topic Re: Pancreatitis :( in Wellness

Pancreatitis :(

MommaNJ629 — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 05:19:15 GMT

I have bad case. I'm 35. I drink maybe once in 2 months. They are calling it "idiopathic" but boy does it hurt. It's really the worst pain I ever felt in middle to left. I'm on day 6 and it's still not done. I can barely eat. I still have pain.

Re: Pancreatitis :(

Kachina624 — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 05:22:26 GMT

Whatever is causing such pain would force me to consider laying off of it 100%. Hope you feel better soon.

Re: Pancreatitis :(

Nonametoday — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 06:40:17 GMT

@MommaNJ629 wrote:
I have bad case. I'm 35. I drink maybe once in 2 months. They are calling it "idiopathic" but boy does it hurt. It's really the worst pain I ever felt in middle to left. I'm on day 6 and it's still not done. I can barely eat. I still have pain.

I have had pancreatitis since I was 10 years old. I have pancreas divisum. If you drink at al, you are shortening your life span. I have problems eating many, many foods and surely you must know that if certain foods bother a person who has pancreatitis, alcohol can be fatal, I had a good friend whose son died of alcoholic pancreatitis and a nephew. The son of friend was 48 and the nephew was 31. Stop. Once a month or so is too often if you have pancreatitis.

Re: Pancreatitis :(

AngelPuppy1 — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 10:23:57 GMT

@MommaNJ629

I am so sorry to hear that you are sick with this. Does drinking cause pancreatitis? I did not know that. I thought they did not know what caused it. I heard the pain is terrible. Can they give you something for it to heal it and help with the pain? I hope you feel better very soon. Please take good care and let us know how you are doing.

Re: Pancreatitis :(

abfromtx — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 11:23:19 GMT

My husband has chronic pancreatitis for about 17 yrs. docs. Last year had him start taking enzymes every time he eats anything. He takes Pancrese but their are others too. If money is an issue ask your doctor for samples. This is not a cheap med but it does keep him comfortable . We noticed when he tries to cut back or skip around ( ugggh! ) that he has an attack so it Definately helps. Ask your doc to try you on some samples. Might help you as it does him. It is designed to help your pancreas to digest food. Relieving the stress off the pancreas. Hope this helps.

Re: Pancreatitis :(

Lorik62 — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 11:37:42 GMT

My husband has had two pancreatitis attacks that were so bad he had to be hospitalized. He doesn't drink and they were unable to pinpoint what caused them each time.

Re: Pancreatitis :(

MKR14 — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 12:25:38 GMT

@MommaNJ629 I am sorry about your problem with this. The other posters are correct about alcohol and staying away from it. They found I had pancreas division when I had my first ERCP.(Pancreas division is when you are born you have two ducts to your pancreas that are suppose to go into one before being born. When it doesn't neither one will be working properly.) When I was 52 at the time (now 66) and I never had a problem until then. In fact I had never heard of it. The gastroenterologist doctor thought I had gallstones left in the duct from a previous surgery. She sent me to another gastroenterologist that did the ERCP with ultrasound in another hospital as my local hospital didn't do it there. He is excellent and probably saved my life. He did the ERCP with u/s a few days later to put a stent in one of my ducts as neither was working correctly. I never got a stent but he removed a fatty tumor near the pancreas no one else had seen. I have been on Creon 24,000 units since then. Creon is a drug that you take whenever you eat a meal or a snack as my body can not break down fats due to the pancreas not working correctly.I have had several ERCP's with u/s and also had biliary and pancreatic sphincterotomy surgery ( a muscle they cut near the pancreas that was causing back pain). My back pain was instantly gone and never returned since that surgery. I never drank, I never smoked and always ate healthy but I had this anyways. I have a pretty strick diet staying away from fatty food and acid foods. The pain from pancreatitis is more than one can take sometimes and I am doing my best to avoid the pain coming back. When people offered me something I can't have I just pass on it as I know the kind of pain it can bring on. I am seeing my gastroenterologist today for my regular check-up. He keeps an eye on me and my weight also. I always have blood work before I go to watch the Amylase and Lipase levels. They can be normal and still have a flare-up. Please take this seriously as the pain will not go away without you doing what they tell you. Ask for a diet from your own doctor and follow it faithfully. Did I like to do this? Heck no. I love to eat but after you change it you will be ok. Here is the link that may help.

https://www.pancreasfoundation.org/ercp-endoscopic-retrograde-cholangiopancreatography/

Re: Pancreatitis :(

Moonchilde — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 12:31:39 GMT

Misleading to lay the blame for pancreatitis solely on alcohol. My elderly mother had it twice, was hospitalized both times, and it certainly wasn't from alcohol. There are other causes - gallstones, smoking, some medications (most medications for type 2 diabetes are suspects), family history, overactive thyroid, to name a few. The Mayo Clinic says alcoholism is the leading cause of pancreatitis, not having a very occasional drink.

Of course the OP will avoid alcohol now that she's had pancreatitis and is at risk in future, but to postulate that her occasional drink is the *cause* of her current pancreatitis is stretching it. I also take the OP at her word that she's a very occasional drinker because so far I have no reason not to take her at her word.

Idiopathic, BTW, means the doctors do not know the cause in her case.

Re: Pancreatitis :(

MKR14 — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 12:44:47 GMT

@Moonchilde There are many causes of diseases and it usually not just one thing.

All I can say is what my problem with getting it is. I don't see how an occasional drink would do this unless it is what set an attack off due to the pancreas already

being inflammed. The Pancreas Foundation has good information but your own doctor will make the correct treatment plan. It is informative on how each came about for others.

Re: Pancreatitis :(

Kardi — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 12:52:18 GMT

Right

on, Moonchild! My son-in-law has had recurrent idiopathic pancreatitis and liver problems. He experiences great pain and loses 20 pounds in just a couple of weeks, weight he doesn't need to lose, by the way. There are many causes for these problems and assuming it is a drinking issue is doing the afflicted a disservice. Reminds me of years gone by when HIV positive people were all assumed to be morally loose homosexuals.

Re: Pancreatitis :(

Moonchilde — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 13:14:33 GMT

@MKR14 wrote:
@Moonchilde There are many causes of diseases and it usually not just one thing.
All I can say is what my problem with getting it is. I don't see how an occasional drink would do this unless it is what set an attack off due to the pancreas already
being inflammed. The Pancreas Foundation has good information but your own doctor will make the correct treatment plan. It is informative on how each came about for others.

Not sure why you addressed your comments to me? I do not have pancreatitis. I was not addressing my comments to any specific poster, nor addressing every response. I too do not believe an occasional drink would have "caused" pancreatitis but could certainly aggravate an incipient attack.

Re: Pancreatitis :(

sidsmom — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 13:57:12 GMT

Even WebMD agrees with me:

Doctors will try to relieve the patient's pain and improve the nutrition problems. Patients are generally given pancreatic enzymes and may need insulin. A low-fat diet may also help.

---

Repeat:

Inflammation needs to to be reduced by any means possible.

Can inflammation be the cause of cancer?

Reduction of fat is imperative.

Re: Pancreatitis :(

Lacey1 — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 13:48:33 GMT

@MommaNJ629 wrote:
I have bad case. I'm 35. I drink maybe once in 2 months. They are calling it "idiopathic" but boy does it hurt. It's really the worst pain I ever felt in middle to left. I'm on day 6 and it's still not done. I can barely eat. I still have pain.

I hope you're taking the proper measures so you can feel better. Denial is not one of them.

Re: Pancreatitis :(

MKR14 — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 13:50:44 GMT

Sorry I just went to post and didn't mean to address it to you. I am glad you do not have pancreatitis though.

Re: Pancreatitis :(

Nonametoday — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 16:03:46 GMT

@abfromtx wrote:
My husband has chronic pancreatitis for about 17 yrs. docs. Last year had him start taking enzymes every time he eats anything. He takes Pancrese but their are others too. If money is an issue ask your doctor for samples. This is not a cheap med but it does keep him comfortable . We noticed when he tries to cut back or skip around ( ugggh! ) that he has an attack so it Definately helps. Ask your doc to try you on some samples. Might help you as it does him. It is designed to help your pancreas to digest food. Relieving the stress off the pancreas. Hope this helps.

I take enzymes anywhere from 6 to 99 per day depending on how good or bad mine is.

Re: Pancreatitis :(

Nonametoday — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 16:05:15 GMT

@Moonchilde wrote:
Misleading to lay the blame for pancreatitis solely on alcohol. My elderly mother had it twice, was hospitalized both times, and it certainly wasn't from alcohol. There are other causes - gallstones, smoking, some medications (most medications for type 2 diabetes are suspects), family history, overactive thyroid, to name a few. The Mayo Clinic says alcoholism is the leading cause of pancreatitis, not having a very occasional drink.

Of course the OP will avoid alcohol now that she's had pancreatitis and is at risk in future, but to postulate that her occasional drink is the *cause* of her current pancreatitis is stretching it. I also take the OP at her word that she's a very occasional drinker because so far I have no reason not to take her at her word.

Idiopathic, BTW, means the doctors do not know the cause in her case.

Wrong for you to assume that is what was said. Obviously you did not evaluate what was said. It was aid that pancreatitis is bad and alcohol exacerbates it and cause it to kill you. Pancreas divisum is a congenital anomaly and nobody is responsible for that. Please read very well before you jump bad.

Re: Pancreatitis :(

hyacinth003 — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 18:17:06 GMT

I have not had this, but I am an RN and have seen it.

People can be VERY sick and in a LOT of pain.

Hope you get well soon.

Hyacinth

Re: Pancreatitis :(

mousiegirl — Fri, 08 Apr 2016 01:18:04 GMT

@AngelPuppy1 wrote:
@MommaNJ629

I am so sorry to hear that you are sick with this. Does drinking cause pancreatitis? I did not know that. I thought they did not know what caused it. I heard the pain is terrible. Can they give you something for it to heal it and help with the pain? I hope you feel better very soon. Please take good care and let us know how you are doing.

@AngelPuppy1 Excessive drinking can cause it, but also a fatty diet or gallstones, and as the OP said, sometimes there is no explanation.

Re: Pancreatitis :(

Moonchilde — Fri, 08 Apr 2016 01:58:16 GMT

@NameAlreadyTaken wrote:
@Moonchilde wrote:
Misleading to lay the blame for pancreatitis solely on alcohol. My elderly mother had it twice, was hospitalized both times, and it certainly wasn't from alcohol. There are other causes - gallstones, smoking, some medications (most medications for type 2 diabetes are suspects), family history, overactive thyroid, to name a few. The Mayo Clinic says alcoholism is the leading cause of pancreatitis, not having a very occasional drink.

Of course the OP will avoid alcohol now that she's had pancreatitis and is at risk in future, but to postulate that her occasional drink is the *cause* of her current pancreatitis is stretching it. I also take the OP at her word that she's a very occasional drinker because so far I have no reason not to take her at her word.

Idiopathic, BTW, means the doctors do not know the cause in her case.
Wrong for you to assume that is what was said. Obviously you did not evaluate what was said. It was aid that pancreatitis is bad and alcohol exacerbates it and cause it to kill you. Pancreas divisum is a congenital anomaly and nobody is responsible for that. Please read very well before you jump bad.

I'm sorry - I can't comprehend most of your response. Please read very well before you hit "Post." Bad.

Re: Pancreatitis :(

Moonchilde — Fri, 08 Apr 2016 02:00:06 GMT

@MKR14 wrote:
Sorry I just went to post and didn't mean to address it to you. I am glad you do not have pancreatitis though.

No problem @MKR14 :-) I'm glad I don't have it either. It sure made my mother miserable the times she had it.