Possible Gallbladder Related Pancreatitis

[Guest guest]

Janet,

You wrote, " I haven't been diagnosed with pancreatitis. I had my gallbladder

removed in July of 2004 after 5 years of attacks. I have the pain under my

left shoulder blade and right side. Is there anything I should know and/or are

my

symptoms pancreatits related? "

Those are exactly the same symptoms I had prior to being diagnosed. After

performing a Distal Pancreatectomy, the surgeon told me I had had pancreatitis

for a good ten years by the look of my pancreas. That dated back to my

gallbladder surgery. Unfortunately when I returned to the surgeon's office that

had

performed the gallbladder surgery, he simply dismissed me as wanting pain

medication saying that there was no way I could be in pain since I did not have

a

gallbladder.

What is important here and the impetus for the establishment of the PAI is

that critical time lapsed from the onset of my disease to my diagnosis,

unnecessary time. During that time, irreversible damage occurred to my pancreas.

The

details are not important right now, but the fact that you have continued to be

in pain following gallbladder surgery is very important.

I cannot say that you do or do not have pancreatitis. What I can tell you is

that biliary disease [gallbladder disease] is one of the leading causes of

pancreatitis. Therefore the PAI recommends that persons who have continued pain

after gallbladder surgery follow up with a pancreatologist [pancreatic

gastroenterologist] and not a general gastroenterologist.

Karyn E. WIlliams, RN

Exec. Director, PAI

[Guest guest]

Karyn,

Thank you so much for the information. I wasn't sure where to start

first and with whom. There is so much to learn about and understand

and I am so glad that I found this site. I was hoping to find help to

steer me into the right direction instead of drifting along like I did

with my gallbladder pain. Thank you again.

Janet