Do Doctors Really Care?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi, I was in a car accident august 13th. I was having bowel problems and felt lumps in my abd. My family doc told me it was scar tissue and deep bruising. Well 3 weeks later my stomach was still super tender and the lumps were worse. Then the pain would only come when i touched it. The last two weeks it has hurts constantly and i've been having problems with constipation so i went into a medicenter today. The doc there is like there is no way that is scar tissue. You have a blockage of your bowel and the hard spots i think are stool. I have been booked for an ultra sound on the 16 of nov. I'm super upset. I mean would my family doc have just told me oh it's nothing just scar tissue. I"m a little scared not know what is really going on in there. Any ideas????????????

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A blocked bowel or a partial obsruction? I don't think waiting until Nov 16th is appropriate given you have constant pain. I would seek another opinion with a GI or go to your other doctor please. This sounds abnormal to me. Hope it works out for you. Sometimes we just need to push the docs along a bit. I think that some care very much, and others don't care at all or are too busy to. Just like some nurses care and others do not.

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Specializes in ER, NICU, NSY and some other stuff.

An obstruction CANNOT wait 3 weeks to be dx.

If you are having constipation issues then I would do what I could to resolve these issues.

Did you have abd surgery? just wondering regarding the scar tissue.

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Specializes in Level III cardiac/telemetry.

They should be able to at least do an abdominal x-ray for now. I (unfortunately) have IBS and constant bowel problems and when the pain gets bad they do an x-ray to see how "clogged" things are. An x-ray will also show most other obstructions, so I don't understand waiting for an ultrasound. Follow up with someone else! The last time that happened to me (from stress after I was in a car wreck) I ended up having to drink 3 bottles of magnesium citrate - man that's nasty stuff!

Good luck!

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

Nov 16th? Good Grief, I don't want to scare you but whoa, don't wait !

I would seriously consider not seeing either doctor again and go straight to a gastroenterologist. It sounds as though the first two doctors are not very good diagnosticians. You need to have the worst case senario ruled out first... not last! Good luck, let us know what happens and DON'T WAIT!

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No, I did not have abd. surgery. As my bruises were healing from the seat belt i could feel lumps and shortly after the accident had troubles having bowel movements b/c i had no stomach muscles, so i explained it to the doc. She told me to take senekot and that the lumps were just deep brusing or scar tissue. Now the second doc thinks it's a bowel obstruction. I'm going to a different doc tomorrow cause i'm like totally freaked out.

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you need a colonscopy, NOW!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

A blocked bowel is a emergency and you need admitted into a hospital.

Hopefully you're not obstructed. If you were you'd be distended and vomiting.

The first doc may be correct. Are you on pain meds that are causing the constipation?

Ask the new doc for an abd xray or a Cat Scan so you can be sure.

Good luck!

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I know, like i figured if it was something like this I wouldn't have to wait forever for an ultrasound. They were gonna make me wait till dec till i was like ummm no i need one asap. I had an x-ray done shortly after the accident of my abd, pelvis, but the doc said there was nothing on it.

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Education.

(at the risk of sounding like a cynical emergency RN)...Come to our ED and complain of abdominal pain. You'll get a full panel of labs and a CT. It might not diagnose the problem, but could rule out other things.

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Yah, I know. I dont feel that bad today, but it comes and goes. I think tomorrow i'll go to emerg and tell them i'm having pain and see where it goes from there and hopefully i'll get a decent doc.

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
No, I did not have abd. surgery. As my bruises were healing from the seat belt i could feel lumps and shortly after the accident had troubles having bowel movements b/c i had no stomach muscles, so i explained it to the doc. She told me to take senekot and that the lumps were just deep brusing or scar tissue. Now the second doc thinks it's a bowel obstruction. I'm going to a different doc tomorrow cause i'm like totally freaked out.

I've already offered my advice which is go to a GI pronto! Rule out the worst first and work backwards. My comment now it that I notice you are from Canada. You have to deal with socialized medicine? I know in Holland it's that way and it can be awful. I am so glad to have to pay private insurance and be able to get the help I need when I need it. I hope we can accompolish this someday for all Americans without going the socialized route. Feel better soon, let us know, were all think of you.

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