Thank you

  Dear RF:  Thank you so much for answering my previous question about post-nissen fundoplication dumping.  Even though I am still ill it was a great help to me to receive some advice. I called the 800# to attempt to locate you so that I could leave a thank you with someone at your facility, but the operator at the 800# said there was no "Dr. Fogel" in her listing.  Anyway, I am a veteran, and of course can use the VA medical facility.  (they did the surgery)  When I initially went to them about my problems (right after the surgery) the surgeon said "it wasn't from the surgery", and the gastro Dr. said it was.  So I was caught in between, and no one was doing anything for me.  The gastro Dr. also made a remark that "I could afford to lose a few pounds anyway", so I became quite discouraged with them. Anyway, I have made an appt. for June 9th, and was hoping you could counsel me on exactly what I could say to make this Dr. help me. I am no longer overweight, and hope that helps, but should I ask for the gastric emptying study?  Should I mention vagus nerve injury?   How do you feel about patients that come to see you with a diagnosis on their minds?  I am hoping they will help me to tide me over until November when I them can come to your facility.  What advice can you give me?  By the way, I am not on any medications, I stopped them all thinking they were the culprit.
  Thank you again,     Skorchee
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Dear Skorchee,
Thanks for the kind words.  We are investigating the problem that you described with the 800 line. I wonder if you may have called after 5 pm and received the answering service.  If you call again, please do so between 8 am and 5 pm.  If you are having problems making an appointment, please e-mail us.  Regarding your visit to your physicians, I think that it would be appropriate to discuss with the drs the possibility of vagal injury and to ask for a gastric emptying study. Thereis nothing wrong with a patient doing their own research regarding health problems.  Remember, however, that your docyor has all your medical information and there may be other facts, of which you are not aware, that would cause hom/her to believe that the diagnosis of vagal injury and gastroparesis is incorrect
Best of luck
HFHSM.D.-rf
*keywords: esophageal relux, surgery, vagus nerve, gastric emptying
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