To

[Guest guest]

Hello ,

I haven't had a TP but was considering one with my pancreas

specialist a few months ago. (This is the same specialist as Sue

has, here in Liverpool, UK). I am 58 and have had CP all my life,

although I didn't know it until last year, so my case is very

different from yours.

The ICT will give a measure of protection against diabetes. You

really need to take the advice of pancreas specialists on this one.

My understanding is that it is not always possible to know for

certain how many islet cells will be available until the operation

is done. My specialist thinks that my pancreas is so far gone that

there would not be many islets at all. In any case, islet cells can

die off after they have been transplanted into the liver, for

example, so that the patient may still become diabetic. However, the

pattern of diabetes that will emerege after TP, just as from any

other cause, appears to be difficult to predict. As Sue says, many

TP patients, even if they have no islet cell transplant, develop

diabetes which is stable and relatively easy to control.

I am not a doctor and have no medical qualifications at all. I am

only passing on a few things I have read. Nobody apart from your

specialists can say how these things apply to your particular case.

They may feel that it looks as though you have a good number of

islet cells left. Have you asked them this? Or they may feel that

for you personally, the risk of diabetes is better than the

alternative of leaving your remaining pancreatic tissue in place.

There is a young student, Crystal, who posts quite often. She had a

TP and ICT last year and is doing marvellously now. I do hope she

sees your message and replies. You would feel very encouraged. You

could look back through the board and find her posts. Or type in her

name in " Search " and see them.

You know, , after many months of research into TPs etc. I have

come to the conclusion that you have to trust your specialists to

give you the best advice in your particular case. There are some

differences of opinion among even the top docs because these things

are complex and each case is different anyway. My own TP was

deferred for the time being because I have had a good spell over the

last few months and have reacted well to the medication I was given

last year (Creon....enzymes). If I had constant or even very

frequent very severe pain, as I did before my definitive diagnosis

last year, I would think again and probably go for the surgery.

I wish you the very best possible outcome for whatever treatment you

go for. There are certainly some very successful TP patients who

post on this site so be hopeful if that is the decision made in the

end. Good luck!

Fliss