to Keri

[Guest guest]

Hi Keri. I'm fairly new to this site and am unfamilar with your

situation. Can you fill me in? I'd like to hear more of your story.

Tammy

[Guest guest]

> Hi Keri. I'm fairly new to this site and am unfamilar with your

> situation. Can you fill me in? I'd like to hear more of your story.

> Tammy

Tammy,

My story in detail would take some pages to write so I will give you

the abbreviated version.

I had my first acute attack at 10 yrs, between then and around age 20

I had one or two acute attacks per year. I went through all the

general tests and ercp's with no cause found. At 20 my attacks became

more frequent and continued through two pregnancies. Last year I was

hospitalized almost 90 days, 80 the year before, and 70 the year

before that. I went through every test to find the cause, and every

proceedure short of major surgery, that offered any hope of relief. I

became very depressed and lost hope. Then I found the PAI and began

to hope again. God and the angels here at the site led me to Dr.

Sutherland in Minnesota. I saw him in Sept. of last year for a

consult, and after approval by my insurance company I had a total

pancreatectomy with an auto islet cell transplant. Unfortunately, I

had waited too long to get enough islets to prevent diabetes. The

doctor said that my pancreas was the size and shape of a softball and

that it was melded to everything around it. They wanted to yield

300,000-400,000 islets and they could only get about 132,000.

I spent three weeks in the hospital, the only complication I had was

on the day I went home, my incision opened up. I had to pack the

wound for about 5 weeks. I came home the first week of December, and

I went to a friends house with my husband and played cards half the

night of new years! I have felt better the last month, than I can

ever remember feeling! Before my surgery, I was on a 200 mcg fentanyl

patch, extra strength Percocet, and 100 mg of elavil for pain. I have

weaned down to a 25mcg patch (the smallest dose) and am using the

Percocet for symptoms of withdrawl as I have them. I have no pain,

and before long I will be entirely off the pain meds. I am a

diabetic, but it is a minor inconvenience compared to the

pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis is a terrible life encompassing disease, and I encourage

everyone who is dealing with it to not give up hope. I was told to

just get used to living with it by many doctors, and if I had

listened, that is what I would still be doing.

Sincerely Keri Beck