Who Does YOUR Colonoscopy?

[Surroundedbylove]

I suspect that some of the reasoning is different depending on whether you've already had cancer or if it is a cancer naive patient.

If I recall correctly, the GI docs do have a better track record at picking up flat polyps and other hard to detect polyps. However, I, like many on this board, who have had cancer already do go back to our surgeons for our scopes. I have a colonic j-pouch now and my surgeon does my scopes. My GI doc basically referred me back to my surgeon when I tried to schedule the first follow-up scope with the GI doc. The surgeon checks out the anastomosis and other things that are unique to a cancer patient. The surgeon can also operate if needed if he detects cancer while in there doing the scope.

I think it is a different situation with screening for cancer naive people - there the GI docs are probably a better choice in terms of picking up more polyps.

SBL

[AJS]

My gastro doc has always done mine. Haven't seen my colon surgeon post 6 weeks after resection in 2007. I actually don't believe she does colonoscopies. For each procedure I've had done, each doc has been "specialized" in that particular "field".

Resection: colon surgeon
Port placement/removal: Radiology
Hysterctomy & cancer: OB/gyn
Cancer treatment: Oncologist
Colonoscopies: Gastro
Blood Pressure: Oncologist/Family Doc

Fortunately all of the above work well with my Oncologist and everybody is kept in the loop on everything.

Angie

[Jachut]

I agree that it depends if youve already had cancer. I never would have got into my colorectal surgeon without first being diagnosed. And there are good GI docs out there, its an obvious choice for the average person having norml screening. But my experience wasnt great. A GI doc did my first one, yep, found the tumour ( he could hardly not find it). He stated it was 6 cm in size, 9 cm in, in fact it was 5 cm in and 10 cm in size. He told me "dont worry, it might not be malignant" when it was an absolutely typical adenocarcinoma in every respect, so ok he wasnt going to say "its cancer" prior to testing, but sheesh, it was obvious enough that he shouldnt have said what he did. He also failed to report three polyps in the same area, and went on to refer me to a general surgeon. I found my colorectal surgeon myself and requested re-referral to the victorian colorectal clinic at a big private hospitaland he asked why. Are you sh* tting me? Why would i want a leader in the field and a well regarded hospital v a general surgeon at a small suburban setup?

The GI guy also made me wait three months for a colonoscopy, which could have had serious rercussions, my surgeon was gobsmacked by that.

My colorectal surgeon is the only one i will be going to for clonoscopies. He has given me a scar free result, virtually normal bowel function, access to other specialists i needed and i quite literally trust him with my life.

[Bill5107]

Interesting discussion.

I only saw my GI once...to get a scope and biopsy which was nearly a formality, as it turned out.

Since then my surgeon did my main APR surgery and my colonoscopy. Have to admit, I'm not sure who's biopsying my adrenal gland this Friday though 8-o (except it's not my CRC surgeon :-p)

I don't know what to think about the various concerns here.... I am comfortable with my surgeon, so no worries for me.

My guess, from a malpractice/legal perspective, is that having someone else do the scope is an independent check...to perhaps catch a less than honorable surgeon. I only wonder if best medical choice and best legal choice are at odds here....

[tmn]

I have all scopes done by my gastro. He and the surgeon discuss my case and agree on my follow up schedule. I think this is something to be decided by each doctor and patient I don't believe there is, or should be a hard and fast rule either way.

[Phuong]

I only saw my GI once...to get a scope and biopsy which was nearly a formality, as it turned out.

Same here. My surgeon has done the rest, and I wouldn't go back to the GI, but that's more because of how comfortable I am with the surgeon. He does scopes on a regular basis and is one of the best in the area so it just makes the most sense for me.

[barbara jayne]

Colorectal surgeon does mine too !

Barbara x

[babs249]

Sorry but I'm going to agree with everyone else & for VERY good reason. I would ONLY have my colorectal surgeon do mine and I can't believe a law firm - no matter what they specialize in would unilaterally recommend a gastro over a colorectal surgeon.

I apologize if I left anyone with the impression that the law firm itself is recommending anything. They do no do that. This was just my concerned daughter passing on what she thought was pertinent information to me, her mom, and for me to pass on to people I care about (all of you). Remember, she sees the most heartbreaking cases, so this has made her very cautious in dealing with medical issues. Way, way back when I was diagnosed, she was still in high school, and me? I was clueless. I had no idea that I should have even been asking my doctor how many scopes he had already performed. (He told we without my having to ask.) If he, who has since retired, was still doing scopes (coincidentally he was also an oncologist) I'd still be having him do them. Before he retired, he referred me to the gastroenterologist who now does my scopes, and I'm happy and comfortable with this doctor doing them. Even if I wanted the surgeon who did my resection to do my scopes it wouldn't be possible. He has moved to another part of the country and didn't do scopes anyway.

In the end, we're lucky we have options. When my husband had his first colonoscopy three years ago (he gets his care from the VA) he had no idea who would be doing his colonoscopy. Whichever doctor is there that day for colonoscopys does them. When he went into the procedure room he asked the doctor how many he had done, it was a number my husband was comfortable with, so he felt at ease with that doctor.

[babs249]

Sorry, I know I did the quote thing wrong in my post above. Many months ago some of you helped me with doing the quote thing, and even though I went back to those posts, to help me figure it out I still did it wrong!

[BrownBagger]

My thinking is--in part--if something goes wrong and he winds up perforating my colon, who better to deal with that emergency than a colorectal surgeon? (and, paradoxically, the guy who did it). Makes sense in both scenarios, I think. Plus, as SBL notes, I have some fancy plumbing modifications, and I want the guy who did those to be the one running the scope.

[CRguy]

Sorry, I know I did the quote thing wrong in my post above. Many months ago some of you helped me with doing the quote thing, and even though I went back to those posts, to help me figure it out I still did it wrong!

Gotchur back here babs249 you had just missed or deleted the backslash inside the final brackets ".. / .." it should read [/quote] after what you quoted.

Cheers

[babs249]

Thanks for much for fixing that. I don't know how you did it, but thanks for having my back on that!

[eitter]

I Have NEVER in my life have seen a GI, with my family history I went straight to Colo/Rectal Surgeon and all Scopes have been with him too..

But Babs, after reading your post, I get the feeling that the people in the lawsuit may have gone to a GP, clarify that with your daughter, because if they went to a Colo/Rectal Surgeon I just can't imagine that they would say go to a GI instead of a ColoRectal Surgeon, so my money is on that they went to a GP first and of course go to AT LEAST a GI for a scope and not a GP.

[Cj51]

My colo-rectal surgeon will be doing all my scopes from here on in. I had my original scope done by a GI. He couldn't help but find the cancer, but his communication skills leave a LOT to be desired. If ever I should need to hear bad news again, I sure wouldn't want to hear it from him. Besides, my CR Surgeon has been in there and rearranged my plumbing in a pretty significant way and knows what's in there and how to negotiate it. I wouldn't want anyone else fiddling around up there.

[hannahw]

I think this goes to show how different cancer is for each person. Hopefully, no one is getting stressed out by which doctor does their scope. If you're comfortable with the doc doing your scope, it's probably the right doc for you. My Dad's GI does his scopes. He also sees his surgeon on occasion. But that's not right for every cancer patient. And I could see other ways working just fine for my Dad too. I don't think he'd be getting better or worse care if his surgeon did the scopes. That may not be true for all patients, but for me Dad, I think it is.