I'm New to the Group too...

October 13, 2000

Hello Supportive Friends:

All my problems began in May 1999, and has been a nightmare ever

since. I am the mother of 3 wonderful daughters, who are 20, 22, &

24. Between them, my great husband of 25 years and my family I do

have a great support team. However, it is hard for them to

understand what is going on with me. I have found some useful

information here, which explains to them that, I am not alone in this

matter.

I am 45 years old and always thought of myself as in good health.

The doctors are stumped, I had my gallbladder out in 1977, and have

no hidden stones anywhere in the ducts. I never was a drinker, so

they ruled that out too. I had a stent put into the valve leading to

the pancreas in July 2000, because they said my sphinter valve was

having spasms.

I've had ERCP's, EGD's, and enough CAT Scans to make me glow in the

dark. I just got out of the hospital once again on Monday 10/2/00,

this time my lypase levels were over 2,000. They don't know what

makes my levels just jump from normal one day and 2 days later

3,000. The first time I was hospitalized last May 1999, my levels

were over 5,000 and I was in ICU for 5 days and another 7 days in a

regular room. I developed psudocysts after my first stay in May 1999,

and as fast as they developed, they went away.

All in all, I have been hospitalized 12 times in the past 17

months. My longest stay being 21 days.

My biggest problem right now is controlling the pain. The doctors

changed my medication last week from Vicodin to Lortab. It seems to

work but, I guess I just haven't gotten use to taking so much

medication, all the time.

The doctors are calling mine Idiopatic Chronic Pancreatitus!

I am so glad my daughter found this website, I sometimes feel like

I am all alone with this illness, because there is so little known

about it as far as the public goes. I am encouraged & saddened at

times, by all of your stories. Sorry that this is so long...thanks

for reading and listening...Hope you are all having a good day

today....All My Best Jane

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