Colon dead, not working

[Mikie007]

I had cervical neck surgery 3 months ago. After surgery, there was no desire or feeling to poop. The MRI at fist showed full colon and intestines, then after about 30 days, nothing was still working and then we went to the hydrocolonics clinic and had everything cleaned out. Since then, nothing has happened, 100 days with no BM. I have to go to the Hydrocolonics clinic every 3 days now to get cleaned.  They tried everything form Reglan to you name it. THe doc who did the surgery will not talk or answer any questions, we found out that I had stopped breathing several times after the ventilator was removed in the OR. Then when I was finally breathing again after the crash cart came in 3 times, the doc ordered the recovery room anesthesiologist to give me 10 mg of Valium and 160 mg of Oxycontin.  No one knows what's wrong and I have been passed to 7 doctors now. All everyone seems to care about if I am suing the doctor who did the surgery.  Is there anyone who knows what this is??? I was 100% fine prior to surgery.

I was also given Reglan during surgery, and I had no problem for that medication.  

[Morecambe]

I live in England and maybe our way of dealing with these unfortunate matters is different, but my mind would work as follows:-

a) something seems to have gone wrong.  The first "project" should be to find out as many of the facts as possible - i.e. full details of your (mis)treatment etc

b) the next stage should be to find an independent doctor/medical team who can "repair" you and, if necessary, give evidence in (c) below

c) if you feel aggrieved and there is strong evidence of medical negligence (rather than an honest doctor who did his/her best and made the logical and reasonable judgements in the circumstances) then find a lawyer who is willing to take legal action against the negligent doctor - hopefully on a "no win no fee" basis.

It may well be that stage (c) has to be threatened in order to prise out the answers to (a).

regards
Morecambe

[Mikie007]

The hospital called poor documentation and practices.

The law says that doctors are allowed to give poor treatment and not be sued, I think this is a malpractice attempted murder case.  NOT telling to recovery room anesthesiologist that I had 3 bouts of repository failure then telling him to give me Valium and 160 mg of oxycontin seems like he wanted me dead. The LAST thing you do is give a patient Valium and 160mg of Oxycontin after they stopped breathing ... any thoughts???

[zoomistic]

sounds like damaged the nerves in the spine from surgery related errors?

[Mikie007]

Thank you kindly for your response. After sergery, I was having explosions down my spine, the doctor gave me Valium and uped the pain meds. As long as I stay on this is does not happen, once I go down on the meds, it starts again and its frightening. The doctor said I was weird. We think he hit my spine, my colon is completely dead, no feelings, no desire no nothing. This was not a risk and he denies any hitting of the nerve, but he fif paralyze my right ,lower jaw, its still numb and its been 4 months, he said it would come back. He did not put into his report that I stopped breathing several times after suergery and I was with out oxygen for some time too. I don't know where to go, I have been referred 7 times now and the last doc referred me to a doctor at UCLA who has no appointments till feb of 09.

[Morecambe]

These comments may be of no relevance but:-

- my first question would be to ask whether the cervical neck surgery could have caused paralysis of the "colon peristalsis" process.  If so, was this carelessness by the surgeon or was it a "surgical risk" that was part of the surgery?  If not well - maybe a lawyers letter to the surgeon will at least uncover more information about what happened to YOUR BODY.

- if, for some other reason, your colon has become inert, then I do recall a posting (to which I replied) in August 2007by a patient called mifegr.  However, her colonic inactivity was due to over-use of laxatives.  A total colectomy was advised by her G.I. surgeon.  This may/may not be the right treatment for you - but it costs nothing to ask.....

I think you ought to start from scratch again by gaining a second opinion from a completely separate neurologist/neck surgeon or whatever and also a G.I. specialist.

Good luck
Morecambe