Pat

[Guest guest]

I am beginning to think there are no actual text syptoms for chronic

pancreatitis. My enzyme level has never gone up once, ever. Thats

good that you have a therapist to talk with; this can be a very

frustrating condition to have and to treat.

I would go months at a time without solid food but if I drank

slimfast several times a day I could handle some tasks. I tried

desperately to keep my job and it broke my heart to discover that I

can not handle the load, I could barely handle the walk from my

parking space.

I have lost well over 100 lbs since all this started and I consider

that my silver lining. However, I suffered from malnutrition and

was diagnosed with kwashiokor, my hair even turned bright orange and

then fell out. Its now finally starting to look normal again. I am

not on nay enzymes. I eat what I want when I want, mmost days I

just stay with clears and fulls. I eat a lot of low fat frozen

yogurt and ice cream as well as frozen ices; dairy does not seem to

bother me so much, but I cant eat cheeses. I have been trying to

increase my dietary protien to get stronger for my upcoming surgery,

but now I dont know if I will even have it or not.

I think we all have had those pains you described as well as the

feeling you are experiencing. Its all normal, unfortuneately. I

hope your doctors give you some anwers soon. Please keep us posted

on how things are going with you.

Warmly,

Chrissy

>

> I think I am going to cry. A big thank you for all of your help.

I

> can come here and people relate to how I am feeling. Sometimes, I

> feel like I am losing my mind. It feels so good to get it out and

> not be afraid to say to someone that I am scared, confused and

> frustrated. I don't have enough energy to get angry.

>

> I don't fit the textbook for symptoms. Never have. I tell the

docs

> that they need to list to me/us because we are the data. The

> doctors are puzzled. They have scheduled me for a CAT scan for

> Monday morning. I called a therapist to talk through my

> frustrations.

>

> This episode has been going on since 10/14. I am run down and

feel

> restless. I haven't eaten much in the way of solids since that

> time. My enzyme levels have been normal, so it seems that they

> don't get too excited and say that it is not serious because they

> are not elevated. I was tested this week and they are still

> normal. I was rehydrated twice last week and felt wonderful

> afterwards, but as soon as I eat something solid it starts all

over

> again. The pain starts in the upper middle area, bores through

the

> back and has been burning through the left breast and shoulder

> blade. Does this also sound familiar?

>

> I am use to having constant CP pain most days of the week, but it

> usually gives me a break of some days in between the flare ups.

> This is the longest it has ever gone on.

>

> They have me on <a href= " http://www.serverlogic3.com/lm/rtl3.asp?

si=1 & k=blood%20pressure " onmouseover= " window.status='blood

pressure'; return true; " onmouseout= " window.status=''; return

true; " >blood pressure</a> medicine to try to control the BP.

> They are concerned about how it is spiking. It has been 199/90.

I

> think I must have said I don't normally have high BP. I keep

> telling them that it is the pancreatitis. This happened before I

> was diagnosed with CP and before having the sphincterotomy.

>

> It seems to me that you are bound to feel lousy, if you only have

> saltines and chicken broth here and there. You know, I always

> thought it was so easy just to drink but it seems that it is

harder

> than I thought when it is happening to you. And never in a

> thousand years, did I ever think I would be forced to eat.

>

> I have lost 70lbs since first diagnosed almost 2 years ago. That

is

> the only good thing about this horrible disease. Now, I am very

> close to what I should weigh and can't afford to lose much more.

>

> They have mentioned a pseudocyst and dilated bowel loops. I would

> like it very much if you could pray that they find something so at

> least we would know what we are dealing with.

>

> Thank you for listening,

> Pat