do I need surgery?

[glr121]

I am 46 years old. A gastroenterologist is recommending colon surgery following 4 bouts of diverticulitis in just over 5 years. He says, "multiple tics, some scar tissue and significant narrowing" of sigmoid colon. I met with a general surgeon, but when I tried to ask questions about the procedure, he cut me off. I went in believing that was the purpose of the meeting - for me to ask questions and for him to explain options, but left feeling even more unsure about the surgery. I am not sure what to do.

[Morecambe]

Hi - about five years ago I underwent a total colectomy for torrential diverticular bleeding and, in response to another Medhelp patient, I recorded my experiences on:-

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/523166

I assume that the surgery contemplated by your G.I. doctor is along similar lines.  By the way, today this operation can sometimes be performed laparascopically.

I suggest that you print off the above posting and show it to a more enlightened surgeon than the one you have consulted so far.  Calgal is right - this could be a big operation and you should undergo treatment from a non-arrogant and communicative surgeon.  Also, rather than going "under the knife" with a general surgeon (whose experiences will include hernias, ingrowing toenails etc etc!!) I suggest that you seek out a specialist G.I. surgeon and also a hospital where colon surgery is a speciality and such treatments are carried out all day/every day.  I don't live in America but I know that you have specialised G.I. clinics such as Mayo (and there will be others).

Type in to Google "American Society of Colorectal Surgeons" and this may assist you to find such a specialist surgeon and hospital close to where you live.

regards
Morecambe

[CalGal]

Find another surgeon to work with. There are some good ones out there, but you may have to do some searching.