Thank you! Good to know.

Hello @viva (and @denia),I just wanted to give my opinion regarding seeing a Doctor with experience treating MP. I agree with you @viva, finding a doctor familiar with MP is important. At least for a consultation. My recommendation is Dr. Darrell Pardi at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota. This disease can turn your life upside down if you don't see an "MP" qualified Doctor. I realize it may be a hardship to travel and see him and your insurance may not pay for it, but if there is any way you can, I would go online and set up an appointment. Dr. Pardi and his Associates are very qualified. He will be able to read your CT scan(s) and determine the best course of action. In my situation it was to do nothing. I had all the typical symptoms and they just got less severe over time. I had become asymptomatic. Had I not seen him my doctors would still be running multiple CT's, blood test and who knows what. They didn't have a clue. You can have the Mayo Clinic handle any procedures he orders or it may be possible He will advise your Provider (GP) and communicate with him or her how to best handle your case. There are important answers that are needed. I don't want to go into that much detail but only someone like Dr. Pardi can determine how to interpret the information based on experience. At the very least you can try a remote consultation. Apply for the consultation, send your CT scans (on a Disk) and any other information to him for a reading. He would not be able to do a hands on exam but he may be able to direct your Doctor. I have not heard of anyone doing this but I don't know why it would not be possible. I am not affiliated with the Clinic or Dr. Pardi in any way. I am just a satisfied MP Patient. I would be glad to assist anyone wishing to make the contact. Wishing you good health as always,   vdouglas

<br> <br>hello, I've heard a lot about Dr. Pardi. Any contact information or other information will be appreciated ! I would hope my GP would contact him.Thank you.VivaPowered by Cricket Wireless.

@vivaIf viewing this on the Mayo Clinic Connect, there should be a "Make An Appointment" button  in the top right hand corner. Click that button and fill out the information required to make an appointment. You need to request Mayo Clinic Rochester Mn, Dr. Darrell S. Pardi  and specify that you would like a consultation and/or treatment for Mesenteric Panniculitis or other variations of the same. You will be contacted. You will almost certainly need to send them a copy of your CT(s) and reports so I would call your radiologist or the radiology/imaging dept. at the hospital and request a copy. The first copy is usually provided free, you may be charged a small fee for the second. I would get two because you need to keep one in your file at home. If you want things to move quicky try to prepare all of this in advance. You will be contacted again after the CT and any other requested information is evaluated. Be advised you are requesting a service around this point and your insurance or Medicare may be charged for consultation. I don't know this as a matter of fact, I would just expect it as a very qualified individual will be reading your CT. This information may become part of your History at a very reputable Clinic to establish your baseline for any future needs. You really need to establish a baseline to be able to see how your Mesentery changes.If you are trying to do just a consultation based on your CT reading let that be known up front that you cannot travel and want your doctor to be advised. I went to the Clinic so I don't know if this will work as a remote consultation. There may be legal issues that prevent it, but it is worth a try.@vdouglas

What shows up on the ct scan?Nancy Shermoen~

Inflammation. In my case, inflammation of the lymph nodes near the mesentery.

Mine is edema and inflammation of the mesentery. I am having a lot of pain with this.

@denia,     I believe inflammation and edema are common and is what has put a lot of us in the ER in the beginning. If you have a lot of pain and bloating, certainly the inflammation and edema can cause that. If you can't tough it out, ask your Doctor if you can start on an Anti-inflammatory medication. Your history must be reviewed. Some treatments can be worse for some than others depending what other underlying issues you have. A Diabetic, for example, may have a very tough time taking Prednisone. The benefit must outweigh the risk. As I have said before it is best to get a recommendation for treatment from an MP experienced Doctor, if possible. Also, if you have been told recently that you have inflammation of the mesentery, ask your Doctor for a CRP with your next blood work. C-Reactive Protein, it is an indicator for inflammation in the body. I think it is good to know your CRT and make a note how you feel at that level. Keep it in your records for comparison. Get a binder with slide in plastic inserts. Every blood test, get a copy, save everything and put it in you folder. Learn as much as you can and be very proactive and stay positive. Get well everyone@vdouglas

Hello @upnorthnancy,           With Mesenteric Panniculitis the report may say (in a very mild case) "Abnormality of the fat surrounding the super mesenteric artery and vein", "Mild hazy stranding within the central mesentery (pertaining to lymph nodes)". The ER Doctor asked me if I had Cancer. That is what put me on a quest to resolve this issue. I guess I am thankful he asked that. It did change my life for sure. Best wishes,@vdouglas

Hi @vdouglas, @upnorthnancy,
I was worried about cancer. My mother had Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and my father had Crohn's disease. So when I was having pain, I certainly thought of that first. When I found out it was MP, it was a relief, one, because it had a name and two, because it wasn't cancer. After taking prednisone and starting to feel better, I had my second CT scan and found out the lymph nodes had gotten considerably smaller and the mesentery wasn't as hazy. But I did still ask the doctor if it was cancer, would they be able to see it and tell the difference between that and MP. She assured me they would be able to tell the difference, and she was glad I asked the questions. This is all really scary, painful and uncomfortable. I have been seeing a GI team at Park Nicollet in Minneapolis.

Roberta