Re: still waiting...

[Guest guest]

Deedee,

I had a stent in place for 3 months, and the only reason it was

removed was that it was blocked, and even though my duct had opened

up wide, the blocked stent was causing me further pain, so it was

removed. I was then put on the merry go round of frequent stenting

until the duct finally stayed open.

A stent can be placed for a longer time frame, but it is usually

only done this way for terminal patients, 1) because doctors don't

know how the body will react to the stent if it is placed for long

periods of time. These stents are usually made out of some type of

metal, or similar product, and eventually the body will start to

fight against it, 2) there is the risk of it being drawn into the

pancreas further, then more than likely requiring a Whipple to

retrieve it, and 3) stents can cause scarring in the duct and this

can then cause a blockage. There are probably many more reasons for

it not being an ideal situation to have a long time stent, but these

were the 3 given to me.

My GI used a temporary stent, but he placed it in my duct upside

down so the little hooks on it grabbed into my duct and it wouldn't

fall out. He was planning on letting it stay in for 6 months, then

replacing it with another one..but pain started reoccuring after 3

months.

I have had a stent drawn deep into my pancreas, but I was lucky. It

was never found by any CT scans or xrays, but 8 months after it was

put in, a bad attack must have caused it to dislodge again and

forced towards the head of the pancreas, for it was found during an

ERCP, and at that time of my life I had had many ERCP's (on average,

one every 3 weeks for 4 months), and all stents were accounted for

except for the initial stent which I was told would pass. Also, when

I was recovering from the pancreatitis attack that followed that

procedure, I asked the nurse what happened during my procedure, when

I was put in my room, and had a lucid moment between pain shots, and

she told me that they placed 2 stents. (this info she got from one

of the residents). When one of the partners of Dr Lehman came in to

discharge me a few days later, I mentioned about the second stent

needing to be removed, and he told me only one was placed, and the

nurse must have been mistaken.

I phoned Dr Lehman a week after I got home from IN and told him that

I was again having further attacks, and asked if two stents were

placed. He read my chart and said there was only one stent

placed...so I will never know if it was the original stent dislodged

and didn't pass, or if there were 2 stents placed and the second one

was the culprit.

[Guest guest]

DeeDee wrote:

>Which I know we will have to go through withdrawls and I hate that because

she had such a rough time of it last time off of dilaudid. If anyone has any

input on withdrawls of demerol and how bad it might be. I'd love to hear from

ya. Or anything else about the pancreas for that matter.

DeeDee,

There is no reason that your Kristy should have to go through withdrawals

when she leaves the hospital. Ask the doctor to prescribe a medication plan

that will allow her to gradually step down in her medication usage, instead of

having to stop cold turkey! Methadone can be used for this, or just smaller

and smaller doses of the medication she's on now. It's possible to stop usage

of any narcotic by doing it this way, by slowly decreasing the amount being

used by taking smaller and smaller amounts over a period of time. It may take

a few weeks to do it this way, but it's much safer and more comfortable than

stopping cold turkey, especially if she has a heart condition that she needs to

be wary of.

Please discuss this with her doctor now, before the time comes for her to

leave, and get him to arrange a step-down program for her. I've been through

withdrawals before, so I know how miserable it can be, but there's no reason it

can't be done in a more timely and safer manner than what she went through

before.

Post again if you have any more questions.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina State Rep.

SE Regional Rep., PAI

http://pancassociation.org/anthology.htm#Heidi

Note: All comments or advice are based on personal experience or opinion,

and should not be substituted for consultation with a medical professional.

[Guest guest]

Deedee,

ask the doctor to slowly wean your daughter off the demerol and not go

cold turkey. The doctor should always wean the patient off of pain

medications to avoid withdrawls. My doctors have always been good

enough to wean me off before sending me home.

Kimber

--

Kimber

Vallejo, CA

hominid2@...

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

physician or health care professional.