Pancreatitis

Has anyone dealt with this at all post-op? Well anyhow, I am having some troubles. I have been gaining some weight back, and have had a lot of epigastric pain. Being in the medical field can sometimes be good, and sometimes you know too much for your own good and get yourself anxious!! My Amylase has been going up, which is not good. I do know that a doctor I went to in Iowa City in the Endocrinology dept had said that post-op gastric bypass patients do have a higher risk for pancreatitis, etc. Since my stomach has been hurting so much we have been doing some tests. The H.pylori serum came back negatve, my glucose has been dropping, but still in normal range, and my Amylase is going up. The ultrasound tech today could not give me any results of course, but only said thatthe pancreas did look a little "fluffy" whatever that means!! sighs Then, I get back my Parathyroid. Some of you might have this checked routinely, some may not. My Calcium has never been too low, only when I first had it tested. Now it is at the bottom of normal, but my parathyroid hormone keeps going up. I had gotten it back down for a while when I was taking Calcium 4-5 times daily but I got pretty constipated and I was miserable always having to eat something to take those dumb pills so I have only been taking them twice a dayl. Now my PTH has gone up to double what it was a few months ago! They did do a thyroid ultrasound which didnt show too much last summer but now I am starting to think it may be more. The doc in Iowa City had put me on Rocaltrol, its a Calcium prescription that is good, but its super expensive. So once my title XIX ran out I stopped taking it. But I am guesssin they are going to put me back on it and double it. Anybody else been thru any of these troubles?? Let me know! My doc has told me to go back to Grinnell to see them, hopefully to do an upper endoscopy to see whats going on. Great. Help??!!?? I am going to Grinnell Friday morning to see Stefanie. I know she is super cool and can help, but i just want some friendly comforting words??!! Thanks Judi Detmering

Judi I was just hospitalized for the same thing on the first of Nov at Mercy Capitol and then had Ct scan done there and took the disk they now give you to take to you dr and I went to see Kermode in Grinnell two weeks ago and he was like I have a Hernia right where your rib cage meets in the middle which is causing bowel blockage I am having Surgery in less then 14 hours from now and I have been in so much pain I am taking 3 pain pills every three to four hours and you are so right go see Stefanie she is super cool and honest and is good at what she does so I will keep you in my prayers because I know how bad you must be feeling not knowing what is going on keep your chin up it will all turn out fine Take Care Sheila

Well here is the good news It isnt pancreatitis! Since my Amylase went back down that is pretty much ruled out. The BAD NEWS::: An ulcer. yeah. that sucks. Boy Stef really gave me heck today, and YES I will admit I deserved it! I havent quite been taking the vitamins that they now recommend. And I havent taken the calcium quite like they want. She is bound and determined that we are going to get my PTH (parathyroid) down though without surgery. But the osteopenia I have now is nothing to be messed with so I am seeing the internist at Grinnell to talk with them. For the ulcer-she put me on Karafate, Protonix woohoo fun. And I need to start taking the Prenatal vitamins, B complex, more more more Calcium, and VItamin D prescription. yippee. and no more Ibuprofen!! Ahhh Now what do I do? Judi