In Hospital.. Need some advice..

I did go back and read, and I actually came to the conclusion that maybe he is doing something wrong.

It is very easy for a doctor to dismiss a patient as a malingerer who is in chronic pain when they cannot identify where it comes from.  It happens every day.  Those patients are labeled as crazy or difficult, but it's often that the physicians are dismissing legitimate concerns.

She has a history of endometriosis which can absolutely cause the types of issues she is having.  She could even have it growing around her intestines.  The woman cannot deficate without an enema - there is something wrong.  It may or may not be related to her DS but the fact that her surgeon is so dismissive gives me pause.  He should examine her AND all tests, then tell her that her case is not surgical.  Period. 

If she is dealing with Residents at that hospital then I really am concerned.  They are very dismissive and hesitate to think outside the box to uncover issues as they are taught that if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, sounds like a duck - it's a duck.  But as you grow in your practice you learn that sometimes things impersonate ducks. 

She's in pain.  She needs help.  Don't assume her doctor is doing anything wrong.  But don't assume he isn't either. 

Don't drop Dr. Elariny based on this story. He *does* have a reputation of having little if any bedside manner, but his surgical results are damned good. He also has a NUT with a tiny bit of a clue about the DS.

I met his nutritionist and she is lovely.  But if I'm post-op and need HELP with chronic pain, I hope he will at the very least return my calls.  Someone telling the patient third hand that the doctor looked at the x-rays is not acceptable.  

Um, we've been trying to communicate a different message to you. Please look at Diana's thread from yesterday titled, more or less, "Draw your own conclusion--or not." As others have said, look at the history.

I'm sure you could go up to NJ and get in with Dr. Greenbaum if you're so inclined, though.

Dr. E. already did exploratory surgery on her a couple of months ago because of this issue. He ruled out any bariatric cause relating to her DS. Since he is a bariatric surgeon, he did his job and it was time for her to move on to someone/something else.

The OP has been told that he's looked at the recent scans. He probably AGAIN didn't see any problem relating to her DS, but very cooperatively requested to be advised should any surgical issues arise.

Once a bariatric problem had been ruled out, it was NOT Dr. E.'s responsibility.

Thanks ladies, I'm glad to hear Dr. E was on top of things!  I hope this OP finds resolution somehow though.  

 He did not look at my scans and results or he did but didnt see what was actually on them. I asked for my gallbladder to be taken out before having the DS due to seeing how many people had to have theirs removed and he did not want to take it out bc at the time it was healthy. I was on Urso 2x a day and still take it but its not doing its job.

While he didnt think there was a surgical problem I was not going to the bathroom at all, not passing gas, in a ton of pain that they couldnt figure out and finally a test showed my gallbladder not only had sludge, distention, fluid but gallstones as well.

I called his office, emailed him, had friends call on my behalf, called the surgeon on call and got one of his prior employees who no longer works there. I was admitted to his hospital as he did my surgery and I wanted him to see me but ended up having to go back home and wait days and then go see him as he was at a different hospital. If someone would have communicated that information with me I would have been more than happy to go see him at the hospital he was working at. 

Well, if you need your gallbladder out, you do not need a bariatric surgeon for that. So, again, not Dr. E.'s responsibility.

He already did exploratory surgery on you regarding this matter and he found nothing wrong with your DS. That's as far as his responsibility goes. He requested to be advised if later physicians discovered anything different. That's good enough and all you SHOULD expect from him.

If you don't trust his results, you get a second opinion from a different DS surgeon.

I truly hate that you are in pain but, if you keep barking up the same tree, you're going to keep getting the same results (or lack thereof).

Just for FYI. I am one of dr. E patients and am having some issues. Saw him yesterday and he was very helpful and wants me to follow up with him in a few weeks. Very concerned and talked with me at length. My issues are nothing compared to what she describes, so none of this makes sense to me. Speaking as someone who has been under his care for almost 2 years. He is very good.

Thanks for telling us this :-).