Update on my rough day

 As most people know, I have had quite a bit of pain that I thought was normal from the beginning.  I am 2 months out from RNY.  I have been getting weaker as time goes by instead of getting energy.  I noticed spotting blood last week and this morning I passed about 3 tablespoons of blood.  Figured it was time to check out what was happening.   I got in from the hospital during this evening.  They did a blood workup (to see how anemic I am) and an upper GI.  The radiologist says that all is fine there.  Lori told me that they would probably do an endoscopy and CT scan tomorrow as they couldn't do all in one day because of the contrast.  The doctors office gave me a couple of scripts.  One was covered by my insurance ($249.00) but the other one is not ($200.00) so I was not able to get it filled.  I guess I will wait until morning to find out what is happening.  I have a feeling it was be like playing tag with Lori.  She told me to call but they never give her the phone.  Always voice mail and she makes it known that she answers that at the end of the day.  I will just have to be persistant.

Pat, it is time to be down right 'pushy.'  Get on that phone in the morning and call that offiice.  You realize that tomorrow is Friday.  It will be hard to get anything done on th the weekend.  You need to get something done tomorrow.  Please do not be your usual sweet self.  You need to take care of yourself and speak up.   Do not play the 'leave a message game.'  Insist someone talk to you at once.   I will say a prayer for you.  Keep us posted.    

Thank you Pat, I will do my very best.  I also saw signs around down there today that some of the offices will be closed tomorrow and monday for the holiday weekend.  Don't remember if any were for Duncan's office.

Let us know how things go today.  I will be thinking about you.   

Pat,   If a Dr is really a 'good Dr', it should not matter whether it is a holiday weekend or not, what time of day/night that you call him, or what kind of insurance that you have.  But, I feel that you (the patient) also needs to take some responsibility for any medical attention that you might need.  You state that you have been having problems, did you let your Dr know about all your problems??   On 4/11/06 (10 months post op), I started experiencing severe tummy pain approx 11:00am, and at first did not call my Dr about it because it was final week of Tax Season (and I work in a CPA firm), and figured I could not be a wus...by 4:00pm that same day, I knew that I had to do something...got the surgeon on call, told him my symptons, and he said to go to Emory Dunwoody, and that they would start running the necessary tests.  I was admitted to the hospital that night at 10:30pm, and had surgery for a partially blocked bowel obstruction at 2:00pm the next day.  The obstruction turned out to be scar tissue.  The point I am trying to make is always let your Dr know what is going on with you....dont think of things as being 'normal' if you are having any type of problem...I do not want you to become a statistic of any sort for failure to report problems to your Dr. Norma

I did let the doctor know at both the 2 week and one month post op visit that I was having a lot of pain (but barable) and indegestion.  They told me it shouldn't be there and was puzzling and if the pain got unbarable to let them know and they would run some tests.   I have a nerve/pain condition called RSD (reflex sympathetic dystrophy) in my left leg and I find that I usually tolerate a lot of pain, maybe too much some times.   I spoke with the nurse this am and she says I don't have a stricture.  I probably have an ulcer and she already gave me the meds for it.  The seepage is very small and the pain is not the doubling over kinid and so they set up an appt with the surgeon on tuesday to see if he wants to do an endoscopy.  I am to go to ER if either condition gets worse. Thank you for your help.

Pat, Please feel better soon, and I was wondering what the scripts were that were so costly?!!!  It is a shame what the drug companies do to our pocketbooks.  Maybe the office has samples that you could pick up..... it never hurts to ask!!!  Hoep that all works out, adn please keep us posted!  Beth

The $300 one was called Carafate, it kind of clots any weak spots in the stomach.  The one not covered was Prevacid.  Medicaid doesn;t cover any stomach acid meds.  I happen to have some protonix (it is enteric coated) and the nurse says it won;t hurt me...go ahead and take it to see if it will disove before passing through.,  LOL.   Will see the surgeon on tuesday (your lucky day!-good luck).   When I noticed the cost of the first med my pharmacist said "take the taxpayers".  My daughter says when I asked how much was the one not covered I should have said to him "you are a taxpayer right?  Then I accept you paying for this one too".  He had been very nice and understanding until he made the insensitive comment about the taxpayers.  Guess he wasn't thinking. Take care

Your primary might have some samples of Prevacid.  Marvin's primary gave him some samples a while back.  I understand Protonix is the same thing.  

Good idea. thank you