Sorry, I'm Just So Mad

So after spending 11.5 hours in the ER I had a Dr sit down with me and tell me she cant reach any surgeons and doesn't know what to do for me! WTF!!!!!! This was at a Bariatric center! She said that 6 weeks was too soon to have complications post RNY! Again WTF! I was so dehydrated that my heart rate was through the roof and my BP was 69/42 I wasn't even able to walk,  they wouldn't let me drink but made me wait over 8hrs for an I.V which took me hours of fighting to get because they didn't feel I needed, but that my symptoms were due to anxiety. When I was told I should follow up with my surgeon, I asked to have a endoscope to rule out either an ulcer or a stricture she said she wasn't going to pull a surgeon out of surgery to have a procedure done she didn't feel necessary. So now what do I do? I've been calling Dr. Aarts office daily now and have never had  a call back with instructions. The NP emailed me back from TWH and instructed me to go to the TEGH ER which I did with no sucess. Please help!

Andrea

Go to TWH er, st. Mikes er, st Joes toronto, humber river regional! Any other bariatric hospital! It doesn't have to be where you had surgery!

I was just going to write the same - yes go your Centre or any other centers.

I am so sorry to hear you had to go through this.
I went back to TEGH ER 2 days after I was discharged and also ended up with only an IV and Tylenol and a dr. That had no idea about what can be wrong.
I was lucky since the surgeon that did my surgery along with dr. Cyriac was visiting the ER and recognized my name on the board so he popped in and chatted for 2 seconds but at least he felt my stomach and said it is not luckily to be associated with the surgery which it wasn't...
Go to another Center, that's what I would do from now on.

If you do go to another hospital as per above, St.Mikes has the best diabetic team as well. I am so surprised that you had to wait for an IV. Usually that is the first thing that happens

OMG I can't believe that she said that and that you went threw all that. WOW. I would definitly go back or go to another ER. Dont wait. Complications can occur at ANY TIME following surgery. Please do yourself and all of us a favore and go get checked again. PLEASE, keep us updated to let us all know how everything turns out.

I vote for St Mikes.  My DH went back after complications and they kept him.  It ended up being a blood clot beside his pouch that was irritating him and causing him a whole lot of pain.

Don't let this go if you are still suffering.  You are your very best and only advocate !

I hope you get this resolved soon :(  

I agree with the other posters and would like to add, after you are feeling better, and this is behind you, write a letter to the higher ups about your experience there, include everything you when through and that you are a bariatric patient.  Complications can happen anytime there is no time period, I had a complication (that 6 in a half months later they still don't know what caused it) 3 days after surgery...I was not released yet so I was lucky.  But according to the nurse you had is that too soon for one?  lol 

Well I had another surgery 4 days after the original and two blood transfusions (I lost a lot of blood by vomiting) and still they have no idea what caused it...no leak (that is why I had the 2nd surgery to look for a leak)

Your wait time is terrible and I would let them know that, and the fact that you didn't get an iv for over 8 hours! That is bad, also because they wouldn't even let you drink...the number 1 reason RYN patients end up back in hospital is dehydration.   And you had to fight for the IV ....they should be ashamed!

Write the letter, even if it doesn't do anything at least you can unload some anger through it, and you will feel better! My mom wrote a letter when my grandma died to the London hospital because she was in a lot of unnecessary pain before her death, we all knew she was dying but they didn't give her much of anything to make her feel better before she died.  very sad, so they got a really long letter from a very ticked off daughter (my mom).    

I hope you feel better soon with better treatment!

edit: must add, it only takes about 5 minutes to put in an IV....gessh!

 

Hi

TWH's Emergency team is VERY geared up to deal with post-WLS patients. 

The Bariatric Centre is very high profile in the hospital, and they don't hesitate to get Bariatric Surgical Residents involved right away.  They are easily available since that is where they are trained.  They then get the primary surgeons involved if necessary.  I'd try going there if you can. 

My post-op care through their ER was 1st class.

Claire

HW 350

CW 141

Surgery Feb 16, 2011

I saw a positve reply about TWH's ER but my recent experience was more like yours. After lots of coordination with the Bariatric Centre staff I was told to go immediately to the ER for a CT scan (had other tests locally). I asked them to coordinate with the ER so that I wouldn't get the same "we aren't going to do it just cause you ask for it" response. When I got there they had a post it note to call for surgical consult. The surgeon would not accept the results from the local hospital - the ultrasound report was 4 hrs old, insisted on repeating all tests, said he wouldn't "jump to a CT". The fact that it was what the Dr. that covers the Bariatric Centre wanted meant nothing, there was no attempt to contact that Dr.  It was frustrating and felt like the two depts were not at all on the same page. However, there may have been far more urgent cases then me to deal with on that day! I did have wonderful and fast response from Dr. Aarts, had a scope within days and have gall bladder surgery booked for Feb. 14th. I would keep calling Dr. Aarts office or go to Toronto East where you're more likely to have her there if you need to return to an ER.  Just my two cents though.