Hello All

Well I had my appointment with the GI Doc today and she was very through with her approach and her manner, she told me that she felt very sure that it’s not colon cancer but more likely IBS, but because of the bloody wipe said she would do the scope. She felt my stomach area and told she felt no hard masses and lumps or that any thing that grabbed her attention, but none the less I am scheduled the April 14th at 9:00 in the morning at Navy Hospital Camp Pendleton, CA. I asked about anything that could be growing in, my stomach area and she asked how do I throw up after I eat and I told her never and she asked if I have thrown up coffee grounds and I said never and the she told stay off the internet :) Thanks and you will be hearing from me again after the scope.


Mike

Hi Mike

Glad to hear you are being scoped. It will be able to eliminate a few worries I hope. When you see her again, it might be worth mentioning to her that quite a few of your internet friends did not have any of the symptoms she was talking about either. From personal experience of my mother and husband, they mainly had difficultly in passing stools but not much else. I guess she is trying calm your fears.

It does make me mad though ( :eek: :o :nono: ) to hear docs telling us to keep off the net. It, and mainly the Healthboards here, has been a brilliant source of important information to me and my family. It can never replace seeing a professional for diagnosis but does provide info to empower the patient and carers to ask the right questions and not be "fobbed off" by a busy doctor who lacks to necessary interpersonal skills to communicate with the patient. I have found myself in many situations over the past 2 years whereby I, the patient's wife, have been forced to make it easier for the doctor on the other side of the desk so that he does not have to tiptoe around telling us bad news or second guess whether or not we are intelligent enough to understand what he is telling us. It also helps me to plan ahead a little. We all lead busy lives and it is great to hear of how other people cope with various illnesses and thus try and make sure that any illnesses we do suffer from impinge on our "normal" lives as little as possible.

Hmmm...... I seem to have ranted a little. And another thing.... it is important to ask questions and challenge their thought process regarding the decisions they make for treatment plans. I have found the best approach these days is to keep asking questions (why, what for, how much, what else) just so they know they can't hurry you through the door.

i have defintely finished sounding off now....... sorry it had to be on your thread mike

good luck
ktee

ktee

Its Ok please rant, I hate cancer so very much it took my soul mate the only women I ever loved and does not matter breast or colon cancer it is so nasty.

Your right she was just trying to calm my fear and I told her if not for the internet I would have not had my wife for the last 6 years.....I would have just believed her when I came back from my 6 month deployment and Trini told me that she bruised her breast at work while cleaning up and that was the reason it was orange and the nipple was inverted, but after typing in her symptoms on msn......well the rest is history.

Mike

I am glad they have agreed to do the scope...that, I am sure, will put your mind at rest. I agree with Ktee too that we need to be as knowledgable as possible though we are not very popular with the doctors who feel we are interfering! The only way to feel empowered and somewhat in control of the situation is to have as much information as possible and, sadly, many doctors do not feel we need to know too much.

So do not get over anxious but do get as informed as you can.

All the best,

This is good news! I feel that doctors should be required to do whatever it takes to put their patients at ease. Afterall only you know how your body is feeling and if something is not right to you the doctor needs to listen. The scope is the best way to totally eliminate your fears and you will feel so much better once it's done. So try to relax and not worry too much and we'll anxiously await your good news!