Chronic Pancreatitis and Gastric Bypass

Hi Chrissy,

Still waiting to see the specialist.  My doctor wants me in the ER today, but I can't stand the thought of being in the hospital.  I'd rather be in pain than face being inpatient.

Can you tell me more about the feeding tube?  Was it through your nose?  I'm wondering why they had to do that if it didn't serve any purpose.

Thank you so much for sharing everything with me.

Kelley

 Ugh, went to add a picture to show you, and I lost everything that I had just typed.. 

Ok lets try this again.. lol.. without pictures.. I will post them on my website.

I dont know why your doc wants you to go to the ER unless your lab work is off the charts or for pain management.

The tube went into the front part of my abdomen (looking down at my wrinkly belly) to the left.  It did nothing but hang out about 6 inches.  I didnt have to drain it, feed thru it.  It just kind of hung there.

It went into the bypassed part of my stomach, the old, unused part.  It has to stay in place for about 6 weeks prior to the ERCP.  This allows for a tunnel to form.  Then the GI goes in thru that tunnel for shorter access to the pancreas, liver, bile ducts and sphincter.  If we werent so rearranged, the non-WLS person gets the ERCP down the throat.  However, with us, they would need at least a 7ft scope and they just dont make those.

After the procedure, the tube stays in for about another 3-4 weeks in case they have to go back in for anything.  (comforting, isnt that.. LOL)  It was very simple to take out, and I didnt have to be put out.  The GI took it out, but the bariatric surgeon could have also.

I will post some of the pics on my website under my bariatric journey.  the website is www.showmetheskinny.weebly.com

Hope that helps, good luck and keep me posted!

 I posted the pics, hopefully they arent too scary.  LOL..

I dont know why, I thought you were on the west coast.  Look into Hackensack Univ Hospital in NJ.  My sis in law works in the endoscopy unit there.  Two of the docs that she works for understood the procedure I was going thru and why the feeding tube was placed.

Hackensack would be about an hour and a half drive from you if you are near Albany.  We spent 2 months up at Camp Schodack a few summers ago.  

I can also get the names of the docs from her.  They may also work in NYC.  Either way, I know that they have the knowledge and technology to do what you need to have done.

I'm not too far from Schodack at all!  What a small world.  I'm seeing a specialist in Albany next Wednesday at St. Peter's Hospital.  I've been told Beth Israel in NYC is good, but I'll try close to home first.  St. Peter's just opened a new pancreas and liver center so I'm hoping they can help.  I'll have to look for your pictures.  I watched an ERCP on Utube last night....YUCK!

I dont know that you should watch that prior to having it done.. LOL..

I think one of the docs my sis in law works with is also from Beth Isreal.. that seems to ring a bell.

When did you have labs done last? my liver panel went skyrocketing prior to the procedure then came down instantly afterwards.  If the pain level gets too much, go to the ER!

Glad to hear that the appt is coming up soon.  Hopefully since they are a new place, they will have their act together!  

Send me an email ([email protected])  I have the sheet from the GI with a diagram explaing the procedure.. maybe that would help the doc next week.  I dont know that I would be able to put that on my website..  I scanned it and emailed it to my sis in law so she could figure out what they were doing to me.. lol!

In looking up info about my condition I found your posts from last year.  I had my g. bypass in 2006 and lost 110 lbs.  This past year I've been found to have an abnormal duct in the pancreas and many of what appear to be cysts.  I'm now caught up in a giant catch 22.

Two gastroenterolgist can't seem to find a good way to get down through my stomach to do the procedure they need to do.  (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography).    

 There seems to be no other way for them to get biopsies, but they're worried about doing the actual procedure on me.  In the meantime I'm in so much discomfort and pain.  I'm losing more weight than I need to and am very concerned that it's pancreatic cancer. 

Drs. offices aren't in any big hurry to get you in, the waiting of first this new specialist and then another is taking up what seems to be extremely important time.

They say this condition is NOT pancreatitis yet to have gotten this way I should have had it at least one time.  Not to my knowldege and I really think I'd have remembered something so painful.

So very frightening and frustrating!

Hello,

 

Can you tell me what the pains felt like ?

Hello,

 

Can you tell me what the pains felt like?

You may want to post a new post.  This is from 2011.

 How did it go with the appt?  Are they going to do the ERCP?