Re: Burn-out to

[Guest guest]

> Heidi when you have pancreas burn-out is your pancreas

completely calcified?? can you have burn-out and still have a part

of your pancreas working? i m sure no one can tell how long

before a person reachs the burn-out state?? this is one thing

that i m not clear about at all. nancy kfalls

,

In my case the calcification appears to be widespread as shown

on the films, with only scattered tiny spots interspersed among

the whole that would be undamaged areas. The pseudocysts

appear as dark areas, also, so they are easier to define now that

there is so much calfication.

Being as I am totally insulin dependent, and dependent upon

enzymes to do my digestion, it appears that none of my

pancreas is working with both the endocrine and exocrine

functions completely damaged.

Generally speaking, it usually takes a very long time before a

person reaches the burn-out state, if at all. An adult person

having CP since early childhood would seem a possible

candidate, or one who has experienced extensive pancreatic

trauma/attacks or damage.

, you aren't the only one who isn't clear about this. Most

doctor's aren't either, and few can give anyone a concise answer

to questions about it. I think this is because burn-out is the

exception, not the rule, and there just isn't that much information

available about it because it doesn't happen that often.

I hope this helps to answer your questions.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC and SE Regional Representative

PAI, Intl.

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

should not be substituted for professional medical consultation.

[Guest guest]

I also worry about pancreatitic cancer, i hurt all the time so how

would i know if it was turning cancerous? nancy kfalls

,

Ask your doctor to do a CA-19-9, the cancer tumor marker test.

It's a simple bloodtest. In Georgia, the test cost $190. My

insurance company (Blue Cross/Blue Shield) didn't want to pay

for it, but I appealed, and they said they would if they had a letter

from the doctor stating it's necessity. I wanted to say, " Duh....he's

the one that ordered it done and it was done in his office. If he

didn't feel it was necessary, then why would he have done it? "

But of course, I held my tongue and thanked them, and then

asked the doctor to send a letter of necessity to the insurance

company.

Sometimes I don't understand insurance companies. They did

the same thing when my Internist ordered a bone density

test....at first refused to pay for it, saying a " letter of necessity "

was needed. Why would one's doctor order the test to be done,

if it wasn't necessary?????

But back to you, . You say you hurt all the time, so how

would you know if it were cancerous? The fact that it hurts all the

time now seems to me that the disease is progressing more, as

CP does. Although you want to have the reassurance that it's not

cancerous, please don't mistake more pain for cancer. It may

just be due to the natural progression of the disease. I will say

though, there is great peace of mind having a test come back

negative.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC and SE Regional Representative

PAI, Intl.

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

should not be substituted for professional medical consultation.