What is Pancreatitis
Chronic pancreatitis can present as episodes of acute inflammation in a previously injured pancreas, or as chronic damage with persistent pain or malabsorption.
Patients with...
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At the End of My Rope!
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I'm a 54 year old male. My CP progression started in 2005. I had 3 AP attacks in 4 months in 2005. Segue to October 2008. My sugar went up to 585 so I went to the emergency room of a local hospital. My amalyse and liapayse were both over 5000. I was admitted and spent 2 weeks there. My pain never went away, I continued to have diarrhea and couldn't eat much. Later in November 2008, after loosing 25 pounds in 5 weeks, I was readmitted to another hospital and that is where they diagnosed me with CP.... it was devastating! I spent 2 weeks in that hospital and was given Pancrealypase 4500, Vicodin and Tramadol. I made it thru December 2008, but in January 2009 I had lost 40 pounds and was getting worse. My PCP sent me to Ohio State University Medical Center where I stayed for 3 weeks. They discovered that I had Pancreatic Divisum. They implanted a stent, removed it 2 days later and released me.
By then I had lost 65 pounds and I was transferred to a rehab center because I couldn't walk and had no stamina. I was in rehab for 4 weeks. I was then told that I couldn't live alone in my home; I needed someone with me 24/7. I lost my job, my medical insurance, my home, most of my belongings and my car. I applied for SSI in February 2009, but have not received any response from them yet. I do get food stamps and hate it. Since February 2009 my father passed away, I had heart surgery and was diagnosed with vertigo. I've spent 80+ days in the hospital from November 2008 thur April 2009. I currently live with my 80 year old aunt who is very gracious with letting me live with her. I can't drive because of the Tramadol and Vicodin therefore I am dependent on relatives for everything. I’m usually a very upbeat person, but all of these issues have gotten to me. I can only endure so much. Right now I’m in constant pain, have uncontrollable bouts of diarrhea and massive depression. My doctors have told me I will probably never get back to work. It seems that I’m really on my own. No one I know knows anything about CP and a lot of people haven’t ever heard of it. If you have gone thru similar circumstances, please drop me a note and tell me your story. I’m at the end of my rope. Thank you. PietroM P.S. This is the first forum or discussion group I have participated in. So please forgive any breaches of policy or practices. Posted on 10/26/09, 11:10 pm |
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First, let me say that you've come to a great place! I've found so much support and encouragement from this group and I know you will too.
I am so sorry you've been through all you've been through. It's so difficult to stay upbeat when you are sick all the time. And as you said, when you have no one around who understands what you are going through, it makes it even more difficult. What I can say is don't give up! We will be here to support you, to cry with you, and just to pat you on the back when you need it. I just came home from the doctor very depressed because I just got out of the hospital and wasn't recuperating like I usually do. They think I now have kidney stones also so that adds to the anxiety. But I am nowhere where you are. So I'm glad I got on the forum. I came looking for support - instead I read your note and knew I had to respond and be a support! I think that's one of the keys to keeping on - if you feel you can be of help to someone else, it sort of makes your own troubles not seem so bad. At least that's how it is for me. So maybe try offering support and encouragement to others. You might be surprised at how it will affect you. I know it does wonders for me. I wish you well! 
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I REALLY appreciate you taking the time to respond. I've been told that I should go see a psychiatrist; an idea I'm not comfortable with. Maybe I'll change my mind later...
Just having someone respond to my condition makes me feel less alone somehow. And I wanted to let you know that and that I thank you!
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That's what this forum is for - to let you know you are not alone! There may not be any other person here who knows exactly what you are going through because we all have different symptoms and different medications, etc. But we all know some of what you are going through and we know what we've been through. So that makes us kindred spirits.
Regarding psychiatry, that's totally up to you. I will tell you that if you aren't comfortable with it, I wouldn't do it right now. Maybe later you will feel different. You have to do what feels good for you - not what others tell you is right. If you are honest with yourself, it won't lead you wrong!
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pietroM
i'm sorry to hear of your troubles. i, too, have found my life changed tremendously due to Cp, but because it took so long to diagnose, i had to make adjustments to my life along the way. one of those adjustments was divorce. my ex just could not live with someone who was always sick, not feeling well and had pain. At that time, the doctors could not put a label on it, so she assumed it was all in my head. i lost my lucrative job and went into teaching. That went ok until the Cp got in the way of my strength and endurance to work a full day and the constant pain medications i had to take to tolerate working. i finally quit about a month ago and found it a relief and it was a real battle every day to get through 8 hours. now i am faced with no income and applying for disability which i know will probably be denied the first or second time around. it's a lonely process, as you stated. When i had my first attach, no one could figure out what was wrong. i had tons of tests and no answers. This was when I was about 30. For the next 20 years i struggled with the back and stomach pain and the misery of feeling sick all the time. i was finally able to get a doctor to give me percocet to relieve what we thought was a herniated disc at T11,12. When i lost 30 pounds recently he decided it was probably not the disc! i've just gone through another round of tests and don't have the results, but the only thing they've ever come up with was mild chronic pancreatitis. i don't think mild describes it any more. What i wanted to say was that i would not hesitate to go to a psychiatrist. my first bout was accompanied by horrible depression that was unresponsive under my internal medicine guy's care. i went to a psychiatrist who was wonderful and i still go to him this day, although he is 1000 miles away now. We tried different drugs for the anxiety and depression until we found a combination that worked and i've stayed on that ever since. mental illness frequently goes along with chronic illness and i would spend the money to find a good one and go. it's not like your financial picture could get much worse, but you might finally feel a little better after a few weeks on medication. my doctor saved my life as i was suicidal at the time. Go for help. you will feel better. if you decide not to go, please correspond as i know where you've been.
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