# Don't like my GI guy, can anyone relate?



## Joan Mack (May 20, 2007)

I expected my gi guy not to want to fill out a two page paper for FDA exception to Zelnorm. BUT he was not nice about the my reflux situation...very arrogant and uncooperative IMHO. Take care of yourselves, everybody


----------



## twocups (Jul 4, 2007)

I think most GI Doctors don't know what the heck is going on...................I think its a big guessing game and they always try to make me look dumb too. Like I bring it on myself or something. NOT HAPPY


----------



## fizzixgal (Apr 6, 2007)

I'm very sorry to hear that so many GI docs are so uncooperative and uncaring. I don't know where you are, but if you are anywhere near the Detroit area, I can (privately) recommend someone who is very much the opposite. I don't want to post too much detail on a public board but he really goes out of his way to help patients and friends who are suffering from GI problems, and he didn't try to talk me out of ordering Zelmac from Mexico. When I told him how expensive it was, he just said "but if it gives you a good bowel movement, it's probably the best $140 you spend all month."It really does take all kinds, to make up a world.


----------



## ibstimes (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi,I don't know if your from Canada or the US but in Canada doctors are paid $27.00 a visit. Most just love to chalk up visits and it makes no difference how much time they spend. So it's rare we get a decent compassionate doctor who cares.However, in the US I know they're very underpaid. Clinton tried to change the health care benefitting all, but the FDA lobbied to defeat it and won. Thus your predicament. Doctor's who get paid double. Little from the government and huge benefits from drug companies to push drugs.After all, the system is geared to keep you sick. No money in healing. Last breakthrough was Penicillin. Nothing since.See a naturopath, herbologist, or hypnotherapy worked for me. Good luck but get rid of that GI. He's a disgrace to the profession


----------



## Joan Mack (May 20, 2007)

Sorry not to be in the Detroit area...so thanks anyway. As far as US doc's, they make PLENTY. Well, I am trying to switch to a female doc. don't know...sometimes they are hard to deal with too.Unfortunately IBS/constipation is just another drop in the bucket of the (medical) mess which I have. Agree with you that he is a disgrace to the profession...so arrogant...like he single handedly developed the reflux med.Don't let anybody fool you...U.S.A. docs makes beaucoup bucks, big money.Thanks for your nice replies. Hope we all feel better soon.


----------



## Guest (Nov 6, 2007)

I was surprised when I finally saw a GI he did not even touch the painful area in my abdomin. He sat in the corner chair, took notes and set up a colonoscopy.To say the least I have not had the colonoscopy, yet. I have decided to wait a bit and give my new GP a shot. She says pain due to IBS, he says pain due to chrones. Suddenly I notice when constipated or have a full colon the pain is there. When having normal poops the pain is gone.


----------



## Steely (Nov 13, 2007)

I don't know about Dr's in the US not making money







I recently had to go to the ER for my IBS,the Dr saw me for 5 minutes and never touched me.I got a bill from the Dr for 347 dollars.The second time he came in for the last minute he was eating his lunch.On top of that I got the ER bill for 2300 dollars.Sounds like they're all making money to me.I don't really like any doctor all that much.


----------



## Joan Mack (May 20, 2007)

Steely, how right you are! They all make megabucks and do not police each other as a group. In other words, they cover for each other. I finished my two week attempt to do what the gi guy had suggested. Am really upset as bowel cramps are very painful. Take care of yourselves. I am going to buy fruit of the loom irregular undies as soon as able.


----------



## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

Maybe ibstimes was a little tongue in cheek. I thought he/she meant that Canada drs get paid very little. Our whole systerm IS geared toward drs making $$ and drug compannies making big $$$. A friend told me yesterday that Celexa is the same as lexapro except for 1 molecule. They changed that 1 because celexa was ending its patent so it could be generic so they made lexapro--1 molecule difference--now they have a patent on that for 17 years and cost an arm and a leg. So, the drug reps push this drug as 'purer than celexa' when it is really the same thing. OK, I got off the topic, but our country is in total healthcare hell.


----------



## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

oh yes, i definitely feel we are in the dark ages of health care right now. in all my years of ibs-c i have not been able to find a caring, knowledgeable, up-to-date doctor--someone who will take me seriously and treat my constipation and incomplete evacuation aggressively. they've all just spouted the usual fiber-water-exercise (and formerly zelnorm) and then just-live-with-it remedies. i wish i could change bodies with one of them for just a day and see how he/she would like to live with all this pain and misery on a daily basis with no relief in sight.Joan--i believe you mentioned in another thread that your dr said you weren't "working hard enough"---what an outrageous remark! here you are doing everything you can and he has the nerve to say that. sounds like he's the one not working hard enough.(just my two cents)


----------



## mrnnthd (Nov 16, 2007)

Have your thyroid checked. Intestinal problems are one of the first symptoms. Have your B12(heart problems) and Vit D checked (osteopoorosis and anorexia) checked. Ask for TPO test as well as TSH as it diagnoses autoimmune thyroid the most common kind. Read Mary Shomans book"How to Live WEll With Hypothyroidism" and "Solved The Riddle of Illness" I think by Dr Langer. Thyroid causes everything from chronic fatigue to cancer. I have researched this for 3 yrs and continue to find new Illnessed such as lung cancer. Look up the Israeli/U of Mich colon cancer research project. Do your research. Marys book gives a good start as she list web sites and other resourses. Type in thyroid and any symptoms. Hope this helps/


----------



## AIRPLANE (Mar 15, 2004)

As much as I appreciate websites such as this and the internet in general, the one thing that is missing is a resource for compassionate doctors who are willing to treat IBS patients seriously and not be afraid to explore the patient's ideas. Whether the problems are indeed mainly a motility issue, even which must have a cause, or very possibly something else, I think too many doctors 'typecast' people with these issues and aren't willing to go the extra mile to find out what's going on. As time goes on, I wouldn't be surprised if we hear of more and more people having serious, undiagnosed issues- I've already read of people who were diagnosed with IBS but it was actually something else- like celiac for example, and these people suffered needlessly for years. My last GP didn't believe in celiac testing- she said if I had it I'd have died a long time ago even though I'm reading about more and more people who supposedly have had it for years. While I don't think I do have it, as I cut out gluten for awhile to no avail (after her refusal to give me the simple test for celiac) I think it demonstrates a typical doctor's attitude and of course there are other people who DO have celiac and don't know it. I'm sure that a big part of the problem is that almost everyone has GI issues from time to time and many doctors feel that we are exaggerating 'normal' problems- not having any idea that they can reach an entirely different level and don't respond to the usual fiber and diet approaches that would work for 'normal' people. Or maybe they think we are undiscipined and want to eat what we feel like but want an easy fix much like some people who need to lose weight do. I do realize that the insurance industry is not always helpful but I still feel that if I think something is worth exploring and the doctor doesn't have a better idea then I, as the paying customer, should be entitled to have it. I've had this condition for over 23 years now. I get very tired of going from doctor to doctor and have gone for several years at a time not going to a doctor for anything at all- if they're not willing to treat my most bothersome, life-altering issues then I don't want to see them for things such as blood pressure or anything else either. Why would I want to? I also dislike having to have my medical records forwarded as I feel as though the new doctor will be influenced too much by what the previous doctors have written- making the change in doctors seem pointless. All that should be forwarded is a list of tests and copies of xrays- no personal opinions- and these should be given to me to inspect and hand-carry to the new physician. And just going from one useless doctor to another is a BIG waste of money as well as time- that's why we need a resource for doctors who will make use of our visits- and most importantly, our money.


----------



## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

Airplane---love your post--couldn't agree more. that's been my experience too over the years--the drs read your file and the opinions of the previous dr and that's it--the typecast. i really don't think most drs take constipation and incomplete evacuation seriously enough to realize how severely it impacts your quality of life. and it's interesting you mentioned the celiac thing. my husband keeps telling me to get tested for that and yes, like you i really don't think it's celiac b/c i don't have d (sounds like that's a major symptom) and i've tried changing my diet to no avail but everytime i ask a dr for the celiac testing, they say no, it not that--no test. and they've never tested me for pelvic floor dysfunction either. one dr said no, she didn't want to "waste my money". but i'm the paying customer--i wish they'd let me make my own decision as to how to spend my money. i don't feel it's a waste to explore all options. of course i plan to keep on trying to find a competent and caring gi doc but it sure is an exhausting discouraging and time consuming process.


----------



## Joan Mack (May 20, 2007)

I did get a set of perfect undies from K-Mart at a very reasonable price.I am also quite sick of GI guys having had 3 in the past 14 years. This is hard to believe but I have eaten so much Kashi cereal and bran flakes and tiscuits that I cut the roof of my mouth.Yesterday I saw my dental hygienist, she was concerned and referred me to a dentist. He was very pleasant and looked at my teeth and then when I told him about the problem...he asked me if I had eaten anything rough. I told him tiscuits which he had never heard of (lucky guy) and when I mentioned Kashi cereal...he had heard of cereal so he said I had ruptured something on the roof of my mouth.To make the long story short, I have to put my triscuits under my soup in the microwave, and heat up the kashi cereal with milk.I was also bowed over with pain (from trying to do what the GI genius said) and when my zelnorm runs out I expect to be in hell.So long for now...happy something or other...horrordays I mean holidays.


----------



## Joan Mack (May 20, 2007)

geezz this gi doctor knew less than I thought...he said zelnorm would be coming out in europe in 08. Well that is strange since it was never approved there. I had the colonoscopy from hell ... the anesthologist (female) did not give me enough valium and I started to get up from the table and heard them say something. So they gave me more.He wanted me to live on a combination of miralax and konstyl. I take 3 teaspoons of konstyl a day. HOW DO THESE PEOPLE GET OUT OF MEDICAL SCHOOL????? This was my second colonoscopy because the first one was all miralax and the registered nurse practioner (another man) wrote down that I was on a low fiber diet. The second time I went I had citric magnesium bottles and they worked. Then the genius wants me to take miralax every day. They are very uncaring, uncreative and have it made in the shade money wise...bunch of creeps.BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT I GOT MY ZELNORM MEDICINE FROM MEXICO AND SENT ANOTHER MONEY ORDER SO I DON'T HAVE TO HIT THE PANIC BUTTON.


----------



## 21600 (Aug 19, 2005)

I so totally agree with all of you. I'm not a constant sufferer, but sometimes I go through times where I call it an IBS "spell." Cramping badly, alot of air in the pipes, feeling like I can feel the pain when food moves through my intestines. I take magnesium, prevacid and have now started eating Dannon Activa (maybe it will help my gut). Doctors are awlful. It doesn't seem to matter what foods I eat.I was interested in the prior post about low thyroid. I only have 1/4 thyroid. But that's been for about 20 years. I didn't gain weight from it - everything seemed normal. This problem has been getting worse for about 5 yrs. Not unmanageable yet - but it scares me that it could. Any advice or comments. I have lurked around here forever - just starting posting. Thanks,


----------



## Joan Mack (May 20, 2007)

well airplane annie 7 and all...i quite agree that we have the medical system from hell with these superior beings who don't know anything telling us what to do. if the zelnorm people hadn't advertised it so much it would probably still be available. I don't think the drug companies or the doctors care about us but we are their customers





















as far as the fda goes that strands for freaking dam a-holes


----------



## Fullogas (Jan 8, 2007)

The easiest way to test for celiacs is simply to cut gluten out of your diet for as little as a week. If you begin to feel better, you have your answer. My GP swears I've got celiacs but every test has been negative. When I avoid wheat and gluten I feel better. The tests are not reliable in my opinion.As for GI Drs, well, I've been through about all the "top" ones here in LA and came away from each experience feeling less than satisfied. The best advice I've gotten to date has either come from this site or from, of all things, my allergist. She's on staff at a hearing research facility here in town and is very interested in anything that could effect hearing. I started seeing them a few years ago because my first symptom was dizziness. When ever the IBS is going to act up or I've eaten something that will cause a reaction, I get dizziness within a 1/2 hour or so. The ear clinic did allergy testing and found a host of food related issues. When I stay away from the foods that set me off, wheat and gluten being the foremost of them, I generally feel much better. Oh, and my dentist caught the reason I clench my teeth. He notices scaring on my teeth one day and told me it's a result of GERD. I guess I've been so used to it I didn't even notice it anymore. The acid was getting into my mouth and eating at the enamel on my teeth causing me to grind my teeth (usually set off by eating something on the list of foods I should avoid, especially dairy).I've gotten my best answers from everyone except my GI Dr.


----------



## Joan Mack (May 20, 2007)

I have to meet with my 4th gi doc and I am not looking forward to it. All they ever want to do is stick cameras up your anus or down your throat....NO FUN at all and they don't explain anything like my regular doctor did. He said that because I am older the colon just does not have enough push to it. Like a worn out muscle. At least he had a reasonable explanation.


----------



## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

good luck, Joan. you're right--no fun at all. but, yes, that does sound like a reasonable explanation--so what's the solution? i'm older too and i'd love to hear how he proposes to treat that--thanks for keeping us posted.


----------



## 15636 (Aug 3, 2005)

I CANT STAND DOCS in general most of them have no idea what to do with us ibsers and they dont want 2 admit it they think its all in our heads ugh!


----------



## Heva (Dec 9, 2007)

I can't believe that most of you pay for your ER. In New Zealand it is free as is our ambulance service. Our Drs cost $31.00 as they get a subsidy from the goverment as do our perscriptions-and if you are a high user you get it even cheaper.In saying this most people end up going private because of the length of time it takes to get an appointment in the hospital with specialists who make more money in the private sector.My GP is wondeful, she rings me to see how I am going and if I have questions will find out the answers as best she can and will organise whatever tests are required. My GI is hopless and refused to see him privately, paying him $230 for 15 mins of nothing twice ( eat more fibre he says) That made things worse so wait till he has a space at the hospital-now April. I am thinking about seeing another GI.


----------



## chester (Feb 29, 2008)

My GI guy was a female NP about 30 years old. I'm presently waiting for an appointment to a "real gastro" guy. Anyway, I've been getting 50 to 60 grams of fiber per day (not easy to do) for about a year, this NP told me about it, "just make sure you get 8 or more 8 ounce glasses of water per day. I asked her about the water thing on three separate occassions. Said the same thing, the same thing you hear all the time, get 8 glasses per day. Anyway, I found on the internet that you need 8 glasses if you get 30 grams of fiber per day and that the more fiber you take, the more water you need, otherwise all the fiber is just causing more constipation. I should be getting 14 or 15 glasses of water. I didn't bother even mentioning this to her or she'd get defensive and peeved. On to new doc.


----------



## Joan Mack (May 20, 2007)

hi, my female gi doc was wonderful. she did not think it was a big deal that I have ibs since i came down with it when i was older and eat a lot of fresh veggies and fruits and high fiber products. she is ok with my getting the zelmac from overseas. as far as the nurse who did not give me enough valium ... i spoke with the nursing supervisor. coming down the post shingles pain has just about put me on the floor. am glad to hear that somebody got some help from their allergist. my allergist is also following me on the shingles mess.good luck everybody and i agree this has got to be HEALTH CARE HELL.


----------

