Differential Diagnosis
Posted , 8 users are following.
Help With Diagnostic:
For last 11 years I experience symptoms that resemble Chronic Pancreatitis in many ways, yet blood tests don’t confirm that. Multiple trips to multiple gastroenterologists did not result in anything conclusive either. So I am trying to find out if other CP patients have any experience with the following. Please share your thoughts and observations. Negative answers and any suggestions will be of help as well.
Even very small amount of certain foods (less than 1 gram of anything fatty, salty, spicy or fried) will produce series of symptoms that last several days, namely
- burning pain in epigastric area that irradiates to shoulder blades on the back
- nausea and strong acidic, metallic taste in the mouth
- mental confusion, mind fog and depression
- insomnia or overwhelming daytime drowsiness
- frequent urination
- edema
no medication or any other activity reduces the symptoms. The only way to stop them is to adhere to very strict diet (oatmeal and boiled vegetables) and rest.
Please help.
Andrew
1 like, 24 replies
joanna17875 andrew60537
Posted
I have just found this and am in the same boat, I needed my gallbladder removing which went 8 weeks ago, I put all of the symptoms down to my faulty gallbladder but nothing has improved. I am still on the oatmeal/boiled veg and soup diet. My main issue is falling asleep all the time especially after food, no odema but my pee smells fruity. I too have been tested for diabetes and liver function, infection and raised inflamation but nothing. Hmmmmmm, I will follow this with interest as I now believe it must be a pancreas issue.
All the very best.
andrew60537 joanna17875
Posted
Yes, it might be. And yes, fruity smell of urine and changed smell of stool are the symptoms that are with me every time I get into acute stage of illness. If your condition is anything like mine then stay away from too much fruits and sweets as well - they will cause worsening of symptoms a couple days later. The only reliable thing is strict diet for at least 2-3 weeks (buckwheat, oatmeal, steamed veggies). I was impatient before and thought that fasting for a few days would change things but it did not. Pancreas (if it is pancreas) needs a week or two of relative rest to get out of acute inflammation stage. This condition is not forgiving and you may need to be very strict with your diet to manage the symptoms.
Best wishes
joanna17875 andrew60537
Posted
Oh Hi again by the way I don't smoke or drink either. I do get very low with this as myife seems on hold, one normal meal and I feel hideous
(
My gp just looks perplexex, as I spent three years trying to convi ce them my gallbladder was dodgy I don't hold out much hope!!
andrew60537 joanna17875
Posted
Hi,
In my experience, most doctors have neither time nor knowledge to deal with complicated cases like hours. If standard lab tests won't clearly point them to the diagnoses, they will not take time - they have to see next patient. They will send you to more tests and other doctors - and the process will repeat until you give up or find solution on your own. If you put additional pressure on your doctors they will talk about stress, anxiety, depression, mental illness, whatever in order not to admit that they don't have time to properly research and figure out what is happening.
On the bright side: if your condition is typical CP, then with strict diet and enzymes you may lead relatively normal life. By the way - see if enzymes help - ask doctor for Creon prescription or find something over the counter with similar potency and take them with each meal (when you start eating) for a couple of weeks to see the effect.
joanna17875 andrew60537
Posted
Thank you Andrew, firstly because I truly feel I am losing my mind and secondly because I have never heard of Creon and I will try anything that possibly helps my situation. I can't believe you have had 11 years of this? ! Wow!
Healing thoughts to you
Best regards
andrew60537 joanna17875
Posted
If I could go back in time 11 years and know what I know now I would've said to myself: "admit that you can't eat certain foods and abandon them forever. Abandon some strenuous and nerve-wrecking activities as well. Eat only foods that do not aggravate your symptoms and eat them in small portions and over regular intervals. Do not increase damage to your pancreas."
If you do have CP, then those things could add years to your relatively normal life. Creon is just standard enzyme med. If meals aggravate your symptoms, then it may help.
Good luck.
Don't despair.
With some thinking, testing and logical approach you can find ways to cope with your condition and lead almost normal life.
joanna17875 andrew60537
Posted
Yes, this is sounding all too familiar!! Strict is the word, definately! If I stray from the diet within 48 hours I know about it, the only (trying to be positive here) is that I have dumped sugar, sweets and coffee out of my life, weak tea I am hanging on to, because of the gallbladder malfunction I had all but given up fats anyway. I dare not let myself think of the future and whether this is life limiting,
for now I am just happy every day I feel well.
Thank you again and very best wishes.
Jo
jx41870 andrew60537
Posted
I'm looking in on this group because of a friend, so don't know much about diagnosis. But I saw your diet, and you need to do something more about protein, I guess non-fat diary is common. Maybe if you include some beans in your boiled veggies. Surely there are more resources about diet for this condition.