Just received a request for assistance from a reader who is not receiving the best treatment from their doctor/s.  This response (see below) to an earlier post is so typical of the plight of so many with pancreatitis, isn’t it!  We’ve written about this situation before - will make sure these articles are included in this blog.  In the meantime, if anyone would like to comment and offer some further advice please leave a comment.

All the best everyone.

Bill

“A month ago I was hospitalized for two weeks with severe pancreatitis and gallbladder stones. After two weeks of no eating or drinking I finally was sent to surgery and my gallbladder and lap-band (of 5 years) was removed.
Two days after returning home from the hospital severe abdominal pains started, mostly down in my right pelvis area. I have been to the ER 3 times since coming home and have been diagnosed with diverticulitis (and undiagnosed), degenerative disc disease and high lipase levels that after one night in the hospital lowered to high-end normal.
My question is this: Are there any of you out there that suffer with this disease, only have pain in the abdominal/pancreas area or do you sometimes have it all over? My pain at first felt like a hot poker was being stabbed in my left hip. Then last week the pain has shifted to my right lower abdomen. This week I feel like I have been punched with an upper-cut by a world prized fighter right under my rib cage. I have been sent home with Lortab which does little- to- nothing for the pain and I have been put on steroids being told that my degenerative discs were causing the abdominal pain. The prednisone course is done and I am still in pain. I’m to the point that I feel as if I am going to have to self treat this because my doctors here in my small community write me off as being nothing but a hypochondriac. I’ve had one Dr. tell me it will take months to get over, while another doctor the same day tell me it’s not my pancreas because I only had an attack because of my gallstones, and not one health professional has given me any feed back as to what to eat, how to live, or information on what this disease is. I feel as if I am going crazy!
I just feel like I am going out of my mind. Any stories of your pain symptoms would be greatly appreciated!! I have purchased each of the three books and am on my way to living with this but trying to make intelligent decisions in my care and see if I really am going crazy or not.”