Chronic Pancreatitis

[Guest guest]

Hello, I am new to this group I was searching the web and came arcoss

this site. My husband has the chronic pancreatitis and had the whipple

surgery in April 2005 and since then some of the pain has improved and

others have gotten worse. He is having alot of troulbe emotionally and

having troulbe with the fact that he can't work anymore. Any good

advice that could help both of us and our family.

[Guest guest]

> Hello, I am new to this group I was searching the web and came

arcoss

> this site. My husband has the chronic pancreatitis and had the

whipple

> surgery in April 2005 and since then some of the pain has improved

and

> others have gotten worse. He is having alot of troulbe emotionally

and

> having troulbe with the fact that he can't work anymore. Any good

> advice that could help both of us and our family.

Hi - I,too,have CP and other medical problems and cannot work.I am on

the third step to hopefuuly getting SSDI.I really have a hard time

dealing with it and hate seeing my girlfriend go off to her two

jobs.I used to work construction and I am a former Marine and was

very active.I went from a healthy 6'2 " 190lbs. to a skinny sickly

138lbs. in less than a year.I worry every month about bills and can't

do anything about it.My family has helped some thankfully,as has a

good friend.If your husband would like to talk,I'd be glad to

listen.Sometimes someone in the same boat can be of help.Tell him to

keep his chin up. Pete (Florida)

[Guest guest]

Hi welcome to the group. You and your husband will get alot of info

and support here. This is a wonderful group of people. I had a Beger

procedure which is an organ sparing whipple and it did take a long time

to get over. Actually I never did and ended up having a tp-auto ict

last november. Where did you husband have his surgery? Maybe there

are some others on here who have been to the same hospital.

Keep in touch and let your husband know that it will take time to get

over such a physical truama of a whipple, both emotionally as well as

physically.

Warmly,

(SC)

[Guest guest]

It's discouraging that the surgery didn't turn out to bring the relief

that your husband anticipated. Unfortunately, sometimes surgery

doesn't provide the answer, and the patient still continues to have pain.

Does your husband have a competent GI or PCP that he trusts and that

has him under treatment, with meds for pain and nausea and such?

Having a compassionate and knowledgable doctor who stays involved with

the patients care is really optimal with this disease. If he doesn't

have someone like that that he trusts and who will stick with him, you

need to find another physician.

Since he's not able to work, has he applied for SSDI? If employment

is completely out of the picture because of his disability, he needs

to work on getting his SSDI claim approved.

As for the emotional trauma that's caused by not being able to work

anymore, that's something that many of us have had to work through.

The loss and feelings of worthlessness is hard to deal with. I think

it's much more difficult for men to deal with this than for most

women....it goes back to the traditional roles where the husband is

supposed to be the provider for his family, earning all the money and

taking care of his family financially. It must be very hard for him,

and if he could talk with others in similar circumstances, it may be

very helpful for him.

Is there any chance that you could get him to read the message board

and post himself? Talking with some of the other members of the group

that have gone through the same experiences might be very supportive

for him. It may not seem possible now, but you'll see that things

will, and do, get better.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC and SE Regional Rep.

PAI

Note: All comments or advice are based on personal experience or

opinion, and should not be substituted for professional medical

consultation.

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I'm pretty new to this group too, so I have been asking many of the

same questions you are.

Pete offered to call your husband, that might be very helpful. When

you have this disease,it's frightening, as the future is uncertain

and it is hard to get help with it, so you can feel very alone, even

amongst loved ones.

I think your husband is lucky to have someone as supportive as you.

Have him join us here, that may help too.

Eileen

> Hello, I am new to this group I was searching the web and came

arcoss

> this site. My husband has the chronic pancreatitis and had the

whipple

> surgery in April 2005 and since then some of the pain has improved

and

> others have gotten worse. He is having alot of troulbe emotionally

and

> having troulbe with the fact that he can't work anymore. Any good

> advice that could help both of us and our family.

[Guest guest]

I had my Whipple in January 2002 and it was a nightmare, if you need

to talk with someone feel free to call or write. My number is listed

on the board and my email is jruggieri@...

A Ruggieri

>

> Hello, Thank you, I apoloize for taking so long to reply back, we