Having a flare, bloodwork normal grrr

Pancreatitis
#82

Mrs. Barb!!!!!

It is so good to hear from you. I miss all of you also. It seems such a shame that after the site changed people kind of got lost. I have been on a site out of England. It is easy to use and people from all over the world belong. Mostly Brits of course but there are some Americans there also.

I went through a really tough year in 2009. Was in hospital once in 2010 and am now having to go see a surgeon on April 26th. It seems like every other year is a good one. I'll be praying that your 2011 is better!

Vonnie

#83

Well Well I wanted to say HI to all my Careplace friends and family yep it’s Mrs Barb :wink: Hope this last year was good for all of you, minus all the pain from our illnesses. I have been through so very much this past year, I wouldn’t even know where to begin, I am just praying that this is a much better year. I see there are new people and would love to start chatting/venting/sharing. Volup I seen you on here and just had to pop in and say Hi and I miss all of you! I am hoping to get on here more often as it’s good therapy for me and other members as well. I miss Lisa, Durga, amanda ok I miss all my friends. God Bless and many hugs and prayers coming your way…Big Hugs…Mrs Barb :wink:

#84

Mrs. Barb,

How did your doctor's appointment go? Did they find out anything?

Vonnie

#85

I have a question for fellow CP (with or without divisum). When you are "sick" is it nausea, vomiting, diahrea or just the pain?


#86

I totally understand what you are all talking about with being accused of being an alcoholic. I have had MAYBE 5 drinks in my ENTIRE LIFE, so it’s not from that. But the doctors never beleive me when I tell them I don’t drink. Heck I have enough trouble with pancreatitis now let alone if I dare take even a SIP of alcohol! :slight_smile: And as far as the enzymes and blood work…mine never go up either anymore, but the first time I had them checked they were way up over the 20,000 range and I can tell anyone that once you have a pancreatitis attack it is NOT somthing you will EVER forget. I knew the pain immediately the second and third time I had a flare. It was almost as much of a pain to convince the ER docs that I needed to be admited for the 3-4 days of IV fluids and NPO that the University of Iowa always does. Apparently that’s all that it takes…too bad I live with constant nausea/pain. So if anyone has ideas on how to cope better I would LOVE to hear them! Thanks in advance! :slight_smile: Hope everyone is feeling as good as we can get for the holidays!

#87

Enzyme elevation does not always occur with pancreatitis flares so they can’t be the sole criterion for diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. Betsy S.

#88

Snow flake,

Well, welcome to the board. I am sorry you have the need to be here though. I have been dealing with pancreatitis for 3 years. I have what is called Acute Recurrent Pancreatitis. Basically I have acute severe attacks and get really sick with nausea/vomiting/hospitalization-then recover only to have another acute attack. Now I have had 3 confirmed attacks and too many to count unconfirmed attacks. My enzyme levels don’t always go up to “prove” I am having one.

I have also been accused of being a drinker(the most common cause). I used to drink like maybe 1-2 drinks in a year. The next most common cause is a diseased gall bladder/stones. I just had mine removed and it has not relieved my pain. I have also been tested for autoimmune CP, Celiac disease, Crohnes disease, and for high cholesterol, none of which I have. I have had all tests but an ERCP- so that would include ct scans, Nuclear testing on my gall bladder (which was healthy btw), many ultrasounds, MRI, MRCP, EGD’s, and EUS. After all these tests they still DO NOT know why I have had pancreatitis.
They say idiopathic because they just don’t know.

If I were you I would arm yourself with as much info as possible. Google everything!! Read here all the different experiences. Find a good GI doc or even better a pancreas doc/clinic. SOOOO many GI’s don’t know what to do with people like us. They are not specialized in the pancreas. I have already fired one GI doc.

I hope you can get answers, but sometimes we just have to learn how to get relief. Sometimes that includes getting answers- sometimes it doesn’t. Since removing my gall bladder hasen’t helped, my next step is to have an ERCP with manometry which is where they check the pressures in the sphincters/ducts to see if that is what is causing the pancreatitis. I still supposedly do not have damage to my pancreas so they don’t call it CP for me yet.

Anyway, I hope I have been of some help. Ask as many questions as you can. Go to your docs knowing more than they do so they can’t “blow smoke”. Know your disease so you can get the help you need.
Take care
Keke(keri)

#89

I found coconut water and coconut water ice pops at Whole Foods Market. I think they are all over the country.

Jackie