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Pancreas problem?

Posted , 13 users are following.

leigh74005
leigh74005

Sorry for the length of this post.

Male, 38

For the past couple of years, I have had occasional pains in right upper abdomen. Had an ultrasound 2 years ago that showed slightly fatty liver. I put the pains down to this and got on with life. The pains would come and go. This time, they have stayed. The most recent symptoms started around 10th may. This was a day after a couple of bottles of beer (5-6) when sitting in garden. They were only on the right side around my ribs and slightly wrapping around into the back occasionally. Around 29th may, the pains had mostly settled down. I had a bbq and a few beers on this day. Probably more beers than i should have had. Pains ramped back up a day or so later. It stayed this way upto approx 10th June when the pains started to move to the centre. A couple of days later, I noticed that the pains moved into the upper right back and to the left upper abdomen. The left abdomen pains are very mild and persistent. About a week after this, I noticed a lot of mucus in poo. I also passed some mucus when I broke wind. This has not happened again

For about 3 weeks now, I have been feeling weak. Almost like i am not getting enough energy from my food. I was not eating normally because of high anxiety. I am eating normally now but feel constantly hungry. I have lost a lot of weight over the last 6 to 7 weeks. (About 10pounds). I have not been eating much fatty food. I also do not eat well when I am anxious. My calorie intake has been around 1400. I have upped this as it is not sustainable. I have put around 2 pounds back on and weight seems to have stabilised at 16st. 

I have had an ultra sound of liver and gallbladder done. This was ok. A little fat in liver. I have also had a dual phase ct scan of pancreas done as it was not seen on ultrasound scan. This also came back entirly normal. I have had bloods done. ALT was slightly raised (71). All other bloods were normal. Went to see a gastro last week. Told him all of my symptoms and my concerns for pancreas problems. He said that the pancreas is normal as well as all the other internal organs. He has said that i have IBS. From What i have read, IBS shouldnt cause back pain and cause weekness and weight loss. Does this sound like Chronic Pancreatitis? As far as i know, I have never had an acute attack. I have had real bad pains over the years that would last for a minute or two. I put this down to indigestion or heart burn as they would only last for a short period of time and not come back for months or years.

If this was a pancreas problem, given the length of symptoms, would the CT have picked this up?

0 likes, 99 replies

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  • gp501
    gp501 leigh74005

    Posted

    Just following this Leigh - did anything show re gallbladder and gallstone tests?  Just quickly scanned through and not read through properly
  • leigh74005
    leigh74005

    Posted

    Nothing has shown itself on any scan. I had an mrcp scan yesterday. Waiting for results to come though. Spoke to docs secretary and she said he will phone me today to let me know results. Not heard from him yet. Don't suppose I will now. Chase up on Monday.

  • saifhameed
    saifhameed leigh74005

    Posted

    I have was diagnosed with ibs in 2011. Had a colonoscopy in 2011. Everything was going fine till last year when i started losing weight unintentionally.

    I regularly get oily stools from last one year.went to gastro specialist. He did endoscopy with biopsy to rule out celiac and limited sigmoidoscopy to rule out ulcerative colitis and chrohns.

    He did rediagnosed it as ibs like before.

    I have lost 4 kg weight in last one year and suffer from foully flatulence and gas. Nausea is also there at times.

    My bowel are not too oily and i dont see oil droplets floating in the toilet bowel but when i wipe it up, i feel oily. The stools are too smelly and the texture looks abnormal. There are small tiny solid particles (sand like) in the stool. No doc describes me what the hell actually these are.

    I have visited new gastro dr and he has adv EUS and said other tests cannot make an early diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. Eus is very accurate. Will update you guys once im done with it

    • leigh74005
      leigh74005 saifhameed

      Posted

      Yes. EUS is the best to diagnose chronic pancreatitis. You in the U.K.?
  • leigh74005
    leigh74005

    Posted

    Everything I have read stats that EUS is best. Modern ct and MRI encroach on the the accuracy of EUS but are not as accurate. I've just had an mrcp after I asked for EUS. Doc said I couldn't have an EUS as it's usually used when there are abnormalities on other scans such as ct or Miri.

    • saifhameed
      saifhameed leigh74005

      Posted

      They say EUS bears potential risk of hurting a normal pancreas and that may result in pancreatitis. So docs avoid this first hand and EUS is recommended in the last when other scans show some degree of abnormality. My doc has advised MRI instead. Will go through it soon and share the results.
    • leigh74005
      leigh74005 saifhameed

      Posted

      EUS does carry some risk of tearing and bleeding although it is the ERCP procedure that carries the most risk. From what I have read, EUS should not cause pancreatitis because they do not touch the pancreas. They take the pictures through the stomach apparently. I've just had MRI that was fine. I also had a ct 6 months ago and that was fine. Taking massive reassurance basses on these 2 scans. Especially 6 months apart. If there was something going on that was sinister, I would expect it to have grown or become visible during that space of time.

    • corrie56290
      corrie56290 leigh74005

      Posted

      Yes-I believe something would have shown too. Those are very sensitive tests so I believe you are fine and have ruled out the bad stuff... 
  • leigh74005
    leigh74005

    Posted

    Just had the results of the MRCP. All good. Nothing seen of any concern. Faecal elastase was fine too. Doc thinks I am mental. Got another appointment next week to try to put everything together and come up with a diagnosis and treatment plan. So far so good. 
    • corrie56290
      corrie56290 leigh74005

      Posted

      I think you should feel really good-mrcp is a very reliable test for pancreatitis...I think you have IBS and perhaps mild gastritis---stools can be loose and yellow or green with both conditions...I think I would feel so relieved if I had just received this results...so happy for you
    • saifhameed
      saifhameed leigh74005

      Posted

      Im pleased to hear tht your mrcp came normal. Did you go for parisitical infection tests ? Your abdominal pain may be because of these.
  • saifhameed
    saifhameed leigh74005

    Posted

    Im 29 male from india

    Was diagnosed with ibs in 2011 after a colonoscopy.

    Have been suffering from constipation and diarrhra for last 6 years. But 2016 has been worse. Went to gastroenterologist in january this year. He did a sigmoidoscopy and nothing was found. When i wipe out my azz i feel oily. And i have lost 8lbs weight in last one year. My doc did an endoscopy and did biopsy to check out for celiac. But small intestinal villi was okay so celiac was ruled out. He kept saying it was ibs only.

    Recently i changed my gastro doctor and went to a very prestigious hospital here in india. He did cbc, ultrasound. Serum amylase and lipase blood tests. And c. Protein reactive test along with liver function test and hiv. All came back negative.

    He also reconfirmed it as ibs.

    What i know is that in ibs you don lose weight and no oils/grease in stool. Dont know whats wrong with these doctors they do not advIse stool tests here in india. Like fecal elastase etc. Now im thinking to go fr fecal elastase independently at a pvt lab. I came to know tht here in india they dont do 72 hour fecal test bcz of nasty logistic issues haha. What a mugs. They don like to carry that much stool in container in labs.

    Pleasr advise me guys what shud i do ?

    I have never felt pain anywhere in my abdomen till date. And i aint been an alcoholic ever in life. But im a cigarette smoker last 14 years. 8cigs per day. I may be suffering from chronic pancreatitis ?

  • leigh74005
    leigh74005

    Posted

    Sorry you are going though these symptoms. It's hard when you think that there is something wrong with you but the docs don't listen. You need o ask for a ct scan or mrcp. This will look at the pancreas and would hopefully find any abnormalities if they exist. I have been battling my own issues over the last 7 'onths and nothing has ever been found. I am taking peace of mind out of the fact that 2 scans, 6 months apart have found nothing. Push for a scan

  • leigh74005
    leigh74005

    Posted

    Hi all. Been a while since I posted. Just had a gastroscope to look at stomach and duodenum. Come back as gastritis and duodenitis. Docnhas givien me ppi to see if helps any. Gonna book me in for a colonoscopy in a few weeks.
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