Newbie here with Questions and Story...

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone!! A new lurker to present her medical history for all to see and

read. My name is , and I am from North Alabama. And here is my short

story:

If its ok with everyone, I'll tell a short story about my " sickness " , and

introduce myself to everyone. And if the moderators don't mind let everyone

tell

me their opinion about what they would do professionally. I'm at my wit's

end, I'm just tired of being sick, so thanks in advance for your opinions.

I was a healthy married & working(and student nurse) 29 year old mother of

two until on May the 15th I start to be very sick to my stomach, upper right

abdominal pain, and very tired (had been fatigued for a while and put it off as

stress). I was placed in the hospital by my Family MD on May the 17th and he

consulted a GI doc. The GI doc ran an EEG (light down my throat), colonoscopy,

HIDA scan and ultrasound (for my gallbladder), and numerous blood test.

Everything came back ok except my liver enzymes were out the roof, my pain and

nausea improved with medicince and IV fluid so they released me from hospital on

May 20th. However, the symptoms did not go away so I returned to the ER on early

Tues morning May 24th was admitted to the hospital to have my gallbladder out

since they had thought everything else had been ruled out and I was having

some of the same signs as a gallbladder attack. I had Lap. Gallbladder surgery

on May 28th and my gallbladder did not have any stones but did have some

crystalized fat on and in it, and the organ itself was gray. Anyway my pain

level

is still the boring, sharp, radiating, taking my breath away, (feels like the

time you ran so hard as a kid at the 100 yard dash and started hurting in the

side but this pain is 10 times worse) and I am still hurting worse than before

my surgery and still VERY sick to my stomach, and my liver enzymes are still

highly elevated. I had another ultrasound this past Tuesday and there was not

fluid built up in my abdominal area.

My question is this: Should I approach my doctor/surgeon (I have an

appointment on Monday afternoon) and ask him to do an endoscopic retrograde

cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) test for any signs of pancreatitis.

I do not want to seem overbearing and demanding and bossy to my doctors but I

have not been able to eat anything more solid than chicken noodle soup (and

even then the soup may not stay down) since May 15th(lost 10 lbs or more), I

take nausea medicine every 4 to 6 hours on the dot or I am vomiting. My upper

right quadrant under and right below my ribs are staying sore, the pain is

" shooting " or radiating to my back, and I am fatigue and tired all the time;

however, the pain is not allowing me to see more than 3 to 4 hours a night.

Does

any of this sound like pancreatitis?

Also, before May the 15th I have been having a lot of " stomach viruses " at

least once a month if not more, and I am fatigue and tired a lot. I guess I am

just relying on my anatomy knowledge and my symptoms to see what type of test

would show what something.

So anyone's opinion on my situation would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

[Guest guest]

Hi mary,

It sounds like your doctors are trying to do the right things to resolve your

condition and prognosis. I could suggest at this time an MRI or CAT to check

for calisifaction of the Panc. Both being non invasive and may provide more

information. Also, maybe a trial with Pancreatic enzymes to see if they help

with appitite and digestion. It's likely they won't hurt and if they help then

that could also be important information to assist the diagnosis. Good luck with

all that,

Best wishes, poncho - GA

[Guest guest]

Hi , welcome to the group but I am so sorry that you had to seek

us out. You will find alot of uspport here. Poncho mentioned a ct

scan and a mri, those are good test to rule out any other problems.

An MRCP is an mri that uses secretin to stimulate the pancreas to

function and can give them a better look at the ducts and what not.

It is non invasive as Ponsho had said. The ERCP is the gold standard

for diagnosing pancreatic disease, however it can often throw one

into a pancretic attack.

Your symptoms to sound very familiar to me although I am hesitant to

say you have panreatitis. Did they by any chance draw any blood test

to check your amylase and lipase? In the early stages of cp ones

levels will be quite elevated, however as the disease progresses the

pancreas will stop making such enzymes. Do you have steatorhhea?

It sounds like you have a good team of docs which is hard to come by

for thoseof us with this condition. They appear to be doing

everything right insofar. Dont feel like you are being bossy or

pushy by requesting this or that. Doctors are people too and we all

can make mistakes and over look things. You are your best advocate.

I am a RN and made many suggestions to my physicians and never once

did I feel those suggestions were unwelcome. Some of which my docs

have suggested to others. There is nothing wrong with being

proactive in your treatment and diagnosis.

Good luck and keep in touch let us know how things are going.

Warmly,

[Guest guest]

Welcome ,

At this point all I can do is echo the great advice that Poncho, Mark and

have already offered. While your symptoms sound much like many

of the classical symptoms of pancreatitis, you would need to have the

appropriate tests done; A & L and tryiglyceride blood tests, a CT-scan or an

MRCP to ahieve a definite diagnosis.

If you haven't already thought of it, a heating pad helps tremendously with the

pain. Many of us have had to sleep with them many a night, just to get a few

hours of undisturbed sleep.

Your doctors sound determined to find the cause, all you need to do is keep

pushing them to find the answers. Be firm and determined, and let them know

that you are still in serious pain and need to find a solution as soon as

possible.

Once a diagnosis is confirmed, they can help you with some medication for

the pain, enzyme supplements for your digestion, and, depending on what the

problem is, possibly suggest surgery or other procedures to lessen your pain.

Since all you've been able to handle up to this point is chicken soup, it's

premature to tell you that a low fat diet is the diet of choice for people with

CP,

and of course, no alcohol. It doesn't sound like that is anything that would

even interest you right now! If you can handle it, a BRAT diet would help.

Good luck with speaking to your doctor about the next course of action.

Please let us know what's going to happen next, and how you're doing.

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.

[Guest guest]

Hi , As everyone else has basically said, you stand up to them

doctors...they work for you. Your insurance is paying their salary. As

my pancreatitis went from acute episodes to chronic pancreatitis, I

was doing research by myself and knew what was coming in the future.

There is a pattern to all the pain and pancreas problems and knowing

what to expect next sure helped me from being surprised by anything

that happened. Expect the worst and hope for the best..you'll never

be caught unprepared. Jim