Re: Digest Number 327/tpn question

[Guest guest]

What does it mean when you say that the stint will not let you eat? And what

is a tpn?

Still terribly depressed and undecided,

Staci

[Guest guest]

Hang in there Staci....someone on this board will know what to say to you

and help you........I am convinced of that....Thank goodness you asked those

questions......I wanted to ask the same ones, but didn't want everyone to

know how ignorant I was about these things....being new to this disease, I

am finding terms being used that I can't spell, don't have the slightest

idea of what they mean and they sound downright scary and terrifying.

So....maybe someone on the list could post a few of these terms and their

definitions for us or direct us to other sites that would have information

and definitions.....I hate to keep admitting my ignorance, but

unfortunately, medical caregivers often think we know more than we do and

forget that there is another world out there that isn't exposed to medical

terminology.....I am guessing that EDUCATION is going to be a key for

battling this disease....education for those who have it and education for

those caregivers who have to deal with us ....

The depression seems to be just as bad as the pancreatitis, so talk....talk

with anyone who will listen....voice your fears to someone who will HEAR

you.....at least someone who will listen....they may not know what to tell

you, but let them share your fears and worries and learn with you........if

you don't have someone at home to listen, get on the keyboard and contact a

board member who you feel you can talk to.....I get depressed also....but I

think it helps for someone to validate our feelings......make any sense to

you? Bruce in Oregon

Re: Digest Number 327/tpn question

> What does it mean when you say that the stint will not let you eat? And

what

> is a tpn?

>

> Still terribly depressed and undecided,

> Staci

>

>

>

> PANCREATITIS SUPPORT NETWORK

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[Guest guest]

Hey Staci,

I guess you can have stents for different reasons. When I had my stents

that were put in during and ercp, they were to help my pancreas drain.

It was so inflammed that my pancreas had basically swollen the duct shut

and all the fluid backed up and caused a cyst (which burst).

Anyway, the stents that I had (I had two, each was in for one month)

really helped me out. I didn't have any trouble eating with the stents

in. The only time I had trouble with my stents was when they got

blocked. When that happened, I would start having pain again and my

doctor would do another ercp and replace it. Like I said, I only had to

have two stents for a total of two months. The last ercp I had was just

to remove my second stent.

My doctor had high hopes that each of the stents would be able to stay

in for three months each. He said that studies showed that that was

about the longest optimum time that a stent would last without getting

blocked. For some reason mine always got blocked within a month. Oh

well, that ended up being ok since by the end of the second month, my

pancreas was very much improved.

I believe that tpn is where you get all of your nutirents via a feeding

tube. I think Karyn could probably explain it better. I have been

lucky and haven't had to go on tpn yet.

bandscox@... wrote:

>

> What does it mean when you say that the stint will not let you eat?

> And what

> is a tpn?

>

> Still terribly depressed and undecided,

> Staci

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

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> Online e-mail group

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> To reply to this message hit " reply " or send an e-mail to:

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[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/28/00 11:25:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

bandscox@... writes:

<< What does it mean when you say that the stint will not let you eat? And

what

is a tpn?

Still terribly depressed and undecided,

Staci >>

Hi Staci, Since I have pancreas divisim that means that the main pancreatic

duct in my pancreas never fused together while I was a fetus. Therefore the

main duct does not drain the enzymes from my pancreas to the duodenum to help

digest food. I have to depend on the other pancreas duct the accessory duct.

It is very small and does not let enzymes drain as freely and the main duct

does. Since I only have the use of the small duct which is extra small in my

pancreas I have lots of problems. The small duct closes shut and the stints

which are supposed to open it up and hopefully keep it open do not work for

me. When I said that the stint will not let me eat I meant that the stint

that the doctor put in my small duct and is still in there now in fact there

are two in there side by side, should be holding my small duct open so the

enzymes can drain and that should allow me to be able to eat. The fact that

the stint is holding the duct open and I still cannot eat is a bad sign. I

should be able to eat with the stint in there. There is more wrong with my

pancreas than just the divisim. I have an appointment with the doctor Aug 4

for a consultation and at that time I will hear if he is going to continue to

put larger stints in my duct. I don't know what he will say to me about

surgery. When he first started with the stint process he told me that if I

cannot eat with the stint in then the surgery would not help me to eat

either. I am very upset about this whole thing. I don't want surgery but I

was hoping that maybe it would help me to be able to eat without pain. I

cannot stand the pain. It is the worst pain. I can't describe it. I know

If he removes the stints my duct will close again and I will continue to live

on tpn. TPN is a way to nourish the body when one cannot eat. I now have a

port inserted in my chest done by surgery. The port is an access to a vein

in the heart. The liquid tpn is pumped through a tube into the port in my

chest then my circulatory system takes it throughout my body. I hate being

fed this way. It is damaging to the liver. Being on tpn caused me to have

to have my gallbladder removed. I hope I have explained it well enough for

you to understand. Please nurses in this group please correct me and explain

it better for Staci. Staci I know how you feel with being depressed and

undecided. What are you going through? Didn't you say the doctor want to

put stints in you. What is your pancreas illness? I can't advise you but I

might be able to tell you more that might help you. I am undecided and

depressed also. I am scared to death of the surgery. But yet again I think

what if it helped me. I don't know, I am so confused. I just keep taking

tranquilizers when I feel I can't take the stress anymore. Ask me anything

and I will try to help you. Shirley

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/29/00 1:36:50 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

thrasher@... writes:

<<

My doctor had high hopes that each of the stents would be able to stay

in for three months each. He said that studies showed that that was

about the longest optimum time that a stent would last without getting

blocked. For some reason mine always got blocked within a month. Oh

well, that ended up being ok since by the end of the second month, my

pancreas was very much improved.

>>

Hi , were your stints put in your main duct or the smaller duct? Do you

have divisim? Thanks, Shirley

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/29/00 8:49:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

jang2@... writes:

<< The main pancreatic duct is meant to be the main drainage for the

pancreatic secretions, but in divisum this doesn't form properly; it cannot

act as a drain. (Its either too narrow or not there at all.) Stents are put

into the tiny accessory duct to enlarge it; to act as a rigid liner to keep

the duct open wide. Pain with eating means this isn't happening; there is

not adeauate drainage.

> TPN is a way to nourish the body when one cannot eat. I now have a port

inserted in my chest done by surgery.

TPN=total parenteral nutrition This is an enriched IV (intravenous) fluid

which is meant to completely satisfy a person's nutritional requirements. It

is given into a large vein & is meant to replace food in someone unable to

take food or liquid by mouth.

Hope this helps a little.

jang >>

Thanks Jang, You made it very clear and more simple. I was hoping someone of

your profession would clarify it for Staci. Thanks again Shirley

[Guest guest]

--

>In a message dated 7/28/00 11:25:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

>bandscox@... writes:

>

><< What does it mean when you say that the stint will not let you eat? And

>what

> is a tpn?

>

> Still terribly depressed and undecided,

> Staci >>

>

>Hi Staci, Since I have pancreas divisim that means that the main pancreatic

duct in my pancreas never fused together while I was a fetus. Therefore the

main duct does not drain the enzymes from my pancreas to the duodenum to help

digest food. I have to depend on the other pancreas duct the accessory duct.

It is very small

> The small duct closes shut and the stints which are supposed to open it up and

hopefully keep it open

>the stint is holding the duct open and I still cannot eat is a bad sign.

Shirley, you've done a good job explaining. Let me add a little. The main

pancreatic duct is meant to be the main drainage for the pancreatic secretions,

but in divisum this doesn't form properly; it cannot act as a drain. (Its either

too narrow or not there at all.) Stents are put into the tiny accessory duct to

enlarge it; to act as a rigid liner to keep the duct open wide. Pain with

eating means this isn't happening; there is not adeauate drainage.

> TPN is a way to nourish the body when one cannot eat. I now have a port

inserted in my chest done by surgery.

TPN=total parenteral nutrition This is an enriched IV (intravenous) fluid which

is meant to completely satisfy a person's nutritional requirements. It is given

into a large vein & is meant to replace food in someone unable to take food or

liquid by mouth.

Hope this helps a little.

jang

--== Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ ==--

Before you buy.

[Guest guest]

Hey Shirley,

I believe the stents were in the main duct. I don't have divisim.

Unfortunately, I believe that my pancreatitis was caused by alcohol (and

maybe helped along by the drug Lupron).

shirlf3542@... wrote:

>

> In a message dated 7/29/00 1:36:50 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

> thrasher@... writes:

>

> <<

> My doctor had high hopes that each of the stents would be able to stay

> in for three months each. He said that studies showed that that was

> about the longest optimum time that a stent would last without getting

> blocked. For some reason mine always got blocked within a month. Oh

> well, that ended up being ok since by the end of the second month, my

> pancreas was very much improved.

> >>

>

> Hi , were your stints put in your main duct or the smaller duct?

> Do you

> have divisim? Thanks, Shirley

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

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