lap band AND chronic pancreatitis

[Soexcited 64]

My husband got his band a year and a half ago (so did I) however he has reciently been diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis. Just wondering if there are any banded in the same situation? If so, how are you doing and how are you getting your nutrition in? I'd love to find a friend to help me out since I am the one who cooks and buys groceries in the house.

[Soexcited 64]

Bumping

[Soexcited 64]

Nita, does that mean you have CP?

[cheryl2586 3,053]

If nutrition is an issue for him I would have him get it removed. That diagnosis is nothing to play with. If he is drinking he better stop. I would be asking a doctor about his nutrition.

[Soexcited 64]

Hi Fifty,

It's a shame you assume he's a drinker. My husband has never been a drinker, not even the good ol college party days. You can google it if you like mayo clinic has some great info if you are interested. Im offended, please educate yourself before assuming.

Pancreatitis has many causes

A number of causes have been identified for acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis, including:

• Alcoholism
• Gallstones
• Abdominal surgery
• Certain medications
• Cigarette smoking
• Cystic fibrosis
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), when used to treat gallstones
• Family history of pancreatitis
• High Calcium levels in the blood (hypercalcemia)
• High levels of parathyroid hormone in the blood (hyperparathyroidism)
• High triglyceride levels in the blood (hypertriglyceridemia)
• Infection
• Injury to the abdomen
• Pancreatic cancer

[renniemommie 8]

Soexcited,

Your offended because you asked for advice and a person who answered your question said, "IF he is a drinker he should stop...". She did not ASSUME he was drinking, she said, "IF"... Then you tell her you to go to mayo Clinic for information, which states Alcoholism (ie. drinking). can be a cause of Pancreatitis. Sounds like a educated guess to me. You asked for advice and gave a small amount of information about your husband, she is covering the bases that she thought might help you. Geez.

[cheryl2586 3,053]

First of all I said IF meaning just what it says I didnt assume anything. As far as my education goes I have 30 years in healthcare and working with patients who have pancreatitis MOST have it due to alcoholism which is number one on your list. Secondly again IF I said not That he is drinking and needs to stop. So instead of asking questions like this in a forum you SHOULD go to a doctor not ask medical professionals who know about what your husband was diagnosed with. I am so sick of you people taking things I say out of context and making it what you want. If you dont want advice then dont ask. Educate yourself instead of copy and pasting what you think I should know because I far know more about medicine then most ever will. Next time call your lap band doctor and ask him what your husband should do. Have an awesome day.

[Soexcited 64]

Now I remember why I stopped posting here for so long. I reach out for help and wind up in some crazy battle. Who cares you said "IF" the point is that you both assumed the worse and its just not necesarry or right. Bummer.

And obviously we have seen a doctor, and cutting and pasting is just easier when you are in a hurry. Why even bother saying anything when you cant even answer the original quiestion. Fifty and Fab, you are way too full of yourself.

[cheryl2586 3,053]

First of all again I did not assume anything. IF you saw a doctor then WHY ask a medical question when you ALREADY have an answer. I would think that if you need to copy and paste an answer it is not because you were in a hurry but BECAUSE you didnt know the answer either because IF you saw a doctor and IF he told you what to do YOU WOULDNT be coming here asking a medical question but some of you think somehow its easier than seeking medical help to get the answers you need. Secondly I am not full of my self so now you ARE ASSUMING. I in no way was being mean when I posted I told you what you needed to do and that was to go see a doctor. You can say whatever you want about me but arent you just as bad and full of yourself getting all defensive and being demeaning to two people you dont even know. That is the trouble with you oh holier then though people. You come to a forum ask for an opinion and when you dont hear what you want you bash the person answering your question so does that make you any better when you are assuming things of your own that are not true. Yeah most of you need to quit posting because you cant handle the truth and you think that everyone is saying everything to be mean when and if your question isnt answered the way you want it. Most of you need to quit bashing people for answering a question that now I remind you that you asked. You can not assume that the way it was answered was in anyway intended to hurt you, or think that your husband is drinking. If you dont want advice dont ask for it. You can not tell people how to post or what to write so I end this battle as you call it like this : If your husband has pancreatitis and has a lapband have the damn thing removed so that he can live a life of some normalcy without having some thing wrapped around his stomach making it worse because foods eaten can trigger it also. Next time you dont want a question answered then dont ask it.

[Soexcited 64]

Wow fifty you are sure upset. I asked a very specific question directed only to someone with CP and LB that's all. I pray that you find some inner peace and stop getting so upset about a silly post on a board. We have some serious medical issues in our life now, and this is certainly the last moment in time that I will spend with you. Best of luck to you in your life, try to relax and think the best before assuming the worse, in yourself and in others.

[mountain 0]

Hi Soexcited

I had pancreatitis two years ago (throughout my "drinking" life, I have averaged around five drinks per YEAR, so needless to say - I'm not and have never been a drinker!) Mine was caused by gallstones irritating my pancreas. I had the gallbladder removed, and the problem went with it.

Now - I wasn't banded at that time, but honestly can't see why you couldn't have the surgery with the lapband in place. It is definitely worth looking into if that could be the cause of his pancreatitis!

Good luck - I hope you find answers quickly

[Jachut 487]

I've just had major abdominal surgery for rectal cancer with my lapband in place, that involved removal of a good deal of bowel and rectum and creation of an ileostomy. I've had a bowel obstruction since, and still my lapband is just fine. If its in there and well healed (as it would be after a year and a half) then a competent surgeon can work around it. I was extremely lucky that my colorectal surgeon had started his career with lapbands and by pure chance, workign with my lapband surgeon, but its not an insurmountable problem. I now have to eat a diet that's quite high in white bread, rice and Pasta and as such I am unfilled, there was no need to remove the band at all. Its there in the future when my stoma is reversed if I need to refill it, I will, but so far have had no weight gain.

I've had chemo and radiation prior to surgery and am now having chemo again. of course it makes me sick, and of course sometimes I do get so nauseous that I vomit, I've got chronic diarrhoea and due to having my intestines exit before my colon, I am probably not absorbing the nutrients from a lot of what I eat. Both my surgeon and oncologist are on my back about my weight, but even through all this, I am eating well with an unfilled band and have enough energy to run and go to the gym.

However, my band wasnt unfilled until right before my surgery, I got through a round of chemo and radiation with the fill in place. It can be done in seconds, at any time, so dont necessarily rush off and unfill if that's not what he wants to do.

I feel for your husband, it really is the cruelest blow to reclaim your life and your health, to achieve a lifelong goal of weightloss only to have something like this happen, to make you think you might lose it all. But it really does not have to be that way.

[ElfiePoo 109]

I'm sorry but I kind of started skimming due to all the battling so I may have missed 'why' your husband has pancreatitis. I was in the hospital last week (only one day) and the woman in the next bed had pancreatitis related to her gallbladder. When they removed the gallbladder the pancreatitis resolved.

As Jachut said though, I wouldn't think it would be necessary to have the band removed. Maybe the fill taken out if he's struggling to eat the necessary foods.

Good luck to you.

.

[Kelly K. 0]

I had lapband surgery on Monday 04-18-11 and by Wednesday I was in the hospital with pancreatitis. So far my surgeon believes I can keep my band but I of couse am only one week in. I am sure if I have a flare up of my Pancreas again I will start questioning if it should be removed.

[mini_me 3]

I searched this because I think I may have pancreatitis and was concerned that it may be related to the band. Through the little spat I was able to get a few facts about pancreatitis.

More importantly I want to say that I read this very unassumingly. When I read the post that read, "If your husband drinks...", well, I certainly did not read it as though an assumption had been made. In fact, when I asked my doc about this matter, his immediate response was, "If you drink...stop." He was referring to any drinking at all. He wants to halt all alcohol until we rule out pancreatitis. So, I believe the statement about whether your husband drank was actually sound advice given by an individual who has identifiied him/herself as a medical professional. I don't know, not trying to rehash anything...I was just a little taken back by how feelings were worn on shoulders. We should all remember that soooo much can be lost in the typewritten word. I TRULY don't believe that any insult was intended by the statement.

And Soexcited, I understand how stressful things can be when there is uncertainty regarding a medical condition. There is a lot of stress there. I really hope that you all have your answers. In addition, I hope you post anything new that you have learned. I am still trying to educate myself on this matter. I am terrified that my condition could be pancreatitis...and worse, I am scared to death that cancer is causing it. ((You know how us crazy people are...))