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I am sorry no one responded, but there is really no good answer.   Chronic pancreatitis is a tough and painful and complex problem to deal with.

I have suffered from chronic pancreatitis pain for over 12 years now, and at one time required in excess of 400 mg. Oxycontin per day. About 5 years ago, I started smoking pot on the advice of a friend who also has severe abdominal pain from ulcerative colitis, and within a week, I only needed half the Oxycontin. I told my pain doc this, and he Rx'd Marinol, 5 mg. up to three per day as needed. Within a week I was off narcotics and actually had my appetite return! I was then able to exercise and felt like my life was coming back! Since then, I have had to go back to some narcotic pain meds, but nothing like the doses I needed before, plus I feel much better.

In addition to pain meds, you should think about adding digestive enzymes like Creon-20, acid reducers like Protonix, and perhaps something like Lyrica if you also have neuropathic pain like me.

I began working with others in my state (Michigan) to get a medical marijuana law like California and eleven other states. We got local laws passed in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Ferndale, Traverse City, and Flint. Then, having proved most Michigan voters support medical marijuana, we did a lot of work and networking with some national groups who have major funders, and this year the Michigan Coalition for Compassionate Care was formed and spent over $1,000,000 to gather a half million signatures to put the issue on this November's ballot. The State just certified the signatures so this Fall the people will vote on medical marijuana and our polling suggests STRONGLY that we will prevail.

Marinol costs my insurance company over $1,000/month, but if this law passes, people like me might be able to grow their medicine for very little cost. Plus, it appears natural marijuana is more effective than Marinol because the latter contains only THC, while the plant has other cannabinoids like CBD and CBN that make it effective.

Hope this helps. For more info., check out www.stoparrrestingpatients.org or www.mpp.org.

Also, there is an organization comprised of patients who receive legal medical marijuana from the federal government under an IND program (closed to new patients in 1992) called Patients Out of Time -- www.medicalcannabis.com -- and they put on national conferences with the latest info on medical marijuana. I have attended these, and they are first rate -- speakers from all over the world who are doing the latest research, speakers who work in states or countries with legal medical marijuana, etc. I would strongly suggest checking them out if you are interested in this topic. Al Byrne and his wife Mary Lynne Mathre, who is an addictions nurse by training and profession, manage the group.

Finally, check out the Yahoo Pancreatitis Support group --

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/pancreatitis/ -- or write me at for more info.

Good luck,

M

proglumide a cholecystokinin inhibitor is often used to lessen the pain from the action of CCK on the pancreas. (CCK is a hormone used to stimulate the pancreas to aid in digestion.)