Re: sorry, more pancreas damage... to Kay

[Guest guest]

Kay,

I hate to put it this way but it may be that your doc is just shining you

on by giving you a " Feel good " message. Your pancreas will never

regenerate the portion of your pancreas that is damaged. The only

" healing " that might be done is the inflammation could stop.

My pancreas deteriorated courtesy of an undiagnosed ductal deformity called

Pancreas Divisum. I had multiple severe acute attacks before I got to a

Gastroenterologist that discovered the problem. By that time it was

already too late.

The one thing that I was told very bluntly early on was " You have shown a

predisposition to Pancreatitis. Acute Pancreatitis causes permanent damage

to your pancreas and any episode may be fatal. Alcohol is the most common

trigger for Acute Pancreatitis attacks. I can't stop you but eventually

for you it comes down to one simple thing. If you drink, you die. " I will

remember those words forever.

There is no way to tell which drink will cause an attack. There is also no

way to tell which attack will kill you. It brings me back to the only

absolute recommendation of pancreatitis sufferers. Do not drink

alcohol. I must say I can pinpoint nothing in my past that triggered my

attacks. I quit drinking completely after my first severe attack 1986 and

I have still had 15 acute attacks in the last 3 years alone.

Pancreatitis is a very dangerous disease. It can take your life or ruin

your health permanently. Do not let your doc take it lightly. My advice

to you is to quit drinking and keep pressuring your doc to find a

cause. There are several treatable causes for Acute

Pancreatitis. Gallstones, sphincter disfunction and ductal strictures all

can cause AP attacks and can all be treated or corrected. The only problem

is too few docs are willing to continue the fight after they have gotten

your enzyme levels down and the inflammation relieved so by the time the

problem is discovered, the pancreas has severe damage.

Keep up the good fight.

Chuck

At 03:28 PM 6/27/02 +0000, you wrote:

>Chuck & Heidi,

>I completely understand what you explained. Now I am trying to

>quit obsessing already, but I am wondering something else...it

>sounds like both of you had the subclinical attacks for some

>time. When you felt pain, nausea, etc. regardless of how bad it

>was, did it come on after doing something known to aggravate

>the pancreas such as alcohol or fat intake? Did these minor

>attacks--even just feelings that something " was not right " start

>coming even when you were doing everything right? Is that the

>transition from acute to chronic?

>I ask this because I know that since my attack in Feb. I must say

>that I have been on again off again with sticking to avoiding

>alcohol completely, etc. and am worried to say the least. I have

>finally decided that I really am worried too much about this to

>take the risks that I have. I wish I could go back and change

>things. It has been only 3 months of this, but I still wish I could go

>back. I have so many other issues that I am having to deal with

>besides my pancreas that I find myself overwhelmed sometimes

>to the point where I just shut down and don't give a rip. I'm sorry

>to whine, vent, etc. I really don't have anywhere else to go with my

>redundant questions and concerns.

>So, basically I have had some pain usually when I have done

>something to aggravate it. It doesn't last long, but I know it is

>there. I know everyone is different, but I think that I am looking for

>a pattern. I don't know if it is in my head, but lately I feel like I have

>even something as small as a nagging tightness in my chest,

>but for no reason that I can think of (like it may be there up to a

>week after i drank even though for 4 days in there there was no

>pain at all). I worry that even with sticking to my guns, so to say,

>and do what I have to do to stay healthy, that maybe I have been

>having these sub clinical attacks and the pancreas has been

>damaged more. Isn't chronic when the pancreas has gotten to a

>point where it will no longer heal itself? My doctor s have said

>that , yes, my pancreas will heal, but in retrospect I don't think I

>have given it enough room to do just that. '

>I asked the dr. the last time I was in if I needed a new cat scan or

>something and he said no, that any test probably wouldn't show

>anything. and then told me not to drink. I know this. I don't know

>exactly what I am looking for the dr.s to say when I actually think

>about it. It really helps for me to hear what has happened with

>everyone here so I can piece my own situation together and

>handle it better without freaking out all of the time. Well, I am

>babbling now, thanks for listening....

>Kay

Chuck Sullivan

chuck@...

[Guest guest]

Kay,

I hate to put it this way but it may be that your doc is just shining you

on by giving you a " Feel good " message. Your pancreas will never

regenerate the portion of your pancreas that is damaged. The only

" healing " that might be done is the inflammation could stop.

My pancreas deteriorated courtesy of an undiagnosed ductal deformity called

Pancreas Divisum. I had multiple severe acute attacks before I got to a

Gastroenterologist that discovered the problem. By that time it was

already too late.

The one thing that I was told very bluntly early on was " You have shown a

predisposition to Pancreatitis. Acute Pancreatitis causes permanent damage

to your pancreas and any episode may be fatal. Alcohol is the most common

trigger for Acute Pancreatitis attacks. I can't stop you but eventually

for you it comes down to one simple thing. If you drink, you die. " I will

remember those words forever.

There is no way to tell which drink will cause an attack. There is also no

way to tell which attack will kill you. It brings me back to the only

absolute recommendation of pancreatitis sufferers. Do not drink

alcohol. I must say I can pinpoint nothing in my past that triggered my

attacks. I quit drinking completely after my first severe attack 1986 and

I have still had 15 acute attacks in the last 3 years alone.

Pancreatitis is a very dangerous disease. It can take your life or ruin

your health permanently. Do not let your doc take it lightly. My advice

to you is to quit drinking and keep pressuring your doc to find a

cause. There are several treatable causes for Acute

Pancreatitis. Gallstones, sphincter disfunction and ductal strictures all

can cause AP attacks and can all be treated or corrected. The only problem

is too few docs are willing to continue the fight after they have gotten

your enzyme levels down and the inflammation relieved so by the time the

problem is discovered, the pancreas has severe damage.

Keep up the good fight.

Chuck

At 03:28 PM 6/27/02 +0000, you wrote:

>Chuck & Heidi,

>I completely understand what you explained. Now I am trying to

>quit obsessing already, but I am wondering something else...it

>sounds like both of you had the subclinical attacks for some

>time. When you felt pain, nausea, etc. regardless of how bad it

>was, did it come on after doing something known to aggravate

>the pancreas such as alcohol or fat intake? Did these minor

>attacks--even just feelings that something " was not right " start

>coming even when you were doing everything right? Is that the

>transition from acute to chronic?

>I ask this because I know that since my attack in Feb. I must say

>that I have been on again off again with sticking to avoiding

>alcohol completely, etc. and am worried to say the least. I have

>finally decided that I really am worried too much about this to

>take the risks that I have. I wish I could go back and change

>things. It has been only 3 months of this, but I still wish I could go

>back. I have so many other issues that I am having to deal with

>besides my pancreas that I find myself overwhelmed sometimes

>to the point where I just shut down and don't give a rip. I'm sorry

>to whine, vent, etc. I really don't have anywhere else to go with my

>redundant questions and concerns.

>So, basically I have had some pain usually when I have done

>something to aggravate it. It doesn't last long, but I know it is

>there. I know everyone is different, but I think that I am looking for

>a pattern. I don't know if it is in my head, but lately I feel like I have

>even something as small as a nagging tightness in my chest,

>but for no reason that I can think of (like it may be there up to a

>week after i drank even though for 4 days in there there was no

>pain at all). I worry that even with sticking to my guns, so to say,

>and do what I have to do to stay healthy, that maybe I have been

>having these sub clinical attacks and the pancreas has been

>damaged more. Isn't chronic when the pancreas has gotten to a

>point where it will no longer heal itself? My doctor s have said

>that , yes, my pancreas will heal, but in retrospect I don't think I

>have given it enough room to do just that. '

>I asked the dr. the last time I was in if I needed a new cat scan or

>something and he said no, that any test probably wouldn't show

>anything. and then told me not to drink. I know this. I don't know

>exactly what I am looking for the dr.s to say when I actually think

>about it. It really helps for me to hear what has happened with

>everyone here so I can piece my own situation together and

>handle it better without freaking out all of the time. Well, I am

>babbling now, thanks for listening....

>Kay

Chuck Sullivan

chuck@...

[Guest guest]

Kay,

I hate to put it this way but it may be that your doc is just shining you

on by giving you a " Feel good " message. Your pancreas will never

regenerate the portion of your pancreas that is damaged. The only

" healing " that might be done is the inflammation could stop.

My pancreas deteriorated courtesy of an undiagnosed ductal deformity called

Pancreas Divisum. I had multiple severe acute attacks before I got to a

Gastroenterologist that discovered the problem. By that time it was

already too late.

The one thing that I was told very bluntly early on was " You have shown a

predisposition to Pancreatitis. Acute Pancreatitis causes permanent damage

to your pancreas and any episode may be fatal. Alcohol is the most common

trigger for Acute Pancreatitis attacks. I can't stop you but eventually

for you it comes down to one simple thing. If you drink, you die. " I will

remember those words forever.

There is no way to tell which drink will cause an attack. There is also no

way to tell which attack will kill you. It brings me back to the only

absolute recommendation of pancreatitis sufferers. Do not drink

alcohol. I must say I can pinpoint nothing in my past that triggered my

attacks. I quit drinking completely after my first severe attack 1986 and

I have still had 15 acute attacks in the last 3 years alone.

Pancreatitis is a very dangerous disease. It can take your life or ruin

your health permanently. Do not let your doc take it lightly. My advice

to you is to quit drinking and keep pressuring your doc to find a

cause. There are several treatable causes for Acute

Pancreatitis. Gallstones, sphincter disfunction and ductal strictures all

can cause AP attacks and can all be treated or corrected. The only problem

is too few docs are willing to continue the fight after they have gotten

your enzyme levels down and the inflammation relieved so by the time the

problem is discovered, the pancreas has severe damage.

Keep up the good fight.

Chuck

At 03:28 PM 6/27/02 +0000, you wrote:

>Chuck & Heidi,

>I completely understand what you explained. Now I am trying to

>quit obsessing already, but I am wondering something else...it

>sounds like both of you had the subclinical attacks for some

>time. When you felt pain, nausea, etc. regardless of how bad it

>was, did it come on after doing something known to aggravate

>the pancreas such as alcohol or fat intake? Did these minor

>attacks--even just feelings that something " was not right " start

>coming even when you were doing everything right? Is that the

>transition from acute to chronic?

>I ask this because I know that since my attack in Feb. I must say

>that I have been on again off again with sticking to avoiding

>alcohol completely, etc. and am worried to say the least. I have

>finally decided that I really am worried too much about this to

>take the risks that I have. I wish I could go back and change

>things. It has been only 3 months of this, but I still wish I could go

>back. I have so many other issues that I am having to deal with

>besides my pancreas that I find myself overwhelmed sometimes

>to the point where I just shut down and don't give a rip. I'm sorry

>to whine, vent, etc. I really don't have anywhere else to go with my

>redundant questions and concerns.

>So, basically I have had some pain usually when I have done

>something to aggravate it. It doesn't last long, but I know it is

>there. I know everyone is different, but I think that I am looking for

>a pattern. I don't know if it is in my head, but lately I feel like I have

>even something as small as a nagging tightness in my chest,

>but for no reason that I can think of (like it may be there up to a

>week after i drank even though for 4 days in there there was no

>pain at all). I worry that even with sticking to my guns, so to say,

>and do what I have to do to stay healthy, that maybe I have been

>having these sub clinical attacks and the pancreas has been

>damaged more. Isn't chronic when the pancreas has gotten to a

>point where it will no longer heal itself? My doctor s have said

>that , yes, my pancreas will heal, but in retrospect I don't think I

>have given it enough room to do just that. '

>I asked the dr. the last time I was in if I needed a new cat scan or

>something and he said no, that any test probably wouldn't show

>anything. and then told me not to drink. I know this. I don't know

>exactly what I am looking for the dr.s to say when I actually think

>about it. It really helps for me to hear what has happened with

>everyone here so I can piece my own situation together and

>handle it better without freaking out all of the time. Well, I am

>babbling now, thanks for listening....

>Kay

Chuck Sullivan

chuck@...

[Guest guest]

Kay,

I hate to put it this way but it may be that your doc is just shining you

on by giving you a " Feel good " message. Your pancreas will never

regenerate the portion of your pancreas that is damaged. The only

" healing " that might be done is the inflammation could stop.

My pancreas deteriorated courtesy of an undiagnosed ductal deformity called

Pancreas Divisum. I had multiple severe acute attacks before I got to a

Gastroenterologist that discovered the problem. By that time it was

already too late.

The one thing that I was told very bluntly early on was " You have shown a

predisposition to Pancreatitis. Acute Pancreatitis causes permanent damage

to your pancreas and any episode may be fatal. Alcohol is the most common

trigger for Acute Pancreatitis attacks. I can't stop you but eventually

for you it comes down to one simple thing. If you drink, you die. " I will

remember those words forever.

There is no way to tell which drink will cause an attack. There is also no

way to tell which attack will kill you. It brings me back to the only

absolute recommendation of pancreatitis sufferers. Do not drink

alcohol. I must say I can pinpoint nothing in my past that triggered my

attacks. I quit drinking completely after my first severe attack 1986 and

I have still had 15 acute attacks in the last 3 years alone.

Pancreatitis is a very dangerous disease. It can take your life or ruin

your health permanently. Do not let your doc take it lightly. My advice

to you is to quit drinking and keep pressuring your doc to find a

cause. There are several treatable causes for Acute

Pancreatitis. Gallstones, sphincter disfunction and ductal strictures all

can cause AP attacks and can all be treated or corrected. The only problem

is too few docs are willing to continue the fight after they have gotten

your enzyme levels down and the inflammation relieved so by the time the

problem is discovered, the pancreas has severe damage.

Keep up the good fight.

Chuck

At 03:28 PM 6/27/02 +0000, you wrote:

>Chuck & Heidi,

>I completely understand what you explained. Now I am trying to

>quit obsessing already, but I am wondering something else...it

>sounds like both of you had the subclinical attacks for some

>time. When you felt pain, nausea, etc. regardless of how bad it

>was, did it come on after doing something known to aggravate

>the pancreas such as alcohol or fat intake? Did these minor

>attacks--even just feelings that something " was not right " start

>coming even when you were doing everything right? Is that the

>transition from acute to chronic?

>I ask this because I know that since my attack in Feb. I must say

>that I have been on again off again with sticking to avoiding

>alcohol completely, etc. and am worried to say the least. I have

>finally decided that I really am worried too much about this to

>take the risks that I have. I wish I could go back and change

>things. It has been only 3 months of this, but I still wish I could go

>back. I have so many other issues that I am having to deal with

>besides my pancreas that I find myself overwhelmed sometimes

>to the point where I just shut down and don't give a rip. I'm sorry

>to whine, vent, etc. I really don't have anywhere else to go with my

>redundant questions and concerns.

>So, basically I have had some pain usually when I have done

>something to aggravate it. It doesn't last long, but I know it is

>there. I know everyone is different, but I think that I am looking for

>a pattern. I don't know if it is in my head, but lately I feel like I have

>even something as small as a nagging tightness in my chest,

>but for no reason that I can think of (like it may be there up to a

>week after i drank even though for 4 days in there there was no

>pain at all). I worry that even with sticking to my guns, so to say,

>and do what I have to do to stay healthy, that maybe I have been

>having these sub clinical attacks and the pancreas has been

>damaged more. Isn't chronic when the pancreas has gotten to a

>point where it will no longer heal itself? My doctor s have said

>that , yes, my pancreas will heal, but in retrospect I don't think I

>have given it enough room to do just that. '

>I asked the dr. the last time I was in if I needed a new cat scan or

>something and he said no, that any test probably wouldn't show

>anything. and then told me not to drink. I know this. I don't know

>exactly what I am looking for the dr.s to say when I actually think

>about it. It really helps for me to hear what has happened with

>everyone here so I can piece my own situation together and

>handle it better without freaking out all of the time. Well, I am

>babbling now, thanks for listening....

>Kay

Chuck Sullivan

chuck@...

[Guest guest]

The one thing that I was told very bluntly early on was " You have

shown a predisposition to Pancreatitis. Acute Pancreatitis

causes permanent damage to your pancreas and any episode

may be fatal. Alcohol is the most common trigger for Acute

Pancreatitis attacks. I can't stop you but eventually for you it

comes down to one simple thing. If you drink, you die. " I will

remember those words forever.

Kay,

Chuck's doctor and mine must have gone to the same school.

My GI said precisely the same thing. My acute attack was on

April 30, 2001 and I have not had another drink since that day.

Two weeks later the doctor gave me his speech, and I told him

that if and when I died, it would never be because I went back on

my resolve.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth - SC

hhessgriffeth@...

Southeastern Representative

Pancreatitis Association, Intl.

[Guest guest]

The one thing that I was told very bluntly early on was " You have

shown a predisposition to Pancreatitis. Acute Pancreatitis

causes permanent damage to your pancreas and any episode

may be fatal. Alcohol is the most common trigger for Acute

Pancreatitis attacks. I can't stop you but eventually for you it

comes down to one simple thing. If you drink, you die. " I will

remember those words forever.

Kay,

Chuck's doctor and mine must have gone to the same school.

My GI said precisely the same thing. My acute attack was on

April 30, 2001 and I have not had another drink since that day.

Two weeks later the doctor gave me his speech, and I told him

that if and when I died, it would never be because I went back on

my resolve.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth - SC

hhessgriffeth@...

Southeastern Representative

Pancreatitis Association, Intl.

[Guest guest]

The one thing that I was told very bluntly early on was " You have

shown a predisposition to Pancreatitis. Acute Pancreatitis

causes permanent damage to your pancreas and any episode

may be fatal. Alcohol is the most common trigger for Acute

Pancreatitis attacks. I can't stop you but eventually for you it

comes down to one simple thing. If you drink, you die. " I will

remember those words forever.

Kay,

Chuck's doctor and mine must have gone to the same school.

My GI said precisely the same thing. My acute attack was on

April 30, 2001 and I have not had another drink since that day.

Two weeks later the doctor gave me his speech, and I told him

that if and when I died, it would never be because I went back on

my resolve.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth - SC

hhessgriffeth@...

Southeastern Representative

Pancreatitis Association, Intl.

[Guest guest]

The one thing that I was told very bluntly early on was " You have

shown a predisposition to Pancreatitis. Acute Pancreatitis

causes permanent damage to your pancreas and any episode

may be fatal. Alcohol is the most common trigger for Acute

Pancreatitis attacks. I can't stop you but eventually for you it

comes down to one simple thing. If you drink, you die. " I will

remember those words forever.

Kay,

Chuck's doctor and mine must have gone to the same school.

My GI said precisely the same thing. My acute attack was on

April 30, 2001 and I have not had another drink since that day.

Two weeks later the doctor gave me his speech, and I told him

that if and when I died, it would never be because I went back on

my resolve.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth - SC

hhessgriffeth@...

Southeastern Representative

Pancreatitis Association, Intl.

[Guest guest]

Dear Kay,

You might well be in a stage that many of us go through - That of hoping

against hope that someone will hold our hand, pat it, and say ''Hon, you know

what?? We are really just being extra hard on you, the truth is that,

really, you can continue to do whatever you want to do, because its really

not going to make a huge difference - you will still be fine.''

Unfortunately, nobody is going to be able to tell you that and still look you

in the eye. We know the truth, and we've all heard it a million times. Does

that mean that all of us are Heidi and Chuck, and make an absolute resolution

that very day that changes our lives forever? I am certain that it works

that way for many, many in this group. And, there are others who make such a

vow, but have to make it again on many occasions - each time meaning it no

less, but for any of a bajillion reasons, have to keep coming back and trying

again.

But the facts are the facts, and there is no way to sugar coat them. One of

them is that alcohol will, sooner or later, kill a person that suffers from

Pancreatitis, whether taken in small doses or large, frequently or

infrequently, one way or another... Eventually it just WILL. And so we each

make our choices, but never again can we claim ''ignorance of the facts'' as

our defense. You know the truth now. The choices that you make are yours

and only yours to make.

Peace & Good Fortune,

Terry in KC

[Guest guest]

Dear Kay,

You might well be in a stage that many of us go through - That of hoping

against hope that someone will hold our hand, pat it, and say ''Hon, you know

what?? We are really just being extra hard on you, the truth is that,

really, you can continue to do whatever you want to do, because its really

not going to make a huge difference - you will still be fine.''

Unfortunately, nobody is going to be able to tell you that and still look you

in the eye. We know the truth, and we've all heard it a million times. Does

that mean that all of us are Heidi and Chuck, and make an absolute resolution

that very day that changes our lives forever? I am certain that it works

that way for many, many in this group. And, there are others who make such a

vow, but have to make it again on many occasions - each time meaning it no

less, but for any of a bajillion reasons, have to keep coming back and trying

again.

But the facts are the facts, and there is no way to sugar coat them. One of

them is that alcohol will, sooner or later, kill a person that suffers from

Pancreatitis, whether taken in small doses or large, frequently or

infrequently, one way or another... Eventually it just WILL. And so we each

make our choices, but never again can we claim ''ignorance of the facts'' as

our defense. You know the truth now. The choices that you make are yours

and only yours to make.

Peace & Good Fortune,

Terry in KC