Re: Pancreatectomy

November 15, 2002

In a message dated 11/15/2002 7:03:40 AM Central Standard Time,

frightwriter@... writes:

>

> My wife has no cancer but has reached the point where she is

> disgusted with repeated (15 years) hospitilizations and the pain.

> She thinks she wants to have the pancreas removed, a procedure highly

> recommended by her physicians at University Hospital in Cincinnati.

> If anyone else has had this procedure done, please share with us your

> success/failure.

> Thanks.

>

> email frightwriter@... for direct email.

>

Hello, my name is Shirley and I had the pancreatectomy and islet cell

transplant done December 8, 2000. I had the procedure done at the Fairview

University Medical Center in Minneapolis, MN. Dr. Sutherland is the

head surgeon there and he operated on me. He has been doing the surgery

since 1970. I know of no other hospital or doctors who have been doing the

surgery that long. In fact many hospitals are just now starting the program

of doing pancreatectomies and islet cell transplants. I live in Cincinnati

and when I decided to have my surgery University Hospital had only done

three. I made my decision to go to MN because I knew so many other people

who had gone there because of Dr. Sutherlands reputation and experience. I

don't know how many people have had it done in Cincinnati but I would only

trust Dr. Sutherland at this time.

One lady had the surgery in TN and had a horrible experience. So many things

went wrong with her surgery. I don't want to be negative about Cincinnati

but I know they are just beginning there pancreatectomies and islet cell

transplant program and Fairview and Dr. Sutherland have been doing this

surgery for years. I have to say that I would only go to MN to Dr.

Sutherland if I had to have it done again.

I have spoken to Dr. Rilo over the phone here in Cincinnati who is the Doctor

in charge of the program at University Hospital and he is so very nice and

seems very experienced but I would like to know the number of patients as of

this date who have had the surgery and their names and telephone numbers so I

could personally talk with them about their surgeries at Cincinnati. I would

research University of Cincinnati completely. I was scheduled for a peustow

at IU before I decided to have the pancreatectomy and I asked the surgeon for

names and numbers of people who had the peustow surgery. He very kindly gave

me about four people and I learned so much from them. They were all very

kind and more than eager to help me with my questions.

I want to see The University of Cincinnati Hospital get off the ground and

have a great pancreatectomy/islet cell program but I am not convinced as of

yet. If I were in your shoes and decided to have the surgery I would only go

to MN where they have so much experience. I and many others are living proof

of what they have done for us.

I go to many doctors at The University Of Cincinnati Hospital and would like

to know the name of your wife's doctor here. I have some insight about who

they are and what I have experienced with them.

Has your wife had any previous surgery to her pancreas? Is she diabetic?

You can ask me any questions you need to know and I will try to answer them

for you. I can also give you names and e-mail addresses of other people who

have had the surgery. I am sure that with view points from many people who

have had the surgery you could get a better and broader picture of what would

be the right choice for you. Take care. Shirley

November 18, 2002

Dear fightwriter,

Best thing I ever did for myself and family. I was ill 3-4 years, my heart goes

out to you 15 years is a long

time.

gail

frightwriter wrote:

> My wife has no cancer but has reached the point where she is

> disgusted with repeated (15 years) hospitilizations and the pain.

> She thinks she wants to have the pancreas removed, a procedure highly

> recommended by her physicians at University Hospital in Cincinnati.

> If anyone else has had this procedure done, please share with us your

> success/failure.

> Thanks.

>

> email frightwriter@... for direct email.

>

> PANCREATITIS Association, Intl.

> Online e-mail group

>

> To reply to this message hit & quot;reply & quot; or send an e-mail to:

Pancreatitis (AT) Yahoo

>

November 22, 2002

I have had Chronic Pancreatitis for 25 years now. Since I've been in

the hospital four times since July, my pancreatic doctor is pushing

me very hard to have my pancrease removed and put eyelets into my

liver. Due to the weakness and my weight is 103lbs. I am afraid I

would not live through the surgery. Almost two years ago the doctor

put in a feeding tube. As a result I was in even more pain with that

in me and I was not gaining any weight. Back in July I told the

doctor to take the feeding tube out since I was still not gaining any

weight. The feeding tube did nothing except caused me more pain.

Since he took the feeding tube out I went, from 93lbs to 106lbs.

Since the doctor is pushing me so hard to do the pancreatectomy,I

would like to know if anyone in this group has had this done, and if

so how has this affected your life, and are you having to use insulin?

I just needed to find out if there were any problems during or after

the surgery. I've heard some have experienced pancreatitis is this

true?

Sincerely,

Janet Combs

E-Mail janetlcombs@...

true.

November 22, 2002