I AM SOOOOOO ANNOYED WITH DOCTORS!!!!

Hello everyone!! I have to vent to you all.... (I am sorry if this is longgggg) Okay, I had my RNY on March 21, 2008. I LOVE my RNY and I am doing great! The issue I have is with the IVC filter they put in the day before my surgery. (This filter acts like a net inside the body for blood clots to the lungs) I had a blood clot in my left leg in 2002. It was a fluke thing. I was a smoker, on birth control, overweight and had surgery, so thats why I got a clot. Anyways, I had seen my hematologist before my RNY and he cleared me for surgery with NO need for a filter. Well, Dr. Hassablalla, the pulmonologist I had to see before surgery told me he is a "worry wart" and wanted me to have a filter put in the day before my RNY and it was a very simple procedure that Dr. Wallce puts in. I spoke with Dr. Wallace about it and expressed my concerns that my hematologist told me that I did not need this. Dr. Wallace told me its a smiple procedure and they can take it out about a month after surgery and its SO simple! No worries, nothing!! Thats why I "trusted" all my doctors!  Sooooo I go to get this stupid thing removed on May 1, 2008 and the radiologist can not get it out!! It's stuck!! I am fully awake for this procedure, which they go in through your neck, and I am pissed off that they can not get this out. Well, I have the radiologist telling me it can stay in and its fine and I have Dr. Wallace telling me it can stay in and I will be fine. The filter will just be something that will stay in there forever...no big deal. (So I think) NOW, I have Dr. Hassaballa freaking out telling me that I need to see a cardiac surgeon to get this filter taken out!! So I freak out and tell him NO WAY I am seaking a 2nd opinoin and he better talk to Dr. Wallace and Dr. Rantis about this filter, since they both said it can stay in. Now I had to see a new hematoligst Dr. Gordon out of ABMC and he says I HAVE to get this out becasue it can actually cause blood clots in my lungs!!! WTF?!?!?! Now here is the kicker.....if they can not get this filter out for the 2nd try, then I will have to be on blood thinners for the rest of my life!! (This is what Dr. Gordon tells me!) The rest of my life??? NO WAY! I am only 31 and I dont want to deal with that BS! I am SO upset with all my doctors I could just scream!! I am so depressed over this and I want to eat, but I wont!! I am just now dealing with all these emotions with NO food! I know you all know how hard that is.  I have so many different doctors telling me different things. What should I do? Should I go get another opinion?  Thank you all for listening to me vent. I am so frustrated I could cry!! Going nuts.... Jill 

My DH had his filter put in before his RNY (Dr Rantis) and when they went to take it out it had clots in it and it had to remain. His was in the groin area. I have a filter in me in my neck and it has been there since 1991; I have had no problems with it. It was my cardiologist/internist that put it in me. I am still under his care as my PCP. UMMMMM, I am totally off of Coumadin now that I have lost my weight. I would get 2nd and 3rd opinions on this issue. I am surprised that they are even trying to get it out now because my DH was told that it fixes itself into the tissues of the artery and it is dangerous to get it out after that as it can tear the tissue. Dr Hassablalla is a very good doc. He was one of my brother's docs when Jim was so sick back in Jan-through April.  Chris

Hi Chris! Thank you SO much for taking the time to respond to my post. It was GREAT to hear about you and your husbands filters. Its nice to know that you are not on any blood thinners. I will definitly get 2nd and 3rd opinions on this. I just called the Kane Ctr. and left a message for Dr. Wallce to talk to Dr. Gordon and Dr. Hassaballa regarding this. Dr. Wallace did tell me its was totally fine to leave this in and now I get another Dr. telling me its not. Ugh!! I just really appreciate you responding Chris! Thank you so much!!  Take care, Jill 

WTF?!?!?!  is right.  Wow....that's a LOT of BS to go through.  I hate it when doctors don't agree with each other and then the patient suffers....mentally as well as physically.   Hope this is resolved soon, Jill, and you don't have to be on blood thinners. Mary

Thank you for responding Mary!!! WTF is right!?! I am just so annoyed! I just left a message for Dr. Wallace to call me ASAP. I am scheduled to have this thing removed on July 29th, but I am waiting to get all info from all the doctors and they better get this right! I dont want to have to go through this again! UGh!!!!! I love the doctors at the Kane Ctr. & Dr. Rantis saved my life, but they ALL need to get it together and stop telling me conflicting information! Thanks for listening Mary!!  Take care, Jill 

No problem, Jill.   As many of us here probably do, I have a LOT of doctors I see, and though I love my PCP and have been with him for over 20 years, I had to get my butt in gear to:  Take it upon my self to: See a psych for depression, see a pain doctor for my back, (also a chiropractor) and decide to have the wls.  My PCP tends to be rather conservative which is fine, but if your problems are not being helped it is very frustrating.  PCP is a great guy, but for specialties sometimes you just have to advocate for yourself.  Don't worry about being a PIA.  It's YOUR life! I hope that maybe they can leave it in and then you won't  have to have any more surgery for that and also avoid the blood thinners. Best wishes, Mary

Hi Jill,  I'm sorry to hear all that you are going thru. I can't offer any advice except to get a 2nd opinion. My prayers are with you.

Thank you Carol for thinking of me and responding! It means a lot to me! Thank you!!! Jill 

Hi Jill, I don't have any advice for you so I'm sending hugs your way! It sounds like Chris & Dave had some good information for you. I think getting other opinions is always a good thing  even though I HATE to be the monkey in the middle between docs!! Hugs, Paulette

Thanks for the hugs Paulette!! Thank you for responding!! Jill