To Sheila, Re: removal of pancreas

[Guest guest]

Sheila, hi - re: your dr wanting to remove the pancreas and

reconstruct the duct - I strongly urge you to wait, get lots

of opinions. I had the tail of my pancreas removed (due to

Pancreas Divisum - is this what you have?) and they cut out

a section of intestine to form a new duct. First of all, this is

one of the most invasive surgeries there is, and second, it did

NOT work for me. That was in 1980. I've had pancreatitis ever

since, in and out of the ER, countless ERCP's. MRI's, CT scans

and about every pain drug made. I now have chronic pancrea-

titis, since about '98, BUT, at least I have been spared diabetes.

I have not spoken to or heard from anyone who's actually

had an islet cell transplant, but it seems to me this is

the best procedure, as far as % of good results. GET MORE

INFORMATION! I have been rejected for this procedure, as I

no longer have enough healthy pancreas to provide for the

harvest of enough cells to transplant. Keep in mind, a surgeon

very often has a one-track mind. THEY don't have to wake up

in all the pain in the world, and then take a year out of their

lives to recover, only to have the surgery fail, after all that!

Not trying to scare you, but I wish I'd had the benefit of a CP

patient to talk to back then! I would never allow it again, now

that I know what it's like. Blessings to you. Love, in Indy