Posted 4/10/2014 1:40 PM (GMT 0)
from my experience two fields :
Gastro doc -- repairs and looks in the top end and lower GI track... can be just a scope guy --and biopsy man. Or all three surgeon with this.. Treating crohns colitis IBs -- meds etc. banding hemmriods when they see them.. but some do some dont. They cut out polyps and cancer. As well repair breaks in the intestines- or they leave this to a surgeon.
Then you have your colorectal doc:
he deals the the rectal area and so many inches into the bottom end --fissures , fistulas ,hemorrhoids , rectal cancer and other problems and abcess. ( a gastro should not be here)
The disconnect we all have is no one tells us this. theres no chart etc that tells you what to do. For me It was the gastro most of my life, when I should have also seen a rectal doc. My surgeon explained all this to me , and I got help once the person that dealt with the rectum saw me .
Its a good idea when you have this disease to SEE BOTH!!!!! you get different answers and different treatment from both guys.. As they only know there fields
An example I kept going to the gastro-- he looked scoped etc found nothing... then A surgeon cut me open to explore my hip..I kept complaining-- no test showed anything (CRP HIGH THOU) had some pain.. had an abscess.. the gastro doesnt really deal with that from my research. As well he scoped me never found it
I was lucky, they found it(just a general surgeon).. small area that leaked into my hip. This guy explained to me that I needed to see a rectal doc. I go in see him.. sounds bad I get the finger check.. this is after the GI scoped me. Found nothing With in 30 seconds he says you have a fistula????
My nightmare from there was fun.. But after a failed fistula plug, then him cutting the whole fistula open , laying it open healing from the inside out-- my ordeal has ended. (the expert is the rectal doc/ he is also a surgeon of the rectal area
My point is I think we dont always get pointed to the right people for the right things--and we dont know this as we rely on the doctor.. the gastro s try and do everything and there knowledge is limited
Just my experience. please no one take this the wrong way... just how I feel and what I went though.
I think if I was told and got the right treatment from the start I wouldnt have had a fistula.