Completely Confused and Not Sure What To Do

[Larra]

@annabellarose77 I'm so glad you are consulting with Dr. K, and hopeful that he can help you. Do whatever you have to do to get the help you need. Without your health, you have nothing.

 

[annabellarose77]

Well I had my follow-up with my GI doctor today and my poor mom was completely confused on what he tried to explain to her, but after leaving his office today I am totally perplexed at what my surgeon did to me. When he said there was a fine line of stomach--he was referring to the gastric pouch because he verified he was unable to see the blind stomach. This is what he wrote in his op report--There are essentially no practically purposes--no functional gastric tissue remaining. There is very little gastric tissue at all visible. I would not describe this as a pouch and in fact, it would not hold any type of liquid or solid material because of it's size, which is no more than 2 or 3 mm in size due to its extremely short length which is no more than 1 to 2 cm. He is completely puzzled as to why a surgeon would do this and what the purpose would be. He said he has never seen this, and he would think it would like more like someone who had to revise the pouch due to complications. Here I was thinking it was bad enough to be given a micro pouch the size of a grape--but I really have no pouch. Has anyone heard of such a thing?

 

[Larra]

I'm still confused too, because 2-3 mm is not the same as 1-2 cm, but either way you have a very small pouch. Next step - consult with Dr. K. I hope. Do you have a phone consult scheduled with him? This is not something you can improve yourself no matter what you do or don't eat.

 

[annabellarose77]

I have a video consult with him Monday evening. I can't wait to talk to someone who will know what the hell is going on with this RNY hook up. I thought maybe the GI doctor meant the diameter of the supposed "pouch" was 2-3 mm and was 1-2 cm in length but even that doesn't make sense. The way he explained it, and even drew a diagram, is that there is only a straight line of gastric tissue there. It is only circular in the way it was created, but not in the normal sense of a gastric pouch because it has no ability to hold anything. So he said anything I eat or drink just gets dumped straight into the small intestine. I'm just really confused on why a surgeon would do something like that. What is the point of it? So I have the malabsorption part with the bypassed intestines, but not the restrictive part where the pouch is suppose to hold food for a period of time where you are suppose to feel full. I'm only guessing here because the surgeon will not return my calls, but it feels like a mistake or complication happened during surgery. I can't imagine him just going in and deciding to well I think she shouldn't have a real gastric pouch. But at this point, who knows. I do understand now why I'm having so many problems, and why I'm having the dumping syndrome with practically everything I eat/drink.

I don't know if I will ever get the answer as to why this was done, but I will just be grateful to get it fixed and not being sick every day.

 

[Clematis]

I would consult an attorney. You were not given anything even remotely "standard of care". I'm so sorry.

 

[Charris]

I cant wait to see if Dr. K can help you. I know he had to do mostly everything you would do quicker with some tool by hand on me. He said because that pouch was so small he was concerned about all the damage from taking it down. He said he was not able to use a bougie he had to just gauge by looking and made my sleeve size. He also had to do all stitches by hand. I have so much faith in Dr K. I have almost died 3 times in the last 4 years. The hospital in AZ had erroneously put me on the liver transplant list. Had it not been for Dr. K taking over my care in Arizona from California I would have gotten rid of my perfectly good liver. You probably don't know what a walking mess I have been but These people on this boards and Dr. K have made it their business to keep me alive. Imagine that EVEN after the 1st time I met them I called them mean angry bitches and left the group! @DianaCox lol but thats a different story. They know what they are talking about trust them and Dr. K knows his S$$$.
Good luck

 

[k9ophile]

I would consult an attorney. You were not given anything even remotely "standard of care". I'm so sorry.

If you can get proof that he screwed up, it might be worth filing a complaint with the state medical board first. I'm not trying to tell you what to do, just giving you my uneducated advice. I'm thinking it might be worth checking with an attorney to see just what options you do have.

I don't know if Houston's criminal defense attorney is also his malpractice attorney, but that lawyer is one of the best in Nashville. If not, I'd imagine Houston has the resources to hire a good malpractice attorney. You'd have to spend a lot to get one to match if you sue.

 

[DianaCox]

@annabellarose77 - how did the video consult go?

 

[Clematis]

FYI: A doctor's INSURANCE COMPANY hires the attorney as it is the insurance company who will pay the damages for their client.

 

[Larra]

@annabellarose77 please let us know how the consult went. Lots of people here are very concerned about you.

 

[annabellarose77]

Sorry I haven't responded sooner. The video consult was positive. Dr. K said he didn't see anything jumping out at him that would keep him from being able to do the surgery, but he wanted me to get all the radiology image files so he could actually see the size of the pouch. He doesn't want to take anyone else's word for it, and the images from the upper endoscopy were insufficient. He said based on the stapler size the surgeon listed in the operative report, the pouch length would be 1 cm. He also said as far as being able to revise to a DS, the important thing was the length, or the neck of the pouch, not the depth. So as long as he has 1 cm to work with he feels confident it can be done. I mailed out the imaging files and they just received them today, so I'm just waiting for him to review and make a final determination. Hopefully, I will know by the first of next week. I do like his sense of humor.

I have contacted several attorneys and most have declined, but urged me to continue looking because that didn't mean I didn't have a case. I met with one Wednesday, and he was a condescending jerk, but I think an honest and blunt one. Basically, I'm up against Tennessee's harsh statue of limitations, which is one year from date of injury. He informed me that I should have realized, "as a reasonable, prudent person" something was wrong from the surgery within the year I had it done, which was 2015. Apparently, it doesn't matter that the surgeon and other medical professionals were giving me inaccurate or misleading information because the court will say that "I" should have realized what was going on. He did say something that I think I may do, and that is to request a meeting with state legislatures to tell my story and try to get the law changed to help others in the future. He said the law is set up here to protect the medical practitioners, and the patients are the ones who suffer. He also believes the medical practitioners who kept telling me nothing was wrong were all in collusion with each other, and they know if they can get you past that first year, it's a very slim chance you will be able to sue and win.

What I do know for sure is the Center for the Treatment of Obesity at Centennial Medical Center, the program under which I had my surgery states that for the gastric bypass procedure, a small gastric pouch, the size of a man's thumb is created for restrictive purposes. I measured my thumb just a little over 3 cm and I have small hands and fingers. There is no way 1 cm is equal to the size of an average man's thumb.

I know there's very little, if anything I will be able to do about it now, but use my voice to warn others about my experiences. Honestly, for me, it's not about wanting to sue him. Yes, I feel like he should be financially responsible for my revision surgery, but mostly, I really just want him to be held accountable. I want him to look me in the eye and explain why he thought this was a good idea, and what gave him the right to play God with my body. But, I know the guy is a coward with no backbone, otherwise he would have returned my calls. So, he will never own up to anything. The best thing I can do now is focus on the future. I'm praying really hard Dr. K will be able to do this surgery, and I can get my health back. I've been thinking about how fortunate I am I didn't have the DS from Houston as originally planned. Who knows what shape I would be in then.

Thank you all for your continued support and concern. I will keep you posted. Hopefully, my next post will include a surgery date!

 

[Larra]

@annabellarose77 this sounds very positive so far. Let us know after Dr. K has the opportunity to review everything, and of course when you have a date (thinking positive here).

 

[Clematis]

You're very articulate. If you can't sue, talk to the health reporter for the most-watched newscast in TN about the butchery and deception that goes on in WLS. They will seek him out for a rebuttal which he is unlikely to give. There's more than one way to punish a bad doctor!!

 

[annabellarose77]

You're very articulate. If you can't sue, talk to the health reporter for the most-watched newscast in TN about the butchery and deception that goes on in WLS. They will seek him out for a rebuttal which he is unlikely to give. There's more than one way to punish a bad doctor!!

Thank you for that! I'm working on writing something. I'm just more focused on getting well right now, but I have no plans of letting it go.

 

[annabellarose77]

I'm still waiting to hear back from Dr. K. so I don't know anything yet. He did send me a prescription to increase my vitamin D to 50,000 IU daily. I hope this is a positive sign he's going to take me on as a patient. I'm trying very hard to be patient, but the wait is killing me. Just trying to think positive thoughts and concentrate on things I can control in this moment.