nerve pain from CP/pancreas?

Shortie, thanks for the reply. I don't get frozen shoulder, but it is a stabbing/aching like pain next to the shoulder blade and pain/weakness/tingling down the backside of my left arm. Sometimes by elbow and wrist really hurt, and my C7 vertebrae is supper supper sore to touch on the left side. If I press on that spot if feels like an electric shock. I was having a hard time thinking that the pancreas can cause a neck vertebrae to hurt, but who knows. 

In the past (the last 20 months) when my pain under my right rib would flare up I would get indigestion and referred pain into my right shoulder. This pattern was very consistent. The left shoulder/neck/arm pain is new, and makes me wonder if something has "evolved" with the pancreas/bile issue or if this is something more structural in nature. I was wondering if folks with CP had a sudden shift in pain location like this, or a similar pain profiles of nerve-like radiculopathy.

I get an ache then stabbing sensation in my shoulder that even radiated up to my ear when my pancreas flares up. I didn’t know I had CP when I was diagnosed with frozen shoulder. My frozen shoulder also gradually happened, it didn’t just freeze. I started to lose range of motion due to the pain and eventually it locked up. Fortunately it got better after cortisone shots and I have full range of motion now. However, when my pancreas flares, my shoulder does too. I actually didn’t know what referred pain was until years later. I don’t get pain on my right side, it’s strictly left for me but I also don’t have a gallbladder.  I got CP due to Pancreas Divisum (born with two pancreatic ducts that never fused together). My ducts get clogged up very easily and I suffer pancreatitis symptoms without getting a full blown attack. My pancreas gets so sore, it literally hurts to touch my back. I’ve been through almost every treatment except having my pancreas removed which is the next step (I just don’t know when or the specific details). There’s so many nerves next to the pancreas and the spine, it’s very difficult to differentiate the two. If you still have your gallbladder and you’re feeling pain on your right side then I would contact your doctor. I remember feeling pain in my shoulder when my gallbladder was removed but that was back in 2003. We tend to get so used to pain that we ignore it. I wouldn’t ignore it. It’s better to be safe. It took the doctors over a year to diagnose my pancreas issues and it has been a battle dealing with them. It’s amazing how one organ can affect your body. I truly hope you feel better soon! 

No, not yet, but it is what my doctors are suspecting. I have yet to have a EUS, but I have had 2 CTs, colonoscopy, endoscopy, 6 liver/pancreas blood panels, gallbladder removed, and MRCP 17 months after symptoms first appeared. All negative. I have been taking pancreatic enzymes and they seem to help digestion and pain, so doc's are leaning towards early CP. If have more than 10 grams of fat per meal I feel pain and caffeine and alcohol also causes pain. I have had these symptoms for about 22 months now. 

The medical journal articles state the average time from first symptoms to diagnosis in CP patiens is between ~60 and 80 months, so I may have a long road to a diagnosis. I suspect it takes this long for damage/stones to become apparent on scans. 

Hello Clive, 

I have not had my B12 tested, but I do take a daily vitamin that has 200% daily intake needs. I suppose this could attribute to the neck/arm pain, but not sure how it would cause such a severe reaction to fatty foods, etc. Thanks for the suggestion, I had never heard of Pernicious Anaemia.

Pernicious means fatal or deadly and when I was diagnosed with P.A. back in 1972 I was "given" two years to live unless I either ate raw liver three times a day or had injections of Vitamin B12 every month for the rest of my life.

Much as I love liver, bacon and onions - cooked - I opted for the injections and I'm still "clivealive" at the age of 77.

I will message you a link which deals with malabsorption of B12 due to pancreatic insufficiency.

It could be that even the B12 you are supplementing isn't "getting through".

In a normal healthy person the stomach lining has what are called "Gastric parietal cells" which produce "Intrinsic Factor" which travels with food through the small intestine which is made up of three parts - the Duodenum, the Jejunum and the Ileum..

Iron is absorbed in the Duodenum, most other nutrients in the Jejunum and our friend B12 in the Ileum.

Here the Intrinsic Factor binds to the B12 and the "B12/IF Complex" enters the cells on the wall of the Ileum after binding to receptors on the surface of the Ileal cells, allowing it to enter the blood stream.

Sadly some people with "traditional P,A." either do not produce Intrinsic Factor or if they do, they also produce an antibody which destroys it and it is then called "Autoimmune Pernicious Anaemia". In addition it can happen that we produce "Parietal cell Antibodies" and "Intrinsic Factor Antibodies"

which totally wipes out any chance of absorbing the B12.

I'm not for one moment suggesting that you have P.A. - just that you may need to have your serum B12 level checked together with your Folate (a.k.a.folic acid) as the two "work together" 

You make excellent points. I also have to get B12 injections even though I take a multivitamin everyday. B12 deficiency can cause havoc on nerves as well as the stomach. I recently found out there’s a hereditary condition called HH which affects the pancreas, liver, heart and tissue. Apparently the body can’t absorb iron correctly but it usually doesn’t affect women until menopause and it’s a gene mutation condition. It’s more common in men but it’s rare at the same time. I honestly feel like it takes the doctors so long to diagnose the pancreas issues that we end up developing malabsorption issues as well. I definitely feel it’s a learning process everyday. I’m glad there’s a forum like this for support.