Is anybody out there in the Las Vegas area dealing with the stress and fear that I am right now? I finally found a Dr. 1 1/2 years ago that would discuss a colectomy. In December I under went my surgery and now while still getting used to my new "plumbing" I am scared to death that my gastro defiled me by reusing surgical equipment and exposed me to any number of blood borne diseases. I just don't understand how they can look themselves in the mirror- I am so disgusted.

Are you one of the thousands of people who went to that clinic there? If so, I sure don't have any answers for you. I would be very upset too. But if you get tested and the tests turn up negative then I guess you just have to live life. That sounds like such a platitude under the circumstances. I hope they figure out that only those relatively few people are the ONLY people that were contaminated. (Although I know that's absolutely no comfort to the people who have tested positive for hepatitis.)

I'm so sorry you're going through this.

kathy

Yes....Steve has posted in another forum via his wife, Diane. He is in Las Vegas and awaiting the results of his blood test. Best wishes for a favorable outcome!

My husband is Active duty in the Air Force (I did 10 years on my own untill UC forced me out)so my blood tests were done on the base and it takes up to 2 1/2 weeks to get the results- this is worse than waiting for colonoscopy results!

It turns out that a different practice is now being investigated here for doing the same thing. The first gastro I saw when I moved to Las Vegas- he did one scope on me and said that I had a perfectly healthy colon and never had UC it was probably a hemoroid. Even though I gave him my results from the last scope I had done in Virgina saying that I had signs of pancolitis. That was my last appointment with him.

My next question is: Are there any good gastros in southwest Utah or southeastern California? I believe the Vegas area is out...

It's not so much southwest but more central Utah. Dr. Greg Cranner in Provo was wonderful. He is a gastro doctor but his daughter-in-law had a J-Pouch and had gone through everything. So I know he has studied everything on a very personal level and I felt really safe with him.

Sorry for what you are going through; that is terrible! I hope all your results are negative.

I am from Las Vegas, my daughter had her J-pouch done here and is doing outstanding. she was only 16 at the time, now she has an adult gastro. Dr Osama Haikel is wonderful and does not have any affliation with the centers under investigation. I know of some other gastros if you need more names
Dana's mom

I got my test results today. Two weeks of sheer stress has melted away- I am negative all the way around! My heart and my prayers go out to everyone else who sits waiting for theirs. Now we wait for the lawsuits to go through and pray that those who knowingly took advantage of the sick and elderly go through the punitive process as they should.

That's great news! I can't imagine the stress and anxiety you must have felt.