To Darren

[Guest guest]

Hello Darren,

Welcome to the group. I know you will find a tremendous amount of

support here. I joined about this time last year and couldn't have

managed my first year after diagnosis without the support of the

group.

My case is rather different as I have hereditary pancreatitis and

have had symptoms of one kind or another all my life. My final

definitive diagnosis came only last year......my first attack having

been when I was 5 years old. I'm now 58! I was offered the

possibility of a total pancreatectomy last October, but for a

variety of reasons, it is on hold for the time being. As I said, my

case is different. My pain and other symtpoms responded well to the

medical treatment (no-alcohol, low-fat diet and high doses of Creon

enzymes)so it was decided that, as I am managing for the moment, I

should wait and reconsider the TP later. The reason why I was

offered the TP, apart from controlling the pain, was that hereditary

pancreatitis carries a very high cancer risk. After all, I've been

ill with it on and off for 53 years!

Anyway, back to you. At the time, I read a great deal about the TP.

There are people on this site who have had this operation and I'm

quite sure they will respond and let you know about their surgery.

Are you going to have it with the ICT (islet cell transplant) which

lowers the risk of diabetes after this operation? What tests and

test results have led the docs to think that a total is the right

option, as opposed to a Whipple or something similar? I hope you

don't mind my asking....it's just to clarify matters. Don't feel

obliged to answer!

Keep trying to be as positive as possible and I know it won't be

long before someone replies to share their own experience. There are

plenty of people on the site who will relate to the pain and misery

this disease can cause. Hopefully, it won't be long before you

experience some relief.

With very good wishes,

Fliss (UK)