your kind words.
Basically the way the health care system here works is that I can put my name on a waiting list for a general practioner, but the bottom line is, I need to see a GI doc as no GP is going to be able to deal with the gall bladder. Getting a second opinion there requires a referral, and then a 3+month wait. However, I can't even get the referral right now, so I can't even start the ball rolling...that's why I'm so annoyed.
I get sad because it reminds me of my mom who was sick for so long (almost a year) with vague symptoms such as D, upper abdominal pain, weight loss and intolerence to a lot of foods, and she kept getting put off at the doctors and told it was nothing. It wasn't until she became severely bruised and jaundiced that she really got a lot of attention, and that's when they found pancreatic cancer and she died 6 months later.
I'm not saying I think I have cancer, I'm just saying that I hate being made to wait and pushed around when something potentially serious could be cooking.
Thanks again for being such a great place and letting me vent
Kelly
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Hi Kelly,
I'm sorry for all that your going through right now! Hats really hard. What if you just told your Doc that you didn't want the colonoscopy?? And demanded the gallbladder gets checked? I don't know if that is a possibility. It should be its your body. Your money that pays for the work.
Its so frustrating. I feel really bad for you and your situation. I hope things will work out for you! What are your main symptoms??
I wish there was something I could do to help you!! I hate those know it all docs!! They suck!
Good luck and please keep us posted!
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Aw, Kelly. that's terrible about what happened to your Mom. i'm so sorry....
hang in there. maybe by sheer dumb luck your GI dude will pull something useful out of his....(well, your!) er... butt.
at least you get the fun and joy of a colonscopy to look forward to. 
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Oh honey, I am so sorry to hear about your mom. My grandmother died the same way, heartbreaking.
I dont understand why that %&$*@$$^ Dr. wont do an ultrasound. Omgosh that is just ridiculous. I hope you get some relief after the colonoscopy. Thinking of you.
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I am so sorry that all this is happening to you. I had a similar circumstance in June 2002 when I first got sick. The doctor that I was seeing at the time kept telling me that I had the stomach flu. I called the on call doctor about a week after it started one night and he said that sounds like you gallbladder. Funny how a doctor that didn't even know me could tell me this. The next day I demanded that my doctor consider that it maybe my gallbladder. He sent me to have an US and that turned up inconclusive but that there maybe sludge instead of stones.
He didn't think it was a big deal but I kept pushing so he sent me to a General Surgeon. The Surgeon ordered as HIDA scan, this is when they inject a radio active fluid into you blood and then watch it move through your body. The scan was also inconclusive so they did a scan with injection fraction. This was also inconclusive. So this time they had me eat a radio active egg. It showed that me gallbladder wasn't ejecting the bile properly and it had to come out. The removed the gallbladder about a month after I first got sick. It took all of this tests and a lot of pushing on my part to find out what was wrong.
I have just learned in the last year that you have to take control of your health. We pay the doctors so they work for us. I have seen three different doctors so far because I switch when I am not getting the right care.
I know this was a lot of information but the point is that maybe you can talk your doctor into doing these other tests. They do exist!
Sarah
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