about amylase (subtitle: good news and bad news)

[Guest guest]

hi everyone,

i have not been on the boards for a while, as i have been focusing on

finding a new job. anyway, i wanted to report on my progress, and ask

about another thing. first the bad, so we can end on a positive note!

bad news: my amylase level is pretty high. this is an enzyme

associated with the salivary glands and pancreas. it was a bit high

after surgery, so my doctor wanted to monitor it. it was even higher a

month later, and higher now. has anyone had problems with amylase? i

think it's similar to lipase, but my lipase levels were ok. please

email me directly if you think of anything on this topic. i'm still

waiting to hear back from my doctor, but she seemed to think that maybe

surgery caused the increase, but it would decrease or level off on its

own. it could be irritation of the pancreas or duodenum -- but again,

i don't really understand the science or mechanics, so i don't know

what to think.

good news: as some of you know, i had a laparoscopic heller myotomy

with dor fundoplication at ucsf this may. it is just about 5 months

after surgery, and i had a barium swallow/esophagram last week. turns

out that food is clearing out of my esophagus and into my stomach very

well, and looks like no reflux! it was great to see the film, and what

a contrast to my previous barium, where everything was stuck -- the

true bird's beak. my esophagus is still pretty dilated, but that's

becase i was already at 6cm before i was even diagnosed. hopefully now

that the food has a place to go, it will not get any bigger and maybe

it will shrink a little. (that's my wishful thinking, at least.)

so...there's the update.

giselle in san francisco