Just A Quick Hello and Sorry I've Been Remiss AND A Question

[Guest guest]

LOL!! Now you know of course (!!) there will be questions from me

right? Yep, always full of them but then that's what we're here for

correct? To try and help with other's questions and similarities,

etc....

Anyway, been having some other very odd symptoms and wondering if

anyone else has them and if so, what do they indicate if anyone

knows? For the past two months or so I've been having this awful

swelling in my feet and ankles which has progressed from being a

come and go sort of thing to swelling that never goes away and, in

fact, has gotten to the point where my feet get so swollen that they

feel like they're going to explode!! I have gone to see my PCP

twice for this and he just puts me on diuretics and they do

absolutely NOTHING, nada!! So, I call him back and tell him that

and he switches me to another one and again nada. And now I have to

call him again tomorrow because it's gotten really bad again and no

amount of putting my feet up, etc., is doing any good.

Second set of symptoms is this: I wake up EVERY morning with my

right shoulder (rotator cuff) so painful that it is just

excruciating to even move it. In fact, since I sleep on the left

side of the bed and am right handed I just naturally use my right

arm to push up and get myself into a sitting position to get out of

bed in the morning. Not lately....so painful and also stiff, can

hardly move it that I have to roll over to my left side to get out

of bed. The other painful things that accompany this are the same

sort of pain in my left knee, can't sit in what we used to call

the " Indian position " (and don't mean to offend anyone that has

Native American heritage but just can't think of how to describe

that position except for the one we used when I was growing up!) at

all and last but not least is that if I sit right down where my

tailbone is " exposed " for lack of a better term it hurts really

badly as well and I have to roll a bit and sit on either left or

right butt cheek.

Third set of symptoms is this (and I may have mentioned this

previously): Does anyone else get really, really sleepy right

before you're going to either have an attack or a flare? For me it

happens when I'm going to have a bad bowel movement that triggers a

flare. Just such awful sleepiness that I literally can't keep my

eyes open and I fall asleep sitting up or wherever I happen to be.

Thankfully, not driving......

If anyone can shed any light on ANY of these symptoms I'd be much

obliged.

So, hello to all and I'm trying to get caught up on reading the

posts.....

Take care and thanks again in advance to this tremendous group of

people!!

[Guest guest]

,

I only have a few things to comment on, and can't help you with your other

questions, unfortunately.

First of all, the swelling of your ankles, feet and lower legs is called

" edema " .

The first time I had ever heard of this or had any problems with it was

immediately after my DKA in March '03, when I learned about my pancreas

burn out and that I had become an insulin dependent diabetic. The edema

started while I was in the hospital and increased during the first few days

after

I was released. I do know that it's a problem with many diabetics.

One thing that I learned is that most, if not all, diuretic products have

precautionary warnings on them stating that they can cause pancreatitis, so

my gastroenterologist would never prescribe a diuretic for me. So I've had to

learn to do special exercises, and keep my legs elevated on a chair or

hassock for extended periods of time when the edema happens. Fortunately

for me, it isn't a frequent problem, and has only bothered me once every 3-4

months or so, and usually only lasts a day or two.

I've always become tremendously sleepy and drained feeling prior to a bad

attack of CP, and that's also the only time I ever feel nausiated.

I wish I could help you with your other questions, but admit to being

clueless......lol!

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]

,

I do not have the same symptoms as you with one exception. I always got

really tired when I would have an attack. I really had to push myself to do

anything. I can definetly sympathize with that. As far at the shoulder pain and

swelling, I did not have that. Doctors usually get alarmed when you have edema

in

your extremities. If the swelling is not responding, and I don't want to alarm

you, it could be a kidney problem. I have a good friend who has kidney

problems and her feet and ankles swell when they are bothering her. I am not a

doctor though so don't take my word as gospel truth. It is just a suggestion.

Take care and hope you are feeling better,

Angie in SC

" The happiest of people don't necessarily have the

best of everything; they just make the best of everything that comes along

their way. "