No, they’re not.  I didn’t sue - all the six doctors I consulted stuck together and said they had concurred with the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and since it was hard to detect, blah, blah, blah!  That’s not the end of the story, for several months I’ve had pain in my midriff beneath my left breast (that’s where the remainder of my pancreas is).  I went to my family doctor about it a month ago, showing him where the pain was and telling him it got worse as the day wore on.  They did a CT scan - diagnosis was "inflammed intestines".  I told him I had horrible problems with gas that I’d never had before - constant - 24-hour a day problems - he should have deducted that with only 35% of my pancreas and with the other problems added to it that something was going on with the pancreas but he didn’t - recommeded an over-the-counter product which is supposed to be for acid reflux which I don’t have.  Two weeks ago I had a terrible attach, felt as though someone had put a steel vise around my diaphram and tighted it as hard as they could, abdomen was filled with gas, I was in agony.  Walked the floor that night and by morning the symptoms were gone and gradually I forgot about it - stupid, stupid, stupid.  Two nights ago, it happened again only much worse - I phoned a friend and asked her to take me to the emergency room where they did x-rays, etc - diagnosis - pancreatitis - a very serious disease, often fatal disease which is much more dangerout in my case since there’s so little of my pancreas left.  enzyemes attach th pancreas leaving dead sells.  There is a surgical procedure to remove them but it is rarely done because it’s so dangerous.  One of the reasons for the disease is surgery on or around the pancreas.  So, I probably won’t live to be 80 as I’d hoped - I will have to be on an extremely restricted diet the rest of my life and will have to take products that help to digest the food - something I’ve only done when I was eating something with a higher than normal fat content in the past.  The emergency room doctor wants me to call my doctor tomorrow and ask for the name of a surgeon - she didn’t explain why she thought I need one.  

I had a healthy, working pancreas when I walked into that hospital nearly two years ago - I was healthy in every respect and only wanted a by-pass so I wouldn’t have to have a stent put in every two months - it was wrecking my bile duct and it was an expensive procedure.  I was deliberately scared into having the Whipple and will never forgive myself.  

I’m so sorry about your friend - what hell they’ve put her through; and it isn’t over yet.  It’s hard to sue doctors - they stick together no matter what. 

Each time those attacks occur, more of the pancreas is destroyed. In effect, my life is being cut short and I think it all comes down to ego where some doctors are concerned. they don’t listen to their patients and they will never admit they’re wrong.  When I brought the surgeon my medical records which I’d carefully organized and had in a folder, he went through them like he was looking for a phone number, never even took a report or test result out to look at it closely; closed the folder and said, I concur with the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.  When I said I just wanted the by-pass he looked at me like I was out of my mind and promised I’d be dead in two months if I didn’t have the surgery and left the room.  His nurse then began to cry and threw her arms around me saying if I were her sister she’d beg me to have the surgery.  I panicked!  I caved in!  The surgery nearly killed me and now the pancreatitis will probably kill me.  I got five opinions - didn’t rush into anything - learned all I could and still let fear make the decision to go ahead with it.  My fault!