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1100 messages and chronic panc!

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Hey Guys,

Just thought I'd let everyone know I am home from the hospital, finally! I have

1100 e-mail messages, so I'm just going to delete most of them. I'll try to

scan for my name in the subject line, but if there is something important that I

need to see, please send it again.

It's late and I'm beat, so I'll give an abbreviated version of my last couple of

weeks. I know my sweet hubby, Bud, sent you all an e-mail telling you I was

back in the hosptial. I went to the ER around 3 a.m. on Friday morning, May

30th. Liver enzymes were in the 700's, Lipase was about 514, but my amylase was

normal. It seems the theory I had come up with on Thursday evening just a

couple of hours before the attack started, was most likely correct. I thought

that maybe my lipase was elevated despite a normal amylase, but since the lipase

can't be done in house, they don't ever check it at my local hospital. I was

admitted under the care of my internal med doc, Dr. Wyatt, in Huntsville (about

30 miles from home) with acute pancreatitis on Friday, May 30th. Dr. Wyatt said

I was definitely having an attack of acute pancreatitis and he was not happy to

find out that they don't ever check my lipase at my local hospital in Athens.

He said it is VERY common to have acute pancreatitis with a normal amylase and

an elevated lipase.

I was discharged on Monday, Jun 2nd, after begging the doctor to let me go home.

I got home Monday and in my hubby's words - I hit the door running and didn't

stop til I ended up back in the ER. I actually felt pretty good on Monday and

Tuesday. Nikki was in town and we had appointments with wedding vendors all day

Tuesday. We booked the florist and photographer so Tuesday was a productive

day. However, I was absolutely exhausted by Tuesday afternoon. I didn't eat

much Tuesday because I really just had no appetite. Around 10 or 11 p.m., I

started having the severe RUQ abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting so we were

off to the ER again. this time my amylase was again totally normal. Liver

enzymes were elevated - didn't ask for the numbers, but will get copies in a few

days. Lipase was higher this time. I was admitted again early Wed, Jun 4th,

under Dr. Wyatt's care. Dr. Wyatt called in a GI, Dr. Goetsch, and I really

think I am finally in good hands. This time it took longer than usual for my

liver enzymes and lipase to start coming down. I finally got to come home this

afternoon. I've spent about 11 of the last 13 days in the hospital, but if Dr.

Goetsch is as good as he seems to be, the recent attacks may just be a blessing.

He told my hubby and I that he finds the liver and pancreas to be the most

interesting part of the digestive system, and that he devotes much of his

practice to dealing with liver and pancreas problems. He said that he has no

problem dealing with my liver, pancreas, and any other GI problems that are

going on with me.

They did a ct scan of my abdomen since the last one was done in September of

last year. Until this most recent episode, nothing ever showed on films. This

time the ct scan showed edema and signs of chronic panc. Dr. Goetsch had them

give me three doses of sandostatin. I'm not really sure why just three doses.

Maybe someone in one of my panc groups can explain it to me. He also started me

on Actigall (Urso) twice a day. He gave me a prescription for pancreas enzyme -

pangestyme. I'm supposed to take two with all meals and snacks.

Dr. Goetsch said that he is postive that my episodes of horrendous RUQ abdominal

pain, nausea, and vomiting are being caused by my pancreas and not my liver. I

think that's the same pancreas that my previous GI has insisted is perfectly

normal throughout the last 11 months. I asked my new GI if I have chronic

pancreatitis or still just recurrent acute pancreatitis. He said I have

'relapsing chronic pancreatitis'. I haven't ever heard it referred to as

'relapsing chronic pancreatitis', but it seems it is now official that I have

chronic pancreatitis. I will see my new GI in two weeks.

At that time, he will most likely add Imuran and begin slowly tapering down my

prednisone. I tried to get him to start me on Imuran or another

immunosuppressant now but he said he needs to give my pancreas a couple of weeks

before we add the Imuran. His goal will be to get me on the lowest dose of

prednisone and/or Imuran that will keep my liver enzymes at or near normal.

Well, I can barely keep my eyes open, so I'm gonna close.

Hope this finds all of you doing well.

W

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