Heterogeneous Pancreas on ultrasound

hello carebearwsmom, this is what I found online:

A heterogenous pancreas is a radiological description of a Pancreas, which is not uniform in its appearance. It describes a pancreas, which appears like a mix of tissues of various densities. Such appearance can occur due to various conditions like - Fatty pancreas, inflammatory changes associated with acute / chronic pancreatitis, panreatic neoplasms, etc. 

I hope it helps better understand what the PA was talking about. please join "pancreatitis survivors" on Face book if u ask questions they answer quicker n u have lots of different experiences n pancreas problem. good luck n hope to see ur post!

Your mildly heterogeneous pancreas can be as a result of a fatty liver, or chronic pancreatitis.  It displays a mix of densities due to various factors including alcohol damage and obesity.  It can also be because you have calcifications on your pancreas.  You'll need to see a gastroenterologist, who hopefully specialises in the pancreas, who can do further tests to clarify and diagnose.  A CT and an endoscopy will show a clearer picture.

Stop drinking alcohol if you drink, lose weight if obese, stop smoking if you do, eat a low fat diet. 

Eat small low fat meals throughout the day rather than 3 large meals, you'll feel much better.  If you have chronic pancreatitis you'll have to adopt the no alcohol, no smoking, low fat eating regime permanently.

Well my GI doctor called this morning (3 hours after I called because they are awesome) and said many people have some fat in their pancreas as they age.  However, the PA at my GP's office called (four days after scaring the crap out of me) and said the fat is from alcohol consumption.  I have stopped drinking any alcohol and will never drink again.  BUT I never drank more than 3-4 glasses a wine on a Friday night.  I never drink during the week, and often not on Saturdays.  Still, the PA was insistent that I was big drinker, and acted as if I was lying.  So insulting.  Apparently, the fatty pancreas can lead to bad stuff, like pancreatitis, so I need to lose weight - I've gotten chubby in my 50's - need to lose about 25 pounds.  But honestly, nothing like shaming someone who feels like crap.  All in all, I realize I am lucky to get this early warning, and have the chance to try to fix it.

Pleased that you have answers and fully understand how you felt re the insulting alcohol assumptions by PA. 

Whilst waiting to see someone for test results and just prior to my diagnoses with CP I was in the waiting room and called by one of the gastroenterologists.  He didn't wait for the privacy of his office, he loudly abused me for being a heavy drinker right there in the waiting room!  I'd never consumed alcohol because of another health issue I was born with and was mortified and said I didn't drink and he laughed out loud saying alcoholics always say that and shouted and abused me and kept on asking when I had my last drink. 

Ignorance is still rife within the medical fraternity, doesn't matter if one has the title 'Dr' or not one can still be an a..hole human being. 

I had fatty liver diagnosis years before pancreatitis diagnosis, my doc's and I put it down to my other disease which is hepatic based.  Seems we should have been monitoring what was going on prior to my CP diagnosis.

Losing weight will make a difference for sure re your fatty liver and whilst I'm not encouraging drinking at all, once the liver is sorted having the odd drink, at celebrations and such, shouldn't be a huge issue, according to my previous research.  However if your drinking was beyond the odd social drink or getting to that level I'd not drink again if I was you.  Good luck.