noobie w/ issues grrr

[amyk]

HI, my name is amy and i had roux-n-y on aug 13th in San Antonio, TX. I have had issues since I took my first bite of real food...after many weeks of nausea and vomiting, and several tests, I found out that I have a stricture and the opening is 4mm....yes, you read that right, 4MM!!!!

I have since met three other patients of my doctor, all of whom have issues or know of someone who does/did ... I really do not want to return to him to do an EGD and fix it...have been fighting with my primary (have an HMO that requires referrals ugh grrrrr) who wanted me to return to him, which I explained was an issue as I don't have a vehicle that can make it three hours away (from corpus christi to San antonio) and that I didn't want to go back to the doc that messed me up initially! I called a local gastric doc, who had an opening for me the next day (when he heard my issues) and my primary REFUSED TO REFER me, told me to go back to Patel...

well, i had to call around to find another primary, contact my insurance to change it in the system, and then wait for the insurance to update....meanwhile, I am still vomiting and in pain (and oh yea, by the way, I think i've either pulled a muscle in my abdomen or got a hernia near the upper right quadrant)...I now have an appt to see my new primary on thur and hopefully get a referral to local doc and get this dealt with

anyone else have stricture experience that can help me with this and what i can expect (Patel stated that 95% would only have to do EGD once, but due to size of my stricture, i have a 50% chance of having to have it done again....)

also, hernia issues near site? It burns and feels like it's tearing/acid on my stomach, and even becomes sensitive to touch. I cannot stretch my arms overhead w/o pain....is this a pulled muscle or hernia??

 

[Karenina]

OMG Amy, I'm sorry you're having such a rough time. Please vent away. We are here to listen.
Sorry I don't have any advice for you except to agree that insurance companies can really suck.

 

[Qaterra]

I found out that I have a stricture and the opening is 4mm....yes, you read that right, 4MM!!!!

I have since met three other patients of my doctor, all of whom have issues or know of someone who does/did ... I really do not want to return to him to do an EGD and fix it...have been fighting with my primary (have an HMO that requires referrals ugh grrrrr) who wanted me to return to him, which I explained was an issue as I don't have a vehicle that can make it three hours away (from corpus christi to San antonio) and that I didn't want to go back to the doc that messed me up initially! I called a local gastric doc, who had an opening for me the next day (when he heard my issues) and my primary REFUSED TO REFER me, told me to go back to Patel...

well, i had to call around to find another primary, contact my insurance to change it in the system, and then wait for the insurance to update....meanwhile, I am still vomiting and in pain (and oh yea, by the way, I think i've either pulled a muscle in my abdomen or got a hernia near the upper right quadrant)...I now have an appt to see my new primary on thur and hopefully get a referral to local doc and get this dealt with

Welcome, Amy,

I'm glad you've found your way here, though very sorry to hear about the issues you're having. All these things should be put in writing and sent to your surgeon and/or pcp with copies to your insurance company. Doesn't have to be anything fancy, just stating what's what and what's happening (or not).

You say your stoma is currently only 4 mm. What size was it intended to be? This should be noted on any/every pcp's file. It is vital information, particularly where you do not wish to return to your wls surgeon. Do you know whether your stoma was created with the circular stapler, linear stapler or was it hand sutured? Again, this is something helpful for your subsequent pcp or other medicos to know.

With your stoma so tiny, I hope you aren't attempting to eat anything beyond protein shakes and those probably should be thinned to the consistency of water. Your wls surgeon's office/team member can best advise you on this.

Most importantly, document everything. And don't let anybody push you around, or push you off onto somebody else. Allowing you to continue to try to function with a 4mm stoma is IMNSHO irresponsible. Sounds like you've got a handle on that portion.

Keep us apprised of what's going on with you.

We're here, listening. And offering you support in whatever way we can.

 

[TwoMas]

Hi Amy, Welcome. I am sdo sorry to hear about your problems with your surgeon and PCP I hope your new Doc's do a much better job in helping you out, this journey can be difficult enough without any other issues like yours. I don't think strictures are common but there are several folks on the forum who have had the same thing and have had to go back to fix it. Good luck with the new Docs. Tom

 

[CarolF5]

I have heard of strictures happening from time to time with others and from what they said they let their surgeons know and they went back in to get it opened. They say it happens from time to time. No way to predict it. It is not frequent. Your Team is there for you-let them know ASAP.

Carol