Colin

[Guest guest]

> Hi Heidi,

> My concern is that I have been suffering the symptoms (very sore abdomen) on

and off

since 26th December 2003. Probably on average on bad attack every 2 weeks. Tests

in the

UK were all stomach related and therefore Pancreatitis was not diagnosed. Only

after an

emergency admission to a hospital near L.A. whilst on holiday was it diagnosed.

I am

therefore scared that the attacks has caused lasting damage to my Pancreas.

(Chronic

condition?).

>

> I have been referred to my Gastro guy by my GP and the proper tests should now

be

carried out quite quickly. As for drinking I have only been a social drinker for

the last 10

years or so, having a few beers at the weekend only. I am only 40 years old. One

area

which I think I read can be a factor is that believe it or not I had triple

Heart Bypass Surgery

2 years ago. (Fully recovered and no heart attacks). I guess that I have gone

through a

period where I have been very unlucky with my health...

>

> My confidence is not too high regarding my Gastro Specialist, as he missed

this

diagnosis in the past, however I have agreed with my GP that we will stick with

him

meantime in order to get the next tests done.

>

> I have been prescribed " Co-Dydramol 10/500mgs " as a UK alternative to Vicodin,

however my GP will up the strength of these if necessary.

>

> Thanks all for your advice and kind words so far. Sandy (Cali) you mentioned

hospital :

Does everyone have frequent? visits during bad attacks? At 40 I do not look

forward to

having to be in and out of hospital often. However I will go along with what is

required as I

am getting to grips with the fact that this is a serious and quite nasty

condition.

>

> Colin

> Scotland.

Hi Colin,

If the Gastro that you're seeing is the one who initially failed to diagnose

your problem,

please don't let him minimize the need for tests to determine the cause of your

acute

attack. Keep searching until you find definitive answers. It sounds as

though your GP is

a straight up kind of guy, who will continue to stand behind you until you are

treated

suitably.

From the description of your pain, it does sound as though your condition has

become

more of a chronic issue than a one-time-only acute attack. I'm sorry for that,

but you

should be able to learn here many things that will help you to adjust to living

with CP. I

think that once one is able to accept the fact that they have CP and that the

disease is not

something that's going to go away, they have an easier time dealing with it on a

daily

basis. This is not to say that it's easy, it's not at all, but there are things

we can do to

make living with CP less complicated. And I do believe that having good support

from

your family, friends, employers, doctors and an online support group like this

one can

make a tremendous difference in how well you do.

The amount of time you will spend hospitalized greatly depends upon what

condition your

pancreas is in when the tests are done. Imaging studies should be done, either

by CT-

scan, MRCP, MRI or ERCP, to see what's going on....whether it's obstructive

pancreatitis,

alcoholic calcifying pancreatitis or pancreatitis caused by genetic structural

abnormalties.

Some people only need to visit the hospital once every couple of years, others

two or three

times a year, and others are in and out so frequently that the staff knows them

by first

name.

Sometimes much can depend upon how well your system tolerates a low fat diet and

how

good you are at following the rules. But there are those that follow all the

rules, restrict

their fat intake, and take no risks, who STILL end up hospitalized all the time.

It's a really

hard question to answer because everyone is so different.

And then there are people who should go to the hospital but don't. They try to

tough it

out at home by stopping all food except for liquids, staying in bed and trying

to ride it

out. Sometimes this works, sometimes not. My rule of thumb for this is if I

double up on

my meds twice in a row and the pain is still untouched by oral medication, then

it's off to

the ER for me. I also have guaranteed early warning signs of nausea, vomiting

and

diarrhea that are always present before one of my acute attacks. If I've got

those, and the

untouchable pain, I know I can only find help by going to the hospital.

As time goes on, you'll be able to determine what kind of pain you can deal with

on your

own, and that which needs to be treated at the hospital. For your sake, I hope

your

hospital visits are very few and far between.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC & SE Regional Rep.

PAI

Note: All comments or advice are personal opinion only, and should not be

substituted for

consultation with a medical professional.