My experience with a gastroenterologist

[Guest guest]

I went to see a gastroenterologist yesterday. He introduced himself

and I proceeded to tell him about my 9/02 attack which put me in the

hospital. He kept saying " Uh, huh " rapidly as if to get me

to hurry

up with my history. Anyway, I explained that I have only had 3

attacks, one after each of my pregnancies (5 and 2 years ago) and

again in September of '02. I mentioned that this time I rubbed

the

heck out of my gallbladder and that is when things got worse. He

said well you need to have it out and anything other than that is not

part of the standard of care. I was surprised that he came to such a

quick conclusion. I could see where this was going, that he was just

going to give me the standard response and send me on my way. I just

waited for the standard response, " you can get very sick

lecture " but

I also got a story about a how he removed a stone from a woman's

duct

last night in the ER who almost died. He said that pregnancy put my

body in a state of creating gallstones and that stopping nursing does

the same, as well as loosing weight. He said people who have the

gastric bypass surgery are put on Actigall to help prevent gallstones

but he said it really does not work. I mentioned that this

September my daughter had almost weaned and agreed that my hormones

were playing a major part in my attacks. I added that my diet was

poor this summer and that I was under a lot of stress when the major

attack occurred. He said Actigall is out of the question because I

am a good candidate for surgery and that he really does not want to

shrink the stones because it is the small ones that cause problems by

getting stuck in the ducts and causing problems with the pancreas.

I did not even ask about the flush because it was clear that he just

wanted to send me on my way to the surgeon. I explained to him that

I have been having some ongoing discomfort lately but it was not in

my gallbladder but in my back between my shoulder blades and that the

same thing happened after my attack in September, but the surgeon

dismissed me at that time. He said location of pain is not a good

indication of problems (what the heck does that mean?). Then I

asked why can't they just go in and vacuum out the gallbladder

and he

showed me a poster of the system and showed how the duct leading to

the gallbladder makes sharp turns and as you get closer to the

gallbladder it makes sharp zig zags, he said in order to make an

instrument that would be flexible enough to perform those turns but

rigid enough to aspirate the gallbladder does not exist. He said

believe me if it could be done I would be a rich man (interesting

response). Then I asked then if it is so difficult to go in through

the mouth then why not make an incision and go directly to the

gallbladder and vacuum it out laproscopically? He said because once

the wall of the gallbladder is cut you can leak and bleed profusely

from the gallbladder and it could not be done. It made sense to me

and I appreciated the time he took to explain why it would not

work. Earlier in the conversation he mentioned that a Dr. in

Connecticut was doing some " unconventional " gallbladder

treatments so

I asked him for this Dr.s name. He would not give it to me because

he said he knows things about him personally and would not feel

comfortable recommending him (what??)

He sent me on my way. As I was walking out, I met him in the

hallway and he said, have you ever had any dark urine – like tea

colored. I said maybe once or twice. I said I have also had a very

light almost white BM about 6 months ago and wondered if that was

anything. SO at this point he ordered some blood tests. So I will

await those tests

I got home and explained this to my mother who was watching my kids

and I said to her the way he responded it was almost as if there was

a note on my chart saying " this chick is a wacko, just repeat the

phrase, surgery is the standard of care for gallstones and send her

on her way " . My mother laughed and said Dr.s do put notes on

patients charts and that she and my father had seen my Dad's

chart

where they had highlighted that he was refusing standard care.

I was furious and I just wanted to warned others who are in HMO

systems where a primary care physician has to make a referral that

they could possibly make notes on your chart which could undermine

your care. Obviously I will not be going back there and luckly my

husband found a job and the health insurance is the best. I can go

anywhere and I will. Any suggestions for an open-minded

gastroenterologist in Boston, Ma would be appreciated. Thanks for

listening.