Living with pancreatitis

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

I am writing because as I am new to this site, and I didn't until now

know anyone who also had this disease, I am curious as to the daily

life of the rest of you. I want to know if my life is typical for

someone with CP.

Regarding pain, I have a generalized discomfort in the left side of

my abdomen about 75% of the time, paired with nausea and frequent(4-6

times a day) stools that are always liquid. I do have good days with

relatively little or no pain, maybe one in two weeks, sometimes even

a number of days in a row. Then there are the times when the pain is

out of control. When I have to be in the hospital. This is usually

when I have vomiting every 30 minutes to an hour. My stomach fills up

with acid and bile, and up it comes, then repeat.

Aside from the pain and nausea/vomiting, I have a generalized

weakness and fatigue all the time any more. I think it must just be

related to my body battling a chronic illness and the meds don't

help. Everything has drowsiness as a side effect. And yet at night I

can't sleep.

Also the most puzzling part, I frequently go for long periods on only

some clear liquids, sometimes NPO; yet I am over weight. My weight

holds steady give or take just a couple of pounds whether I am

feeling well and eating almost like a normal person or I am sick and

not eating for weeks. I don't know if this is just my body or if

there are others out there like me. The thing is my whole family is

obese. Maybe genetics are enough to explain it, maybe my body senses

that it is under stress and reacts by holding on to precious pounds?

(thanks a lot genes)Obviously the way I feel I don't get an adequate

amount of exercize, but I don't think that is it alone. I don't know,

but would like to know if anyone else out there is in the same boat.

So, does this up and down roller-coaster pain cycle sound familiar?

By the way I am on a Duragesic patch all the time, and take Lorcet

for breakthrough pain.

Love and Hope,

Keri Beck RN

Mattoon, IL