bowel prep upset

Okay... I just desperately need to vent!

My pre-op was last Wednesday. My doctor told me that I needed to go and buy a bottle of mag citrate for my bowel prep. Simple. I am supposed to take it after noon on Monday, to get me ready for surgery Tuesday morning. Easy. Here's the thing: where I live (on an overseas military base) I can only get it at either the commissary or base exchange. Only, neither of those places is carrying it anymore, as of last month!!

So, I call my doc on Thursday, only he's not in. I talk to the nurse and she says that the pharmacy has it on the formulary and she would order me some, only the pharmacy is OUT! She left the information for my doctor to let me know. On Monday, I hadn't heard anything. So I call up there again. I spoke to his tech and she assured me that I would hear something "in the next 48 hours" and that, if I hadn't, to call her back Wednesday morning. Well, here I sit, having just gotten off of the phone with her AGAIN and with no new information. She said that she doesn't know why he hasn't called and she didn't know what to tell me. (All of this is done politely, she is really sweet. But I am so FRUSTRATED!!) She said that she will call me back by 2pm and let me know what she's found out! GRRRRR. :burning:

What in the world is going on?!? Seriously, even though it is Wednesday, I've really only got until tomorrow to figure something out. My kids are out of school on Friday and I cannot take my youngest son (he's autistic) to sit in the hospital and wait for something to get done. The pharmacy is closed over the weekend and I need the stuff for Monday. So, I would think that SOMEONE would just tell me what I can use as a substitute or find me what I need!! If I present on Tuesday morning and I haven't done my bowel prep, they will turn me away.

I really can't take it!!

I've waited months for this and I can't believe it is in jeopardy simply because no-one will call me back!! So, I call my DH to vent (he's usually great about this stuff) and his reply is, "Well, it will be over in less than a week." What?!? Not if I can't get somebody to help me figure this out, it won't!

I can't believe how upset I am over this. Is it just repressed stress? I am looking forward to having this done and don't feel worried about the actual surgery. Maybe I am worried, deeper than I was aware. Anyone have any suggestions? Anyone had this happen to them? Help, help!

Sorry this was so long! I actually am starting to feel better, now that I've written it down. Thanks for letting me rant!

I would speak to the doctor himself and explain the situation. if you cannot get to the mag citrate, I am sure he can tell you of something else to take instead. I took a fleet enema, not sure if that is what the doctor may tell you to do instead.

try not to worry, but speak to him asap, I am sure that things will get resolved and you will have your surgery as scheduled.

Yah ask them for something else, there are other things that work the same.

I hope that you hear from your dr soon and he/she has a plan that will work for you. Have you asked the pharmacist what would work as a substitute? Mine can usually advise me on things like that when needed.

Best wishes.

S

Hi ladies! Thanks so much for your replies!

I can't ask my doc directly... I'd love to... but that was a big part of my rant... he is so busy, I can't get him to return my calls!!

Jeanus~ I actually did call the pharmacy and ask, but we are active duty Air Force and I am being treated at a military hospital. The pharmacists simply will not make any recommendations.

UPDATE: I just got off of the phone with another of my doctor's techs and she said that I would hear from her by this evening about what I should do. The thing is, if the doctor is giving me a specific set of instructions, he's doing so for very specific reasons and wants me to present on the day EXACTLY as he's asked. The tech reiterated this to me and let me know that she understands that I can't wait on this or it will be too late. She also told me that they'd changed my doctor's shifts and he has been on nights since middle of last week. That explains HIM not calling me back, but it doesn't excuse NO-ONE calling me for a week!! Sigh. She did say that I might be able to use one of the oral Fleets, but absolutely not to buy anything until we know for sure.

Man, I had no idea that the biggest pain in the butt was going to be my butt!! No matter what else goes right or wrong, bowel prep stinks!!!