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Possible Pancreatitus -So many tests???

tex
I have upper left quadrant pain under ribs which often radiates to back.  I have diahhrea which floats with what looks like oily spots and alternates with constipation.  I've had 3 ct scans (1 with constrast), mri, two endoscopies, one colonscopy, upper gi with barium, lower abdominal ultrasound, fat fecal, fat stool checks, enzymes tested every couple of months, blood work for aids, arthritis, diabetes, thryoid, ms, cf, myasthenia gravis, you name it.  I had gallbladder out in 99.  Daily moderate to mild pain punctuated with occasionally 15 scale pain.  Can't eat greasy, fried, carbonated.  Have lost 45 pounds.  Non-smoker, never drank.  Two gastros have diagnosed severe ibs and put me on celexa 10 mg a nite, and levsin for pain.  They are adamant I don't have pancreatitus but I'm still concerned.  If I had it wouldn't it have shown up on these tests?  Am very concerned they are missing something.
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Avatar universal
I had my gallbladder out in dec. 99 and have NEVER felt better.  The symptoms of pancreatitis are along the same lines as gallbladder pain.  I get attacks that send me to the ER, but only at night.  And yes, like yours my tests have come back near normal or normal when I'm not in the middle of an attack.  I was hospitalized for 5 days because the tests finally showed extremely high.  Stress makes the pain much worse.  Also, high fat foods do the same.  I am on Xanax at night to help me relax because I'm so afraid I'll have an attack.  I compare the nighttime pain to that of childbirth, or worse.  The daytime pain is managable with codine or darvocet.  Sitting and resting helps.  Also try drinking something really cold while having the pain, such as ice water or a slurpee.  For some off the reason it helps the pain.  I think the MRCP (from what I've read) is better than the ERCP they will do on me very soon.  A more comprehensive test. Do you ever get the feeling of being "brusied" in the rib cage area even tho you know that you couldn't possibly be?  I get that on a daily basis.
Sandy
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Avatar universal
tex
Thanks Sandy.  Would you mind giving symptoms?  I'm 51 year old female, in high stress job.  Symptoms started after having gallbladder out in Jun 99 first one in February 00.  Been to ER lots of times--they do nothing except full blood work which comes back normal.  Everything I've ever had done is normal.  Two of finest gastros in Dallas say severe IBS but I'm really concerned.  What do you think of mrcp and endoscopic ultrasound?  How do you control yours?  tex
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Avatar universal
If you have pancreatitis, it may not show up on the tests you have had done.  Or, during an attack certain levels would be high.  Also, the more the diease progresses the more quickley the tests will come back down to normal.  And the further the diesae progresses, the pain will diminish to almost nothing a day.  I know, becasue I have it. I can't eat high fat foods or I have a rough time of it.  (More than usual)
Sounds to me like you should be more forceful with your GI's to examine this possibility.  It took 2 years for the doctors to diagnose me with this.  Like you, I don't drink and have had my gallbladder removed.  So in their eyes, I couldn't possibly have it.  Also, I'm a 36 year old woman and it's not "commom" for me to have this.  I pushed the issue, got myself to Stanford Univercity in California and was diagnosed on my first visit to them.  A univercity will know more than a GI in private practise, in my humble opinion.
Be more forceful and ask for a ERCP to be done so that you can be sure.
Good luck to you.
Sandy
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