Bikerblue

[Guest guest]

Hello there,

I have had all the typical symptoms of hereditary pancreatitis all

my life. Severe attacks of upper-abdominal pain radiating through to

the back, as a child. Later on I also suffered very badly from

lower=abdominal pain, diarrhoea, steatorrhoea, gas and weight loss.

All my symptoms can be explained by the CP diagnosis and that is a

definite one (calcifications throughout the pancreas, atrophy etc.)

However, in 1988 I was tested for CP and nothing showed up on CT

scan or ERCP apart from a slightly dilated pancreatic duct. I then

had a positive test for coeliac disease (biopsy). GF did definitely

help a lot, especially when I also eliminated lactose. However, it

didn't cure me completely. Over the last few years I have had the

bad pains again, more frequently, and also a certain amount of

diarrhoea etc, although not nearly as badly as in the 80's when I

was having the severe flare-ups. The pains are similar to the

childhood, adolescence and adult ones but without the really bad

diarrhoea attacks of the more acute flare-ups of the 80's.

I cannot be certain if I now have both conditions. My panc

specialist thinks it highly unlikely as I definitely have CP and

that alone would explain my symptoms from childhood on. My gastro,

however, thinks I should be careful about reintroducing gluten after

15 years as it did help me. He points out that a lot of people do

better on a gluten-free diet anyway, if they have ny kind of

digestive problem. He doesn't seem too bothered about the exact

status of the original biopsy test for coeliac, the results of which

seems to be.......lost at the hospital!!

I have tried to reintroduce gluten once or twice and have not felt

terribly well afterwards. The problem is, of course, that CP itself

is a patchy condition so I never know whether a bad day is linked to

introducing gluten again or......just a bad day!! I suppose I'll

keep experimenting until I can be certain whether or not gluten

exacerbates the situation.

If the GF diet helps, go for it! On the other hand, from what

says, the GF diet isn't helping her. Maybe CP can produce

some sort of changes in the lining of the intestine which mimic

coeliac, but if so, I've never heard of this.

Thanks for the post,

With good wishes,

Fliss