The first thing I would think about the MRI is that it has been identified as a "cyst" which is almost always benign. The doctor has the responsibility of doing what is "right." She would not wait if she thought there was any chance of these cysts being malignant.
You have to remember that from the gall bladder, all the waste migrates through the pancreas before exiting these organs. That would explain the increase in size. The septations may be caused by the "bile" which is sticky and thick.
I'm of the thought that if it makes you sleep better at night, have the procedure done. She is not worried and would not give you the option of waiting 6 months if she thought anything could be dangerous(malignant.)
I feel better already. Thanks for the reassurance everyone!
Last March when I was having problems with my gallbladder they found 2 small cysts on the tail of my pancreas. The results read "In the region of the pancreatic tail, there are two round hyperintensities identified. The largest one measures 1.5 cm in the AP dimension, and the smaller one, which is more medial and inferior and is partially exophytic, measures 7 x 5 mm. These findings are best seen on the coronal single-shot FSE T2 sequence on image 16. There is some mild linear hypointensities noted coursing through the larger cystic lesion. These lesions are low on T1, high on T2 and do not enhance on the gadolinium sequences. The linear septations/nodularities do not enhance on the gadolinium sequences, as well. No ductal dilatation or ductal side branch dilatation is identified. No peripancreatic soft tissue abnormality is noted. Remainder of the pancreas is grossly normal. " They told me that it was most likely cause by trauma, and they would probably go away on their own. It was nothing to worry about that they time. But I should get another MRI in 6 months, just to be on the safe side.
I recently had a 6 month follow-up MRI to see whats going on with those cysts. The results came back "Again seen is a 2-cm T1 hypo- and T2 hyperintense lesion in the pancreatic tail with no central enhancement. It demonstrates an irregular wall and internal septation. It is multicompartmental. Although is it benign in appearance, it may represent a cystadenoma, and six month followup is recommended. Incidental note is made of a circumaortic left renal vein." My GI specialist is out on maternaty leave, but she sent me a letter saying "to follow-up this lession we can take 2 approaches: (1) repeat MRI abdomen in 6 months or (2) endoscopic ultrasound with aspiration of the cyst to try and determine exactly what it is and if it has potential for malignancy."
I have been having trouble finding information on the internet about cysts of the pancreas. From what I can tell pancreatic cancer progresses quickly and is almost always fatal, but almost everyone who gets it is over 60 or has chronic pancreatitis (which I thankfully don't have). What are the chances that the cysts will become malignant? It does look there has been a change to the cysts. The first results pointed to a trauma, but the recent results do not. Is this something I should worry about? Do you think I should wait and just do another 6 month checkup, or do you think I should be cautious and do the endoscopic ultrasound with aspiration?
Thanks!
Please tell me where or in context you have seen me thrive. (If dance, please specify what kind)
Thanks!
I had a breakthrough with my new psychiatrist last night.
In summary-
Everyone loves and benefits from (and it’s a good thing to get) compliments and positive feedback. It’s a good thing to be told you’re beautiful and smart and good at various activities.
The question/issue/distinction is how a person handles not getting those compliments and positive feedback – because its not always available. If you know and believe that you are all those good things, and you’ve had all the positive reinforcement in the past, but then the compliments stop and basically disappear, do you-
A) get frustrated and mad at the world for not providing such feedback.
B) try even harder to get that feedback.
C) start to doubt yourself. Maybe the lack of people saying you are ____ means you aren’t as _____ as you used to be when they did say that stuff.
C) take it upon yourself to compliment you. You know you’re right.
Well, lets just say I wasn’t handling that in the healthiest way. I also realized that I’ve been compounding the compliment issue with the boyfriend issue to make both issues worse. In the past boyfriends were a big source of compliments and positive reinforcement for me (not a bad thing). But with no boyfriend, I felt I wasn’t getting the compliments I ‘needed’, and that made me want one even more. There are other reasons I want a significant other, but all the reasons were snowballing together into a big ugly thing that I didn’t understand why I couldn’t get, but I always thought life would be better with.
The trick is to not need those compliments and positive feedback. That’s easier said than done, obviously. And the feedback isn’t something that needs or even should be taken out of my life. I just need to put them into the bonus category and take them out of the necessary category. The same thing applies to the bf, and the perks of having one.
The psychiatrist said that variety is the key. I’m more likely to do things that I’m good at, and get positive feedback from those things, if I do more things. I need to add variety back in.
I really think that one of the reasons Michigan was so hard for me is that I went from college (where I did lots of different things in lots of different categories, and had lots of friends and lots of people who gave me positive feedback on my abilities, like dancing and sewing, and stats, and tutoring, and swimming, and getting good grades in most all subjects, and more) to a foreign culture doing an 8 hr job in a field that I knew little about (agriculture). I stopped doing a lot of the things I was good at, and didn’t replace it with anything. I stopped getting positive feedback, and I struggled with the things I had to do. Nothing was easy or fun anymore like it had been just months before.
I’ve spent the last 3 years trying to recover from that 1 year, and I try daily to learn from it and be stronger for it. I feel like this explanation may not be comprehensive (complete), but it does explain quite a bit and point me in the direction of a more productive and complete recovery. Someone has told me how and now I understand what I need to do to thrive again! And best of all- all I have to do are the things I know I’m good at.
Another thought I’ve been having-
Sometimes I think there is thick mud with high grass and prickly thorns along side of a paved path and the depressed people are trying as hard as they can to pull themselves forward in the mud, and the happy people are walking on the pavement with no problem. The happy don’t understand why the depressed are having such a problem, and the depressed don’t see how its so easy for the happy. I don’t think either see what the other is walking on, or can even comprehend that it is different.
Anyhow, yay! Progress has been made.
When I feel sick like this I really want to be mothered. I don't want to make decisions and I want someone to take care of me. But then I also know way more about what I'm going through and what I need than anyone else. I'm very thankful when my mom does come up and help me out, but I still find that she doesn't know what to do or really how to help. I know the medical system, when all my appoints are, and where. I know what foods I can eat without aggravating anything, and I know which meds will make me feel better. Whiny voice- But I want someone else to know those things so I can turn off my brain. Realistic voice- But then I'm not sure I'd trust anyone, so its a want that doesn't have a solution, and something I just need to accept.
I have a suspicion that depression is making this harder for me. One thing I'm hearing will help me is to feel like I can do something about the situation. If I feel helpless, that will make the depression worse, and downward spiral. So what can I do?
- I can keep educated about the physiology of my problems (ie gallbladder, headaches, depression...)
-I can make and keep Dr. appointments
-I can continue taking my meds that I know make me feel better
-I can take pain meds when I hurt ; this one is actually very hard for me. I feel like I need permission.
-I can take time off work when I feel like sh*t - also hard for me. I definately feel like I need an ok from someone. Like "yes, you are feeling sufficiently unwell"
-I can call and bug the Doctors to give me a surgery date *grumble
-I can start the process of applying for disability. The benefits here are two fold. I'll be telling the Doctors that this really is a big deal, because its seriously effecting my ability to go to work, and I'll hopefully be easing the financial pains this is starting to cause (I've exhausted my medical leave and my vaction time, so now I'm into leave without pay).
-I can keep up on the day to day stuff like laundry and grocery shopping so I don't get overwhelmed or stuck when I cna't do those things.
What else can I do to feel like I have control over this situation?
Sometimes I have energy to do those things listed above, and sometimes I don't. On days like today I have lots of frustration, and the energy is in spurts, like its coming from anger to change the situation.
So when I have energy - what do you suggest I do? What would be helpful for me?
I'm trying to be constructive and get through this. Right now my sprits are low.
I took a hydascan- it tests the functioning of my gallbladder. The gallbladder fills with bile from the liver until its needed for digestion. A chemical called CCK is released when you eat a fatty meal that tells the gallbladder to contract and empty the bile into the digestive tract. The hydoscan measures the % of liquid that your gallbladder is able to empty. I can describe that test if you like, but it doesn't really matter. Normal % is between 35% and 60%. Mine was 19%.
She said that such low functioning causes problems. The gallbladder will swell, and is not able to empty, and other fun things. She recomends I get it removed.
I have an appointment to meet with the surgeon this next monday at 1pm. I'll ask him more questions, but I'm ok with getting it removed at this point.
At least they know what it is.
So my question is- Should I finish the leftovers from last night's dinner?
They Dr.s (and I) don't know what is causing the pain, and it is possible that it has to do with what I'm eating. Last night I made a large dinner and put a couple servings in tupperware for later. I made keen-wah (thats how its pronounced, I don't know how to spell it - its a grain you boil like rice), with spinach. I've had this before with no problem, and I don't know for a fact that there is a connection with what I'm eating. But then, I don't want to wake up again tonight.
So, do I eat my leftovers, or throw them away just in case?
One of these years I want to take a girl home to meet my parents for April Fools. Any volunteers? Its probably too late for this year.
I'd like to start back on many of the activities that make me me. So I was thinking I'd make another Gaskells gown. I don't have any idea yet on what this dress will look like. Its an opportunity for creativity. I have no qualms with not even thinking about whats period. Does anyone want to go to Joann's with me (probably tomorrow, though maybe tonight depending on energy levels)? Also, company while sewing wouldn't suck. Any takers?
What else makes me me? I'd like to remind myself again. Its time to stop letting the sick and the ow run my life. I need to take care of myself and last night reminded me that I need some soul food. I need to have a feeling of normal again. I want to return to a life with hobbies and interests. Focusing on making me physically healthy is no longer working. Putting the pain in the background for a while would do me some good.The MRI showed numerous gallstones and 2 cycsts on my pancreas, and "neither of the cysts look worisome." Everything else looked fine. They've decided not to do a biopsy or remove the cysts at this time.
So they don't know what caused the pain. I asked if it could have been a gall stone passing and she said it was possible, but there is no way to tell.
I told my mom that this makes me more ok with getting my gallbladder removed and she yelled at me. She doesn't think internal organs should be removed.
http://www.sacbee.com/capitolandcaliforn
Separation of Church and State. You can keep your sacred word. Move the battle from the government to the churches.
P.S. Does anyone know where I could sign a petition for this? Or if there is a facebook movement for this? Or how to make other "I support this" noise?
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groblek who picked me up from the ER yesterday morning and drove me home. You're great! I woke up with my upper abdomen hurting at about 3:30. It started to hurt more and more until I decided to call the Dr. on call, and by the time I got a hold of him I'd decided to go to the ER. He said I should go to the one in Davis and not take the time to drive to the one in Sac that my insurance actually covers. It was a good that I called him, or it might not have been covered. And I was the only person at Sutter DAvis, so there was no wait like I'm sure there would have been in Sac.
I maybe shouldn't have drove, but I just wanted to get in to see a Dr. I ran some red lights that didn't turn after a few seconds wait and no one around. I even passed a cop going 50 on Covell by the high school. He didn't pull me over though. I made it to the ER by 4.
So I got there and they gave me an iv with a bag of fluids and a pain med. I was hurting so bad. They ran some blood tests and there was no bacterial, or viral infection and nothing had burst. So then I did a CT scan and they gave me some more pain meds. The CT scan showed a cystic lesion on the tail of my pancreas.
Long story short, and much frustrations later, I have an MRI scheduled for later today. I don't really know what the cyst means or how serious it is. I'm not even sure that it caused the pain, except that the nurse said that pancreatitus (which I don't have, the blood test came back negative) is a very painful condition.
So more quetions. And more ow. And more practicing patience in the art of not getting frustrated.
I am grateful that I have support. My mom drove up and has been staying with me. She's been taking good care of me. And thanks again to
groblek who got an early morning phone call and was good enough to give me a ride home. I know that there are a number of people I could have called, and that really means a lot to me. Thanks guys!
I'm pretty sure my job is secure. I was even expecting that my company would be giving out raises this year. Is it possible that I didn't get one because I work on different projects than everyone else?
Weird.
