Re: Question to those with Stent experience

[Guest guest]

Laurie,

I was told that it could take 3 or more stent procedures before the

area will stay open, but then again it could not..as in my case. I

believe that after a certain amount of stents, if it is not working,

then your doctor will then offer you another solution to try.

As for blockages, mine have blocked a few times, each time they have

done another ERCP, unblocked them and left them until it's time to

take them out, or unblock them again when necessary.

I'm at the stage where i'm having as many as 2 ERCP's a month, and

this will probably continue for the rest of my life, or until they

find a new way to keep my ducts from closing without surgery

*lol*..which I don't expect will ever happen.

I do know that if a stent is left in too long, it can lead to

infection, or being sucked further into the pancreas..(as one of

mine did).

Hope i've helped you some

[Guest guest]

Sandy,

if you start to have problems again, you might want to look for another

GI (you are entitled to as many opinions as possible). If you need any

recommendations, I have a couple, though one is in SF and the other in

Mountain View. Just in case the pain starts up again. If you need

anything, please let me know and I'll be glad to help in any way I can.

You can also call me since you don't live that far from me (

or cellphone: ). Hope you remain pain free for a long time

to come.

Kimber

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Kimber

Vallejo, CA

hominid2@...

California State and Southwest US regional representative

Note: All advice given is personal opinion, not equal to that of a licensed

physician or health care professional.

[Guest guest]

Sandy,

yes, I don't blame you for having a bad feeling for UCSF, my own

hospital experience there (spincteroplasty in 1993) wasn't all that

great either. I've heard from a nursing friend of mine that the best

times to be hospitalized there is in the Fall and Spring, which is when

the nursing students have just finished learning all they know instead

of at the beginning of their training in Winter and Summer (I was

hospitalized in Summer), however, the physician I had treating me for

chronic (was never hospitalized at UCSF under this doctor as he was a

special consult only) was very good, which is why I thought of passing

on his name. He's very good at diagnosing chronic pancreatitis and

treating it. He is currently working with my current doctor to make sure

that I get the care I need at Kaiser, even though he isn't a Kaiser

doctor. I wish I had a specialist in Fairfield to send you to. My

current doctor is a Kaiser doctor or I'd recommend her (she's in

Oakland, too), but I believe you aren't a Kaiser member (right?).

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]

Sandy,

his name is Dr. Cello. He works at UCSF and San Francisco General

Hospital. You are more likely to find him at SF General though, as he

seemed to spend more of his time there than UCSF when I saw him. I found

him to be very knowledgable and he diagnosed me chronic based on films

from the year before. Lord knows how long I really was chronic before he

diagnosed me. He started me on the non-enteric coated enzymes and an

acid reducer and those kept me painfree for an extra 5 years. If I

hadn't taken the enzymes, I'd have been in daily pain in 1997, instead

of 2001. Hope you have some luck in finding a good doctor. You'll be in

my prayers.

Kimber

--

Kimber

Vallejo, CA

hominid2@...

Note: All advice given is personal opinion, not equal to that of a licensed

physician or health care professional.