@ankie, Welcome to the site, but I am sorry that you have any need to interact with anyone on here. I was hospitalized three times in 2006 with acute pancreatitis with the longest stay being 15 days. I was soon after dx'ed with chronic pancreatitis. I have had my gall bladder removed (no relief), I have had several sphincterotomy's (some relief for short periods), I had a distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy due to a tumor that had essentially rotted away a good portion of the tail of my pancreas and it would have been a severe bleeding potential trying to separate the spleen from the pancreas. As a result of all of these procedure, I have exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and am diabetic. I take an oral medication, long term insulin and fast acting insulin. I also take Creon 36000 x9 each day for help with digestion. My pain is controlled with extended release medication and other pain med for break through pain. I had two stents placed in my pancreatic drain duct last summer and got significant relief from pain, but the effects have begun to fade and my pain level is up substantially from last July. Nothing new as I have received relief from procedures in the past and they always fade over time and that is, unfortunately, the progression of the disease. The use of large amounts of opiates for pain have a tremendous overall impact on overall health, but pain alone can lead to insanity. I have always had a severe anxiety disorder, but that and depression have been magnified by the pain medication, pain, and simply being more isolated than I would like as I am not able to do much on bad days and right now, they are far outnumbering the good ones.

I don't mean to paint a bleak picture as there are many things doctors have done for me that have increased my number of good days, but we just have not hit on the one that will be a little more long lasting. There is also a tremendous amount of research in the field of pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, diabetes, etc..., and I believe the aid they can render for my problems will increase significantly over the next couple of decades and many are very close to being available now. I am terribly verbose and have likely told you far more than you ever wanted to know, so take what you need and disregard the rest. I am more than happy to try to answer any questions people who have been struck with similar issues as I don't have many options to giving anything back.

Take care and keep us up to speed on your condition. It is certainly possible that we may learn something from your doctor(s) that we have not heard from our own.

Gary

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