Re: Pam

[Guest guest]

Pam,

I certainly understand your frustrations. My panc pain is also always on the

right side under the rib and straight through to the back. When I have a bad

attack, I also have pain in the middle of my abdomen, several inches above my

navel. I always have the pain under the rib, it just varies in intensity. When

it gets above a level 8, despite oral pain med, I know it's time to go to the

hospital. I really feel like the constipation makes my pancreas flare up but my

pcp said that when my lipase is elevated that it is absolutely just a pancreas

thing and the constipation has nothing to do with it.

Oh, when I have a flare of pancreatitis, I always end up having about 2 days of

pretty bad diarrhea about 3 days into the attack. The diarrhea is filled with

bright yellow bile. This only happens after I've had a flare up of

pancreatitis. Does anyone else have this happen? On the one hand, I'd rather

have diarrhea than constipation. However, when I have diarrhea with all the

bile in it, things get very sore and irritated. Sorry for the graphic pic, but

anyone that's had this happen can probably relate. It's a real pain in the

butt!

I guess this buring pain that I am having could be diverticulitis, I hadn't

thought of that. However it's very low on the left side, almost down to the

pubic area and it is right at the very end of the scar from my hysterectomy.

I'm not 100% positive my belly swelling is fluid retention. That's just what my

GI says. He says I'm having 'fluid shifting' in my belly. He says my colon

fills up with fluid (thus the weight gain along with the swelling) and then

eventually the fluid passes and my belly goes down along with my weight.

I am absolutely a GI's worst nightware. I've got about a million things going

on and then the GI docs can no longer get a look at everything endoscopically

because I've had my plumbing re-routed with the gastric bypass.

My GI basically also tells me the same thing as yours - take my pain and nausea

meds, watch my diet, etc. He tells me I have several chronic and progressive

illnesses so I have to expect that I am going to have flares. When I have the

flares, we treat them, keep me as pain free as possible, and go on with life.

In spite of it all, I do have a very good life. I am incredibly blessed to have

the most awesome family in the world. I am also fortunate enough to have

wonderful health insurance. Lots of other blessings as well,but I won't bore

everyone with them.

I hope they find out what's going on with your spleen.

Take care,

W