It has been a very long time since I have stopped to write in here. I have had a Sigmoid Colostomy since 2002, made permanent in 2008 due to abscesses and fistulas. In January 2009, I was rushed into emergency surgery because I developed an abscess around my stoma and they said it was as big as a melon. I spent over a month in the hospital. When they released me, I was home for less than 12 hours before being rushed back in because my potassium was nonexistent in my blood.
During this time until now, I have had to keep going in and out of the hospital due to abscesses needing to be surgically drained. My weight has increased during this time and my pain has not been controlled. The lightest I have weighed during all of this is 128 lbs and the heaviest about 280. Right now I am 225 lbs so that is going the right way. I have been trying to lose more but my pain has been making it difficult. In January, I had to go back into the hospital and have another abscess drained but I didn't have to stay there very long. My surgeon finally agreed to do an MRI to find out what exactly and how many abscesses are there and I went in today and got the results. Completely got blindsided by him!!!!
I was told I had 2 abscesses present but he refuses to do anything for me because I am too heavy. Told me that he could do the surgery but refuses to do it until I lose weight because it will be the last time that he does surgery for me! He said that I have to weigh absolutely no more than 175 lbs for it to be successful. Um, I weighed less than that when this happened in the first place!!!!
I feel like the surgeon and my family physician both have dubbed me as "The Problem Patient". Up until now no one has said my weight is the issue as to why the abscesses continue to develop. I have done absolutely everything they have asked me to including pain management clinics and exercise programs, counseling, etc. Now they say "It's my weight!"
What I am wondering is... has anyone else been told their weight is the reason that they are in chronic pain due to abscesses and fistulas forming? Does anyone else think/feel like I was just "dismissed" by my surgeon like I feel happened because they can't figure out what/why this is happening?
How do I go about finding someone else to be my physician and surgeon in this day and age of electronic filing?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated
