Re: How long can you live with this disease?

[Guest guest]

: I asked my doctor once how long a person will live with this disease

and her

response was--- " You will likely live to be a very old lady " . I know that's not

a definite

answer but it gives me hope. Judy

[Guest guest]

As for how long our life expectancy is, I haven't a clue. I've

officially lived with pancreatitis since I was sixteen (I'm 34 now) and

they think I've actually had it even longer. For the alcohol, I know

that for me, even cooking with alcohol causes me a lot of pain and it is

definitely the alcohol doing it, even if it's technically supposed to

have been cooked off. And I'm not an alcoholic as I never really drank

very much to begin with since I starting having problems with

pancreatitis so young. I got pancreatitis through a birth defect called

a pancreatic divisum. So, I stay away from it. I know that some people

can have a little without pain, but it can cause so much damage that I

personally feel it should be avoided at all costs, just like avoiding

any medications that can trigger pancreatitis. Why gamble with something

so important? But again, this is just my experience and opinion.

I am sorry that you are feeling depressed. Sometimes I have exactly the

same feelings. I rarely see my friends and family (due to both illness

and not living closely by them). I usually only see them a few times a

year and it can get lonely. Luckily, my mother is also my friend and I

usually see her at least once a week or so. Having this board is what

keeps me socially active in at least some aspect. I don't know what I

would do without all of you to keep me balanced and focused on things

other than being sick and depressed. At least we all have more of an

idea of what all of us are going through and know that we can talk with

someone who truly understands our situations.

I hope you feel better soon and have some pain free days to come.

Kimber

Kimber

--

Kimber

Vallejo, CA

hominid2@...

Note: All advice given is personal opinion, not equal to that of a licensed

physician or health care professional.

[Guest guest]

I have lived with the pancreatits for the last 18 yrs. I

was " lucky " and got it when I was 10....played football and got hit

in the stomach. I am almost 30 and my pancreas has almost completly

shut down to the point that I don't make any insulin at all

anymore. I use to be on this group all the time but I got sicker

and had to take some time away to try to get the blood sugar under

some kind of control.

People that develop pancreatits now are a lot luckier then when I

was first diganosed because all they wanted to do was dope me up

with pain meds so I have lived most of the last 18 yrs in the bed.

The scar tissue around my pancreas is very extensive and the scar I

have from where they drained the two liter's of fluid off the

pancreas to relieve pressure is very ugly. I look back now and I

don't blame any of the many doctor's for the declining health that I

am having. All the pain med's that I was put on they thought was a

good thing and it turned out not being a good thing...as my current

doc has told me....if I hadn't been on so many narc's for so long my

body would probably be able to fight a lot better then it is right

now.....he has me at a 5-10 more year life span...and I have come to

term's with that....and on that note I am going to lay down...hope

that everyone can get some sleep and have a pain free night/day...

KebaJ.