Re: Pancreas Divisum (For Kris)
From: Kris (krisl1204@yahoo.com)
Wed Mar 11 05:05:08 2009
At Tue, 10 Mar 2009, Katie wrote:
> Hi Katie! It was discovered thorugh an endoscopic ultrsound (EUS) in January, before my surgery. My GI doctor sent me to a pancreatic specialist. He acknowledged my adhesions as the probable cause of my issues. He ordered the EUS in the hopes that it would show something wrong with my gall bladder that other tests hadn't to give the surgeon justification to remove it during my adhesion surgery. Much to our mutual surprise, it showed this condition. It's a congenital birth defect, not a hereditary one. It only happens in 5% of the populationand only 1% of those who have it have problems. Ironically, my brother also has it! He had a severe attack of acute pancreatitis 8 or 9 years ago. Anway, my enzyme levels are all normal and I show no pancreatic damage or evidence of pancreatitis.
Therefore, the pancreatic specialist told me to have the adhesion
surgery and said he hoped he never saw me again! Meaning, of course,
that he hoped that would take take of the problem. He does't want to do
an ERCP and put the stent in, because doing the procedure triggers a
pancreatitis attack about 20% of the time. Did that happen to you? Do
you also have pancreas divisum? Did that cause your pancreatic isssues?
I know this condition can cause the pain without pancreatitis. All this
abodiminal pain sucks! I feel pretty good in the morning, but every day,
around 11:00, the "old pain" starts, just as it always did. As I
mentioned in my post, I'm so much better than before surgery in terms of
the tightness pain, but that old stabbing one is still there. I'll give
it time. Please let me know how you're doing!!
>Kris, did they discover this condition in you through testing PRIOR to
>your surgery or DURING your surgery? If it was before surgery, what test
>found it? I have been having pancreatic problems for almost 3 years and
>have had 2 ERCP's, and a bile duct stent. I am having alot of problems
>right now.