Is there a book where I could read more about Pancreatitis?

[Guest guest]

I have had bouts with pancreatitis for a few years now and can't

find a doctor to do anything for me. All they want to do is wait

until the pain is so bad that I need to go to the ER and be

admitted.

I need to do my own research because it's very hard to go to work

every day and have these overwhelming waves of pain and nausea. I am

also a diabetic so my doctors just think I'm doing this to myself or

something. What makes it more difficult is that I work for the

attending physicians in a teaching hospital as their secretary. They

even say to just come into the ER when the pain is unbearable and

they will admit me to the hospital. So that's their treatment, wait

until I can't stand the pain any more and then go to the ER.

I want to know what to do before the pain gets that bad. I have

been in the hospital 4 times this year and all they do is give me

pain killers and don't feed me while I'm in the hospital. If I ask

12 doctors what's causing my pancreatitis the give me 12 different

answers.

How do I go about finding a doctor who can help me a little more?

Thanks for any help,

Denice

[Guest guest]

Dear Denice,

To the best of my knowledge, there aren't too many

comprehensive books on pancreatitis available. I've learned to

do all my research right here on the internet and I've collected

hundreds of pages of good information that I'd be happy to share

with you.

Also, one of the best sources for general information is at our

library website:

http://www.top5plus5.com/

,

You're really caught between a rock and a hard place with your

present situation. Working in a hospital for doctors who won't

treat you, except by waiting until the pain is so bad that you need

to be admitted, is, IMHO, reverse psychology and ridiculous

medical treatment.

Is there any chance you can find a gastroenterology specialist

outside of this sphere of medical stumbletons? If they are

attending physicians, I doubt whether there's a GI specialist

among them, it certainly doesn't sound like it. You need a

gastroenterology specialist, not a general physician. That's

probably why you're getting 12 different answers to the same

question, because they just don't have the specialized

experience to know the answer. I'm sorry to be so negative, but I

personally feel they're going about this in a totally backward

manner.

You need to be on regular treatment with pancreatic enzymes

and pain medication as needed, by a specialist. It should be

designed to help you AVOID having to go to the ER whenever

possible. Your treatment should be designed to keep your pain

at a minimum and avoid any acute pain activity, because it's the

acute episodes that cause all the irrepairable damage to your

pancreas. Some testing; such as ultrasounds or CT-scans,

should be done to determine the cause of your pancreatitis.

Sometimes if there is a particular cause, surgery can be done to

remedy this and lessen the pain. Has any diagnostic testing

been done?

Are you in an area where you can go elsewhere to find a

competent specialist? If you'll let us know where you are, it may

be that we could recommend a specialist in your area who you

could consult. Is going to the ER when the pain is unbearable

your only " treatment " , as such?

Write again and let us know the answers to these questions,

and maybe we can come up with some more solutions for you.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SE & SW Regional Rep.

PAI, Intl.

Note: All comments or advice are personal opinion only, and

should not be substituted for professional medical consultation.

> I have had bouts with pancreatitis for a few years now and can't

find a doctor to do anything for me. All they want to do is wait

until the pain is so bad that I need to go to the ER and be

admitted. How do I go about finding a doctor who can help me a

little more? Denice

[Guest guest]

Denice,

here's a website for you to check out:

http://hopkins-gi.org

Do a search on pancreatitis and read all links that come up.

Once you get to the acute or chronic pancreatitis sections,

there should be a rolldown menu that shows up on the right

hand side if you roll your cursor over it near the top.

Kimber

--

Kimber

Vallejo, CA

hominid2@...

Note: All advice given is personal opinion, not equal to

that of a licensed physician or health care professional.

[Guest guest]

> Denice,

> here's a website for you to check out:

> http://hopkins-gi.org

>

> Do a search on pancreatitis and read all links that come up.

> Once you get to the acute or chronic pancreatitis sections,

> there should be a rolldown menu that shows up on the right

> hand side if you roll your cursor over it near the top.

> Kimber

>

> --

> Kimber

> Vallejo, CA

> hominid2@c...

> Note: All advice given is personal opinion, not equal to

> that of a licensed physician or health care professional.

Kimber:

Thanks so much for your help. I will try this site. I keep having

attacks of pancreatitis and noone can tell me anything about it, even

the doctors.

Thanks again,

Denice

[Guest guest]

Denice,

unfortunately, pancreatitis is one of those more complicated

illnesses and not a lot of doctors understand what goes on

with it. I certainly hope you find all the information you

are looking for here, that is one of the reasons that we are

here. I've learned more here in the past two years than I

have from any of my doctors over the past sixteen years of

pancreatitis.

Kimber

--

Kimber

Vallejo, CA

hominid2@...

Note: All advice given is personal opinion, not equal to

that of a licensed physician or health care professional.