To Heidi

[Guest guest]

Thank you Heidi,

Yes this does help me understand why the low fat diet. I have not

experienced any pain from things like baccon and ice cream but probably need

to be careful or I will.

One doctor that did a scope on my pancreas said that I had an abnormal

duct. It is small and does not go into the center of the pancreas so does

not drain right. He said that was my problem. I do know that I have had some

damage to the pancreas so it is probably wise to eat a low fat diet but is

hard where I do not experience pain from anything I eat, at least right now.

Thank you Heidi for your help

Sincerely

Myrna

-- Re: high amylase levels

Myrna,

Your doctors were right, food is not the cause of your attacks, but

unfortunately once the pancreas has been damaged it starts to

lose it's ability to process fats in the usual manner. That is why

the low fat diet is recommended for people with chronic

pancreatitis. It may be that you will not develop this chronic

condition and a low fat diet wouldn't be necessary. But the fact

that the doctor has already prescribed enzyme supplements for

you leads me to believe that they saw some pancreatic damage

and insufficiency, thus a low fat regimen would help to ease any

further stress on the pancreas while consuming food.

Here are two very good links that may answer many of your

questions. I would have pasted them in, but they are long and

contain a lot of useful information. I hope this helps.

http://www.uptodate.com/patient_info/topicpages/topics/23877K

8.asp

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/chronicpancreatitis.ht

m

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

[Guest guest]

Hello Heidi,

You are so right! It was so cool meeting people.....and I have

something funny to say about you meeting Lily..........I live about 6

or 7 miles from her & You met her months before I did! Isn't that

crazy? I sure did have fun with her in Indy! She is one crazy

person! Thats for sure! In a good way, of course! We were hoping

you would be able to make it to Indy. We missed you!

Lots of Hugs,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey Tull,

Thanks for putting these in the album, also thanks to ReeAnn for

> providing the camera! It's great to see everybody's face. I'm

sure

> that all of you that were there enjoyed meeting each other. Lily

> and I met earlier this year, and it makes it's really special when

> you finally get to meet and talk to those friends that you usually

> only know by messages on the website.

>

> Heidi

[Guest guest]

Hello Heidi,

You are so right! It was so cool meeting people.....and I have

something funny to say about you meeting Lily..........I live about 6

or 7 miles from her & You met her months before I did! Isn't that

crazy? I sure did have fun with her in Indy! She is one crazy

person! Thats for sure! In a good way, of course! We were hoping

you would be able to make it to Indy. We missed you!

Lots of Hugs,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey Tull,

Thanks for putting these in the album, also thanks to ReeAnn for

> providing the camera! It's great to see everybody's face. I'm

sure

> that all of you that were there enjoyed meeting each other. Lily

> and I met earlier this year, and it makes it's really special when

> you finally get to meet and talk to those friends that you usually

> only know by messages on the website.

>

> Heidi

[Guest guest]

Hello Heidi,

You are so right! It was so cool meeting people.....and I have

something funny to say about you meeting Lily..........I live about 6

or 7 miles from her & You met her months before I did! Isn't that

crazy? I sure did have fun with her in Indy! She is one crazy

person! Thats for sure! In a good way, of course! We were hoping

you would be able to make it to Indy. We missed you!

Lots of Hugs,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey Tull,

Thanks for putting these in the album, also thanks to ReeAnn for

> providing the camera! It's great to see everybody's face. I'm

sure

> that all of you that were there enjoyed meeting each other. Lily

> and I met earlier this year, and it makes it's really special when

> you finally get to meet and talk to those friends that you usually

> only know by messages on the website.

>

> Heidi

[Guest guest]

I would still get a second opinion if I were you before I have the

GB taken out. You are so close to Dr. Cotten, you should

consider a consult with him if possible after all of your testing is

done. Any possibility with that ?

Lily dear,

You have been in my thoughts, too. I am so sorry about Harry

and your uncle. I know this has all weighed very heavily on you

and that you did all you could to help the family in every way

possible. You are such a wonderful person, always caring for all

your relatives, and I'm sure that everyone has appreciated your

care and concern. Surely this has been such a sad time for all,

and it's hard to keep a smile when you think of the little ones.

You will all be in my prayers.

I will insist on a HIDA scan, once we know what the pictures

show next week. I have thought about seeing Dr Cotton, or

someone on his staff at MUSC. I woke in the middle of the night

again last night in intense, persistant pain. One pill wasn't

working, so after giving it 45 minutes to take effect, I had to halve

another and even that didn't fully relieve the pain. I probably

should have gone to the ER. My husband had just come home

from a long, rough weather 4 day trip and had gone to bed

exhausted at 9, good thing, too, because after the pains hit at

2:00 a.m. I don't think either of us slept! Nice of you to ask about

his job, but the news isn't good. Word on the runway is that the

company will be announcing Chapter 7 on Sunday, three days

before Christmas....not the greatest of holiday cheer around

here! There is no future for his industry, and after flying for 30

years, he's not really trained to know much else! He has already

been making alternate career plans, though, and passed his

real estate licensing course last week with a 96.

With the anticipated loss of his career and loss of his wonderful

medical insurance on the close horizon, we are scrambling

trying to figure out what to do. My medical bills have been

staggering...the hospital called to let us know the cost for

Monday's scan is only $4,800.....such a deal, we get a network

discount. Hard to say what the cost of any surgery might be, but

insurance would run out on Jan. 1 if the company closes. I

fortunately have been covered 100% for a two year period

because we met all our OOP when all my problems started, but

that would end if they go Chapter 7. So seeing Dr. Cotton may

not be an option, either. I'll let you know.

Austin says " hi " to . We are blessed to have him with us, to

keep our spirits up, to share his child's joy and anticipation and

remind us of the truly important things.

Tell your hubby that I had one knee replaced back in the good old

days (1968)....it was some kind of major, major surgery then,

and it's still going strong. I was back skiing within 2 years. The

medical technology for these orthopedic procedures is

awesome now compared to then....he'd be back on the greens

before he knew it. I hope he doesn't have to have it done, but feel

he will do well if it happens.

Take care and I hope things stay well enough for you to visit us

more often!

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

SC

Southeastern Representative

Pancreatitis Association, Intl.

[Guest guest]

I would still get a second opinion if I were you before I have the

GB taken out. You are so close to Dr. Cotten, you should

consider a consult with him if possible after all of your testing is

done. Any possibility with that ?

Lily dear,

You have been in my thoughts, too. I am so sorry about Harry

and your uncle. I know this has all weighed very heavily on you

and that you did all you could to help the family in every way

possible. You are such a wonderful person, always caring for all

your relatives, and I'm sure that everyone has appreciated your

care and concern. Surely this has been such a sad time for all,

and it's hard to keep a smile when you think of the little ones.

You will all be in my prayers.

I will insist on a HIDA scan, once we know what the pictures

show next week. I have thought about seeing Dr Cotton, or

someone on his staff at MUSC. I woke in the middle of the night

again last night in intense, persistant pain. One pill wasn't

working, so after giving it 45 minutes to take effect, I had to halve

another and even that didn't fully relieve the pain. I probably

should have gone to the ER. My husband had just come home

from a long, rough weather 4 day trip and had gone to bed

exhausted at 9, good thing, too, because after the pains hit at

2:00 a.m. I don't think either of us slept! Nice of you to ask about

his job, but the news isn't good. Word on the runway is that the

company will be announcing Chapter 7 on Sunday, three days

before Christmas....not the greatest of holiday cheer around

here! There is no future for his industry, and after flying for 30

years, he's not really trained to know much else! He has already

been making alternate career plans, though, and passed his

real estate licensing course last week with a 96.

With the anticipated loss of his career and loss of his wonderful

medical insurance on the close horizon, we are scrambling

trying to figure out what to do. My medical bills have been

staggering...the hospital called to let us know the cost for

Monday's scan is only $4,800.....such a deal, we get a network

discount. Hard to say what the cost of any surgery might be, but

insurance would run out on Jan. 1 if the company closes. I

fortunately have been covered 100% for a two year period

because we met all our OOP when all my problems started, but

that would end if they go Chapter 7. So seeing Dr. Cotton may

not be an option, either. I'll let you know.

Austin says " hi " to . We are blessed to have him with us, to

keep our spirits up, to share his child's joy and anticipation and

remind us of the truly important things.

Tell your hubby that I had one knee replaced back in the good old

days (1968)....it was some kind of major, major surgery then,

and it's still going strong. I was back skiing within 2 years. The

medical technology for these orthopedic procedures is

awesome now compared to then....he'd be back on the greens

before he knew it. I hope he doesn't have to have it done, but feel

he will do well if it happens.

Take care and I hope things stay well enough for you to visit us

more often!

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

SC

Southeastern Representative

Pancreatitis Association, Intl.

[Guest guest]

Heidi,

You pain has been on my mind, and it sounds so familiar in pattern to so many of

us. When you said on this board that the pain hit you hard, rather quickly, when

you were home with Austin one night and that you could not move, it reminded me

sooo much of some of my SOD pain. The only thing that gives me some relief of

that pain is to put Levsin SL under my tongue much like Nitroglycerin. It was

recomended by my local GI and Dr. Lehman. Now it works 90 % of the time and you

get relief within 5 minutes of that intense I can;t breathe or move pain. So

maybe you can ask for a trial of that. I am wondering if your pancreatic problem

over the years has caused some narrowing/scar tissue of your pancreatic ducts or

your Sphincter of Oddi. They are all connected there at what my GI calls the "

they are all close there positioned like a traffic light " . So it would not be

uncommon for one to affect the others. My pain comes and sometime stays and then

sometimes it hits HARD and gets relieved with the Levsin and then I am left with

some residual soreness. By trying the Levsin, it may be a way of ruling out

other GI problems. I know I was told that if there are problems with the ducts

they will look dialated on a CT scan. Just some thoughts to ponder.

Do you have prescription coverage now ??? try to refil as many meds as you can

before you lose your coverage, then at least you will have some meds on hand. My

friend does not have insurance coverage and she uses Peoples Choice, a national

company, that gives discount rates all most pharmacies. NO age requirement, the

only requirement is that you have no prescrition coverage. It gives mostly a 30

% discount on most drugs and for $7.95 a month it covers EVERYONE that lives in

the household. I have the brochure here for my dad, but I got him on another

drug program for the elderly. So if you want me to mail this to you to look at,

I will be more than happy too. I may even have a 1-800- number here somewhere.

Better go for now, I have a busy Saturday planned as Santa is coming this week

you know ..and we still believe.

Chilly up here in Ohio country,

Lily

Re: To Heidi

I would still get a second opinion if I were you before I have the

GB taken out. You are so close to Dr. Cotten, you should

consider a consult with him if possible after all of your testing is

done. Any possibility with that ?

Lily dear,

You have been in my thoughts, too. I am so sorry about Harry

and your uncle. I know this has all weighed very heavily on you

and that you did all you could to help the family in every way

possible. You are such a wonderful person, always caring for all

your relatives, and I'm sure that everyone has appreciated your

care and concern. Surely this has been such a sad time for all,

and it's hard to keep a smile when you think of the little ones.

You will all be in my prayers.

I will insist on a HIDA scan, once we know what the pictures

show next week. I have thought about seeing Dr Cotton, or

someone on his staff at MUSC. I woke in the middle of the night

again last night in intense, persistant pain. One pill wasn't

working, so after giving it 45 minutes to take effect, I had to halve

another and even that didn't fully relieve the pain. I probably

should have gone to the ER. My husband had just come home

from a long, rough weather 4 day trip and had gone to bed

exhausted at 9, good thing, too, because after the pains hit at

2:00 a.m. I don't think either of us slept! Nice of you to ask about

his job, but the news isn't good. Word on the runway is that the

company will be announcing Chapter 7 on Sunday, three days

before Christmas....not the greatest of holiday cheer around

here! There is no future for his industry, and after flying for 30

years, he's not really trained to know much else! He has already

been making alternate career plans, though, and passed his

real estate licensing course last week with a 96.

With the anticipated loss of his career and loss of his wonderful

medical insurance on the close horizon, we are scrambling

trying to figure out what to do. My medical bills have been

staggering...the hospital called to let us know the cost for

Monday's scan is only $4,800.....such a deal, we get a network

discount. Hard to say what the cost of any surgery might be, but

insurance would run out on Jan. 1 if the company closes. I

fortunately have been covered 100% for a two year period

because we met all our OOP when all my problems started, but

that would end if they go Chapter 7. So seeing Dr. Cotton may

not be an option, either. I'll let you know.

Austin says " hi " to . We are blessed to have him with us, to

keep our spirits up, to share his child's joy and anticipation and

remind us of the truly important things.

Tell your hubby that I had one knee replaced back in the good old

days (1968)....it was some kind of major, major surgery then,

and it's still going strong. I was back skiing within 2 years. The

medical technology for these orthopedic procedures is

awesome now compared to then....he'd be back on the greens

before he knew it. I hope he doesn't have to have it done, but feel

he will do well if it happens.

Take care and I hope things stay well enough for you to visit us

more often!

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

SC

Southeastern Representative

Pancreatitis Association, Intl.

PANCREATITIS Association, Intl.

Online e-mail group

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