Chronic Pancreas Pain

[C.K.]

I have a comment about the pancreas pain after gallblader surg.I had stones in my pancrease less than a week after the mini lap gallbladder surg. an ercp was performed finding a couple of stones, a wk later, same thing ercp done, 3 stones, I was told I was forming stones in the pancreas, a sphincterotomy was performed. I returned to work and had pain almost constantly, when I complained I was already on pain meds due to Arthritis and being unable to take aniinflamatories so I felt that the Dr. thought it was in my head , I think everyone in my family thought the same and I even started thinking so , tried not to complain but did. I was a nurse working ll to 7 and one night got so ill, one symptom I always had is ciggarette smoke made me so ill burned my stomach and just couldn't be around it. I had fever, chills and the same old rt. upper quadrant pain,went to ER, liver enzymes were very high and I was sent to a larger hospital, was there 6 days, had ercp's , iv's antibiotics, and colonoscopy before I was dismissed, still being a nurse and all still did not understand the problem until I was dismissed and the Dr. who dismissed me on a week end told me I had adhesions between my liver and pancreas that formed a pouch and a large stone was in the pouch, the adhesions were clipped. I have had pains a few times since but not nearly as bad, just a little colic, also have Gerd which I didn't seem to have before the Gallblader Surg. Took care of the problem and this happened a yr after the GB surg.Some of your letters remind me of this and I believe I would have died had they not found the problem. Thanks for the comment, hope it helps someone C.K.

[Dani]

I am really interested in hearing more of your story. How did they find the adhesions? I have had seven ERCPs, stones,etc and still have problems. If you like you could email me at ***@****. As you know, any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[TE]

Hey CK -

Interesting story.  How long was it after the surgery until they actually found out the problem when you were in the hospital?

TE

[alvarez]

Hi TE,  Thanks for the support.  I go back to the doctor today to discuss options.  

I am pretty fed up with the hole thing and just want my life back.  I will keep you updated.   You can email me direct at ***@**** if you would like.  

[TE]

Hey Joy-

They didn't actually fire me.  And yes I was on Family Medical Leave without pay.  I had worked there for 12 years.  When I got sick in July of last year I missed 3 weeks of work and then went back for a week and was off for another 2 weeks after my surgery.  But since i continued with problems I would average missing about 4 to 5 days a month.  In november, I received a counseling statement for leave time.  Then again in January and the 3rd time ws in the last of February.  I was really sick and saw my GI.  He put me on a new medicine and called my boss letting him know it may be mid march before I would return and then may yet need surgery.  Well my boss was calling me every other day asking how i was and if i was ready to return.  After 2 weeks my boss wanted me to return due to the fact someone else in our office was taken vacation.  When I returned he had a confidential envelope in my desk.  It was yet a 3rd counseling statement telling me it was time to make a committment to the office.  I was so upset and even still feeling bad.  When he came in that am, he acted as if nothing should bother me about the counseling statment.  I resigned on the spot.  I could not handle the way he and the other staff where treating me.  My husband wanted me to stay and hang in there and let them fire me but i couldn't handle being around those people any longer.  I do miss my job (not the others) and really miss the $$$ but my weight is up 14 more now then when I was working.

[joyceeb]

the folks that lost their jobs ... were you covered under FMLA (family medical leave act)?   were you fired for being sick and off work???  how much time were you losing????

[annamariea]

Hello to all, I had just recently had my gallbladder taken out and have been home for 2 weeks now..The problems that I am having now is that no matter what I eat, I feel like I am going to be sick, then I start to have the upper pain again, yet not as bad as the pain before the surgery...My surgeon wanted to do a Bile Duct test but could not because I am highly allergic to the dyes that need to be used....Does anyone know how long this will last? Is this normal/ Also, I am still very bloated, will this go away?..One more for all of you... What is a ERCP test?...If anyone can help me out, I would Greatly appreciate it...God Bless Annamariea

[lonewolve]

where does the pain start and does it move to other areas of the body .allso what are some of the symtoms. my tryglicerides are over 800 ,my dr.says i am a canidate for pancreidus .is that fact .

[TE]

Hey Alvarez,

I can relate to you so much.  I've been dealing w/this mess since July of last year.  I lost my job in March of this year that I had for 12 years.  I have 3 small kids and a great husband but this is affecting them just as much as myself.  My husband keeps saying that I just need to deal w/it since all the tests are coming back normal.  He is a great guy but he's just so tried of me being sick AND SO AM I!!!  I don't ever feel like doing anything w/my kids or him.  It's hard.  But I'm not giving up until I find some answers.  

I think you do need to have the ducts checked but just make sure your doc is well experienced in the biliary area and knows what he/she is doing.  My GI is a great doc but feels he's not experienced to perform the monometry to check the pressures in my ducts.  He did perform the ERCP and checked my bile duct and found 2 small stones.  But I continue to have the pain but its now so bad on my right side anymore - mostly my left.  I asked him to check my pancreatic duct but he doesn't want to since my blood work is normal.  I may have to search for a new doc that performs the monometry.

Good luck to you and I hope your family understands and everything works out for you.

Tonya
Arkansas

[alvarez]

Hi,

I have been having upper rt quadrant pain, back pain, even pain into my chest 7 months now,  some days so severe I can barely work.  they have done the gb removal, ct scan, ultrasound, kidney x-rays, blood tests,  nothing shows abnormal.  I am in pain all the time.  this is ruining my career, marriage and my life.  next they want to try  looking in the bile duct,  but I am reluctant to let them do any more to me until we have some definative answers.  

any suggestions would be appreciated.

[TE]

I had my gall bladder removed in August 2000 after being very sick for over a month.  I had ultrasound in July but was normal.  Then GI diagnosed me w/gastritis and was put on prevacid but continued to be severly sick.  Then in mid august my family doc sent me in for a hida scan to determine if my gall bladder was functioning but my gb never showed up.  I was then sent to a surgeon and had it removed within a week.  Felt better for a couple of days but then started having the pain again but I wasn't nauseated as bad as before the surgery.  Doc's performed all kinds of test but everything was normal.  Even had a CT scan and MRCP which were normal and blood work normal.  Then this January my surgeon sent me to a new GI for second opinion.  He performed and ERCP to check my bile duct.  I had two small stones.  But I'm still having the severe pain.  I've lost my job.  I don't know what's wrong w/me anymore.  I have back pain on both the right and left side and burning.  I've asked the GI to do another ERCP and check out the pancreatic duct but he doesn't want to since my blood work is normal.  I don't know what to do but go crazy.  This mess had stolen the last year of my life and i really believe the docs think I'm crazy.  

TE