chronic Pancreatitis

leadinglady

Just wondering is anyone suffers from this. Its not the most common of illnesses, but maybe someone else might be in the same boat as me! Thanks.

LegacyUser

Yes, I am but I don't know of anybody else either, or at least anybody similar to myself. Chronic for the past 4 yrs, with 6yrs before that of regular acute attacks of pancreatitis - which still happen on top of the acute pain from time to time. Unfortunately a lot of experience clocked up with this condition.

leadinglady

Im 11 years with it two. I now attend Tallaght, having been through them all in Dublin at this stage. Im reasonable under control for now, but its swings and roundabouts. I suffer badly if I eat crap. Im just 38, i gave up alcohol at 26 and got this illness at 27. They seem to know a lot more that they used to but Im still being told there is nothing that can be done for me surgically so its learn to live with it. I get very frustrated at times, because my stamina is so low. I have diabetes as well, tablets not working so insulin round the corner. I actually think I might be better with insulin. I dont know others with this illness either, though tallaght pancreatico-billiary centre is getting 200 new cases per year!

LegacyUser

200 new cases - wow !! Must be acute cases that they have.

I attend the Mater Private with mine - Mid-West Limerick gave up after a couple of years and that's who I was put on to, but costs a lot of money. I do not think there are very many people at our age with this, I am just gone 36, first started when 24, but I luckily have no diabetes.....yet. It's all about pain management, lots and lots of little shiny white pain management, I've had a few coelic axis blocks but they didn't last long. Surgically I was looking at autoimmune cell transplantation so that I could have a pancreatectomy, but I'd only be a ginea pig. A total pancreatectomy was on the cards only 18months ago, but the number of acute attacks I get have dropped significantly - was every 6 weeks and new types of medication has helped a lot, so best leaving it at that. They found that I have a CTFR mutation which is the probable underlying cause.

Its a very hard condition to live with, a lot of internal turmoil and the toll it takes on everyday life is high, I still get to do a lot of what I want though - just no alcohol, do not get dehydrated, injured, too hot, any infection (chest at the moment and yep, I got another attack on Stephens day) and lots of sleep.

If you want to compare "notes" I can communicate through the PM function with my own username, I'd like to hear from others with the same condition too - I've never met anyone who is the same age as myself with this.

leadinglady

Yeah, absolutely, cant figure out is your a man or a woman!!!!

missconnolly

Hey im a 22 yr old female who suffers with pancreatitis, i attend beaumont hosp for it. I had the gallstones and also had cysts on my pancreas which were 10x10cm in size, i was going around feeling like there was a small football inside me... they drained it only a few weeks ago but im still in pain, always uncomfortable and ina foul humour over it. Ive never heard of anyone else having it, people think im crazy when i tell them about it.....

Mine was caused by trauma to the stomach and bad dieting.... which resulted in the gallstones which resulted in the pancreatitis....

How do u know the difference between acute and chronic???

DrIndy

Acute is medical language for sudden onset, change or deterioration.
Chronic means long term or very slowly changing.

People often mix up acute with severe.

You can have an acute, mild flare for example.

leadinglady

Chronic Pancreatitis causes damage that cant be fixed and is progressive over time. Acute pancreatitis happens in attacks, one, or more times, and the damage can repair itself. A bad acute attack can be very dangerous.

People with chronic pancreatitis can have acute attacks too. (Called Acute on Chronic). :eek: Clear as muck!!!