Re: to Joia again

[Guest guest]

The GI is sending me for another barium swallow, but one that

will show the whole small intestine, not just the stomach and

duodenum. I don't know what he is looking for, but I do know

that it isn't a test that would try to prove CP. I have been feeling

pretty good lately so.....I don't know. Have you heard of

" Endoscopic Ultrasonography " ? I read somewhere that it is

much better than a regular ultrasound for diagnosing CP.

Joia,

It's me again! I just read this post and also wanted to correct my

earlier statement, what I meant to say was that you should NOT

have been made to feel that you were wasting someone's time

or feel paranoid. Sorry for that error!

I'll agree that a barium swallow isn't a test that would be

definitive enough to diagnosis CP. But since the first GP already

diagnosed CP, why are they still trying to validate that? They

need to find the cause and treat the condition that already exists.

Just the symptoms of your pain, your weight loss, your floating,

oily stools, your nausea, vomiting, etc....AND elevated amylase

levels should be enough!

What you're talking about is an endoscopic ultrasound, and yes,

I've heard of several members that have had this done and it

was definitive enough to diagnose their CP. I had ultrasounds,

and several CT-scans. The ultrasounds showed masses in the

pancreas, and the CT-scan was clear enough to show fluid

collections, calification and multiple pseudocysts. I've had three

acute attacks, yet my highest recorded amylase reading was

only 181 after my second attack. The doctors need to consider

other factors other than your amylase levels, so I hope they will

consider some more definitive testing. Did anyone give you any

idea what may have caused your CP? Have they talked to you

about taking enzyme supplements?

Some other tests that could be done, besides the endoscopic

ultrasound and CT-scan are fecal fat tests, pancreatic function

tests, secretin stimulation test, bentiromide test, trypsinogen

tests, MRI's, or an ERCP. The ERCP is the most invasive

procedure of all of them and often can cause another

pancreatitis attack, so usually doctors only resort to those when

all other tests still haven't shown anything, and they should only

be done by a highly experienced specialist in ERCP's.

I hope this information helps.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

Southeastern Representative

Pancreatitis Association, Intl.