From what I understand reading forums and medical information about pancreas trouble, most people with pancreatic issues are found at the hospital at one point with excruciating pain, have an operation to remove an almost dead pancreas (and/or other adjacent stuff in the belly) and suddenly find themselves looking at digestive enzymes and insulin. Are there any people on here that have had a slower onset of symptoms (maybe only in hindsight)? Or problems with blood sugar and/or digestion before the actual diagnosis?
I'm interested in experiences other than sort of what I described above.
Background to this question, if you have the time to read all of it:
I’ve been having blood sugar issues, bouncing up and down all day between highs and lows (maybe reactive hypoglycemia) and generally not doing well with bread and sugary foods. I’ve also noticed things changing with my digestion during the last six months or so. Having a look at the list of symptoms for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (as one of the possibilities causing my problems) made me realize that I could tick almost all of the boxes. Except the excruciating pain. I only have a little pain, sometimes.
If the blood glucose is not working correctly, and the digestive system is not working correctly, and there is some pain in the area of the pancreas, is it too soon to think that the pancreas is having issues? My GP is having me get some basic tests to check this (blood test for amylase and lipase, and OGTT). But I feel like an oversensitive idiot or borderline hypochondriac because there isn’t a lot of pain and it all seems very mild compared to emergency surgeries and stuff.
I'm interested in experiences other than sort of what I described above.
Background to this question, if you have the time to read all of it:
I’ve been having blood sugar issues, bouncing up and down all day between highs and lows (maybe reactive hypoglycemia) and generally not doing well with bread and sugary foods. I’ve also noticed things changing with my digestion during the last six months or so. Having a look at the list of symptoms for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (as one of the possibilities causing my problems) made me realize that I could tick almost all of the boxes. Except the excruciating pain. I only have a little pain, sometimes.
If the blood glucose is not working correctly, and the digestive system is not working correctly, and there is some pain in the area of the pancreas, is it too soon to think that the pancreas is having issues? My GP is having me get some basic tests to check this (blood test for amylase and lipase, and OGTT). But I feel like an oversensitive idiot or borderline hypochondriac because there isn’t a lot of pain and it all seems very mild compared to emergency surgeries and stuff.