#3

From: shali9 (shali9@icdc.com)
Mon Aug 20 23:16:47 2001


Now it was time to see the doctor so heres what happened:

Went to see the doctor on Friday since I now have a diagnosis which is Cecal Volvulus [Bascule]. A twist/fold which causes an obstruction. I've known I was obstructed but no one could ever find anything which is because volvulus is usually not picked up on xray. However, there is no excuse that one of the three surgeons that were in there over a two year period didn't see the dilation of the colon. There is also a problem in the sigmoid, I myself noticed on my 98 barium enema xrays, a narrowing and looping. I find out it is 3/4" in diameter at one point when it should be 2".

The problem with the sigmoid was due to the pelvic mass, I feel confident. It has never resumed its normal shape in 3 years; and in fact looks identical to the way it did 3 years ago. The problem in the cecum is questionable as to when it became a problem and doesnt really matter, cuz it's something I'll never know for sure, but the symptoms it produces where there from the beginning and on the opposite side of the pelvic mass. I had trouble with it from the beginning, about 4 years prior to the pelvic mass. Dont know when the pelvic mass began, but it certainly wasnt the size of a cantaloupe for 4 years as by the time it was, it couldnt grow much more before killing me.

My greatest concern, more like fear, was going through any type of resection and coming out of surgery not having function and worse, dealing with pseudo-obstruction because of muscle/nerve problems which Im sure I have. I'd be dealing with the same mess all over again. So not knowing what the doctor was going to say, in bold letters, at the top of the page, my first question was just this - what the hell am I going to do NOW [if he recommended a resection] when I cant even use my current therapies for 6 weeks because work was done on the area?

Anyway, his recommendation IN MY SITUATION AND UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, is a subtotal colectomy which is removing 80% of the colon. I asked him why not a double resection? He said I just did a double resection on a girl just like you with two problems on either side, BUT she had FUNCTION so I didnt do a subtotal colectomy. He cannot guarantee function in my case therefore is recommending having 80 percent removed. He would attach the small intestine to I think the rectum.

He suspicioned cecal vovulus looking at my three year old xrays prior to the diagnosis from Boston, which doesnt visually show it and cecal volvulus is usually misdiagnosed as sigmoid volvulus. How many doctors would I have gone to and been misdiagnosed, went thru a surgery for the sigmoid to come out the same because they missed the volvulus [which isnt constant, therefore usually missed as well]? He is of the caliber to FIX the problem [my caliber exactly] and get me out from underneath having to take laxatives and colonics all my life! His recommendation is based on all the trouble Ive had for the length of time involved. Restoring function in muscle and nerve problems is just more hard labor and I haven't found anyone who has overcome the problem; quite the contrary in the pseudo-obstruction cases. And MD's wont address it. They leave you like that to fight because its an obstruction just the same [they cut when they shouldnt and dont when they should]. It is no different. Being the muscle and nerve dysfunction cause the obstruction, THEY dont know where the muscle and nerve dysfunction IS. If THEY had the problem, they'd sure find out in a hurry! Cant live with obstructions!

So that is the latest on what he is recommending and where I'm at with this.

I have a further phone consultation with Dr. Trent Nichols who is an MD who practices alternatively and understands function. He wrote the book Optimal Digestion and acknowledges surgery is indicated when it is, and also acknowledges digestion is the key player when it comes to health and wellness, otherwise we get INTO surgical procedures, cancer, etc.

Will he be able to honestly answer my question on the resection dilemma? I dont know. He'd have to have a patient in exactly my condition and what are the chances of THAT? My fiance believes theres another answer here but I cannot see it. Not when I know I wont have function afterwards. He knows that as well but believes it can be restored. He isn't thinking about IN THE MEANTIME particularly during the healing process. And then what after that? Continue doing these colonics? Lack of function isnt my major concern as is pseudo-obstruction because I would have gained nothing after resection if in fact it is a problem and I think it is because there is a section that is stationary. In the meantime, Im going to get all the information I can from the people who can answer at least most of it.

Shali


Enter keywords:
Returns per screen: Require all keywords: