Re : me again

[Guest guest]

Hello ,

I'm so sorry you're in pain and feeling so ill and so depressed as

well.

Sadly, it's quite common for patients to experience pain even after

they have had surgery. That's the nature of the pancreatic beast, it

seems. Sometimes further surgery is needed or treatment for the pain

seems the next step. I definitely think you should try to see

someone else if your current doc is not taking this pain seriously.

I can't really advise on which doctor to go to but you do have to

have faith in him/her and you do need the best specialist you can

find. Pain should be taken seriously and there should be no question

of ignoring it. I think you have to be quite firm there. It is

common with the pancreas for tests to be negative even when the

patient is experiencing pain. I have not had surgery but in 1988 I

was desperately ill with more or less continuous acute flare-ups. A

CT scan and ERCP proved negative. Finally last year, 15 years later,

a CT scan finally showed extensive calcifications and atrophy. I

then got my diagnosis. I'm not comparing the cases; I know you have

already had surgery. I simply mean to point out that negative tests

don't mean you are not experiencing pain even if they haven't found

an immediate cause. That seems to be quite a common phenomenon.

Depression is also quite common with chronic pancreatitis because it

so often means continuous pain. You should also be able to discuss

this with your doctor and come to a solution.

I haven't said anything particularly useful but I do really

sympathise and understnd your need to find an understanding and

experienced specialist...quickly.

Please let us know how you get on.

With very good wishes,

Fliss (UK)