Help to find a surgeon or consultant

Crohn's Disease Forum

Help Support Crohn's Disease Forum:

Joined
Jul 23, 2010
Messages
3
help to find a surgeon or consultant

hello all.
i have been suffering from crohns for the last 10 years though was only diagnosed in 2006. my mum and my uncle (mums brother) also have crohns. though my uncle unfortunately passed away in september at the age of 44 from it. as i mentioned earlier a long time in being diagnosed but eventually we did. then i went through various medications and treatments, had aziathioprine, pentasa, prednisolone, infliximab, elimental diet etc etc. all of these with no lasting relief. the decision was then taken that i required surgery. my first operation was 27th april 2009 for a resection. this was performed but however 5 days later the join had fallen apart and an anastomotic leak was formed leading to peritonitis of the abdomen. i was then taken down for emergency surgery on 5th may 2006 where i was cleaned out and fitted with a temporary ileostomy. i eventually left hospital 17 days later weighing a mere 6 st. however i learned to live with the ileostomy and put the weight back on. then in septemberthe decision was taken to reverse the ileostomy. so on 14th sept 2009 i went in for the reversal. this all seemed to be well, but to make sure i was re-opened 2 days later to check the join was holding, which it was. i left hospital after 5 days. 2 weeks later i formed a fistuala out of the site of the old ileostomy. i was advised that this would heal on its own. however i could not keep the bowel content off the skin on my right side of my torsso. this resulted in what can only be described as a massive burn about 8 inches in diameter. this all with a little antibiotics all cleared up. however in may it was discovered that my surgeon had in fact "used the wrong stitches" to sew me up internally. he had been advising me for 6 months they were disolvable, until i made him check my medical notes where he realised they were not. therefore another operation in may 2010 to remove these stitches. another fistula has formed that i still have now. my surgeon would like to another resection to basically start all over again!! have lost all confidence in my surgeon therefore was wondering if anyone knew of a very good surgeon or consultant i could get referred to?
thanks for reading
marc
 
Hi Marc.

Sounds like you have been through the wars! I'm wondering if you went to a local hospital or a centre like Addenbrookes in Cambridge.... Because my immediate recommendation for a surgeon would be Mr Nigel Hall - only one I know really! however he did the right thing with my Perianal Fistula, and seems very competent.

Sounds like you also need a good gastroenterologist: Dr Stephen Middleton - he's good, but getting to see him on the NHS can be frustrating! - Addies appt system really sucks.

Both can be seen privately - I can dig out phone numbers if you want.

Sorry I can't suggest anyone more local, like Ipswich or Colchester, all I can think of there is to google for local gastro-depts, or local private hospitals, for some names and then ask your GP if they have heard anything positive/negative about them.

Good luck.
 
Last edited:
however in may it was discovered that my surgeon had in fact "used the wrong stitches" to sew me up internally. he had been advising me for 6 months they were disolvable, until i made him check my medical notes where he realised they were not. therefore another operation in may 2010 to remove these stitches.

Oh Marc, no wonder you have lost confidence in your surgeon. This is gross negligence surely!!! I hope you have written to the hospital in question and named and shamed the surgeon who let you down. I'm so sorry I can't point you in the right direction of a good surgeon, near you. There are quite a few Brits on here. Hopefully someone will point you in the right direction.

Welcome to the forum x
 
thank you beth i have thought about addenbrookes. but wasn't sure about how to go about it! suppose i need to get referred there by my gp?
dallies hi, i have been advised that there is other circumstances in my medical teatment that are below par. a lot have people have recommended legal action. but all i want at the moment is to get better. then i may consider it. just don't think i have the energy for a legal battle on top of this all at the moment
i thank you both for your replies and suggestions and am really glad i found this site. though i have had people to talk to about it obviously with my mum and my uncle both having been through this!! it really helps to speak to other people though.
 
I can understand you just wanting to get better. You would need to think about the purpose of any legal action. In the first place a chat with the PALS people at the hospital wouldn't go amiss.

Apparently yes you can be referred to Addenbrookes. You need to see your GP and get them to kick it off by either writing to the consultant and/or surgeon or by giving you a booking reference so you can simply book online:
Choose and Book.

Although you can be referred to all the big hospitals in the area, James Paget, Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester/etc, I would go for Addies because they do a lot of research, trials, and even small bowel transplant! They know their stuff.

Dr S J Middleton.

Mr Nigel Hall.

Dr Middleton is a lovely man, hard to get to see on the NHS, and a few of his team who have all been helpful and good people. Sister Fran Bredin his IBD nurse is great - she taught me to do the Humira injections.
Mr Hall, the cutter, his bedside manner was initially... not aloof, but very 'detached', very clinical. It frightened the life out of hubby and I when we first met him. Everything was frightening! But he quickly showed he was actually a very caring and a likeable chap.

Do make the effort to see them. It looks to me, from looking about for those url's, that you are entitled to simply 'choose and book'. If your GP stalls you or isn't sure get them to give you a booking reference so you can go home and do it online, or you might be able to phone Addies booking system directly.

Hope this helps.
 
Hi Marc and :welcome:

I can't help out with your search for a surgeon, but I would like to you welcome you aboard! Please keep us posted on how things go.

Take care,
Dusty
 
Welcome to the forum Marc... wow you can win for losing! What a rotten adventure. My second resection was a mess, got infected , and the surgeon was in denial he botched my resection. I am miles away from that area, and now I have good care but seems like everyone is retiring..

I too would never go back to that surgeon, sometimes I wonder where some of these surgeons get their degrees...from a bubble gum machine? :hang: some people have given you some help I am sure more will . Keep us updated ok!
 
ok thank you all for the advice it is much appreciated. beth i will make an appointment with my gp first thing tomorrow. will keep you informed on how things progress
 
Ouch that's awful, hope you get an appointment with one of the suggested surgeons/specialists and yes what he did is medical negligence.

I suggest looking down the route of Legal Aid or the Citizens Advice Bureau if you want to take it further (when you're back on your feet of course :))

Welcome to the forum, let us know how you get on :) :hug:
 
Hi Marc
and welcome fellow Brit

really hope you get something sorted soon, you've suffered enuf!
As a Brit, you have the right to choose your hospital, so don't be fobbed off by your GP if he says no!
Inform PALS if you don't get any joy
glad you found us, hope you stick around with us for support
lotsa luv
Joan xxx
 
Back
Top