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If pancreas isn't working, what else am I missing?

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AdamJ

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hello everyone, this is my first visit and first post here. I have some questions I'd like to ask but first, here's some background.

I was diagnosed in February with insulin-dependent diabetes secondary to pancreatitis. I have a five-year history of acute pancreatitis and in February, my pancreas suddenly stopped producing insulin. I know it was sudden because I was in hospital in December with my last bout of pancreatitis and the twice-daily blood measurements all registered normal. The diabetes symptoms started in early February and within two weeks, I was in hospital with it. My pancreas no longer produces any insulin so I was put straight onto insulin injections.

Here are my questions, and please let me caveat them by saying that I'm only asking for general feedback (which I hope the forum rules allow), not clinical advice specific to me (which presumably isn't allowed).

If the pancreas stops producing insulin, does it necessarily follow that it stops producing the other enzymes, etc. that it normally produces? If this has happened, how would I know, i.e. what generally are the symptoms to watch out for?

Thanks for any feedback you can offer to a newbie. 🙂
 
Hi Adam, welcome to the forum 🙂 I'm sorry to hear about the problems you have had. As far as I know the loss of insulin can be an isolated thing, and the other functions of the pancreas remain - such as producing digestive enzymes. I've only heard of additional problems from those who have had their pancreas removed and I'd imagine you would know very quickly if there were extra problems.
 
Hi Adam. Welcome.🙂

As Northerner says, I think the pancreas spreads a lot of its functions about. So if one part is damaged, it can still function to a degree.

Have they tested to find out if you have any other deficiencies?

Nice part of the world btw.🙂

Rob
 
Hi Adam welcome to the forum 🙂. In answer to your question the exocrine (digestive part) and endocrine (Hormone/Insulin part) of the pancreas are different types of cell so what has effected one type cells shouldn't effect the other type.
 
Thanks for the replies, which are much better informed than my local diabetic nurse who answered my question by saying that a pancreas only produces insulin!

I honestly don't know if the doctors tested for other deficiencies. Given my history, I suppose it would be strange if they didn't but in any case, it wasn't mentioned. Mind you, some doctors forget to tell you about tests that are negative.
 
Within the organ called the pancreas, there are several parts / types of cells, so it's quite possible for only the islets of Langerhans, the part that produces insulin, to be affected, but not the rest of the pancreas - the acini is the exocrine part.
 
AdamJ said:
Hello everyone, this is my first visit and first post here. I have some questions I'd like to ask but first, here's some background.

I was diagnosed in February with insulin-dependent diabetes secondary to pancreatitis. I have a five-year history of acute pancreatitis and in February, my pancreas suddenly stopped producing insulin. I know it was sudden because I was in hospital in December with my last bout of pancreatitis and the twice-daily blood measurements all registered normal. The diabetes symptoms started in early February and within two weeks, I was in hospital with it. My pancreas no longer produces any insulin so I was put straight onto insulin injections.

Here are my questions, and please let me caveat them by saying that I'm only asking for general feedback (which I hope the forum rules allow), not clinical advice specific to me (which presumably isn't allowed).

If the pancreas stops producing insulin, does it necessarily follow that it stops producing the other enzymes, etc. that it normally produces? If this has happened, how would I know, i.e. what generally are the symptoms to watch out for?

Thanks for any feedback you can offer to a newbie. 🙂
Click to expand...

Adam

I had chronic pancreatitis for 4 years during which time I was not diabetic but had issues with the digestion of food (the opposite to you?). I
was prescribed Creon to be taken with everything I eat. You will know if your pancreas stops producing the enzymes as your stools becomes very greasy, very soft, a very light brown colour and can smell disgusting. You will also start to lose weight.

I'd be surprised if you found a diabetic nurse / consultant that will understand. In the 2 years since I had my pancreas out and became diabetic no one has provided support for the full pancreatic deficiency. In fact the diabetic professionals just say I'm not type 1 but cannot help with how I may be different.

I'm sure that there must be a relationship between Creon and insulin - for example I would have thought that if I forgot to take the Creon I would need less insulin....
 
Yes - have heard of others having had the pancreas completely removed who are taking Creon and I think have mentioned before - but will say again! - that the crew at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital - ie Bournemouth Diabetes and Endocrine Centre - are used to seeing patients from all over the country who have this extra whammy. And they know what to do with it too apparently.

Now, providing you have transport, you are not a million miles away from BDEC, are you? (ISTR going very near Marlborough every time we went from Kidderminster to Bournemouth or Swanage, which was frequently over about 25 years) - yup, 57 miles apparently!

But, can you not request whether your other functions have been tested, or did you really want to know what functions they are, so you could ask? LOL

It sounds a pretty simple question to me, why not try emailing whoever was in charge of you in hospital?
 
trophywench said:
But, can you not request whether your other functions have been tested, or did you really want to know what functions they are, so you could ask? LOL
Click to expand...

No, I wanted to establish whether an insulin failure of the pancreas meant total failure. Thanks for all the replies, especially to Martin for summarising the symptoms.

trophywench said:
It sounds a pretty simple question to me, why not try emailing whoever was in charge of you in hospital?
Click to expand...

I haven't lost any weight, which is a pity. I won't flag it to the doctors unless and until I've lost 4 stone. 😛
 
AdamJ said:
No, I wanted to establish whether an insulin failure of the pancreas meant total failure. Thanks for all the replies, especially to Martin for summarising the symptoms.



I haven't lost any weight, which is a pity. I won't flag it to the doctors unless and until I've lost 4 stone. 😛
Click to expand...


Adam,

No problem glad to help.
 
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