Re : Pain and Discomfort

[Guest guest]

Hi there,

I have certainly experienced the sort of pain you are describing as

well as other types.

In my personal experience, and from reading what others say, CP pain

can be pereceived differently by patients and, in any case, the

condition in any one patient goes through different stages.

I definitely think you should mention this to your specialist. It

certainly could indicate some development or progression in the

condition so you need to check it out. (It isn't always a simple

getting-worse-all-the-time pattern though. I have had bad times

followed by better times over my years as a CP patient.....53 years

by the way! The disease is generally progressive but symptoms may

not get worse and may even get better.)

It's crucial to adopt the best regime for managing this condition.

It will nearly always be better if you adopt a low-fat, small meals,

strictly-no-alcohol-at-all diet. Don't forget that fat is hidden in

all sorts of foods such as cakes, biscuits (cookies??!!), some

breads etc. In addition, there comes a time when digestive enzymes

can improve the situation. This is when your own pancreas is not

producing enough enzymes of its own. My disease started when I was 5

but I was in my 30's before I began having signs of malabsorption

such as lower-abdominal pain, gas, diarrhoea, steatorrhoea etc. (The

pancreatic pain itself tends to be felt more in the upper-abdominal

region, the back, shoulder blades etc.) The enzymes (there are

lots..I take Creon) not only help the symptoms of malabsorption but

also rest the pancreas so that pancreatic pain may also improve.

It's worth asking about these. By telling your specialist about your

current symptoms, you could be giving him or her the evidence that

you need enzymes. (I don't know this, of course, but it's certainly

worth mentioning it.)

I wish you better health as soon as possible!

Fliss (UK)