Thank you Judy

[Guest guest]

I was expecting a lot of incisional; geeze just getting through the

layers to the sphincter and the duodenum; but I agree if has to be

better then a whipple. I was not eecting so much pancreatic pain.

Where did you have your surgery. When this was offered to me as an

option there were very few places that performed this procedure.

The surgeon words were " it may buy you some time a year or so before

you will need a whipple " . I dont think so... no sir.. no whipple

here. Do you have to take enzymes? Has any further testing been

required? Have you had to be hospitalized for pancreatitis?

I am sorry about so many questions, but there does not seem to be a

lot of people who have had this procedure.

Warmly

[Guest guest]

I had my surgery at mcv in richmond, va. (aug. of 2002) Dr. De

has done 7 in his career. I still suffer a bad attack every 15-16

weeks that requires hospitalization for 3-4 days. I am currently

taking ultrase enzymes with every meal as well as nausea/pain meds

daily. I also take reglan 30 minutes before a meal for because my

stomach doesn't empty properly. I know that this is a progressive

disease and each attack is damaging my pancreas to where I might

have to consider a whipple or loss of pancreas that will require a

islet cell transplant. But I am hoping that is further down the

road. I am 37 years old and have been dealing with the symptoms of

a pancreas divisum for 5 years now. I was misdiagnosed for gall

bladder problems which I had removed as well as a fundoplication for

the acid that eroded my esophagus. As for the further procedures, I

am currently a patient of the pancreatitis clinic at mcv and have 3

month check ups involving blood work, talking with the dr, and the

nutritionist and if any tests are warranted I will have a CT scan or

an MRCP to check for any calicification of the pancreas. This means

the pancreas is shutting down. I cannot tolerate ERCP's since they

cause me pancreatitis attacks. See, my problem is with my

pancreatic ducts. Where normal people have a nice flowing ducts, my

one and only duct is narrowed and flattened. The sphincteroplasty

tried to surgically open up the duct, but I'm sure over time scar

tissue builds up and the duct flattens again. I am coming to the

realization that I will never lead the normal life I once had and

now I try to be grateful for having more good days than bad. My

surgeon also told me that the surgery was no guarantee and like I

told you earlier I do not regret the decision. It has been over a

year (aug of 2002) since my surgery. I am still having attacks,

mild ones that I can handle at home but every 15-16 weeks I suffer

one that lands me back into the hospital. Since the surgery I have

been hospitalized 5 times, the most recent being the second week of

Sept. but they are getting farther apart (the real bad ones) I don't

think this sphincteroplasty has cured me, and your dr. could be

right in telling you what he did. But lets hope time is on our side

and we can beat the odds. Take care,

Judy

-- In pancreatitis , " " <cdrrn@c...> wrote:

> I was expecting a lot of incisional; geeze just getting through

the

> layers to the sphincter and the duodenum; but I agree if has to be

> better then a whipple. I was not eecting so much pancreatic

pain.

> Where did you have your surgery. When this was offered to me as

an

> option there were very few places that performed this procedure.

> The surgeon words were " it may buy you some time a year or so

before

> you will need a whipple " . I dont think so... no sir.. no whipple

> here. Do you have to take enzymes? Has any further testing been

> required? Have you had to be hospitalized for pancreatitis?

> I am sorry about so many questions, but there does not seem to be

a

> lot of people who have had this procedure.

> Warmly

>