GI #3?

[hobbit]

What a hot mess. Since the beginning of July I have been having sever gastric upset causing a lot of bile vomiting, stomach pain triggering MS flares, particularly esophageal spasms, pain is intense.

Not knowing if this is TY rebound my Neuro told me to see a GI.

GI#1= endoscopy and colonoscopy testing both normal, prescribes antacid convinced I have acid reflux. I do not have acid reflux. Dr was extremely hostile when I told her that after no change on antacids after two weeks.

GI #2= diagnoses bile reflux prescribes carafate that helped for 3 weeks then abruptly stopped orders a manometry test, muscles were good in esophagus. Orders a video swallow and on the advice from my Neuro he orders a gallbladder ultrasound.

Video swallow the speech pathologist has obviously dealt with MS, told me everything I already know, take it day by day and it's only going to get worse. I will eventually end up with a feeding tube. I know and I'm good with this.

GI calls and tells me the video swallow was as expected and the ultrasound (which he forgot that he ordered) was fine this is all MS and my new normal. The following day I get my results of the ultrasound first line said "Gallbladder is full of gallstones"

I am livid, GI tells me he was more concerned about my swallowing issues than the gastric issues. I point out I've has swallowing issues for 3 yrs and the gastric issues are flaring my MS and this Dr has the nerve to tell me that's not how MS works. Excuse me? Everytime I mentioned the gallbladder and his colossal blunder he changed the subject.

I see a surgeon on Friday.

Am I being a bad patient? Insurance options are limited in this field if I switch to another GI it would have to be a colleague of either #1 or #2, can I be blackballed by a doctor? Is it asking too much of doctors to do their homework with patients with specialized diseases?

So tired of doctors and now Aubagio will be delayed this is resolved.

Peace,
Anna

[Kimba22]

Hi hobbit,

Don't really have any advice for you, but sorry to read what you are going through. Bummer to read about the Aubagio as well. Can't tell you how many times I've gone to doctors who haven't done their homework before seeing me. Then they are fumbling through my chart during the appointment.

I found out I also have gallstones; showed up on a renal scan I'd had done on my kidneys. No one told me, just read about them in my medical records. Since then have been told it's not uncommon, and not to worry about it unless I have symptoms. A lot of people never do. Hope that remains true to me.

Anyway, what did the surgeon say Friday?

[there]

Crap situation, unfortunately crap doctors are quite common. I would probably go for #3 even if I had to pay, but I would argue with the insurance company as the first two were certainly negligent. Man as if MS isn't enough, I sympathize.

[Holly Golightly]

Am I being a bad patient? Insurance options are limited in this field if I switch to another GI it would have to be a colleague of either #1 or #2, can I be blackballed by a doctor? Is it asking too much of doctors to do their homework with patients with specialized diseases?

Absolutely not - you are not being a bad patient! Doctors should be held accountable for lack of due dilligence when diagnosing patients. Not having time to review patients' files beforehand is no excuse.

Any news?

[hobbit]

Goodbye gallbladder

I saw the Surgeon 10/23 and was thrilled he has the basic knowledge of MS. After going over the ultrasound he agreed it was full of stones, during the exam he wasn't as concerned because I had no tenderness in the abdomen, at all. He believed surgery was better done sooner than later. Surgery was 10/27 and I am apparently a very lucky woman.

The gallbladder was red and shrunk to conform around the stones (bag of marbles), it was in immediate danger of rupturing. The bile duct was also much larger than signified in the ultrasound, this was also filled with stones. Trying to retrieve stones from the duct the surgeon perforated it, at that point he closed off the gallbladder removed that and called in a specialist.

Second procedure was 10/28 he did an ERCD which is basically an endoscopic procedure going through the throat into the stomach, through the small intestine and into the bile duct. A large stone was removed and several small stones were crushed.

The stomach ache and nausea and bile vomiting I've had since July has ceased. I still have esophageal dysphasia, I still have to be cautious of what I eat, when I eat, how I eat. Everyone is still in agreement that a feeding tube is still in my future and I've decided I'm good with that.

Still searching for GI#3, but am very thankful for the surgeons who took care of me.

Peace,
Anna

[Holly Golightly]

The stomach ache and nausea and bile vomiting I've had since July has ceased.

Yay! Thanks for the update, Anna.

[Tia1]

so happy that this is behind you. Praying for a complete recovery.

[Kimba22]

Thanks for the update and so glad you followed your own instincts and saw the surgeon! Best wishes with your recovery, and finding a new GI doctor.

[hobbit]

Thank you

Thank you for all the best wishes, I see the surgeon for a follow up next week. I'm healing remarkably fast. My plan is to ask him for a recommendation for a GI!

I know I have a neurogenic bowel, I wonder if this is why I felt no pain in the gallbladder when I obviously should have?

I also don't know if I can still take Aubagio without a gallbladder? I need to do some homework.

Peace,
Anna