Question about pancreas burnout

[Guest guest]

Hi all, Anyone who has experienced pancreas burnout? and if so, how

long did it take and did you become pain free? My Dr has mentioned

that this may happen. I read here that someone had it burnout in 2

years. I was wondering how common this is. ...Jim

Good health to us all!!!!

[Guest guest]

Jim,

It was me that reached pancreas burn out in less than 2 years from the

date of my diagnosis of AP/CP with pseudocysts. For it to happen this

quickly was very rare and unexpected, even my GI didn't expect it.

Once this happens, you have no or low elevation in your A&L's. So it

isn't common at all for it to happen this quickly. I'd always heard

that it took years, like as many as 20, before burn out was reached,

or in some patients, they never reached it.

As far as my pancreas/CP goes, of that I'm pain free, and can eat

anything I want, without pain, as long as I take my enzyme

supplements. Unfortunately, although the pancreas burned out, I still

had pseudocysts that remain active, and cause pain. It's a different

type of pain as that I had with CP, but it's pain, none the less. I

had two large pseudocysts from the very beginning, one has finally

resolved, the other is 6 x 5 cm., still causes extreme pain when it

gets inflamed. It's " stable " now, between the head and mid section of

the calcified, atrophied pancreas, and doesn't appear to be going

anywhere....(sigh)

With pancreas burn out, you become an insulin dependent brittle

diabetic. Mine has been manageable so far, but the endocrinologist

says that this could change in the future. I have to test several

times a day, and have been injecting insulin for the diabetes for two

years now. When I said I could eat anything I wanted, it meant that

fats and proteins no longer bother me, but as a diabetic, I have to

regulate any sugar/carbohydrates in my diet.

So with burn out, you trade one problem for another, and the diabetes

can lead to some very serious complications if you aren't constantly

diligent.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

www.pancassociation.org/anthology#Heidi.html

Bluffton, SC

SC State & SE Regional Representative

Pancreatitis Association, International

www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/pancreatitis/

Note: All comments or advice are personal opinion only, and should

not be substituted for professional medical consultation.