Oh, yeah...
I forgot to let you know how everything went at my GI doctor appt.
Well, short story was it was a waste of time. I get there, get into a gown (which weirds me out), and talk to him about what I went through over the last 4 weeks. Brought in my bag of everything i'm on/prescribed/suppliments, and all the dosages in the follow up letter we got were wrong! 0_o
Things that annoyed me:
1)"So how long have you been feeling like this?"
Me: "About 4 weeks, now."
Him: "Four weeks?! Is that all???"
2)Everything kept leading back to my IBS or the fact that I had acid reflux. Look, I've done this IBS thing for a while now and CLEARLY explained to him how these symptoms were NOT the same as my usual IBS symptoms and were, in fact, in entirely separate places in my abdomen. How can I be sure??? Well, the fact that when I have IBS flares and take my meds for that, I get better. IBS meds are NOT making things better. As for the reflux, I'll admit it was playing a part, but Dr Reid gave me meds and made those symptoms better. One does NOT have continual reflux for 4 weeks.
3) For every suggestion he had of stuff to avoid, I pointed out that I already tried it for X # of days and it didn't make any difference. Spent 2 weeks cataloging everything I ate and what symptoms I had. NOT accepting that list and "I've already tried that" will not make me respect you. Mentally sticking your fingers in your ears and going "La la la, it's acid reflux." will not make me respect you any more, either.
4) Suggesting I continue to take acid reflux meds for another 6 weeks and then shoving a camera down my throat and biopsy-ing my intestinal tract to find out if I have a certain bacteria will NOT gain you popularity. Not especially since they have THREE OTHER NONINVASIVE tests that can check for the same damn bacteria and getting scoped is the most expensive and dangerous way to check (which, btw, I got back to my office and had Dr Reid order additional bloodwork behind the GI doc's back :p Everything came back fine.).
So yeah. TOday I got a phone call from that GI doc's office who said they needed to reschedule my follow up appt in October since he won't be there. I said, "You know what, just cancel it." seeing as I've been feeling fine for 2 weeks and am eating normally now. *shrug* I said if he wanted to see me back for my IBS issue (though I don't feel like that needs to be addressed), then call me back and I'll make the appt. Otherwise, I don't feel the need to pay $30 and go "yeah, I'm fine, no thanks to you." I did have to promise that if I got sick again I wouldn't hesitate to make an appt (which I will, just will try to avoid that doctor).
I'm not 100% sure yet, but I really think the suppliments are doing the trick! Either that or whatever was flaring up was gone at the same time I started said suppliments. *shrug* Who knew organ meat in a pill would be so useful! :p
So to recap: no food allergy, no celiac disease, no h.pylori infection. No friggin' clue what exactly was happening, but they may think that IBS was playing a part, along with some stress. Lenny thinks it might be adrenal fatigue, but who knows. *shrug* The only piece of news I got that I thought was useful was that women who have gallbladder surgery and also have IBS can have their IBS symptoms change for up to two years after the surgery.
I figure by May of 2008 things should be settled, then. :p Until then, I have my handy dandy pill bottle mixed with all sorts of yummy tummy meds if I get in a jam. Ahhhh, phenergan. Sweet sweet phenergan. :p
Well, short story was it was a waste of time. I get there, get into a gown (which weirds me out), and talk to him about what I went through over the last 4 weeks. Brought in my bag of everything i'm on/prescribed/suppliments, and all the dosages in the follow up letter we got were wrong! 0_o
Things that annoyed me:
1)"So how long have you been feeling like this?"
Me: "About 4 weeks, now."
Him: "Four weeks?! Is that all???"
2)Everything kept leading back to my IBS or the fact that I had acid reflux. Look, I've done this IBS thing for a while now and CLEARLY explained to him how these symptoms were NOT the same as my usual IBS symptoms and were, in fact, in entirely separate places in my abdomen. How can I be sure??? Well, the fact that when I have IBS flares and take my meds for that, I get better. IBS meds are NOT making things better. As for the reflux, I'll admit it was playing a part, but Dr Reid gave me meds and made those symptoms better. One does NOT have continual reflux for 4 weeks.
3) For every suggestion he had of stuff to avoid, I pointed out that I already tried it for X # of days and it didn't make any difference. Spent 2 weeks cataloging everything I ate and what symptoms I had. NOT accepting that list and "I've already tried that" will not make me respect you. Mentally sticking your fingers in your ears and going "La la la, it's acid reflux." will not make me respect you any more, either.
4) Suggesting I continue to take acid reflux meds for another 6 weeks and then shoving a camera down my throat and biopsy-ing my intestinal tract to find out if I have a certain bacteria will NOT gain you popularity. Not especially since they have THREE OTHER NONINVASIVE tests that can check for the same damn bacteria and getting scoped is the most expensive and dangerous way to check (which, btw, I got back to my office and had Dr Reid order additional bloodwork behind the GI doc's back :p Everything came back fine.).
So yeah. TOday I got a phone call from that GI doc's office who said they needed to reschedule my follow up appt in October since he won't be there. I said, "You know what, just cancel it." seeing as I've been feeling fine for 2 weeks and am eating normally now. *shrug* I said if he wanted to see me back for my IBS issue (though I don't feel like that needs to be addressed), then call me back and I'll make the appt. Otherwise, I don't feel the need to pay $30 and go "yeah, I'm fine, no thanks to you." I did have to promise that if I got sick again I wouldn't hesitate to make an appt (which I will, just will try to avoid that doctor).
I'm not 100% sure yet, but I really think the suppliments are doing the trick! Either that or whatever was flaring up was gone at the same time I started said suppliments. *shrug* Who knew organ meat in a pill would be so useful! :p
So to recap: no food allergy, no celiac disease, no h.pylori infection. No friggin' clue what exactly was happening, but they may think that IBS was playing a part, along with some stress. Lenny thinks it might be adrenal fatigue, but who knows. *shrug* The only piece of news I got that I thought was useful was that women who have gallbladder surgery and also have IBS can have their IBS symptoms change for up to two years after the surgery.
I figure by May of 2008 things should be settled, then. :p Until then, I have my handy dandy pill bottle mixed with all sorts of yummy tummy meds if I get in a jam. Ahhhh, phenergan. Sweet sweet phenergan. :p