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Saw my GI doctor today

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 5/12/2010 6:58 PM (GMT 0)
Had an appointment with my regular GI doctor whom I have been seeing for the past 11 1/2 years and was the one who diagnosed me. We've had our ups and downs but I love this guy dearly and I know he cares a lot about me. He has tried sooo hard to help.
I was a little apprehensive about seeing him today, as he is not the one who referred me to the surgeon. I actually referred myself..lol. Good thing my insurance company doesn't require referrals. His reaction was quite a surprise. He said he felt like a failure and was almost in tears actually. This almost made me cry! LOL! I told him he's a great doctor and should never take it personally if the meds failed. As a matter of fact, when one of his associates came in while I was leaving, my GI doctor said..."Good Dr. (so and so) is here, I have to get out of here for a few minutes." That is how upset he was. He told my husband to call him as soon as I was out of surgery too and wants to see me post surgery.
I am glad he feels that under the circumstances I made the best decision. Just wanted to share this.
Posted 5/12/2010 10:02 PM (GMT 0)
Gosh, Christine! I am glad you saw him and that he feels you're doing the right thing..... but gosh, for him to get so upset! Obviously you and your medical situation have touched him deeply. And also, this really confirms that thing about GIs seeing surgery as "failure" - wow!
Sounds like he's a caring person, and I'm glad you saw him to close the loop on this.
Posted 5/13/2010 7:23 AM (GMT 0)
Wow Christine, interesting and bittersweet response from the GI! He definitely ran the gamut for meds...what else was there for him to do? Not all of us are able to have meds control symptoms and even when we do...it doesn't necessarily last.

It's unfortunate he feels a failure...it's great he is wanting to be in contact with you after the surgery. Will you be seeing him after for check-ups, etc? or a surgeon?

quincy
Posted 5/13/2010 1:48 PM (GMT 0)
I'm conflicted over whether or not to feel touched or to kick the guy! Yes, it's great that he demonstrated empathy but I would like to have seen him live the past 2 years of your life in your shoes. I think your GI took you for a medical ride way too long. Could he have continued helping patients if he were as sick as you? I bet not. I bet he would have referred himself to surgery sooner.

My GI was also beaten and baffled at his inability to get me in remission. However, he told me all the way along that surgery was always an option to end my misery. I didn't take his recommendation to heart until I reached the point where enough was enough. But at least he was smart enough to recognize that I had no quality of life and that he should present me with options outside of his specialty.

If your GI were my doctor, I would never see him again. I don't think he was your advocate.

Sue
Posted 5/13/2010 3:26 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with Suebear. I think it is great that he obviously cares so much for his patients but I think it is awful that he makes surgery feel like a failure. For so many surgery is a blessing. I view our surgeon as our guardian angel and my son has not been this healthy and felt this good (he is 3 month post all the surgeries) in YEARS!

Cathy
Posted 5/13/2010 4:33 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with Sue as well. I'd be pretty annoyed if my doctor did the same. Your health is not about his ego - his success or failure. Too many gis seem to have this attitude which is pretty shocking!
Posted 5/13/2010 4:33 PM (GMT 0)
I think it is not my place to make assumptions about your doctor not knowing the complexity of your particular case in the same detail that he does. I personally am touched that he cares; often doctors make us feel like an object. I think because you have ulcerative proctitis and not colitis he must have felt like he could get it under control. I think it must be hard for you doctor to know that your colon is in good shape (this is an assumption I am making) and it is being removed. Maybe he felt blind-sighted. Did you discuss the option of surgery with him?
Posted 5/13/2010 4:49 PM (GMT 0)
Beeswax, I see your point but at the same time if I were in Christine's shoes after that encounter with that GI I would certainly second guess my decision and possibly feel like I was giving in/failing in my "fight". It is not a Dr's job, IMO, to express their opinions to a patient in this way. It's their job to be as informative as possible and as supportive as possible. If I were in this position, having exhausted all meds, I would expect my GI to refer me to the best surgeon he could refer me to and let me take it from there without the drama. It is nice that he wants to know how things turn out but still quite unprofessional.
Posted 5/13/2010 5:17 PM (GMT 0)
Killcolitis, I agree about the professionalism. I can't remember whether Christine talked to her GI about surgery or not previously. Maybe he would have referred her to a surgeon if a discussion about it came up. I guess I don't know. Maybe he should have brought it up as an option earlier. Christine did say he felt she made the best decision under the circumstances; so I guess he is supporting her decision.

I have dealt with many doctors in regards to my daughter who not only expressed no concern about symptoms, they minimized and at times disregarded and even belittled them. In the end she was seriously ill (brain surgery). Sometimes I think doctors could use a little empathy. I guess it is one of those difficult lines doctors must deal with.
Posted 5/13/2010 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
     I welcome all your opinions and I can understand the feelings of those who think I should not return to my GI doctor.   I must speak in his defense.  My ulcerations are confined to four inches of my rectum.  The rest of my colon is crystal clear...never had polyps, never had ulcerations or inflammation of any kind.  Maybe this was due to my use of Colazal for the past ten years, who knows?  I did enjoy a few years here and there in complete remission.  When I started flaring yearly, starting in 2003, my flares lasted approximately two months at the most and were brought under control with a fairly quick prednisone taper along with the enemas and 6MP.  It wasn't until May of 2008 that my condition started to deteriorate.  That flare lasted a full seven months and I was on prednisone the entire time.  My doctor wanted me to start Remicade back then, but I fought him on it.  I had a complete remission from Nov of 08 thru May of 09, then things really went downhill. My dose of 6MP was increased to 100 mgm with terrible side effects and had to be cut back down.  I became prednisone dependent and finally relented and went the Remicade route in Nov.  When Remicade failed in Jan. my doctor did bring up surgery but asked if I wanted to try Humira first.  It was I who wanted to try the Humira.   My doctor did not recommend the surgeon but agreed with my decision.  He also told me yesterday that perhaps it is better going into surgery while I still am healthy otherwis e.
Posted 5/13/2010 5:57 PM (GMT 0)
Just my two cents worth again.....He does sound very caring and wonderful except for the fact of making surgery seem like a failure. It is just another option, which is probably much better for you in the long run than all those heavy hitting drugs for years and years.
Posted 5/13/2010 6:04 PM (GMT 0)
Beeswax,
I'm so sorry about your daughter and I hope she's now well. We've also had to deal with several smug and barely competent drs in my daughter's case, so I agree completely. A little genuine empathy goes a long way. Christine, I agree with Collicat that the meds are probably worse than the surgery and that everyone is different about what choices they are willing to make in regards to this disease. You seem to feel satisfied that you have exhausted all medical options and you seem to have a good attitude going into surgery. I wish you all the best and I hope that this time next year you'll be out living your life with UP a distant memory.
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