I'm new to this.......long

October 29, 2003

Hi,

My name is Marcy. I live in Divide, Colorado, a small town about an hour west

of Colorado Springs. I'm 51, have four children and just got home from the

hospital with a diagnosis of pancreatitis. This was my first hospitalization,

but not my first attack. I've been having them since 1994, but I thought it was

an ulcer. Background: I was adopted at birth, finally found my bio family in

1999, and found out my medical background. Everyone said ulcers ran in the

family, and I said I had them too. They said, " Eat Pepcid and Advil, it'll go

away

in 4-5 days. " I told them that's what I'd been doing. But this time

(10-10-03) I woke up about 4:00 a.m. vomiting and in excruciating pain. I'd

never had

that much pain before. It felt like a knife right under my sternum, radiating

to my back. My husband rushed me to the hospital in Colorado Springs, and I was

diagnosed with pancreatitis. I told the doctor my history, and he said it

sounded like hereditary pancreatitis. I was in the hospital until the 14th, and

was prescribed Niacin 500 mg. In the hospital, I had a CT scan, ultrasound, and

X-ray. Everything looked fine. My triglycerides were 299, but when I was

released, they were 114. I had a PCA of morphine, pepcid and niacin, and I felt

fine in one day. I was NPO for the first day, then liquid diet for one day, and

regular diet for the next two days. I tolerated it all well. Apparently,

though, I don't tolerate red meat well. Or protein. When my doctor saw me in the

hospital, she said, " I've never seen so many cases of pancreatitis in one day.

What, are you guys all on the Adkins diet? " I said, " No, but I eat like I am. "

So now, I'm on the opposite of the Adkins diet--lots of carbohydrates, little

red meat. Since this is my first diagnosis, but not my first attack, what's in

store for me? My bio cousin said today in an e-mail, she's had a diagnosis of

pancreatitis and suspects the others in the family have it too, but think

it's ulcers. She's on pancreatic enzymes orally and niacin. She says she has two

or three attacks a year and doesn't know what sets them off. I'm afraid I'm

going that way, too. I'd appreciate any information on this.

I discovered this board as I'm on another Yahoo board for homeschooling.

Thank you in advance.

Marcy

I've gone to look for myself. If I return before I find me, keep me here!

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