Questions regarding pain

[New Hope 37]

Darcy, be sure that you're only drinking Clear Liquids the day before your scope. Milk, v-8 juice, or other colored liquids can keep them from getting a good picture.

[DeLarla 22]

Darcy, I'm checking on you... are you okay today? Better, worse, same? I've been thinking of you all day cause I had to do more gross lancing & draining. You'd have loved it. xoxp

[nightingale2u 42]

Hi All,

Yep... when choosing a surgeon I think it is important to ask... If I have problems is there a contact person that I can discuss those problems with and does that person and or persons have the ability to contact you if they are unable to solve the problem? There are a million more questions that should be asked... but a surgeon's skill is not the only important factor when making your choice.

Lisa... I think I have figured out what exacerbated the stomach pain. I bought Centrum adult chewable Vitamins and started taking them shortly before all of this started... I stopped taking them Monday and the problem has steadily improved. Yesterday I thought... hey... I feel pretty good today... so I took my Vitamin again. Guess what... cramping... shooting pains... all of it returned full force. So... still think that the EGD will be a good thing if only to find out why my stomach would be so sensative to a simple MVI. Before... I was taking one chewable children's vitamin... so... maybe it is just a coinkeedink... but it's the only thing that I added at the time the pain started.

Today... I start composing my letter... I'll share it when I get it completed and see what you all think! I will take it with me for my appointment this Friday and deliver it personally.

(((hugs)))

Darcy

[nightingale2u 42]

LISA... I thought this deserved a frame of it's own...

WHAT!!!???!!!???!!!??? MORE LANCING AND DRAINING!!!???!!!??? What the Sam HE Double hockey sticks is going on with your body girl!!!????? What do they think is going on???? Is this related to you healing abilities or lack there of???? Now it is my turn to be worried about you!!!! I would obviously get my fill of wound care if I lived closer to you! You will need to keep me updated on this Harley Delarly! Ya hear???

Darcy

[Alexandra 55]

Darcy, I just asked on another thread how you are doing. Glad to hear you're closer to figuring it out, and more important, that you're feeling better!!

And Lisa, I was going to do the same thing Darcy did. What the hell is with your wound? My god, child, you should have been healed long ago. You poor baby!!

[claraluz 2]

Darcy, so glad you have found a possible answer to your problem. We've all been so concerned.

Nancy

[nightingale2u 42]

Thanks Alex... a modern day lap band detective I am...lol. I've always had a sensative stomach... of course... it never stopped me from eating!

Kiley... I forgot to respond to your post... The support group in FDL is a groupd started by a patient of Dr. CHua's and mostly comprised of his patients.... however... anyone is welcome to attend. I brought my angel Nicci with me to the last meeting and she is a patient of Dr. Kemmerling in Green Bay. I would love to have more people there that have experienced this WLS journey with other surgeons so that patients starting their journey have comparisons. My hope is that patients will see that they have the right to expect more than just surgical skill... they have the right to be treated with compassion and care from the staff and they have a right to have any problems or complications dealt with in a timely manner. I would love to see you at the next meeting (The first Thursday of every month at 6pm)... I'm going to drag Nicci with me again... and hope you will come too!

Darcy

[New Hope 37]

Oh, Darcy, a word of advice on the make ready for your upper g.i. I'd start doing the laxative, sparkling beverage, enema routine (or how ever your dr. advises) about noon or earlier the day before your test. Otherwise, you won't get any sleep that night because you'll be running back and forth to the bathroom. Not painful, just exhausting. I learned to start early, stay on Clear liquids, and then be able to get some rest that night. Plus they always want you there way before daylight.

The test itself is no biggy. They'll give you something to relax. It usually knocks me out. You may or may not remember them spraying the back of your throat to numb it. Then you don't remember anything else. Your throat will probably be a little sore for a day or two. You'll probably want to eat fairly light, not too spicey foods the day after the test. You'll do fine and you should know what's going on before you leave there.

Keeping my fingers, toes, and eyes crossed for good luck!! :eek:

[DeLarla 22]

I'm so tired of doctors and antibiotics, but yes, my wound is an issue. I have an appointment with my gastro on 8/26 but I think I'll make an appointment with my primary today. The wound finally closed over last week, but I was feeling creepy so I lanced it and can't believe how much Fluid came out. The Fluid isn't infected though. I called Dr. Kuri and he agreed that I need to keep the wound open till it's done draining. I'm suprised someone around here hasn't heard of this before - like some kind of boil or cyst that keeps breaking down and draining. Being an alien is lonely.

Darcy, Vitamins? I can belive that though. Vites make me very sick if taken on an empty stomach. I even wonder if it's smart putting them in my Protein shakes. I do feel quite rumbly in the tumbly most of the time, but I figure it's just my new band belly talking.

My docs and pharmacists say ONLY take vites with a Protein, since the vites need to bind to a protein in order to be effective, otherwise they pass right through your system. Once I had an x-ray of my belly and nearly fainted cause I thought I had huge tumors, but the doc showed me my Vitamins, which I'd taken hours earlier but they never broke down. You could see them clear as day, completely whole in my guts.

[nightingale2u 42]

Lisa... I am so doggone sorry for your healing troubles. Let's imagine that the drainage is actually fat in liquid form okay???

(((hugs)))

[nightingale2u 42]

This is the letter I composed to my surgeon... I would appreciate any suggestions and or corrections as I want this letter to be as effective as possible.

Ryan... get your butt in here and turn my letter into a real page turner!

August 9, 2004

Dear Dr. Chua,

I must share my concerns about the care provived by your office. I won’t rehash every experience but will just say that the situation could have been avoided if a person with medical knowledge had returned my call and taken the time to collect information on the abdominal discomfort I was having. I feel that an ER visit could have been avoided along with days of waiting by the phone.

There should be a triage person and or persons in your office to handle medical concerns that may arise after bariatric surgery. This person should be able to contact you if it is warranted.

I started having discomfort with eating and drinking on Friday August 1st. This pain continued and increased throughout the weekend but I thought it was perhaps due to irritation from starting on a regular diet. I called your office on Monday morning at approximately 9:30 am. A staff member said that Deb was in surgery but that she would page her and have her call me in between cases. I waited the ENTIRE day by the phone and finally gave up at 5:30 and called the answering service. They paged you and I gave you a brief description of the pain and you suggested I go to the ER for an xray. I told you that I had been getting fluids in and wasn’t dehydrated… but off I went as instructed. I can’t help but feel that if someone would have called me back earlier in the day… the ER visit could have been avoided and tests could have been ordered according to the need.

Tuesday…I called your office at 9:15 as I was unsure what testing you wanted. Joanne stated that I needed an order to see the GI doctor and she would talk with Dr. Rudic and get back to me. I waited by the phone ALL DAY once again. Joanne did call me back at 5:15 only to tell me that Dr. Rudic couldn’t handle the problem and that she would talk to you the next day. I also asked her to discuss the possibility of something simple such as gastritis.

Wednesday… I talked to Joanne and she said she would page you to find out what tests were needed. I waited ALL DAY… only to be told that she was not able to get a hold of you. She stated that she would be working with you on Thursday at Sinai and would ask you then.

Thursday… Called your office and spoke to Kelly and was in tears. She assured me that Joanne was working on the problem and she would be getting back to me. I waited ALL DAY again by the phone. I finally gave up and called the office at 4:15, only to get the answering service… more tears. I then attended the support group meeting in FDL where Kathy called you and in minutes I was able to get the information I had been waiting by the phone for days to obtain. It was an awful week for me and I was left very concerned about the type of after-care I was coming to know.

Since this whole thing started... NOBODY has asked if the abdominal discomfort is better... worse... or unchanged and I honestly feel that nobody really cares one way or another.

Just as a matter of interest… the place that changes our oil just called to make sure we were happy with their service and to let us know they would welcome any suggestions for improvement. I could feel the friendly smile on the other end of the phone and in mere seconds I hung up with a smile on mine. That’s how quick and easy caring customer service can be.

Thank you for your time,

[DeLarla 22]

Darcy, don't get mad but I think you're letter is too nice. First, you need to state your problem and your aggravation in the first paragraph. Most doctors don't have time to read lengthy letters so they just scan correspondence for important details.

I plan on writing Lopez, but I have a huge family legal issue I'm currently working on that takes precident. But if you're writing to solve a problem, you need to put some of the nice behind you and get to the root.

Dear Dr. Chua:

I'm writing with regards to the lack of aftercare you and your staff failed to provide after my [date] LabBand surgery. The $20,000 I paid for my surgery included long-term aftercare, yet I've been suffering horribley for xxx days while it took xxx days for your office to respond to my medical needs, etc....

cc: Inamed

That's my 2 cents.

[New Hope 37]

The important thing, Darcy, is that you DO send a complaint letter to your surgeon. Your letter is long, but it is also very detailed. You have names, dates, and times that you spoke with someone in his office. That's good!

Sometimes, it's easy to "let something slide" after we cool down. This problem does need to be addressed and corrected as soon as possible.

You do have the right to proper aftercare with qualified, professional, competent, and courteous staff. I also believe it's just as important to send a letter of commendation where and when it's deserved.

P. S. How are you feeling today? Regardless of if you do get feeling better, please follow through with the scope. You need to know what's going on. (Plus you know what a hassle it would be trying to get another one later on.)

[nightingale2u 42]

Lisa and Marie...

Thanks so much for your input... that's exactly why I posted this letter here before delivering the final draft personally. I will need follow-up care with the Lap Band and since the other M.D. that is covered by my insurance is reluctant to open his door to patients that have been banded elsewhere... I am trying to get my point across as nicely as possible. More flies with honey???? Lisa... I think you are right... I should perhaps move things around and I never thought of sending a copy to Inamed but that is an awesome idea.

Marie... I am feeling better but still am going to follow through with the testing. Dr. Chua's office called this morning to let me know that I need and upper GI and that I need it BEFORE the scope so it was a mad dash to get one scheduled for tomorrow AM. What she didn't say is... How are you feeling... is the pain better or worse???? No surprises there. So... joyful week... Upper GI in the morning... scope the next morning and the ever pleasant visit to Dr. CHua's office on Friday. Somebody hold me.

[claraluz 2]

I agree with Lisa that the first paragraph should contain the reason that you are writing (to complain) and the essence of your complaints. I also think you could leave all of the "what was good" part out of the letter. You can be polite in the letter, but strive to be short and to the point. Also, you might consider stamping "Confidential" on the envelope so that the office staff doesn't open it and throw it away so that they don't get in trouble. But it is good that you are writing. You will not only be helping other patients, but Dr. Chua as well. He can't fix what he doesn't know about.

Nancy