Doc's use IBS as excuse

I was admitted into the hospital last week with terrible right flank pain. I had already been dianosed with a stone in my appendix but they were just sure it wasn't the cause of my pain. B/c i have IBS they kept telling me it was a flair up and gave me something for spastic colon and ran test. In tears I said "I know my body and this is not IBS" the doc replys "I know medicine, and have been a doctor for 23 years, this is IBS," 4 painfull days later, and after seeing a real GI doc, he says there is no way this is IBS and a surgeon removes my appendix. The minute I wake up my pain is gone (other than surgery pain of course). I just don't understand

I hope you call that first doctor back and say, "Hey, Mr. I've-been-a-doctor-for-23-years-and-I-know-everything, why didn't you diangose me with appendicitis while I was there? I saw another doctor, got my appendix out and now I am fine. Maybe you don't know as much as you think you do, and I guess *I* was the one who was right all along. After all, I've been in my body longer than you have been in medicine" and then hang-up. And maybe file a complaint against him. I hate it when doctors don't listen to their patients and treat them like they are idiots. That's not a good doctor. And what would have happened if you had just gone on and your appendix had ruptured or gotten seriously infected because you had listened to this quack?

I'm so glad you were able to get some relief! It's so important for people with IBS to monitor themselves and go back to the doctor when their symptoms change because it can mask other problems that develop on their own. I mean, just because you're a diabetic doesn't mean you can't also develop a bad gall bladder or thyroid problems or anything else; just because we have IBS doesn't mean we can't get bad appendices or hernias or ovarian cysts or anything else. I don't know but I think sometimes, when we suspect something other than IBS, and we're going to a new doctor, we ought not to tell the doctor we have it so he'll be more thorough in checking everything out and look at everything as a possibility instead of dismissing us, as happened to you.

Excuses, excuses, excuses ...

I was told that I had IBS more than 38 years ago at the tender age of 14.

UK doctors told my mother at the time that I would suffer later on in life but never ran any tests.

I truly have suffered with chronic constipation, panic attacks, Barrett's Esophagus and now a month of constant lower abdominal right side pain.

Among the many excuses doctors in the UK and Canada have used were:

2 weeks of constipation can be normal for some people - a sorry excuse of a male South African doctor in Winnipeg.

It's all in your mind, have you thought about seeing a psychiatrist (another Canadian) - I told her maybe she should try one.

It will pass (Scottish/Pakistan doctor) - sarcastically it does but only with the aid of meds.

Exercise and diet will help - I played football, golf and rugby on a regular weekly basis, swam, ate salads, prunes, lean meats and yoghurt all of these years but that never even tamed it one iota.

I could go on ... however, the first Doc was correct and I cannot help but think he knew that even the docs who passed with honors sometimes need to pass you on to someone else for a diagnosis or just plain admit that they have no true solution and certainly no cure for IBS.

They gave it a name though.

Unfortunately I believe that more could be done in that field.

Any feedback is welcome - Thanks.

J.C.

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I'm with you on this I was around the same age only than it was called spastic stomach,no I'm in the states and the Doctor here tell you the same thing no cure try some good probiotics,fiber might help but no guarantee

Cathy,
The doctors unfortunately don't know much about IBS,do some research on Google ask it for the best perbionic for people with IBS it AII give you some suggestions,I have been taking 2 for the past 5 years they help but not a cure
Ok group hug