Cristi update

cludwig · Post by **cludwig** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 10:17 pm

Hi Friends,

I was hoping 2007 would be a better year, but so far it's not going so well. I am seeing an MD for my pancreas and am having an endoscopic ultrasound on Mon. I did a third (and last) fecal fat test. I went off my pancreatic enzymes for 5 days for the test and promptly returned to D...but it resolved as soon as I started up again. The test came back negative again which they interpret as having a properly functioning pancreas and small intestine. I am hoping they are right, but can't explain why the enzymes help me so much.

The ultrasound will help them determine if the cysts on my pancreas are malignant or not. Unfortunately for me they say they won't be able to do much anyway because of the location of the cysts...they are on opposite sides of the pancreas. I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

As if all of this weren't enough I went for my mammogram on Mon. and was called back on Thurs. for more pictures and was told of an area of change on my breast and that it is too dispersed to do a needle biopsy. So I am now looking for a breast surgeon to perform a lumpectomy to determine if this is malignant. I am kind of a mess but trying to keep it together. I haven't told my kids...all this could be a bunch of nothing and them worrying about this won't make me worry any less. I just don't want them to have to think about this if they don't have to.

The one trend that I think I have discovered about doctors is that doctors at teaching hospitals are much better than the ones I was seeing before. Dr. Pardi at the Mayo Clinic teaches and the new GI that I am seeing is at a public hospital where they pair experienced doctors with new doctors. All of my appointments have lasted a half an hour instead of the normal 7 minutes and they just seem to care that I understand everything. You can tell a smarter than average MD by if they admit that they don't understand everything. There was never any gray areas in the bad MD I had before.

Anyway, my appointment for the ultrasound is 1pm on Mon. and should be done by 5pm. and they should be able to give me some answers after that.

Love,
Cristi

mle_ii · Post by **mle_ii** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 11:12 pm

Hi Cristi,

I wish all the best for you. You are definitly in my prayers.

One question on the enzymes, which ones are you taking? If they're not a specfic brand then what is in them? I do know that some enzymes can help with inflamation so perhaps that is one of the mechanisms. I've also always wondered if enzymes might break down virus/bacteria/fungi due to the chemical structure and what substances the enzymes can break down. But I'm not sure.

Mike

JJ · Post by JJ » Sat Jan 20, 2007 11:37 pm

I'll be thinking of you too Cristi...take care and hang in there....prayers on the way...JJ

Post by **tex** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 12:54 am

Hi Cristi,

I hope the scans provide some very useful information, and the results are favorable, of course. That's mysterious about the pancreatic enzymes.

Please try not to worry about the mammogram results - those tests are notorious for false positives. According to Wikipedia:

Perhaps the most widely discussed false positives in medical screening come from the breast cancer screening procedure mammography. The US rate of false positive mammograms is up to 15%, the highest in world.

based on the following observaton:

One consequence of the high false positive rate in the US is that, in any 10 year period, half of the American women screened receive a false positive mammogram. False positive mammograms are costly, with over $100 million spent annually in the US on follow-up testing and treatment. They also cause women unneeded anxiety. As a result of the high false positive rate in the US, as many as 90-95% of women who get a positive mammogram do not have the condition.

These quotes are from a statistical error discussion, (not specifically a mammogram discussion), but they are obviously quite relevant to your situation:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_I_and_type_II_errors

Love,
Tex

cludwig · Post by **cludwig** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 1:39 am

Hi Friends,

Thanks for the prayers and the encouraging statistics.

Mike...the product that I am using is called pancreatin by nature's life and it contains amylase protease and lipase. I don't know why it helps with the D. I just started using caprylic acid pills this last week and I am feeling sooo good. The pancreatin helped with the D but not the pain and nausia...but so far the caprylic is amazing. It is what my stool test said was effective in killing off the bad bacteria...and is safe to stay on long term...unlike antibiotics. I am planning on starting the probiotics on Tues. after my procedure. I'll be glad when it's over. That's the problem with the breast surgeons...they are so booked out that I probably won't be able to have the lumpectomy for weeks. Thanks for the stats Tex....I'll try to not dwell on it.

Love,
Cristi

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 7:53 am

Hi Cristi,

Sorry to hear about your continuing difficulties. I hate it when they suspect a problem but then can't schedule the procedure for weeks. Should be a law against it.

Your observation about teaching docs is right on. They are interested in learning from their students/patients and are typically more "up" on the latest research, etc. And the key thing - they know that there is more that they don't know than do know. I would insist on a teaching hospital for any procedure/surgery that is not routine.

I am keeping all of my fingers and toes crossed for a positive outcome for everything.

Love,

Polly

starfire · Post by **starfire** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 8:46 am

I'm sorry you are having such a time of it, Christi. I will be thinking of you.

Love, Shirley

cludwig · Post by **cludwig** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:58 am

Thanks for the good wishes Shirley and Polly,

Waiting is definitely the worst part.

Mike...I got to thinking about the pancreatin and there is actually100 mg of calcium carbonate in each tablet and I take one with each meal. I remember you and Marsha talking about citracal and how it absorbs extra bile, and am wondering now if it's the calcium that is helping me and not the enzymes. I don't remember what form of calcium is in citracal, but wonder if the calcium carbonate would act the same.

Love,
Cristi

cludwig · Post by **cludwig** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:07 am

It wasn't citracal but caltrate and it does contain calcium carbonate as well but in larger doses...600 instead of the 100mg I have been getting. Interesting. This could be why it helps and not the enzymes at all.

Love,
Cristi

Mars · Post by **Mars** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:32 am

Cristi,

My prayers are with you. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that the test results will be favorable. I go through the mammogram scare every year. Hopefully, yours will be just that - a scare.

Take care of yourself and know that we are here for support and love.

Love,
Mars

artteacher · Post by **artteacher** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 6:13 pm

Hi Cristi,

Thank you for the update. I'll be watching for your next post. And yes, Caltrate 600 plus is the one, and the main ingredient is calcium carbonate. There are other ingredients also, so who knows exactly what in the formula helps D. Mostly it's people who have no gall bladder, or a malfuctioning gallbladder who are helped with it. They speculate that for them the problem is bile dumped directly into the digestive tract (because there is no gall bladder storing and releasing it in small amounts as needed). This bile burns and inflames, and triggers D, but the calcium carbonate formula absorbs and soothes. It works for me. In a pinch I can eat problem food as long as I eat a tablet with the first bite of the meal. It does sort of mask the underlying problem, though.

Please write and let us know how you are as soon as possible.
Love, Marsha