I had my gallbladder removed in August 2021 and a stone had lodged in the pancreas making me pretty sick. I was in the hospital for 6 days. Afterwards, I lost about 10 pounds, bringing me down to about 174 lbs. (menopause weight of 35 ponds). Then around the end of the year, I started to gain weight very fast and even my PCP was concerned but never looked into what was going on. Over the course of four years, I have gained 80 lbs., and it won't come off. The doctors I had said I was eating the wrong foods and wasn't exercising enough. Well, that just about sent me into a shouting match with the Gastro doctor I had then. I have been trying to get into Mayo Phoenix/Scottsdale for the elevated lipases of 288 (July 14, 2025) but have been denied for the second time. My next step is to call Mayo in Rochester and to see if I can get a PCP there because I can't get that here either. That puts me out-of-network even though I am at 80/20 on my insurance. At least I am being seen in Cardiology in Scottsdale and just maybe, I can get them to nudge the Gastro department. I recently learned that chronic pancreatitis can also affect the cardiovascular system.