Drug trial offers hope to diabetics after pancreas removal
David Templeton
Extreme, persistent pain can lead a person to make dramatic decisions, including getting rid of the painful body part.
That's what Vincent Nasser, 28, of Pennsylvania, decided to do last summer.
Entering his senior year at Penn State University six years ago, Nasser began feeling pain and discomfort in his middle and upper back and his stomach, especially after eating.
So many people with type 1 [diabetes] potentially will benefit
In time, doctors diagnosed him with idiopathic pancreatitis - inflammation of the pancreas with no known cause. After graduation, he took an information-technology position. But sharp, stabbing pain in the back and torso, sometimes radiating to his legs, required heavy-duty pain medication such as morphine, oxycodone, Percocet, Vicodan and Dilaudid.
Early last summer, ever-progressing levels of pain persuaded Nasser to undergo surgery to remove the entire pancreas. "My life is amazing now compared to having chronic pancreatitis," he says. "I'm living a pretty good life."
The clearly successful surgery did have two drawbacks.
It's a given that once the pancreas is removed, the person must take digestive enzymes orally for the remainder of his or her life. But the larger challenge involves the potential of developing diabetes from the loss of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.