Greetings everybody

[Guest guest]

I have been lurking for a couple of weeks to get the feel of the

group. You guys sound like you really care for each other and that's

what I like in a group.

I was diagnosed with my first pancreatitis attack in 1994, but

knowing what we know now, I firmly believe I had my first attack in

1986. My lipids going out of control seems to be the trigger for me.

I was diagnosed with lipid problems while on active duty in the Navy

when I was almost 22 yo, I will be 51 next week so I have been

dealing with this for a long time.

In 1986 with my miserable belly pain that is all too familiar to us,

they took a ton of blood tests and when my chol/trig came back as

900+/9000+ (YES!!!) they asked me to come back to the hospital

prepared to be admitted for pancreatitis but to get blood work done.

Of course the lipase and amylase were dead center normal...I know

this has happened to others of you from my scanning the archives...so

I was sent home and told to get my stress under control. Admittedly

I WAS under a lot of stress...I was caring for a toddler, my husband

was out to sea and I was in college trying to graduate before we

transferred so I was carrying 28-30 units...no stress there !

Oh and just for grins, I was working part-time to supplement the GI

Bill !

I now get most of my care at the VA...they are always out to save a

buck...or a penny with no regard to the impact on the pt...I am also

an employee so I'm allowed to run 'em down but nobody else is !!!

)...so, when I moved my care to the VA from the civilian

world they changed my pravastatin to simvastatin saying the drugs

were basically the same...

Well apparently they aren't THAT close as my lipid values started

climbing (espec the Triglyserides!)...neither my provider nor *I*

even noticed it until AFTER the panc attack. (I've already learned

the lingo !)...one day we as a family were out having a lovely lazy

day at the park when my stomach started hurting and bloating up to a

5-6 months pregnant belly size!

By evening I was hurting in my left shoulder blade, I was having

difficulty breathing deeply, I had pain in my neck and arm on the

left side so I was convinced I was having a heart attack. I convinced

my husband that it was necessary to take me to the hospital...a local

facility was much closer than the VA so that's where we went.

When you tell an ER staff you are having chest pains, they really hop

to...I was whisked in and hooked up to every imanginable piece of

equipment, labs were drawn, etc...inside of a few minutes it was

determined I was most likely NOT having a heart attack but we still

didn't have the complete answer...

They determined I probably didn't have panc because of the normal

levels of the enzymes.,...have we all heard THIS before !? I was

sent home after several hours with a script for Vicodin when nothing

else really helped the pain ... they asked me to come back in the

morning as the ultrasound tech had just gone home...

I came back in as directed, but they noted in my chart that I came in

of my own accord ! Anyway...they did the u/s, found a normal GB but

lo! the pancreatitis was found ! And gee...overnight my lab values

nearly doubled but they were still normal or a teeny bit over normal,

so obviously they are not a good marker for me !

My Chol/Trig were 500+/5000+....this is why I am convinced 1986 was

my first attack and my primaries agree with me. I was admitted to

the hospital...you guys know the routine...NPO for 72 hours, IV's,

then clear liquids, etc...home on day four....rest for teh rest of

the week...

In June 1997 I had another huge attack, which was completely

different from the first one...except for the characteristic belly

pain....I didn't go to the ER

Then in Mar of 2000 I had a third and yet DIFFERENT attack...I didn't

run fever with the first two (three) attacks, but this one I carried

a low grade fever for 3-4 weeks, thought I just had a case of the flu

that was being stubborn !

I was beginning to wonder how I was suppoed to know when I was having

a full blown attack and get myself to the ER...the belly pain is

about the only thing that is consistent....

I have had numerous mini-attacks...meaning I am paying close enough

attention to the increasing heaviness in my belly that I stop eating

soon enough to stop the attack before it gets worse.

I was sent home on Demerol in Mar 2000 which thankfully I have not

needed too often.

What I am curious about is the number of you guys on Morphine...my

doctor told me we shouldn't use Morphine when you have panc because

it causes the Sphincter of Oddi to go into spasm which increases our

pain...I cannot recall if he said it can trigger an attack or mimic

an attack...

So...there's my history in a not too short synopsis. I have not had

the numerous invasive procedures you guys have had to endure. I am

grateful for that. I am still able to work fulltime inspite of panc

and full blown fibromyalgia...some days are tough, but I mostly hang

in there fairly well....

Looking foreward to chatting with yu guys....

Jeannine