To Myrna

[Guest guest]

Heidi,

The doctor I go to is just a surgeon. I really like him. He cares a lot

about me , as a person and we have a strong religion in common, but he is

now suggestion I might want to consult a gastroneterologest. I did go to a

good gastroneterologest and he did some mind of a test where you go down and

look at the Pancerus. That determinded that it was not normal.

I do not remember the name of the scan that found the syst.

Right now, I do not have any pain and never do once an attack is over and

I have been in the hospital for a while. but have had 5 attacks that sent me

to the hospital , one to intensive care.

The sugreon in the small town I go to operated and drained the pseudocyst.

He said I needed to wait until it got ripe, he called it, to operate. I

guess it gets firmer on the outside. I really do not know a lot about this ,

as you can tell.

I have never drank alchol of any kind and I can not tell that what I eat

makes a difference. I really wanted to loose some weight so for several

months before my last attack I had been really careful about what I ate.

The most I can tell about my attacks seems to be when I take pills.

One attack I had taken a lot of pills for a sinus cold and my last one I had

taken some a different doctor gave me for leg pains.

I had stopped taken the ensigns because the doctor said if I was feeling ok

and I had for a year, I could stop taking them, but as I say he is not a

gastroenterologist.

I have told myself, if I have another attack, I had probably better go to

one but I have to go almost 100 miles to go to one I like or have a lot of

faith in and when I have an attack and am in so much pain, or hospital is 15

miles away and the people are all so good to me and know my history, so that

is where I go.

I just keep hoping I will not have another attack, but as I read of people

on these lists I am afraid I am kidding myself.

I do very much appreciate your interest and the ability to read about other

peoples experiences and I think it will give me courage to go to a different

doctor if that is what I must to.

Thank you so much for your interest.

Myrna

-- To Myrna

Dear Myrna,

Since you were NPO for three months, did your pseudocyst

resolve? This is known as one method of getting pseudocysts

to resolve, by putting the patient on NPO for an extended period.

I am curious to hear what kind of tests, or imaging studies they

did on you to determine the status of your pseudocyst. If that

pseudocyst has increased or filled up again, it could be the

cause of any new or increasing pain that you are feeling. This

has happened to me before, that's why I ask.

Also curious to know why you stopped taking your pancreatic

enzymes. If you show any signs of pancreatic insufficiency, the

enzymes are beneficial to you. As you said, you did fine for a

year while on them, then stopped and within a few weeks had an

attack. Are you taking them now?

There are only a few doctors I've ever heard of that do not

encourage the necessity of a low fat diet for persons with chronic

pancreatitis. It seems you found one of them. Is this doctor a

Gastroenterologist? Have you kept track of what kinds of foods

you've been eating, avoided all alcohol and been able to

determine anything that has triggered your pain episodes?

You should not have " to figure this out for yourself " . In my

opinion, it sounds like you need a more aggressive and

experienced gastroenterology specialist. IMHO, this doctor

you've been seeing isn't doing anything to help you, and you

need to find one that will.

We're here to listen and to help in any way we can. If you can fill

in some of the blanks and answer my questions, perhaps we

can figure out more about your situation and find some solutions

for you.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC & SE Regional Rep

PAI, Intl.

Note: Comments or advice are personal opinion only, and

should not be substituted for professional medical consultation.

>>I spent last June, July and Aug in the hospital most of the time.

I had a syst and was allowed home a little on home health but

was not able toeat, by mouth for those three months. I have had

5 attacks and had my gall bladder out.

My doctor does not seem to feel, personally, what I eat makes

any difference

I went a year with out any problems and was on ensigns for that

year. I went off for about three weeks, feeling I was better and

then had another attack. After that I took some pills for some pain

in my leg and had another attack.

I am sure starting to feel, I've got to figure this out for myself

Myrna

[Guest guest]

Hi, Myrna!

I'm sorry to have confused you ... my husband's case is a little from

what I've been reading on this site.

His pancreas was traumatized during a routine ERCP -

> This is very interesting to my. I have been having pains in my legs

for some

> time in fact that is why I went to the doctor after my one attack

and

> before my next one,I have gone to the Chiropractor several times.

It is a

> little better but still have some pain especially in the calf of my

right

> leg. Are you saying it might be caused by the enzymes I am taking?

> Myrna

>

> -------Original Message-------

>

>