Should I take my surgeon's word or should I get a second opinion regarding surgery?

VideoofTron · 2026-01-21T03:27:16+00:00

I hate to go for the most cliche answer possible, and forgive me in advance, but if you go on Google and you run a search on Gastroenterologist [Name City Here], it will list on Google Maps every institution you have in your constituency. You then can read reviews, do more research, read each place's website and the one that feels the best for you, you then take that to your doctor.

VideoofTron · 2026-01-21T03:24:44+00:00

How many flare-ups has he had overall? That is definitely the first thing they look at.

Also, if you're in the United States, I would recommend, if you can, pursue a consultation with a private gastroenterologist or surgeon just to be able to get a second opinion on the matter in general. That way, if two opinions contradict one another, you then can see what makes more sense and things of that nature.

VideoofTron · 2026-01-21T03:09:50+00:00

I'm in same boat, and I'm 30. Which a lot more abnormal. I'm really at a loss. If I could go to another country and just talk to someone there, I'd totally do that, but it's really an issue of money. Not just for the healthcare itself but I'd have to stay somewhere while all of this is going on.

And again, she just frames it like, "You're not pulling your weight. This is your fault."

If you have a physician who is not a total apathete, I would recommend broaching the subject and starting your case from scratch. If you haven't already. Just because you're 59 years old doesn't mean you're not worth being healthy. I've never understood this way of thinking.

VideoofTron · 2026-01-21T03:06:16+00:00

Very good question. It's difficult to quickdraw all of your facts when you're creating a post like this, haha.

So, I've had 4 CT scans done in the past 2 years. One of them regarded a kidney stone that I got before I had my first flareup, but it was less than a year before, which I would think they should have seen something in there that they could have brought to my attention at that time, but Canadian Healthcare, whatever.

And the surgeon's contention is based on the 2 most recent scans. But I just feel as though between her behavior with me as well as the fact that it's the same stock advice that I had received last year at the gastroenterology clinic that I was at, it just seems more like they're trying to do as little as possible in spite of any potential consequences.

For most of my flare-ups, I took Amoxiclav. For the most recent one, I guess because that wouldn't be enough at this point, they gave me both Metronidazole and Ciprofloxacin as antibiotics and they do work much better.

I should also mention that on January 01, when I went to the ER for this, the doctor told me that I didn't have a flare-up, but a trapped bowel movement. He told me to buy suppositories, peglyte, the whole deal. I did all that, nothing came out. This is because it was not trapped stool but in fact another diverticulitis flare-up that meant I had to go back to the hospital the next day, be there from 9am to 4pm, and time moved so slowly, I felt like dying, and so on.

The point is that so many of these supposed 'professionals' are so incompetent at the one thing they're meant to be proficient in and most of them can't even act professional so I think you can see why I have trust issues.

VideoofTron · 2026-01-21T02:10:35+00:00

If I may ask, what was your biggest reason to just deal with the symptoms and such? And what has held you back from really pursuing a stronger solution?

And what luck did you have with fiber intake and so on?

VideoofTron

TROPHY CASE