Just got back from local surgeon's office - added pictures

[DSRIGGS]

This morning I saw a surgeon in Peoria to discuss my hernia repair. Well as freaking usual we can't just schedule the god damned thing and be done with it. Hell no! We need to do a CT to see if I have a blockage before we can possibly do anything about treating my obvious problem. Why waste the freaking time and money for a CT when you can clearly see that I have a hernia and it is causing me issues (cramping, diarrhea, nausea, bloating and distention)? For the record my first hernia didn't show up as an obstruction on a CT scan, so my worry is that the CT will come back and not show an obstruction and the guy will say he doesn't need to do surgery.

I am so sick and tired of fighting with these fucking people. I know my body and how I felt before my last two hernias that ended up being repaired, and I feel exactly that same way now. LISTEN TO YOUR PATIENT! Some of us actually know ourselves better than you do and we don't like being miserable when there is a fix. Do you really think I want to have surgery and what I know will be a miserable recovery, just for the fun of it?

In any case I can see it now. We will dick around and this guy will end up saying that I don't need the hernia repaired and then I will have to fly out to California (thousands of $$ of travel expense) to have Dr K fix me.

 

[Munchkin]

For every 1 test YOU need, they do 10 to protect themselves. Just the way it is!

 

[Larra]

Yet another example of why our medical system costs so much - an expensive and almost certainly unnecessary test. Did the surgeon disagree about the presence of a hernia? I could see getting the CT scan if there is some question about whether or not you have a hernia at all. Otherwise, I don't get it either.
But then again, maybe they will find something important and we'll all have egg on our faces.

 

[BebeZed]

I'm so sorry, Scott... you've been through so much and this has GOT to be horribly frustrating. I hope it can all get sorted soon!

 

[SJB41976]

this is what I hear you saying. And I can only imagine how frustrating this is for you.

 

[DSRIGGS]

For every 1 test YOU need, they do 10 to protect themselves. Just the way it is!

No doubt, but I just don't have time to be dicking around with this. With my first hernia repair when I was admitted to the hospital through the ER for a possible obstruction, the stupid fools were going to send me home because after being NPO for two day and then liquids for one th

Yet another example of why our medical system costs so much - an expensive and almost certainly unnecessary test. Did the surgeon disagree about the presence of a hernia? I could see getting the CT scan if there is some question about whether or not you have a hernia at all. Otherwise, I don't get it either.
But then again, maybe they will find something important and we'll all have egg on our faces.

No he didn't disagree about hernia. He was feeling it and saying how it definitely felt soft in that area and then he said, "oh there I feel the defect" and had the resident examine me as well so she could feel it.

I agree completely with you.

 

[DSRIGGS]

Thanks ladies. Yeah it is frustrating as hell. I need fixed so I feel better, but mainly because I need to be able to hop on a plane at a moments notice if I have an interview.

Maybe it is a blessing in disguise and allows me to interview before the surgery (if my lead materializes into an onsite interview) and then get fixed immediately thereafter. Gotta hope it works that way. Not working is getting a bit stressful seeing I am the big majority of our income.

Oh well.....I am still afraid they will say they don't see a blockage (didn't see anything on s CT before it was repaired before) and won't want to operate. Then I will have to head to California spending money I don't really have to spend.

 

[Larra]

I would hope that the definite presence of a hernia alone would be sufficient justification to operate, nevermind that you are symptomatic.

 

[DSRIGGS]

I would hope that the definite presence of a hernia alone would be sufficient justification to operate, nevermind that you are symptomatic.

Agreed. I just don't get it.

I was absolutely miserable most of the day yesterday and last night with my stomach aching so I have a feeling I might end up in the ER within the next few weeks. That being said I want this done right and as Dr K said "When patients have recurrent hernia a more complete component separation and pannicuelctomy etc may be required......that means that a Plastic Surgeon would possibly be required as well and through and ER admission and surgery I am not sure if it would happen or not. Anyway, I am scheduled for the CT on Friday (between Cameron and me this house should be glowing with radiation with all the scans we both have had) and follow up with him on Monday.....so we will see what happens.

 

[duh_Mom]

Morning Scott, just catching up and saw your post. I am going to go against the flow here and say that while I understand your frustration - I think if this doctor operated on you without knowing what was going on internally it would be extremely irresponsible of him, especially with your history. Remember he does not know you from adam and does not realize how astute you are. There really is not such thing as a 'simple' surgery and before he sleeps and cuts you he needs all the info possible.

I agree 100% that physicians are not always good at listening to their patients and it is beyond frustrating. I am a good example of why I am glad they do not. - kept saying I had gas - but no - it was an incarcerated bowel - later kept saying I had gas - but no was 12+ ounces of fluid on my lung.
Docs are all about the standard of care - which drives me crazy - but standards are there for a reason and offer protections for patients.

Just last week my PCP and I had a discussion about doctors listening to their patients and how challenging that can be. He was saying how much easier it is as you get to know the patients and how they are with medical issues. Some come in with a hang nail and think they have about amputated their finger - others have gas... but it all comes down to getting to know your doc and he/she gets to know you.

I'll shut up now just wanted to inject my opinion. you know - opinions and a-holes . . . everyone has one and they all stink.

 

[DSRIGGS]

Morning Scott, just catching up and saw your post. I am going to go against the flow here and say that while I understand your frustration - I think if this doctor operated on you without knowing what was going on internally it would be extremely irresponsible of him, especially with your history. Remember he does not know you from adam and does not realize how astute you are. There really is not such thing as a 'simple' surgery and before he sleeps and cuts you he needs all the info possible.

I agree 100% that physicians are not always good at listening to their patients and it is beyond frustrating. I am a good example of why I am glad they do not. - kept saying I had gas - but no - it was an incarcerated bowel - later kept saying I had gas - but no was 12+ ounces of fluid on my lung.
Docs are all about the standard of care - which drives me crazy - but standards are there for a reason and offer protections for patients.

Just last week my PCP and I had a discussion about doctors listening to their patients and how challenging that can be. He was saying how much easier it is as you get to know the patients and how they are with medical issues. Some come in with a hang nail and think they have about amputated their finger - others have gas... but it all comes down to getting to know your doc and he/she gets to know you.

I'll shut up now just wanted to inject my opinion. you know - opinions and a-holes . . . everyone has one and they all stink.

Hi Mom....I do appreciate your opinion but as you might imagine I don't necessarily agree.

This Dr does know me from Adam. He was the surgeon who followed me in the hospital when my revision surgery incision became infected and I had an ascites in my peritoneum. I was under his care for three days so that is why I went back to him. He also had access to a CT I had in January.

I appreciate your opininion buy he made an affirmative diagnosis of a hernia. The CT is not needed as that diagnosis alone indicates surgery is needed. Anything else going on would be found when he opened me for this repair. These guys see more when they do surgery than from a CT and they do this everyday for a living .....so they know what to look for.

He is trying to use the CT as an excuse not to do surgery for some reason. Then CT will come back showing no blockage at the time the CT is taken and he will say since it isn't obstructed at that moment (I am convinced it comes and goes as as far as kinking and then eventually releasing) that he doesn't need to operate. I had to force them to operate the first time because they were going to send me home after being NPO and on clears for two days with no pain. I told them the pain would come back as soon as I had a real meal and that I wasn't leaving until I ate something. I ate, pain came back, they admitted they were dipshits and they operated. The pain was instantly gone but I did lose a little bit of my small intestine as it was strangulated.

I know my body and this is my third rodeo. He should have scheduled surgery to fix this bull shit that I have lived with for too long.

 

[feeder]

How are you doing? Pray this can get fixed sooner than later.

 

[DSRIGGS]

Hi. I am up and down. My guts are a mess today after drinking two bottles of CT contrast, but I feel a little better than earlier in the week. I have a cold so that isn't helping anything but I will get by. We shall see what the surgeon says on Monday..... I can only imagine.

 

[Larra]

I take it no one has told you yet what the findings are on the CT scan. Let us know when you learn anything.

 

[DSRIGGS]

I take it no one has told you yet what the findings are on the CT scan. Let us know when you learn anything.

That would be correct. I have a follow up with the surgeon on Monday afternoon to discuss results, but since it was an outpatient CT I wouldn't be surprised if it hasnt been read yet.

My understanding is that he was looking for a bowel obstruction and that with these hernias you can be partially obstructed at one moment but not the next. I fully expect him to say that the CT doesn't show anything .so he doesn't need to operate.