To Adam

[Guest guest]

Hi Adam,

I'm sorry you're having problems just now. I'm afraid I can't help

from personal experience as my history is somewhat different.

It is certainly true that chronic pancreatitis can be difficult to

diagnose and docs can get it wrong. Tests do not always reveal the

truth about CP. For example, an ERCP or CT scan may be negative if

the disease hasn't yet progressed to the point of showing actual

physical damage to the pancreas. That can happen even if the patient

is pretty ill. I had that experience myself in 1988 and went on to

be diagnosed with CP only last year. By then, there was very

extensive damage and it did show up in the imaging tests.

Diagnosis may depend on the results of several different types of

test together with careful consideration of the symptoms by an

experienced gastroenterologist or pancreatologist. The tests would

include imaging tests but also tests for malabsorption. Symptoms

might include pain, diarrhoea/steatorrhoea, nausea etc.

However, none of this means that YOU have CP! Hopefully, your

doctors are correct and you don't have it. As I say, I haven't got

personal experience of your type of symptoms but it sounds to me

like early days for you to worry about CP. You are obviously worried

about not being able to eat. As you have another six weeks to wait

for surgery, I should try to see your GP quickly and explain the

food problem. Do different types of food affect you differently? Is

the pain the same no matter what you eat? You definitely need to

sort this one out. Maybe you could see the specialist again soon, in

plenty of time before the op?

Adam, someone else with more directly relevant experience might post

an answer now, but I do wish you well with this problem. Hopefully

the docs will sort it out quickly.

With good wishes,

Fliss (UK)