So, my surgeon who gave me my colostomy is leaving 2 months before my planned reversal. (I'm pissed to say the least). Should I stay within the Surgical Practice that I've been going to? My surgeon was a General Surgeon who happened to be On Call the night of my Case, so everyone else in the Practice is either General or Bariatric. Part of me wants a colorectal surgeon, but then again part of me wants someone who my surgeon had a history of working with...
Any advice is welcome! :)
Hello Lindsey. That is a dilemma! The general consensus seems to be that we should check out a few surgeons to find the best one for our purposes. However, that is not always possible, especially here in the UK where these operations are done on the NHS. I was fortunate to have had a surgeon who knew what he was doing and had the skills to match. Mind you, I would not have needed his expertise if the first surgeon hadn't messed up. I cannot give you any advice on this but but I can wish you well.
Bill
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If at all possible, I suggest you consult with / consider the colo-rectal surgery department at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.
This department is world renowned for colo-rectal surgery.
Best wishes
Do you have a trustworthy practice where you had your colonoscopies done? If so get a referral from them for a colo-rectal surgeon. If not, back up all the way to your family doctor or primary care physician, and get a recommendation from him. Or look in the yellow pages specifically for colorectal surgeons in your area, especially in the nearest large city. Here in Lexington, there is a group called Colo-Rectal Surgical Associates - and that's all they do! (That's where mini is.) In this day of almost too much information available on ANYTHING on the Internet, you can find specific doctors and practices and even find reviews! Don't feel you are locked in to one practice because that's who took care of your emergency. It is obvious that they are NOT patient-centric since they didn't even tell you this was coming up with him moving.
Hi Lindsey,
I totally agree with Newbie Dana. My GI sent me to a colo-rectal surgeon right off the bat and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I had 3 major surgeries in a 9 month period of time. 1- remove colon and hook everything up so I wouldn't need an ileostomy, didn't work. 2- J pouch and stoma surgery, didn't work, and finally the last to make ileostomy permanent. My surgeries were different than yours but for a reversal I would definetly use a specialist. Good luck and hope your surgery is successful.
Darlene
