Surgeons!

Sorry...have to vent.

I was in the ER last week due to some blood dripping from my anus. The surgeon said my complications are characteristic to Crohn's and to go see my GI. She even discouraged me from seeking any of her offices services by telling me that I don't want to see a surgeon. Surgeons are bad news. I also had met two other surgeons from the same office. One accused my surgeon (surgery was done in another state) of not taking responsibility for my recovery as I had complications when in fact it was just bad communication on their part! Also another surgeon said the least likely thing to have caused my 2nd abscess would be a fistula...well surprisingly they did a fistula study and found one! Go figure!!

Unfortunately this is a hospital 2 miles from me so when complication comes that's the only place I can get too. It's nice having good insurance to get surgery done where you want but dealing with a bunch of surgeons who apparently don't want to deal with you because you were not originally their patient is very irritating.

My surgeon has just retired so no chanced getting him again plus a three/four hour drive when your tushy huts is no fun. A closer option for me would be John Hopkins in MD. Has anyone had any experienced with these surgeons? I got another fistula and may need surgery again!

My GI already told me he can't fix this one medically. There are also other reason abscesses and fistulas come about, not just Crohn's. I think that's being very narrow minded right now.

I've read on this forum a number of people with UC that had these post-surgery issues. If I'm going to be diagnosed with Crohn's then the diagnosis process needs to start fresh as there just not one test for that. It determined by ruling out other causes. The other causes are just being skipped if you ask me.

Abscesses also cause fistulas and fistulas can cause abscesses in the absence of Crohn's. There's definitely an issue with my anus healing as I have a fluid collection down there and it's irritating. My body is healing mechanisms are responding by trying to get rid of the fluid. Cells do have a memory and it right now they remember I used to have an anus. It hasn't adjusted to the fact that it's no longer there. I guess like the phantom pain you get when a limb is removed. Now that it's stapled off at the top my body has decided to create a way for the fluid to escape through my anus anyway.

Also the drain being placed in and taken out can cause fistulas. There are other logical reasons to consider first.

My GI already told me he can't fix this one medically

Right. But you didn't say that in your first post.

Edit: Urgh, that's the grimmest thing I've read for a long time.

Holy crap. That's grim too. Makes Crohn's look a bit of a walk in the park by comparison.

I'm stopping reading now. Was looking up causes of fistulas but not any longer.

No need to apologise at all!

Anyway, I replied to your email, P&H, so check your inbox...