What the Surgeon Found

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

I went to Vanderbilt to have surgery on 6th March, Dr Sharp was going

to perform a Whipple to stop me from having further pancreatitis

attacks. When he cut me open, he found lots of benign Desmoid Tumours

growing on the outside of my pancreas and in my small intestine.

Thinking this was the problem, he closed me back up and a week later

sent me home.

Since then I have been in and out of hospital up until 2 weeks ago. I

had a final pancreatitis attack on 4th May and Dr London at a local

hospital put a stent in upside down. He gives me 3-6 months before a

new one will be needed, but at least it has worked. This is the

longest I have ever been home in 6 months. I even got to be at my

daughter's 2nd birthday party.

The tumours are a separate issue according to this doctor. My

pancreatic duct was completely blocked, hence all my attacks. I still

have pancreatitis attacks, but the pain is nowhere as severe and I

can manage them at home.

The oncologists have me on Tamoxifen and Vioxx to shrink these

estrogen fed tumours, so I am now experiencing menopausal

symptoms...at least I only have this to deal with now.

I went off the pain medicine cold turkey and was unable to sleep for

5 days. I hope this doesn't happen every time I need hospitalisation

for pain..

A Sphincterotomy of the pancreatic duct is going to be done in August

so hope this will help even more

[Guest guest]

Hi - I just had a sphincterotomy. My doc couldn't find my pancreatic

duct either. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. It's been a couple weeks and

aside from an awful attack right afterwards I'm doing pretty well. Still some

pain and nausea but much less. That may just be due to the fact that he cut the

duct. I had scar tissue blocking it plus pancreas divisum, where the duct was

too small in the first place. I will get more scar tissue and so this is not my

last sphincterotomy according to the docs, but at least if it buys some " feeling

good time " for even a year I'll be thrilled! You have a couple of other things

going on as well. Please know that my best wishes are with you - Anita

What the Surgeon Found

Hi everyone,

I went to Vanderbilt to have surgery on 6th March, Dr Sharp was going

to perform a Whipple to stop me from having further pancreatitis

attacks. When he cut me open, he found lots of benign Desmoid Tumours

growing on the outside of my pancreas and in my small intestine.

Thinking this was the problem, he closed me back up and a week later

sent me home.

Since then I have been in and out of hospital up until 2 weeks ago. I

had a final pancreatitis attack on 4th May and Dr London at a local

hospital put a stent in upside down. He gives me 3-6 months before a

new one will be needed, but at least it has worked. This is the

longest I have ever been home in 6 months. I even got to be at my

daughter's 2nd birthday party.

The tumours are a separate issue according to this doctor. My

pancreatic duct was completely blocked, hence all my attacks. I still

have pancreatitis attacks, but the pain is nowhere as severe and I

can manage them at home.

The oncologists have me on Tamoxifen and Vioxx to shrink these

estrogen fed tumours, so I am now experiencing menopausal

symptoms...at least I only have this to deal with now.

I went off the pain medicine cold turkey and was unable to sleep for

5 days. I hope this doesn't happen every time I need hospitalisation

for pain..

A Sphincterotomy of the pancreatic duct is going to be done in August

so hope this will help even more