Colorectal Surgeon

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Anna's Bandit

Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2018
Messages
774
Location
USA
Has anyone here ever been to a colorectal surgeon and what was your experience like. The last time I saw a colorectal surgeon was in 1992 and I was diagnosed with an anal fistula and I had an anal fistulectomy. First my appointment with this doctor was traumatizing, I can't write here about what happened. Second, the surgery was traumatizing as well. When I got home from the surgery I decided to look at the area with a mirror and I was horrified with what the doctor did to my body. I have recently sent a portal message to my Gastroenterologist requesting a recommendation for a colorectal surgeon and the reason that I want to go see one. I was in the ER in November of 2023 and I needed an enema and they were unable to insert the tube due to the amount of pain it caused me and so they had to sedate me and then do the enema ( a Gastroenterologist was there. )
* The MA at my Gastroenterologist office just called me on the phone to set me up with a Telehealth appointment with my Gastroenterologist this Wednesday. I'm hoping that he is going to focus on the subject of my last two patient portal messages which is about my anal rectal area and not focus on the fact that I sent two very long portal messages when he does not like long portal messages.
 
Why do you want to see a colorectal surgeon?
Your fecal cal has been high and your crohns hasn’t been under control .
A second opinion Gi /scope /imaging and switching meds sounds like a better path.
Surgery won’t fix the area of inflammation.
Your current Gi has had you on steriods for years without switching meds
Please get a second opinion

especially since your Gi gets “upset “ if you send long portal messages
Hugs 🤗
 
Irritation and discomfort from the inside of my rectal area. Blood on toilet tissue, bit of blood in toilet. Inside of rectum still sore 3 days later. This is a new issue. Am back on Miralax due to heavy pushing to have a bowel movement. Maybe Gastroenterologist can do a visual examination of the outside of anal area and do a scope to see the inside of the rectum to find out what it all looks like. I would have piece of mind knowing it's not cancer or something else that needs operating on. If it's just an issue that prescription rectal foam can relieve, then I would like to use that. Have past history of 1 anal fistula and 2 rectal abcess.

My medications are working. My last calprotectin level was 176 which for me is good, 6 years ago it was almost 700. Last year Cholestyramine was lowered from 2 packets a day to 1 packet due to severe constipation. Stelara increased from every 8 weeks to every 6 weeks 11 months ago. Things going good enough to go 6 months between visits instead of 3 months. Regular appointment scheduled for end of this month. But now after my portal messages my Gastroenterologist scheduled a tele-health this Wednesday.

* Started Budesonide 9mg a day in mid 2018. By March of 2023 I was only taking 1 Budesonide a day. NP took me off of it. Two days later I had watery diarrhea in my pants. They put me back on 3 Budesonide a day and in September 2023 they increased my Stelara from every 8 weeks to every 6 weeks.
 
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After ten years of disease it is strongly recommended to have a surveillance colonoscopy (screening for colon cancer )
My kiddo had one last year after 12 years of disease
Staying on steriods since 2018 does not mean the meds are working well
That is six years of steriods
9 mg is the same as 40 mg of pred

meds working well means no steriods
Or limited to a steriod burst (5 days ) once or twice a year

rectal foam may help but given your on 40 mg of steriods plus Stelara …..
Constipation issues need daily miralax

please get a second opinion
Flex sig doesn’t look at the whole intestine
Crohns patients need full scopes
 
2018 Started Humira and 6mp.
Started Budesonide around 2021.
Also started the Stelara, Methotrexate, Folic acid at that time.

Then weaned down to 3mg a day of Budesonide by March 2023. Weaned off in March 2023. Started with diarrhea again. Put back on 9mg a day. In September 2023 my Stelara was increased from every 8 weeks to every 6 weeks.

I will write down questions to ask the NP at My GI office at my regular follow up appointment on August 20. My visits with her are 30 minutes. She will also look at my bottom to look for any issues that may need to be addressed about that. [ Had a short tele health visit with GI today. ]

Honestly I am sick of doctors and am getting overwhelmed. This year I have seen my regular doctors which are PCP, Endocrinologist, Gastroenterologist and NP at the mental health clinic .....plus a Nephrologist and a Cardiologist. Also three ER visits for hypertensive crisis. 🤦‍♀️ Yikes.
 
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