Re: Mathew of Friends fame has pancreatitis.

[Guest guest]

> In a message dated 03/13/2001 10:27:34 AM Eastern Standard Time,

> SHckb@n... writes:

>

> << << The information on Mr. 's use is from the media and we

all

> know how

> > much we can trust them. >>

> > Did anyone read the article in " People " on him? I was kinda

ticked.

> They

> > made it sound like the only way you get pancreatitis is from

drug or

> alcohol

> > abuse. I know it's the most common reason, but it's not the

only

> reason.

> > Someone at work asked me about it on Friday - when I explained

> > late, b/c of the CATscan for pancreatitis, she said, " Oh, is

that

> why you

> > know so much about AA and stuff? B/c I saw in People that

> pancreatitis is

> > caused by alcoholism. " No, the reason I know so much about AA

is

> that I

> > worked on a teen psych unit and used to accompany the girls to

AA

> meetings,

> > and my stepfather has been in recovery for 20 years. My

> pancreatitis is

> > ideopathic. If truly has chronic pancreatitis

(and

> personally,

> > I think he does - how many times does one person go to the

hospital

> for the

> > " flu " ?), I wish he'd do for pancreatitis what J. Fox has

> done for

> > Parkinsons, and get some correct info out there. Maybe raise

some

> more

> > research money - YEAH!

> > :-) Shanon

>

> >>

> Hi Shanon

> I felt totally outraged when I read that people article. I had to

literally

> throw it away to keep from stewing over it. It was eating me up.

they

> didn't stop to think for one minute that maybe he had pancreatitis

> first...............and then the drug problem. It gave me flash

backs of my

> ordeal when I was " labled " as an alcoholic or a drug seeker because

I wanted

> the pain to be gone. That is what I feel that they are doing to

him. I can

> only imagined how outraged he is when he reads that kind of crap in

these

> articles. If they are going to investigate so they can publish

> info............then go the whole nine yards and find out the

" whole " story.

> Sorry, just had to vent that. hee hee hee

> Hugs,

>

Jule

That's exactly what I said when I first heard about him. Notice my

post. I also said that on the NIH website they spefically list

Alcohol as the contributing factor to pancreatitis. a

[Guest guest]

,

I was not offended by anything you said. I, like everyone else am frustrated by

the insinuation that if you have pancreatitis you must have gotten it due to

abusing yourself. I am in recovery, yet my oncologist (before I lost him when I

had to move to Kaiser) told me he highly doubts that my drinking caused my panc

because I only abused alcohiol for 2 years and it was secondary to my other

addiction which was cocaine. My active addiction lasted all of about 2 years and

my drinking was to " come down " He explained that there is a slight possibility

that it caused it but he feels it does not matter what caused it. What matters

is that someone is ill and in pain. I get tired of doctors nodding their heads

knowingly when I admit I am in recovery.(13 years) It makes me want to be less

than honest with them and others. And forgive me but even in here, I have posted

the question to the group 2 times when I read the references from several people

about drug abuse being one possible cau!

ses ( which no doctor has ever t

old me)only to have my honest question simply ignored. Trust me, I lost plenty

due to my 2 years of drug abuse. I am prepared to own that I caused this myself

with it but no one even answered me when I asked if anyone knew if Cocaine can

cause pancreatitis, not even to tell me that did not know. I am sorry for the

tangent I am on but I am very depressed right now and I guess I have been

holding this in for a while. Yes, I am possibly one of those people that give

the Doctors the excuse to accuse all of you of alcohol abuse. I did not even

drink until I got highly involved in the music business here in Los Angeles in

1995 and when I got clean and sober 2 years later I left the business that I

loved to save my sobriety. So shoot me. I refuse to be ashamed and I refuse to

let the dotors treat me poorly because I made bad, weak decisions for such a

short time in my life. I was one of the first to write and People

Magazine because I felt that someone that has a past i!

n active addiction had to say so

mething. What I have to say is don;t focus on what you might think is the cause

dammit, focus on the fact that large sections of this population suffer from

this awful thing called Chronic Pancreatitis, so we can find something to help

those that suffer.

I can;t find my white light right now, Hope you all find yours,

[Guest guest]

,

I am not angry or hurt by anything any of the people here have said (or not

said. I am painfully aware that the " alcoholic Stigma " effects all of you as

much if not more than it does me. I think, since I have a tendency to do just

tell my patients not to do (let things build up) I just overflowed. My

significant other was in a car accident Thursday (she is okay, broken ankle,

concusion) and I have had no time to focus on me. In a way it wa a relief , in a

way it gave me an extra excuse to let things pile up inside insteasd of dealing

with them. This whole thing aboutM. came back to sting me in hte face and

brought up alot of guilt over my use and abuse that I try not to revisit. I

learned when I first left my addiction that beating myself up over it is

destructive but, I go there from time to time and this issue brought it back up.

I think any feeling I might have about being different here because of my

alcohol history is in my own imagination and stems from my own burie!

d guilt over it (sorry once a ps

ychologist, always a .....) Thank you for you response, Thank you all for lettig

each other get on soap boxes and have pity parties when we realy need it. Where

else can we get that gift unconditionally.

Looking for the white light,

[Guest guest]

,

Ya know, I've read you letter. Now I sit here thinking.........how

do I respond to this? What can I say to make feel better?

I've been in such a slump myself lately, I just don't know what to

say. I'm sorry? I'm sorry the doctors give you such a hard time?

I'm sorry no one responded to your question about cocaine &

pancreatitis? I'm sorry you had to give up your " dream " in the music

business because of the addictions? I'm really sorry you can't find

your " white " light right now? I'm sorry, me being one of them,

people made the comment that when a person gets pancreatitis because

of drugs & drinking, it their own fault? I guess that really wasn't

fair. Please forgive me. I don't know what else to say. I'm

sorry? But does that really help? I don't know what to

say..................

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> ,

> I was not offended by anything you said. I, like everyone else am

frustrated by the insinuation that if you have pancreatitis you must

have gotten it due to abusing yourself. I am in recovery, yet my

oncologist (before I lost him when I had to move to Kaiser) told me

he highly doubts that my drinking caused my panc because I only

abused alcohiol for 2 years and it was secondary to my other

addiction which was cocaine. My active addiction lasted all of about

2 years and my drinking was to " come down " He explained that there is

a slight possibility that it caused it but he feels it does not

matter what caused it. What matters is that someone is ill and in

pain. I get tired of doctors nodding their heads knowingly when I

admit I am in recovery.(13 years) It makes me want to be less than

honest with them and others. And forgive me but even in here, I have

posted the question to the group 2 times when I read the references

from several people about drug abuse being one possible cau!

> ses ( which no doctor has ever t

> old me)only to have my honest question simply ignored. Trust me, I

lost plenty due to my 2 years of drug abuse. I am prepared to own

that I caused this myself with it but no one even answered me when I

asked if anyone knew if Cocaine can cause pancreatitis, not even to

tell me that did not know. I am sorry for the tangent I am on but I

am very depressed right now and I guess I have been holding this in

for a while. Yes, I am possibly one of those people that give the

Doctors the excuse to accuse all of you of alcohol abuse. I did not

even drink until I got highly involved in the music business here in

Los Angeles in 1995 and when I got clean and sober 2 years later I

left the business that I loved to save my sobriety. So shoot me. I

refuse to be ashamed and I refuse to let the dotors treat me poorly

because I made bad, weak decisions for such a short time in my life.

I was one of the first to write and People Magazine

because I felt that someone that has a past i!

> n active addiction had to say so

> mething. What I have to say is don;t focus on what you might think

is the cause dammit, focus on the fact that large sections of this

population suffer from this awful thing called Chronic Pancreatitis,

so we can find something to help those that suffer.

> I can;t find my white light right now, Hope you all find yours,

>

[Guest guest]

,

Ya know, I've read you letter. Now I sit here thinking.........how

do I respond to this? What can I say to make feel better?

I've been in such a slump myself lately, I just don't know what to

say. I'm sorry? I'm sorry the doctors give you such a hard time?

I'm sorry no one responded to your question about cocaine &

pancreatitis? I'm sorry you had to give up your " dream " in the music

business because of the addictions? I'm really sorry you can't find

your " white " light right now? I'm sorry, me being one of them,

people made the comment that when a person gets pancreatitis because

of drugs & drinking, it their own fault? I guess that really wasn't

fair. Please forgive me. I don't know what else to say. I'm

sorry? But does that really help? I don't know what to

say..................

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> ,

> I was not offended by anything you said. I, like everyone else am

frustrated by the insinuation that if you have pancreatitis you must

have gotten it due to abusing yourself. I am in recovery, yet my

oncologist (before I lost him when I had to move to Kaiser) told me

he highly doubts that my drinking caused my panc because I only

abused alcohiol for 2 years and it was secondary to my other

addiction which was cocaine. My active addiction lasted all of about

2 years and my drinking was to " come down " He explained that there is

a slight possibility that it caused it but he feels it does not

matter what caused it. What matters is that someone is ill and in

pain. I get tired of doctors nodding their heads knowingly when I

admit I am in recovery.(13 years) It makes me want to be less than

honest with them and others. And forgive me but even in here, I have

posted the question to the group 2 times when I read the references

from several people about drug abuse being one possible cau!

> ses ( which no doctor has ever t

> old me)only to have my honest question simply ignored. Trust me, I

lost plenty due to my 2 years of drug abuse. I am prepared to own

that I caused this myself with it but no one even answered me when I

asked if anyone knew if Cocaine can cause pancreatitis, not even to

tell me that did not know. I am sorry for the tangent I am on but I

am very depressed right now and I guess I have been holding this in

for a while. Yes, I am possibly one of those people that give the

Doctors the excuse to accuse all of you of alcohol abuse. I did not

even drink until I got highly involved in the music business here in

Los Angeles in 1995 and when I got clean and sober 2 years later I

left the business that I loved to save my sobriety. So shoot me. I

refuse to be ashamed and I refuse to let the dotors treat me poorly

because I made bad, weak decisions for such a short time in my life.

I was one of the first to write and People Magazine

because I felt that someone that has a past i!

> n active addiction had to say so

> mething. What I have to say is don;t focus on what you might think

is the cause dammit, focus on the fact that large sections of this

population suffer from this awful thing called Chronic Pancreatitis,

so we can find something to help those that suffer.

> I can;t find my white light right now, Hope you all find yours,

>

[Guest guest]

one of my daughters did cocain and many other drugs as well as alcohol. She

is now 40 and does not have any symptom of pancratitis. She has been sober

off and on for the lat few year or two. Some day she may even sstay sober.

But basically as far as the pancreas goes she has no problem

I live in Thousand Oaks just west of the San Valley. Is it

possible that you live within a visitable distance?

Lynnear

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

Hey, I seems to me you are almost to that white light! Keep going,

my friend, if it is in sight, it is easily reachable! I'm sorry

about your friend. I know how hard it is when someone we love is

hurting. Please, take care of her, and yourself. And by the way,

you have just as much right as anyone to be here, you do know that,

right? I'm glad you are doing better. We do care & love ya!!! When

ever you feel the need to " let it all go " , please don't feel ashamed,

each & every one of us has done it from time to time.

Lots of Hugs,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> ,

> I am not angry or hurt by anything any of the people here have said

(or not said. I am painfully aware that the " alcoholic Stigma "

effects all of you as much if not more than it does me. I think,

since I have a tendency to do just tell my patients not to do (let

things build up) I just overflowed. My significant other was in a car

accident Thursday (she is okay, broken ankle, concusion) and I have

had no time to focus on me. In a way it wa a relief , in a way it

gave me an extra excuse to let things pile up inside insteasd of

dealing with them. This whole thing aboutM. came back to sting

me in hte face and brought up alot of guilt over my use and abuse

that I try not to revisit. I learned when I first left my addiction

that beating myself up over it is destructive but, I go there from

time to time and this issue brought it back up. I think any feeling I

might have about being different here because of my alcohol history

is in my own imagination and stems from my own burie!

> d guilt over it (sorry once a ps

> ychologist, always a .....) Thank you for you response, Thank you

all for lettig each other get on soap boxes and have pity parties

when we realy need it. Where else can we get that gift

unconditionally.

> Looking for the white light,

>

[Guest guest]

<<I refuse to be ashamed and I refuse to let the dotors treat me poorly because

I made bad,weak decisions for such a short time in my life. I was one of the

first to

write and People Magazine because I felt that someone that has a

past in active addiction had to say something. >>

Good for you! I agree. Although I am one of the ones who gets put out but docs

assuming I have a history of alcohol abuse, I think it's mainly that I'm put out

that they jump to ANY conclusions without fully investigating, yanno?

And, I also hate the implication that underlies the statement, " pancreatitis,

usually caused by alcohol abuse, " - that is, inferring that a person somehow

deserves this illness b/c of poor choices. NO ONE deserves the pain. I feel

there is almost an understated belief in the medical community that pancreatitis

is less of an illness to study sympathetically b/c somehow the sufferers brought

it upon themselves. Does that make sense, or am I rambling?

~Shanon

[Guest guest]

<<I refuse to be ashamed and I refuse to let the dotors treat me poorly because

I made bad,weak decisions for such a short time in my life. I was one of the

first to

write and People Magazine because I felt that someone that has a

past in active addiction had to say something. >>

Good for you! I agree. Although I am one of the ones who gets put out but docs

assuming I have a history of alcohol abuse, I think it's mainly that I'm put out

that they jump to ANY conclusions without fully investigating, yanno?

And, I also hate the implication that underlies the statement, " pancreatitis,

usually caused by alcohol abuse, " - that is, inferring that a person somehow

deserves this illness b/c of poor choices. NO ONE deserves the pain. I feel

there is almost an understated belief in the medical community that pancreatitis

is less of an illness to study sympathetically b/c somehow the sufferers brought

it upon themselves. Does that make sense, or am I rambling?

~Shanon

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/18/01 1:35:39 PM Eastern Standard Time,

renpeaches@... writes:

> . And forgive me but even in here, I have posted the question to the group 2

> times when I read the references from several people about drug abuse being

> one possible cau!

> ses ( which no doctor has ever t

>

So sorry , I didn't answer because I don't know the answer. Sorry I

didn't think to tell you that when you needed to hear it. Please forgive.

Shirley

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/18/01 1:35:39 PM Eastern Standard Time,

renpeaches@... writes:

> . And forgive me but even in here, I have posted the question to the group 2

> times when I read the references from several people about drug abuse being

> one possible cau!

> ses ( which no doctor has ever t

>

So sorry , I didn't answer because I don't know the answer. Sorry I

didn't think to tell you that when you needed to hear it. Please forgive.

Shirley

[Guest guest]

THanks Kimber, It is so much easier to beat ones self up than to keep a

possitive attitude. I have to try to practice what I preach,

[Guest guest]

THanks Kimber, It is so much easier to beat ones self up than to keep a

possitive attitude. I have to try to practice what I preach,

[Guest guest]

,

sorry I didn't reply about the Cocaine. I wasn't sure. I'm afraid I

don't always answer those I'm not sure of since there are a lot of

messages. You should not feel ashamed. You did it, you stopped. We all

have done things that aren't always good for us. Now you are in pain and

ill and that should be the focus. Curing, stopping, helping end the

pain, regardless of why. I think people focus on the why because

sometimes, that's the key to what they can do to help. All the various

articles I've seen say that you have to drink a min. of 6 years to get

pancreatitis from it. They don't say anything about which drugs can

cause it and how long you have to abuse it. I'm know sure if the doctors

know.

Kimber

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 03/12/2001 2:00:40 AM Eastern Standard Time,

Beeneecrazee@... writes:

<< i agree it makes me mad to!! every time i go into the emergency room, the

doctor will look at me and say '' your to young to be drinking that much''.

mine is hereditary which means i was born with it, but the doctors they

don't

believe me because it is so rare to be born with it, and to have it run in

the family, so they just flat out don't believe me. its very frustrating!

Vickie >>

Hi Vickie

I know what you mean, mine is hereditary also, well, at least my triglyceride

problem is.............which led to the pancreas problems.

Pretty frustruating isn't it????

Hugs,

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 03/12/2001 2:00:40 AM Eastern Standard Time,

Beeneecrazee@... writes:

<< i agree it makes me mad to!! every time i go into the emergency room, the

doctor will look at me and say '' your to young to be drinking that much''.

mine is hereditary which means i was born with it, but the doctors they

don't

believe me because it is so rare to be born with it, and to have it run in

the family, so they just flat out don't believe me. its very frustrating!

Vickie >>

Hi Vickie

I know what you mean, mine is hereditary also, well, at least my triglyceride

problem is.............which led to the pancreas problems.

Pretty frustruating isn't it????

Hugs,