OMG I so need a new doctor!

First he says he never saw anything on my scope TWO years ago. The scope he did to go in and fix a gushing ucler in my TI. Basically he undiagnosed me, right then and there. I was like WAIT a minute??? You said you found ulcers and the biopsy's showed Crohn's disease of the TI. Then the next minute he said I had UC. WHAT?? Then he started saying Crohn's again. He kept flip flopping all within 10 minutes. I was like "Well why exactly have I been on Asacol for the past TWO years, if you never found anything wrong me?" No answer (stares at computer screen).

Then he asks me what my Primary doctor thought was going on with me. I said uh he says I'm flaring, and believes all my swelling is a flare as well. He says "Well I've heard of joint problems with Crohn's (again I have Crohn's, good to know UGH). But never anything in the mouth or lip. I had to tell him what my primary said and what so many here said "From the mouth to the anus right?" Well that's technically true, but I've never seen it. Guess since he's never seen it, it don't happen? Then he starts asking about my history. When did I start having Crohn's symptoms (again saying now I have something). When did I have my fistula sugery, my gallbladder out ect... This is a man I've seen for TWO years. NOW you are asking me such questions???

So then he wants a scope, you know that's fine, if your actually going to use it for something. Then he wants me to see an arthritis specialist, which is also okay. Since he obviously doesn't know what he's talking about.

THEN, he wants me to start tapering the Prednisone. I'm on 40mg right now. He wants me to taper every 3 days, 10 mg less. Isn't that too much? He want me at 20 mg within a week. Then to stay at 20 mg until after I get back from vacation in a few weeks. He gave me two months worth of Pred. But I have no idea if I should follow such a fast taper, ESPECIALLY since I'm still having 5 loose stools a day still. I'm not well yet! Oh but he said to call him if I start to flare up while tapering. Flare up from what, if I don't have anything wrong with me?? Dope!

So basically I'm going to get back in touch with my family doctor, who seems to know a heck of a lot more then my so called specialist. See what he says about the tapering, and I'm obviously going to have to fight that office to get in to see someone else. I need someone who knows what the heck they are doing to help me. This man is just a complete quack! I'm in such shock over that visit, I don't know what to think!

Next time, if you have to see him, you mine as well tell him that you quite possibly have crohns-colitis, explain to him that this is crohn's affecting the colon...that would explain you having to take the asacol (as it is used for any inflammation in the colon, be it from crohns-colitis or ulcerative colitis)...clearly if you've had issues in the TI and now the colon, it's a pretty clear cut case of crohns, not UC which ONLY affects the colon/rectom region of the GI tract.

Good luck, sounds like you really need it with this numb !

:)

If you are having a Crohn's flare, isn't it your GI dr who should be taking care of you?  My GI dr recently told me that I should call my primary care dr for pain medicine and for blood work if I have a fever.  Aside from the Crohn's I am otherwise very healthy and see my primary dr once a year for a checkup, so I think it is the GI dr who should be treating all those things.  Any similar experience with that?

wednesday2007 said...
That is terrible.  Def get a new dr.  I had a great dr before I moved and the one i have now does not seem to be taking very good care of me. 

If you are having a Crohn's flare, isn't it your GI dr who should be taking care of you?  My GI dr recently told me that I should call my primary care dr for pain medicine and for blood work if I have a fever.  Aside from the Crohn's I am otherwise very healthy and see my primary dr once a year for a checkup, so I think it is the GI dr who should be treating all those things.  Any similar experience with that?

This was my GI doctor that I saw yesterday! That's whats so scary, my primary doctor seems to know a world more about Crohn's then him! I agree, I think we absolutely need a good GI specialist with this though. For now though, I have to put all my trust and faith in my primary. At least until I can get a better GI.

Unfortunately I have heard from several people that their GI docs don't always want to treat "all" the things that go along with Crohn's. Some just want to focus on the bowel symptoms and either ignore the rest, or send you to other doctors for the rest. Would be nice to have a Crohn's specialist, that would be knowledgable and good at treating all aspects of the disease!