Bloodwork Came Back Normal? Is This Good or Bad?

[Guest guest]

Eileen,

I certainly hear your frustration. It is common for blood work to be normal

in cases of chronic pancreatitis. In acute pancreatitis enzymes are spilled

into the blood stream and therefore show up when the amylase and lipase levels

are checked. In chronic pancreatitis, this isn't the case, and therefore many

of the blood tests are not appropriate to diagnose problems. Your physician

is doing a common thing by starting at your gallbladder and working up to

the pancreas. It is methodical and will likely be thorough. One of the more

reliable diagnostic procedures is the MRCP. This can identify many of the

problems which used to require an ERCP to find. In early stages of the disease

process morphological changes (changes in the organ tissue of the pancreas) do

not show up very well on ultrasounds, CT scans, etc.

Karyn E. , RN

Executive Director, PAI

Indianapolis, Indiana