Pancreatitis, Gall Bladder Surgery, and Enzyme Production

July 3, 2005

,

You wrote, " If it is my pancreas, and I have had attacks this long, will the

enzymes eventually stop being made by the pancreas and not be secreted, and if

so, how can they tell if you do have pancreatitis? ... I said something about

possibly being my pancreas and running test on it, he said I was just healing

from the surgery and would eventually be fine...?

I am trying to catch up on some posts after being ill and out of town. There

were a few I wanted to respond to, though most will have to simply be deleted,

as many of you understand. At any rate, the PAI was started so persons with

possible pancreatitis could receive a faster diagnosis and intervention, and

hopefully diminish the amount of complications that can exist from prolonged

misdiagnosis. This brings me to your comments in your post. I never had elevated

enzymes. Or should I say that I know of. Obviously I probably had them, they

were just not checked. And, the reason was, that I have pancreatitis due to

biliary disease. Following my Cholecystectomy (removal of my gallbladder) I

repeatedly returned to the surgeon's office stating something was still wrong.

He said the exact same thing as your doctor said. I finally quit seeking help

and spent the next ten years in a low grade pain.

When I was finally diagnosed, I no longer produced sufficient enzymes to be

elevated. That has no reflection on chronic pancreatitis. I had to exaggerate

near death to get a GI to agree to pursue my complaints further. Eventually the

CT Scan and ERCP indicated advanced " idiopathic " chronic pancreatitis. That was

August 4, 1999.

September 12, 1999, I found myself in surgery having a Distal Pancreatectomy and

Splenectomy. By December 1999 I was insulin dependent and narcotic dependent. I

personally feel that a more appropriate outcome could be achieved through early

diagnosis and intervention.

So keep the pursuit up. The key is to consult a pancreatologist and not simply a

GI or surgeon. It is also your life. I am sure that the surgeon who put me off

has never thought about me again. That was an event that changed my life for

ever.

Karyn E. , RN

Executive Director, PAI

Pancreatitis Association International

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