Re: To Myrna

[Guest guest]

" Myrna Newman " wrote: I am pretty new to this group but it kind

of scares me.

I have had to go to the ER three times with acute pancreatitis. I

had to have a syst drained and was in the hospital for three

months. What scares me is, reading what many say about

> there condition it makes me worry that I am only kidding myself

if I do not think I will have another attack and have to go back to

the ER,

Did many of you start out like I have???

> Myrna

Dear Myrna,

I sort of started out like you did. Except that on my second attack

they discovered my pseudocysts, and since there were more

than one, they only partially drained the largest pseudocyst and

then sent me home, hoping that the remaining pseudocysts

would eventually resolve on their own. Which they are doing. I

have a CT-scan every 4 months to check their progress, and they

have reduced by 50% of what they were a year ago.

If you are still having occasional pain and problems there is the

distinct possibility that you may have become chronic. What

most of us do is stay on a strict low fat diet, no more than about

25 grams of fat daily, abstain from any alcohol, and take

enzymes will all our meals AND snacks. The only time I don't

take enzymes is if I'm eating something that has 0 fat.. Most of

us are also on different types of pain medication to help us with

our pain. Some of us only have occasional pain episodes (like

me), while others have pain on a daily basis. The pain meds we

take are based on the needs of each individual.

For restoring energy and furnishing us with the many vitamins

and minerals that we don't absorb due to this disorder, most of

us also take a heavy load of vitamin supplements. I also am on

antioxidant therapy, which is a special combination of specific

vitamins and minerals which are supposed to help prevent

further attacks and lessen the intensity of the chronic pain. I

haven't had an attack severe enough that I have had to go to the

ER since I was first diagnosed a year and a half ago.

I hope this answers some of your questions. Feel free to post

with any more. We welcome you, and understand that in the

beginning it is all a mystery, we've all been where you are at

some point.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi in SC

[Guest guest]

" Myrna Newman " wrote: I am pretty new to this group but it kind

of scares me.

I have had to go to the ER three times with acute pancreatitis. I

had to have a syst drained and was in the hospital for three

months. What scares me is, reading what many say about

> there condition it makes me worry that I am only kidding myself

if I do not think I will have another attack and have to go back to

the ER,

Did many of you start out like I have???

> Myrna

Dear Myrna,

I sort of started out like you did. Except that on my second attack

they discovered my pseudocysts, and since there were more

than one, they only partially drained the largest pseudocyst and

then sent me home, hoping that the remaining pseudocysts

would eventually resolve on their own. Which they are doing. I

have a CT-scan every 4 months to check their progress, and they

have reduced by 50% of what they were a year ago.

If you are still having occasional pain and problems there is the

distinct possibility that you may have become chronic. What

most of us do is stay on a strict low fat diet, no more than about

25 grams of fat daily, abstain from any alcohol, and take

enzymes will all our meals AND snacks. The only time I don't

take enzymes is if I'm eating something that has 0 fat.. Most of

us are also on different types of pain medication to help us with

our pain. Some of us only have occasional pain episodes (like

me), while others have pain on a daily basis. The pain meds we

take are based on the needs of each individual.

For restoring energy and furnishing us with the many vitamins

and minerals that we don't absorb due to this disorder, most of

us also take a heavy load of vitamin supplements. I also am on

antioxidant therapy, which is a special combination of specific

vitamins and minerals which are supposed to help prevent

further attacks and lessen the intensity of the chronic pain. I

haven't had an attack severe enough that I have had to go to the

ER since I was first diagnosed a year and a half ago.

I hope this answers some of your questions. Feel free to post

with any more. We welcome you, and understand that in the

beginning it is all a mystery, we've all been where you are at

some point.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi in SC

[Guest guest]

" Myrna Newman " wrote: I am pretty new to this group but it kind

of scares me.

I have had to go to the ER three times with acute pancreatitis. I

had to have a syst drained and was in the hospital for three

months. What scares me is, reading what many say about

> there condition it makes me worry that I am only kidding myself

if I do not think I will have another attack and have to go back to

the ER,

Did many of you start out like I have???

> Myrna

Dear Myrna,

I sort of started out like you did. Except that on my second attack

they discovered my pseudocysts, and since there were more

than one, they only partially drained the largest pseudocyst and

then sent me home, hoping that the remaining pseudocysts

would eventually resolve on their own. Which they are doing. I

have a CT-scan every 4 months to check their progress, and they

have reduced by 50% of what they were a year ago.

If you are still having occasional pain and problems there is the

distinct possibility that you may have become chronic. What

most of us do is stay on a strict low fat diet, no more than about

25 grams of fat daily, abstain from any alcohol, and take

enzymes will all our meals AND snacks. The only time I don't

take enzymes is if I'm eating something that has 0 fat.. Most of

us are also on different types of pain medication to help us with

our pain. Some of us only have occasional pain episodes (like

me), while others have pain on a daily basis. The pain meds we

take are based on the needs of each individual.

For restoring energy and furnishing us with the many vitamins

and minerals that we don't absorb due to this disorder, most of

us also take a heavy load of vitamin supplements. I also am on

antioxidant therapy, which is a special combination of specific

vitamins and minerals which are supposed to help prevent

further attacks and lessen the intensity of the chronic pain. I

haven't had an attack severe enough that I have had to go to the

ER since I was first diagnosed a year and a half ago.

I hope this answers some of your questions. Feel free to post

with any more. We welcome you, and understand that in the

beginning it is all a mystery, we've all been where you are at

some point.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi in SC

[Guest guest]

Thank Heidi for your response.

What is causing the pain in those of you that have pain all the time?

I am pretty pain free but worry about my future.

I need to do a little better with the vitamins. How did you decide what

to take, or did a doctor tell you.? I have pretty well eaten what I have

wanted since I got out of the hospital and could eat and so

far have not found it to matter, but may in the future.

Has doctors told you that you need to eat a low fat diet? Mine seem to feel

that my diet, at least did not cause the problem. If

I felt it mattered I think I could do a little better

with what I eat. I am never had pain that I could manage. When I have had

the pain (three times) I had to go to the hospital and could not get the med

fast enough for me. The pain was great! Any help on what others have gone

through helps me.

Sincerely

Myrna

[Guest guest]

Thank Heidi for your response.

What is causing the pain in those of you that have pain all the time?

I am pretty pain free but worry about my future.

I need to do a little better with the vitamins. How did you decide what

to take, or did a doctor tell you.? I have pretty well eaten what I have

wanted since I got out of the hospital and could eat and so

far have not found it to matter, but may in the future.

Has doctors told you that you need to eat a low fat diet? Mine seem to feel

that my diet, at least did not cause the problem. If

I felt it mattered I think I could do a little better

with what I eat. I am never had pain that I could manage. When I have had

the pain (three times) I had to go to the hospital and could not get the med

fast enough for me. The pain was great! Any help on what others have gone

through helps me.

Sincerely

Myrna

[Guest guest]

" Myrna Newman " wrote:

I believe the size of my small duct causes the pancreas to retain

digestive enzymes and so the pancreas starts to digest it's self.

I think I might have to go to a doctor that is more a specialist with

the pancreas if I keep having problems.

I have had three attacks, I believe. I havenever drank alcohol.

I have had 7 C. sections and I wondered if that had any affect.

Also do you know if enzymes taken every day can cause the

pancreas to become lazy?

I know I need to do better with the diet but like one other person

said it is really hard. It makes life less fun and so far I do not see

it affecting how I feel but I am afraid it is just that I do not see it

yet, so each day.

Dear Myrna,

The low fat diet is what is recommended for chronic pancreatitis,

but if I understand your posts correctly, you actually haven't been

diagnosed at this point with having the chronic condition, you've

had three acute attacks. One can usually notice a big difference

in how they feel afterward with chronic pancreatitis if they are on

a low fat diet, yet I have heard a few people say that higher fat

contents didn't bother them. You know your own body, and I'm

sure that if you noticed a difference you know now that that would

mean to cut back.

The theory behind the need for the low fat diet, and the enzymes,

is that once the pancreas has become damaged to the point that

it is no longer producing it's own enzymes it's unable to do the

job of fat and protein digestion on its own. When it's like this,

and can't digest food, several things happen. Some of the things

that happen are pain after eating, malabsorption becomes

evident in the form of steatorrhea (greasy, oily stools), and

weight loss resulting from nutrients not being absorbed

appears. The purpose for the enzyme supplements is to aid the

pancreas in digestion, they do the work that a healthy pancreas

normally would, letting the pancreas rest, thus causing less

pain, and helping those nutrients to be absorbed.

I have never heard that enzyme supplements " would make the

pancreas lazy " . It's sort of an odd explanation for not taking

them. The reason they are recommended is because the

pancreas is already lazy, or broken and not functioning to start

with, and the enzymes are meant to do the work that the

non-functioning pancreas can't. I personally feel that any

additional strain on the pancreas causes irritation, and irritation

can lead to a pancreatic attack. You should talk with the

physician who prescribed enzyme supplements to you if you

have any questions about their necessity.

There are also different brands of enzyme supplements, some

are enteric coated and others aren't. It is necessary to take an

antiacid prior to using the enzymes that are not enteric coated,

otherwise they do not work as they are supposed to.

And yes, it would be a good idea to see a gastroenterologist if

you continue to have problems, this condition can be very

challenging for a regular physician to understand, and you would

be in better hands with a specialist.

With hopes and prayers,

Heidi in SC

P.S. Don't know if the C-sections could have any effect, I've never

heard that they would. I have had two, 26 and 30 years ago.