Re: ginger tea and autoimmune pancreatitis

[Guest guest]

Just wanted to let you guys know that I drink Republic of Tea's ginger peach

tea on a regular basis. It helps with nausea but it is also quite yummy. You

can find it at book stores such as Books a Million and and Nobles.

Also, to the newbie in relation to the question about autoimmune diseases

being related to pancreatitis. The answer is yes, it can be. I have numerous

autoimmune diseases. It started with systemic lupus in 1996 at the age of

35. I had my first documented attack of acute pancreatitis in Jan 2000. At

that time the doctors insisted it had nothing to do with me having lupus.

However, I soon had several additional autoimmune diseases to add to my list.

When I switched to a new rheumatologist in early July 2002, she was shocked to

see that I had never been tested for the antiphospholipid syndrome (an

autoimmune clotting disorder which causes increased risk for strokes, blood

clots, heart disease, and an 80% chance of miscarriage if the mother is not

treated during pregnancy). I ended up finding out that I do have the

antiphospholipid syndrome and I have been on coumadin (blood thinner) since

Sep 2002. The rheumy tested my mom, sister, and daughter for the

antiphospholipid syndrome. My sister and daughter have it but my mom does

not. My sister also has ankylosing spondylitis, sjogren's syndrome, and IgG

immunodeficiency. My 23 year old daughter has rheumatoid arthritis in

addition to the antiphospholipid syndrome. My point to all this is to say

that my sister, daughter, and I obviously have a very strong genetic tendency

toward autoimmune diseases. Anyway back to the pancreatitis - My attacks of

acute pancreatitis stopped (or at least greatly decreased for about 18 months

but then became more frequent and severe in July 2002. In January 2003, I was

diagnosed with autoimmune liver disease (specifically autoimmune hepatitis),

and then type 2 diabetes, probably because of the pancreatitis. In June 2003,

my pancreatitis diagnosis was changed from 'recurring acute pancreatitis'

to 'relapsing idiopathic chronic pancreatitis'. In February 2004, I was

tested for and diagnosed with the same IgG immunodeficiency that my sister

has. Sometime in 2004 most of my doctors decided that my pancreatitis is most

likely autoimmune pancreatitis. However, it doesn't really matter all that

much whether my cp is autoimmune or not because the treatment is pretty much

the same. About the only thing they might do different is to put me on

steriods. However, I have had to be on long term steriods twice for the

autoimmune hepatitis and the steriods did not seem to help with my flares of

pancreatitis enough to warrant the horrible side effects of long term steriods.

Well, that's a pretty long answer to your simple question, but your

pancreatitis could be autoimmune and thus could be related to grave's disease.

I wish you the best. My girls are grown. The oldest is 23, married, just

completed her master's degree and just started her first teaching job last

week teaching 6th grade language arts/English. The younger one is actually

my stepdaughter. She's 21 and beginning her 4th year of college. So, I have

no little ones at home to take care of, or actually no one at home except

myself and my great hubby. I'm sure it's incredibly hard to take care of such

a little one and trying to deal with pancreatitis.

Take care,

W

Alabama