Awful GI visit

Speaking for myself I really require my GI to be a "partner" with me in deciding my treatments not an authority figure telling me what to do with no discussion. You sound like you'd like that also. Other people actually prefer to have their doctor make all the decisions.

Grabbing you by the neck and it was painful? Not good. Would not want him to do GI procedures with the same lack of subtlety and disregard for pain. Imagine that same action blundering around in your colon or rectum. Remember some doctors graduated at the bottom of their class by the skin of their teeth. OTOH there are some brilliant docs who don't communicate well with patients.

I wouldn't quit a doctor just because he/she wanted me to go on Imuran unless I was opposed to it and they would not offer any alternative. The question is are you opposed to it? GI's have a list of approved drugs that they can RX to us and Imuran is one of them.

UC is a long-term disease and you should choose a GI with the same care as choosing a spouse. My GI is smart, listens to me and suggests alternatives within her comfort zone (no fecal transplant or LDN in other words) and never talks down to me. But she is only human and I am only one of hundreds of patients she sees. Most of my care is up to me and she is the one I call for RX.

If you have to ask us about finding another doctor you already know the answer, don't you?

He grabbed me to check my neck for something, he was squeezing it... but instead of saying what he was about to do or reaching for it normally, he was rather abrupt and painful about it. I think one of the reasons I'm so conflicted about him is because I heard great things about him from other people... they all said he was gruff but great. I just don't think he's really all that great.

The first meeting with my GI she acted cold.  She was new and everyone said she was the best.  I can remember thinking if this is the best don't show me the worst.  I was already scared because of the bleeding and mucous.  She did a colonoscopy and after the procedure she left me waiting in the waiting room and started on another procedure.  My mother came with me because they want someone to come with you to drive you home.  My mother went to ask what is taking so long.  My GI eventually came out and she said it's really nothing to write home about.  My mother got upset.  Scared me and the GI doc.lol  I decided I wasn't going back she could keep those results.  Long story short she called me personally and told me I hope you come back, etc.  I guess she must realize how she acted.  I respected the fact she did that.  As for the scare tactics, she would do that too, but her behavior was nothing like our first encounter.  If it's not getting better for you....switch.  Life is too short to put up with someone like that.  Last thing you want to do is start dreading going to the GI. 

Bookworm,

are you in the phily or SJ area? which GI dr are you seeing? i am having a hard time finding one i like as well...

Wow, that sucks. I hope you can find a GI you like.

I'm guessing the grabbing the neck was either to feel your lymph nodes or your thyroid, but it should have felt as if he was being rough. I have thyroid nodules, so mine gets "felt up" (haha) a lot, but it's never grabby or anything.

I agree with the consensus here that you (all of us for that matter) need a specialist you can trust or at least tolerate. My alarm bells start ringing whenever somebody starts pushing me to take drugs before explaining all the options, consequences and alternatives. When this happens I dig in my heels like a balky mule.

My primary GI specialist is tolerable only because I'm going my own way (acupuncture, SCD, natural cures). When I asked him about alternative protocols for treating UC, he advised me that nothing worked but big pharma products. Oh, and I could eat whatever I wanted because foods made no difference. Clearly, most physicians out there only follow the 'book' and whatever is written in it. It's safe for them to throw pills and poisons at us as long as their solution is an established standard of treatment. If we fail to thrive on a legal but deadly cocktail, it's not their funeral. Yep, I guess you could say I have little trust in the medical profession.

By all means do a bit of research and identify a good GI specialist. It's likely that more recent graduates of medical school have been exposed to alternate UC treatments and learned more communication skills than the old timers. It's also a good idea to tell your physician up front what your expectations are; namely a partnership in maintaining your health.

Good luck.

My guy was cool, agreed to switchup to sulfa/librax and was immediately better. Was no responding to pred. Next time I saw him he shocked me with talk of pred and imuran or whatever. That stuff is a no-no with me. I have not been back in over a year.

Hey I got some bloodwork for him - just remebered I bet my results are in at directlabs.com.

Bummer creatine is sky high again

Good news is Iron is actually High!!! I am not even supplementing it.

ALT/AST fantastic! Best ever

Test Requested - CMP14+LP+TP+TSH+5AC+CBC/D/Plt

Creatine-27 High
Iron - 219 High
Platelet - 294 !!! ***LOW*** This is the KEY indicator, Fare not going to happen, Thrombosis not going to happen
AST -40
ALT -36
Neutrophils - 48
Lymphs - 37
Monocytes - 11

i have never heard of that but who knows what he would tell the other doctors about you. Good luck!! I hope you find a doctor you LOVE!!

Hello there please find a dr. You like. It is so important to feel listened to and heard. I had a horrid gastro dr. When I became sick his rude and threatening manor made it all ten times worse. There are great docs out there. A good and caring relationship makes all the difference. Remember too you deserve a healthy and supportive relationship.you are going through enough why feel uncomfortable in addition. Best of luck and blessings to you.