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Hello to everyone. I am an off-and-on reader of these forums and now in need of advice very quickly. I have medical coverage with Kaiser Permanente here in San Francisco and need to change my GI Doctor to another one quickly as I was never very confident in the one I have now because I need a rectal exam of my J-pouch as I think I have a stricture. My current GI doctor, while nice, is young, knows very little about J-pouches, and doesn't believe in the patient being asleep during a colonoscopy. On this last part, he instead prefers light sedation so the patient can be awake while being scoped. NO THANKS! I have had this done to me before a while back and was screaming the entire time and in pain.

Anyway, if anyone has any recommendations for GI Doctors that work at Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco (and/or Bay Area), I would be so ever grateful. I need to see someone about this possible stricture soon and DO NOT trust my current GI doc. Thank you!
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Dr. Lu at Kaiser SF was my son's GI when he was first diagnosed with pancolitis about 8 years ago. At that time he was in Fremont and has now transferred. He seemed OK, not a big talker, but would explain things when asked.

My son had an upper endoscopy and colonoscopy at the same time and does not remember either, so I guess Dr. Lu believes in pretty heavy sedation. Since you suspect a stricture, I would think you need something. I don't have any sedation with my scopes, but I don't have a stricture and don't experience much discomfort with my exams. My GI is Dr. Szpakowski (Fremont/Hayward), but he only sees liver patients now. He did take on my son and husband though, to keep it all in the family.

Anyway, there are a number of GIs at Kaiser SF, if you go to the member website. Here is Dr. Lu's home page:

http://mydoctor.kaiserpermanen...fessional&to=1&sto=0

If you want to try to see Dr. Szpakowski, here is his home page:
http://mydoctor.kaiserpermanen...fessional&to=1&sto=0

Jan Smiler
I only saw him once at Kaiser in SF but I went to Jonathan Pritikan on the recommendation of my surgeon. Seemed to be competent. In the North Bay I have been to Jeffery Fox and Jennifer Hewett both are quite good. If concerned about sedation/pain issues Hewett has always been very aware of my comfort. I had numerous colonosopies with Fox, always sedated. I personally dont/didn’t (pouch removed now) have a problem with unsedated flex sig or pouch scoping.

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