Newly diagnosed

[BlackCoffee2112]

Hey y'all. I was recently diagnosed with pancreatitis, I had an acute attack and was hospitalized for 11 days. I've never had issues before now that I knew of, but upon doing a CAT scan they discovered a 9cm cyst on my pancreas. I don't drink, but I did eat quite poorly unfortunately.

I had to wait for a multidisciplinary conference to decide what type of cyst it is, because I had both traits of a pseudocyst and a Mucinous cyst (my Amylase is >80,000, but my CEA number was 48, in a grey area) so they are treating it as mucinous cyst and doing a distal pancreatectomy, splenectomy, and cholecystectomy. I will need to have vaccines and antibiotics close for the rest of my days with no spleen.

I'm terrified about all of this and how it is going to change my life. I've joined this group in the hopes of meeting people who understand what I am going through and can offer some light that I will indeed be able to have a life after all this. I'm only 42 and I have children and a husband. I'm sad to be joining this group, but hope I can find some kind of support here.

[Jackie1947]

I cannot help you on this but sending gentle hugs and strength to you. I have pancreatitis which came as a shock but so far it's behaved 🤞Good luck 🍀

[BlackCoffee2112 in reply to Jackie1947]

Thanks Jackie. I'm still struggling to come to terms with all of it.

[Mandy_MC Administrator]

Hi - I was diagnosed with necrotizing pancreatitis in 2020 and have lifelong complications now (blood clots, enlarged spleen, immunocompromised, SOD). I have a friend who has gone through a similar procedure as you’re about to and she lives a great life. Of course, she needs to be more careful to not catch infections, more diligent on hospital visits if she does and the sort. But she still has an amazing career, friends, family.

Mission: Cure is a wonderful resource. It’s also helpful to talk to people who have been through similar, it makes us feel a lot less alone. I mourned my “old life” for a long time but now I think about what I still have instead of what I don’t have. There will come challenges with any new health complications but you’ll push through and you’ll be okay!