Hi Stacey,

Yes!! I had this surgery on Feb 22, 2008 and I am doing so much better!!!!!! It is a major surgery, and it has long recovery (long time before it don't hurt to sneeze) but I have NO regrets and I would recommend it to anyone who qualifies and has chronic pancreatitis. It is the ONLY cure we have and not be a brittle diabetic. My landlord told me within 2 months of the surgery that I looked 15 years younger, I was feeling that much better!

I am sure you have a million questions and I will answer them all. Just ask away.

Lots of Gentle Hugs
ReeAnn, Founder
The Pancreatitis Place

How bad do you have to be before the recommendation for surgery comes? My GI Doc is of the opinion that the surgery causes more pain than it solves. Have you heard of that?

Hello Healthy Squid,

I really think it depends on the doctor you see and whether or not they (or their faculity) is able to perform the surgery. On the internet, in places such as this, there are close knit families of people who pancreatitis. We learn about different treatments, including this surgery and what doctors can perform it, from each other, then we normally will seek doctors and treatments ourselves. We become more educated from each other than the average doc out there. Definitely more than a general practitioner.

Most people will go see Dr. Sutherland in MN for the surgery. He is the one who first did this surgery in 1978, so of course he is the most famous for doing it. In the past 2 years the number of medical centers across the country that can perform the surgery (with equipment to isolate the Islet cells) has tripled. Now people don't have to travel as far for the surgery.

That was a major factor in my surgery. I could not afford to travel to MN. I lived in Charlottesville, VA home to the UVA Medical Center and I knew eventually they would be offering the surgery, it was just a matter of time. So I waited.

Stacey is seeing a doc in Cinncinati (sp?) another medical center where they offer the surgery. So of course they are going to offer it as an available treatment option. I am willing to beat your doctor is not associated with a teaching hospital that offers the surgery.

Not all teaching hospitals offer the surgery yet. I mentioned the number has triple in the last couple of years. Well a couple of years ago there were only 5 or 6 medical center across the country that offered it!

Prior to the surgery my pancreas specialist was Dr. Lehman in Indy. A world renown pancreas specialist. He is the the only one I would ever allow to do an ERCP on me. But IU did not offer the surgery, so he was not supportive when I mentioned it to him. Yet I am doing so much better now!!

We like to think our doctors are only concerned with helping us. But the truth of the matter is they are also watching the bottom line and wanting to keep it in the black and out of the red (if you know anything about accounting).

I hope this helps explain it a bit Healthy and Stacey.

Lots of Gentle Hugs,
ReeAnn, Founder
The Pancreatitis Place

Thanks ReeAnn!! I am starting to look forward to having this surgery done so I can finally be free of this GODAWFUL pain!!

Yeah I was wondering how long and how awful you have to suffer before this becomes an option. I'm 22 and had my first acute attack at 19. It's not nearly as bad as some of the people on here but I wonder for in the future. I already have had to withdraw and watch thousands of dollars go down the drain because I can't finish my schoolwork. I keep trying but I think it's time to stop for awhile until I can figure out how to get this under control. I actually was looking at CP specialists and had picked Dr. Sutherland as my top choice. Lol, partly because he's one of the closest docs to me. But now I think I'll wait, I'm not in dire need of surgery yet. Still the waiting game and pain rehab clinic in 2 weeks. And I need more pain meds so we'll see if they give me a refill when I call tomorrow. I made a comment to my doc the last time was in we talked about how he felt silly for asking me if I was selling them, the pills are worth much more than any amount of money to me! But anyways, thought I'd add my 2 cents.

Sapphire, I agree with your question and am going to ask that question to my GI Doc this afternoon which is, "How long and how awful do I have to suffer before surgery becomes an option?"

Also, I agree with Sapphire 100% about selling the pain meds. My pain meds are much more valuable to me and my well being than selling them to someone else. This is coming from someone who has been laid off for over 6 months. One time I came across street prices on the \'net and based on those prices, my meds on the street would be worth over $10,000. That made me think twice about carrying full bottles with me. I now only carry what I might need in a day.

Sorry to have side tracked the original poster.

I\'ve had pancreatic problems since I was 14!! I am now 35 and more than ready to have a somewhat normal life. I have so much pain and nausea that I am pretty much homebound. I don\'t like to go anywhere that is too public because I like to puke in peace!!!!

i\'ve had pacr divisium for 22 yrs and now i\'m 50\'ish plus. i\'ve had a sphincteroplasty, stents for 1 yr[that was proc at the time where i went] and a whipple 15 yrs ago all at mass gen hosp. i have been using a pain dr since very beging. he spec in more organ pain vs musc or bone type things. i had 12 eus blocks done in 6 yrs even though dr wasn\'t sure after 3rd what would happen long term but cutting pain meds in 1/2 for 6-8 months was enough for me. try to work with a university affliated hosp where the expertise is. it takes time to work out what works for you diet wise ,mentally and physically,med wise. however if you use pain dr there are guidelines and rules! you must follow to a T.that is for your\'s and dr\'s protection! but keep working on it and you might find a good plan for you and know it will need to be tweaked at times have a good day!!

I had CP for over 2 years and had the whipple surgery done 2 months ago and just got out of the hospital for another attack so sometimes the surgery doesn\'t even work. Just make sure you get all the information and answers before doing anything. If I knew I\'d get sick again, I would have never gone through that major surgery. It was horrible.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/05/university_of_alabama_at_birmi_9.html