Subject: Hormones

[Guest guest]

- I myself have been wondering if there is anything to the hormones. Due

to my past med history I was trying to corrolate something to this disease. I

have had to deal with ovarian cysts; 2 on r ovary w/ the second one bursting and

having to have ovary removed, then when symptoms of panc started (fullness in

abdomen, nausea, and pain in back in pancreas region) I had cyst on l ovary.

They thought my amylase levels being mod. elevated (this is only clue to a

possible pancreas prob w/ me) were due to that cyst, so I had a surgery to drain

cyst. It never changed my amylase or the pain that was starting to be constant

in the back. After this it was gallbladder out and several ERCP's to see if

stenting would help me. A year and several tests later without any resolve in

my pain besides pain meds, I was deemed possible chronic pancreatitis. Never

ill in my life before except for those cysts. About 4 months ago another CT

scan and another ovarian cyst. At first they were just going to watch it

because your body naturally produces a cyst every month and mine was about that

size, but last month it grew too large. Doc thought it would be in my best

interest too have the ovary removed. With no ovary there would be no sense in

keeping the rest so I had a hysterectomy. Interestingly enough during the time

frame this cyst had grown about 1 1/2 weeks I had NO pain. I was singing

halleluia and all that jazz! I was finally better. To wake up because it was

time and not due to pain, it was heaven for me. I would wake up real cautious

and slow like then go, " Okay this is amazing " I was so excited. While I was

in the hospital overnight they gave me meds that set my panc off, but after

coming home I wasn't in the constant pain I had been in this whole year. It was

about 1 1/2 weeks after my surgery I began questioning whether hormones really

did play a part so started the research of the role hormones play in your body.

It's really rather amazing how our body works, but discouraging too because

there is so many anvenues to think of when trying to " cure " an illness. For

instance if my out-of-balance hormones cause cysts, do other things not function

correctly when your hormones are out of whack? One thing I did become convicted

about after researching was supplementation and drinking lots of water. (If you

don't get enough water in your system tries to overcompensate, work overtime,

and it helps to release toxins in our body. With our systems already being

comprised due to damage caused internally, but also what we put in it.

Un " purified " water, pain killers, supplements that are made from sythetics.

Make sure you know where they are manufacturing your vitamins before you dive

in. They can do you more harm than good. Also let me know if you want to know

what supplements are needed besides the antioxidants. Sorry about the lecture, I

became very passionate about this after all that research!) Well as you may

have experieced due to menopause I was having hot flashes and migranes, and just

a feeling of not being well. I wasn't sure if I just wasn't feeling well due to

withdrawals of drugs because I wasn't having to take them, the surgery, or it

was my original panc probs, but anyhow Doc prescribed low dose of estrodiol

patch though he was hoping I could give it a month or so to see if that was my

panc problem. Mostly I just wasn't feeling good, not like an infection or

stomach ache, just maybe like the flu sort of. Because I wasn't having any panc

pain I was beginning to think my panc pain had been in my head this whole time

because I wasn't really having any pain to speak of. So my decision to start

the HT was because of migranes and hot flashes and not feeling well.

(Unfortunately it was my naitivity from not having this illness for so long.)

And two days ago I began feeling that nagging in my back and below my ribs. Was

it that Twin Bing I decided I could eat? Or the hormones I am on? Or just the

nature of the beast? I am not sure but I do know it is definitely panc pain

again. I can go off the hormones and I may try that after I get healed from my

surgery. Also another thing I was wondering does someone from a pancreas

research place subscribe to these digests to see if there is any corelation to

their research or maybe they could play off these ideas everyone puts forth?

Thanks for always asking the questions ! Angie B

Message: 25

Date: Fri, 09 Jul 2004 14:40:08 -0000

From: " she_remembers "

>

Subject: Hormones

I'm just wondering if there is a hormonal component to CP. The

reasons I wonder are quite simple and probably don't have anything

to do with it. However, I've noted (at least on this board) that

the people most often afflicted are women. Some have said that they

have no pain while pregnant which may just be the positioning of the

uterus although I would think that would cause more pain with the

pressure of the growing uterus. Then there are some that like me

who are either in natural menopause or surgical menopause (which is

the case with me) and are taking HRT, etc. I can't really explain

the hormone theory involving the men but wonder then too if it has

something to do with say testosterone levels. I don't

know...probably a bunch of hooey but just trying to think out of the

box I guess. Anyone with any input to this or know of any studies,

etc.? Just curious......