Where do I turn now?

[Guest guest]

Since Easter, I have been terribly ill. Nausea hits suddenly, without

warning, nearly knocking me to the ground. Though not a level 10

yet, the gripping, squeezing pains are near constant.. as are the

squishing bear hugs that radiate the pain into my back. The bloating

pressure is so intense at times that I wish I could just pop and get

it over with. Three to four days of constipation are followed with a

complete bm spilling that totally wipes me out and lands me in bed

for hours at a time. A low grade fever comes and goes with calls then

sweats.

Three weeks. Three weeks and my enzyme levels stay normal while my

body works it's way up to an major, hospitalizing acute attack. I've

been here before -- more times than I care to count since being

diagnosed with chronic acute pancreatitis in November of '99.

Usually, these bouts last a week to 10 days and then die down. But

the ones that last longer, like this one, always seem to land me in

the hospital. Amazingly, all tests prior to " the big attack "

consistently shows normal enzyme levels. The last time I was

hospitalized, I had " the big attack " in the ER and the levels showed

normal because the blood was drawn just minutes before it happened.

Do you believe they sent me home in that much pain only to re-admit

me as an in-patient 4 hours later when my enzyme levels finally

skyrocketed?

I'm tired of being sick. I'm tired of hurting for weeks at a time

with no relief. I'm tired of doctors not understanding when I tell

them what I'm going through, but the amylase and lipase levels don't

want to prove it. I'm tired of hospitals and lying in extreme pain

for hours at a time before anyone will take my pain seriously.

My internest is great, and understands to some point, but without the

enzyme elevation, there's really not a whole lot he can do. My GI

doc... let's just say he has a better picture after being balled out

by my first admitting doctor because the GI doc was convinced I

brought this on for being an alcoholic. I don't drink, haven't drank

for years, and when I experimented while in high school (nearly 30

years ago), it was never to excess. After opening up the spynxter of

odie last year, it has been decided that if I have another serious

attack, they're sending me to Ann Arbor's U-of-M to see if they can

determine what's going on and who to prevent my attacks - or lessen

them.

With only 4 extensive hospitalizations since 1999 and these constant

bouts in between, I realize I'm doing better than a lot of you. Yet,

I'm at my wits end with the feeling of no where to turn for help or

relief. My husband's favorite uncle passed away and the funeral is

today. Yet, I'm too ill to make it to be by his side. I hate this. I

see my doctor again tomorrow, but I know that if the enzyme levels

are still within normal range, there's not much he can/will do. Where

do I turn now?

Thanks in advance.

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