Update

[allieinwonder]

Well, like every doctors appointment I've had, this one left me confused and disappointed. I went to a new GP at the clinic on base, because I wanted a second opinion on my options. Well, this one ripped me apart it seemed. She said that most people with depression problems feel like they have issues going on that aren't. She put me on zoloft and said I should feel fine in three weeks....

When I brought up the fact that my small intestine hasn't been tested, she told me it doesn't need to be. That colonoscopys are the test that would show crohns. She said I have had plenty of tests and that I am just fine. I was shocked that she she was just passing me off....

So I have been on zoloft two days now and I really don't like it. My eyes are dialated, I have a headache, and my D is so much worse. Plus I wasn't able to sleep at all last night.

I so want to just give up at this point. I didn't think I could get any lower than where I was before, but she really treated me like I was crazy. She did request an appointment for me with a GI at the military hospital, but she said there was a really slim chance they will approve it since I am just a spouse. She said I could try another German GI after that if I wanted to.

So now I get to wait another three weeks. After how bad I have felt this week (before the zoloft) I am sad that no one seems to think its serious. I wonder how far this will go before its all figured out?

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

Oh, Allie, you poor thing, I really feel for you! How frustrating! I've been through something similar - back in June, during a particularly nasty flare, I couldn't get an appointment with my GI nor my GP, so I went to a different GP in the same clinic. This GP took a very quick glance at my file and one look at me, and he said, "You have IBS. Also, you look depressed. Do you want some Zoloft or Xanax?" My jaw dropped! I 'look' depressed? Well of course I do, I'm crapping liquid poo 30 times a day and I barely had the strength to walk from the waiting room to the exam room! I doubt anyone with those symptoms would feel super happy! Grr! That was the doc that I put my foot down with and asked for pred, and he agreed, saying that he'd try me on a trial of pred if I would first try a couple of IBS meds, but he warned me several times that he didn't think the pred would do anything. (The IBS meds did nothing and of course the pred worked marvelously.)

So yeah, I've been there too - some GPs are morons and will write off serious symptoms as being depression or stress or "all in your head" and will make you feel crazy, even if you do have a legitimate illness (not that depression isn't a legitimate illness, but you know what I mean). You know you are not crazy and that your pain is real. It seems so negligent but for some reason doctors seem to be able to get away with that kind of thing. I know it's incredibly frustrating to deal with yet another bad doc, but please don't give up fighting for answers. Try to see a doc in the military hospital, and if that doesn't work try another German GI. I know it sounds so much easier to give up, but you know you can't keep going with the pain that you're in. You need relief and answers, and unfortunately it seems like the sicker you are, the harder you have to fight. It's not fair and it's so hard and frustrating, but please don't give up. You know I've been there too and I'm still without answers, but it does get better and you can get relief. You just have to keep going! As Joan (Astra) would say, if you can't get them to listen to you, go to the ER and lie on the floor and scream until they help you! Do what you gotta do to get some answers and relief!

That was rambly and probably too long, but I really do hope you keep fighting for answers. You know I have been through a lot of the same things and I know firsthand how frustrating it is. Please don't give up. And feel free to vent to me anytime.

 

[allieinwonder]

Thanks for the inspiring words. I was completely flabbergasted when I left the doctors office...its a trial run of zoloft, and I plan to get off of it asap. The only reason I'm doing it is to be able to go back in and go, "ok, I tried your way....wrong". The weirdest part of the whole appointment was her taking out her iphone to get medical information.

I know I can't give up, but I feel like I'm hitting my breaking point.

Another thing I'm considering is seeing someone in Atlanta when I visit in a week. But I will only be there for a week, so I doubt I will be able to run tests or anything while I'm there.

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

You'd be surprised, if they know you're in a dire situation they can sometimes arrange for tests to be run the same week. That happened with my colonoscopy - it was initially scheduled for about 3 months out, but after a few weeks I called in tears saying I was not doing well and didn't think I could last that long. The receptionist was snippy, but she had a nurse call me back, and the nurse was so sympathetic. She called me in the afternoon, and she said that it was a pity it was after lunchtime, because if they had gotten my call earlier in the day they could have started me on prep that day and scoped me the following day. As it was, they got me in the following week. So it's definitely worth a try at least. What tests have you had? At the very least I would think they could do some blood tests and stool samples. CT scan would be fairly quick too if they could get you in - from what I remember, the prep is minimal - fast for I think 4 hours and then drink some barium (which wasn't as bad as I was thinking it would be). Good luck with whatever you end up doing in Atlanta, I hope it gets you some answers!

 

[allieinwonder]

I've had all kinds of blood and stool tests, as well as a CT scan. I'm looking for a test to examine my small intestine, since that is the only area not tested as of now. I'm going to wait to see if the military hospital can see me, and then if not I'm calling my GI back in the states and see if he can do anything. He believed me and thinks its crohns, so I know I will feel better about all of this once I see him (if I can anyway!)

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

Oh, okay. So something like the pill cam? I think you mentioned in another thread that you were trying to have a pill cam done. I did a pill cam back around September. The test itself was fairly easy to do, the prep was the worst part (they made me drink 1/2 colonoscopy prep - apparently this can vary from doctor to doctor, with some just having the patient fast the day before and others requiring the full amount of prep - yuck!). If you are able to have that one done, I really hope it finds something. My pill cam was, like all my other tests, totally normal. I had a lot of high hopes for that one, too. That was the most frustrating one of all, to be told that the pill cam didn't find anything. I hope yours finds something, but don't get your hopes up too high in the event that your illness hides from the cameras as well as mine has.

Just a random thought - if you do see your GI in Atlanta, even if he can't run tests, you could ask him for a trial of pred to see if it has an effect on you. Pred is cheap and a short trial wouldn't cause side effects - I did 10 mg per day for 5 days and it made a huge difference for me, not only by giving me 5 really great days in the middle of a sea of bad ones, but also giving me the knowledge that I do indeed have something autoimmune. Pred only works if there's something there for it to work on, after all. Just a thought. Not everybody is comfortable with trying steroids without a diagnosis (my GI was horrified when he found out that a random GP had given me pred, but then he was intrigued when I told him how well it worked and I'm really glad I did try it).

 

[Astra]

Hiya Allie

I was gonna say the same thing, go home and speak to someone who speaks your language for a start!
Zoloft? God, this makes my arsehole wink!
I've been on that many SSRIs, MAOIs, uppers, downers, whatevers, for 15 years before dx, I ended up throwing them back in his face! I ended up DEPRESSED cos of them! I didn't have the Internet to help me, but I poured thro hundreds of library books, I knew I had Crohn's and I set out to prove it.
Hope you get to see your GI back home, and don't let HIM fob you off, you're not depressed, you're ill with an IBD. Persist and Insist.
good luck
xxx

 

[Jennifer]

I've had all kinds of blood and stool tests, as well as a CT scan. I'm looking for a test to examine my small intestine, since that is the only area not tested as of now. I'm going to wait to see if the military hospital can see me, and then if not I'm calling my GI back in the states and see if he can do anything. He believed me and thinks its crohns, so I know I will feel better about all of this once I see him (if I can anyway!)

Let's hope you can see him! Its hard to find people who actually listen and care for that matter so please do if you can everything in your power to get seen by this person.

 

[StarGirrrrl]

Yes it seems like going home would be the best option for you now. Is there any way you can extend your stay so you have more of a chance of getting helped?

 

[Nytefyre]

You need to come back home and see your old gastro!

 

[allieinwonder]

I wish I could stay longer, but I am in a play here in Bamberg, and I am missing three practices as it is. Plus the money to change the flight and change my pets arrangements too.

Nytefyre - I just moved from Sandy Springs. I love it there soooo much!! I want to live there long term when my husband gets out of the Army.

Thank you guys so much for the suggestions, I don't know what I would have done by now alone. This place is wonderful support, by far!! Now I just need to find some reputable information to tell these people instead of "I am on this forum and..." because they look at me like I am insane lol.