As most would know we strongly advocate asking questions of medical professionals if you are ever in doubt or unsure about the diagnosis process, what treatments are being considered for pancreatitis, etc.  We’ve had some recent feedback from LM who writes about recent experiences with her 13 year old daughter who has just had a first attack.  We’ll let LM tell the story:  

Hi i am so sorry your dad wasnt diagnosed properly you must be devastated and let down by the health profession.

My daughter who is only 13 had her first pancreatitis attack in September followed by being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and is now on drugs to control colitis which can bring back pancreatitis! She has now had a second pancreatitis attack and the hospital she is under thought it was her just not “managing the pain” but we stuck together as a family and said it wasnt acceptable her pain and after 10 days they are now listening to us and her after implying “difficult family circumstances” is the problem! She had an ultrasound yesterday and is having an MRCP scan next week now and may go on pancreatic enzymes like you mentioned. Fingers crossed the health care havent messed up and let her pancreas get too bad as she is on tramadol for pain as i insisted and anti sickness drugs. Its been a trying time for the last 6 months in and out of hospitals with 2 recurring diseases running alongise so i know how you must of felt.

Reading your article has armed me with fresh ammunition to ask more questions for a meeting in 1 hours time with the consultant so thank you for that.

Take care

LM

Recently received an email from a sufferer who has found the assistance of a doctor specializing in holistic medicine to be helpful.  Thought readers may find this of interest.

All the best

Jenny and Bill

Thank you for your information. It helps tremendously. I wanted you to know since I’ve been seeing a Holistic Dr I haven’t been in the hospital. I was in and out with severe symptoms requiring 4-5 day stay with 25 mil phenegrin and 50 mil fentaynol every 4 hours til i was better. Enough to knock out an elephant. This went on for several years with a diagnosis of ‘virus’ and gastritis. Finally i saw a different Dr that diagnosed me with chronic pancreatitis. Back to back episodes in the hospital forced me to look for more information. This Dr is treating me with herbs and a drastic food change with eating food combinations. No hospital since July 09 and counting. I would like to recommend this treatment is effective.

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.”