new to site-PLEASE HELP!!!!

Hi there,
This is my first time being on this site but i could definately use some help from all you fellow BC'ers!! I was sleeved by Dr.Alvarez in mexico exactly 4 months ago today. The surgery went great and, since then, I have lost 50lbs. I've always had pleasant suprises re: my sleeve-examples are:no dumping syndrom, never vomitted, i could eat anything i wanted with no discomfort at (chicken, salad, popcorn, cooked broccoli). But now things have changed quite a bit.
one month ago (thanksgiving dinner) i ate a dry, overcooked piece of ham and one brussel sprout. that night, i developed the most excruciating pain and had to go to emerg. emerg thought it was gallstones. the ultrasound revealed nothing except a fatty liver.
Now, since thursday, i had 3 more episodes. the emerg dr. says that he believes this is due to my sleeve surgery and told me to contact my family dr. My family dr. and Dr.Alvarez think that it is gallbladder related-specifically biliary dyskinesia. all the episodes have happend within a couple of hrs of eating. thursday night was popcorn and friday was eggs. tonight's episode was shrimp.
The pain is always the same: in upper stomach, right below my rib cage on the right side and severe nausea. the pain is just as bad, or as worse as childbirth!!
My problem is that my family dr is new to the area and he says he has no clue who to contact. do i go with a specialist/gastroenterologist who will assess my gallbladder or do i go to the only weight loss dr in bc (Dr. Nguyen).
Does anyone have any suggestions on who i shoud go see or does anyone have a similar story? thanks so much!

Does your surgeon think that your family doctor should call a gastroentrologist or a bariatric surgeon?



Have you had an MRI or CT scan done?



Your doctor should call Dr. Nguyen in Richmond, or Dr. Amson or Dr. Tang in Victoria both in the same office, or Dr. Malik. If your family doctor calls one of them then you should be able to get in quicker than you phoning with just a referral.





Also Dr. Meneghetti who works at Vancouver General Hospital , Leslie Diamond Pavillion knows bariatric surgery, but isn't doing the surgeries right now but he would know who to contact in the Lower Mainland as well get your family doctor to try phoning him.


Also you should post this as well on www.wlsforum.net and www.blazeonline.com/wls both sites are out of Victoria and have a lot of BCer's on it, and they might be able to think of a gastroentrologist to see.

I just seen Dr. Haniak a gastroentrologist in North Vancouver, because I have abdominal hernias that need to be repaired, then I had a referral to Dr. Amson as well once I had the tests done I had a barium swallow xray done.


Let us know what happens,



Suzanne

wow! thanks so much for all your info! i'm going to my family dr tomorrow am with a list of dr's he can refer me to. i'll let you know what happens

Glad I could help let me know how it goes.

Suzanne

I had problems with my gall bladder before surgery and had it removed about seven years ago. The pain was intense and felt like a metal band was wrapping around my lower ribs. I couldn't even stand straight when it happened. I went to ER and they told me it was friggin food poisoning!!!

Whatever you do, though, don't see Dr Leung in Surrey!!!

Good luck, and please keep us informed with what's going on :)

Well, the new news is that i'm being referred to a gastroenterologist in vancouver. not sure how long the wait will be. i'm just praying for no attacks!!! thanks for all the help, it was very much appreciated!!

Im glad you are getting into the gastroentrologist, hoping it wont take too long and that your doctor put the referral in as urgent.

Suzanne

Hi there - I am originally from BC and currently in ON. The ON board has tons of experienced members and you may have some luck posting there, and perhaps on the main OH board.

Good luck!! I hope you get it resolved soon.

may be you could ask your doctor for some pill to help the gallblader it's not a cure but help you to wait  ask him too for a pill under the tongue to stop the spasm only the form under the tongue with the sleeve some time contraction are so hard you can't swallow i hope you feel better soon