Pancreas Disorders Forum - Multiple Cases of Acute Pancreatitis

Conditions and Diseases > Pancreas Disorders Forum > Multiple Cases of Acute Pancreatitis

Abdominal pain and bellyaches are common. Though most cases of abdominal pain aren't serious, sometimes you will need to see a doctor. We’ll review some of...

Q: Multiple Cases of Acute Pancreatitis

asked by: Freya on August 5th, 2005

New User

I am a 25 year old female, it is august 2005 and I have just had my third case of acute pancreatitis.
The first episode was in october 2002 (when I was 22), and the second only 8 weeks ago in june 2005.

The first case was very severe as I did not know what was causing my abdominal pain, and the doctor I saw suggested I had a stomach virus that was circulating at the time. He gave me injections for the pain, but it continued into the next day and before long I began vomiting violently whenever drinking even small amounts of water. I was admitted to hospital once they discovered my amylase was up to 11,000, and was kept in over a week, the episode lasting 10 days in total. I had an ultrasound and an x-ray to search for gallstones, but none were found.
I admit I used to be typical student and liked a drink, but never to constant excesses, and although I was honest with the consultant about how much I was drinking, they agreed it was nowhere near enough to cause pancreatitis, especially as I was only 22.
I was advised to give up alcohol for 12 months – being young and stupid I only made it to 3 months, starting with the odd glass of wine, and I slowly resumed my normal alcohol consumption (around 20 units a week) without giving it too much thought.
This continued until around a year ago, when I cut my drinking down by about half – I would have a few drinks during the week, and only have a big night out around once every couple of months.

The second episode came 8 weeks ago, but I first thought the mild pain was due to a virus, as had suffered diaorrhea in the days leading up to it. I went to a&e to get my amylase checked as soon as the pain got worse and I knew what it was (you don’t forget the pain of acute pancreatitis in a hurry!). It came back as 4100, and again I was admitted. This time I was only in for 3 days, but was still in some pain when I was discharged. Again during my time in hospital I was given an ultrasound and x-ray but no cause was found. After this happened again I started to worry – my diet has never been unhealthy but I chose low fat options of everything and some organic where my budget would allow. I had no alcohol except one night out two weeks before my third episode, where I had around 10 units.

I was called back for a ct scan 2 weeks later, but again nothing was found. The doctors were deciding what steps to take next, when I had the pain again.

Then came the third time - I went straight to the hospital, and my amylase this time was only 1300. I was kept in for 5 days, during which yet another ultrasound and x-ray were done and nothing found and felt completely fine when discharged.

I am now abstaining completely from alcohol, following a low fat, high carb (as suggested on other websites), completely organic diet, free from flavourings, colourings, preservatives and chemicals as far as possible, drink 3 litres of water, my only vice being 5 light slim cigarettes a day.
I am tired a lot of the time, despite having at least 7 hours or more sleep a day.
I am not, and have never been, on prescription drugs, and only take pain killers for headaches if absolutely necessary.
Apart from the obvious, I am completely healthy. However I am medically overweight for my height, due to weight gained whilst on the contraceptive injection depo provera for a year and a half until april 2002, when I had a iud coil fitted.

Plans are being made for an mri scan, but if nothing shows up I will probably be referred to a gastroenterologist for further tests.

What I would like to know is, after 3 cases of acute pancreatitis before the age of 25:
• am I likely to develop chronic pancreatitis or diabetes?
• what tests should I request if they are not offered to me?
• what other measures (apart from diet and alcohol avoidance) can I take to prevent this from recurring?

I would really like to hear from anyone who has been in, or is in, a similar situation to myself, as every doctor and consultant I see is completely mystified and noone has a clue what is wrong with me. I just want my life back, without worrying about when I will be back in hospital next, and the horror stories about the results of regular attacks.

Replies(7)

KsMom

replied on August 18th, 2005

New User

Normal Tests Don't Always Mean Nothing Is Going On...

Hi! My daughter, 14, has been diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis. Over the last 2 1/2 years she has undergone several test all within normal limits. Ultrasound - normal, ct scans, normal, and blood test, normal. However, she had hida scan performed of her gallbladder and this reveal dysfunction and had it removed (only part of the problem). She then underwent an ercp and this reveal sphincter of oddi dysfunction, very rare for children. Again, only part of the problem. The pancreas is the root of this evil.

Don't let them stop until you have an answer. If I had listened to the doctors, she would be the worst case of 'nervous stomach/eating disorder' known.

Clareh

replied on October 28th, 2005

New User

Idiopathic Pancreatitis

Hi,

i was very interested to read your account - it sounds just like me, only I was 18 when it started. Like you, it took an age to get taken seriously, and they have now established that I have pancreas divisum (divided pancreas, you're born with it, but it shouldn't be a cause on its own), no visible gallstones, no alcohol abuse (and you really have to work to get them to believe that when you're in your 20s - they assume you're out getting wasted every night!).

My situation now is that i'm 32, and unfortunately I have continued to have about 2 attacks a year since 18. I am not diabetic, although there is a strong history of diabetes (1 and 2) in my family. I drink about two units a month, so barely anything, and I absolutely don't think alcohol, or for that matter, food, have anything to do with triggering an attack. However, I do eat healthily, and exercise regularly. I'd do this anyway - i've always exercised, and never smoked (the one thing you must do is give up smoking - it's got a host of links to damaging the pancereas, and our pancreases don't need any excuse! It will also prove to the docs that you are doing everything you can).

I live in the uk, and am about to go to liverpool to visit the research team there who specilaize in familial pancreatitis. One thing I have just come across this morning is a study at the bandolier site in the uk, which links selenium ace with possibly preventing further attacks. As I say, i've only just seen this, but selenuim's a good thing to take anyway, and it's worth a try!

Let me know how you get on. It's a tough disease, but the main things are getting the doctors to take you seriously and as the lady in the second message said, be pushy. It took them five years to diagnose my pancreatitis - and all it takes is a simple blood test. It will not go away on its own, so get in there and demand some attention!

Good luck

clare

Freya

replied on October 29th, 2005

New User

Wow, that must be very hard having it twice a year - but at least you know what it is and can get straight to hospital so hopefully your enzymes don't have a chance to get too high. Has it done permanent damage having so many attacks?

Talk about doctors not understanding, my employers were also not happy as they thought oh she has pancreatitis it must mean she drinks loads hence its her fault she needs time off work! So now i'm mostly self employed I run the risk of not being paid for a few days but at least I can avoid the constant pointless meetings about how much sick time I have had off and what I plan to do about it....!

I didn't know smoking damaged pancreas that much, of course as if I need another reason to give up, I know it is no good whatsoever, but I have been good recently and a pack of 20 now easily lasts me over a week. Its a step in the right direction anyway!
Yeah I have heard about the selenium thing a while ago, maybe studies were done in usa first, but its found in brazil nuts so if you like them its one less vitamin tablet to take!

Pls let me know how you get on in liverpool. I have just been to hosp in croydon (possibly the worst in the uk!) to get my results of my recent mri scan, and when I walked into the room the "doctor" asked me why I was there!! Said I just want the results of scan, he asked if I was in pain, I said no I just want the results of scan, to which he asked if I would like him to examine me! By this point I was losing the will to live...He said he didn't have the test results, went out of the room for 10 minutes, came back and said they didn't find anything. How much I can believe him, I don't know! Useless is not the word...

Clareh

replied on October 31st, 2005

New User

Idiopathis Pancreatitis

That's what worries me most, really - every attack does some damage to the pancreases, so how much more attacks will it take before it packs up and we end up in a whole new world of pain? So, i'm trying most things at the moment to stave off another attack.

One thing which I haven't seen anyone discuss is when in the day their attacks come. Mine always, absolutely without fail, starts first thing in the morning. I either wake up with the pain, or it developed within an hour. I don't know why this is - maybe it's because the pancreas has been inactive over night and is starting to creak into action? I'd be really interested in whether other people get it at the same time of day.

What I want to avoid is it degenrating into constant, chronic pancreatitis. My mum is type 1 diabetic, so I don't want to go there either! Also, we'd like to have kids in the next couple of years - no desperate rush, but I think I need to start working out the risks. Pregnancy puts an extra load on the pancreas. I can find lots about people who havce had pancreatitis for the first time whilst pregnant, but haven't read anything yet on women with acute or chronic pancreatitis who've been planning a family. Can anyone advise me? I'm not expecting it to be an easy process, but at the moment I really don't know what the chances and risks are. Hopefully the guys in liverpool may be able to help me with that as well.

Clare

Freya

replied on October 31st, 2005

New User

Yes thats what i'm worried about two, I thought having 3 attacks was pushing my luck! 3 to you must seem great in comparison. My first two attacks started the same as yours, about an hour after waking up. With the third though I didn't get any pain until about 2pm, and wasn't sure it was pancreatitis but took myself to hosp anyway due to history and amylase high at 1300 but lowest they had ever been.
I don't have any children so cannot advise i'm afraid. Hope you get some replies from women who can help with that, but out of interest how much extra stress does it put on the pancreas?

Clareh

replied on November 3rd, 2005

New User

Acute Pancreatitis

Yeah, it would really help to hear from some other people. There must be women out there who have had acute pancreatitis and wanted to have kids. I don't really know much about this, which is one of the reasons why I want to get up to liverpool and get some info, but I know that it will be more complicated then usual. Apparantly one of the causes of ap is carrying (alhtough not necessarily having symptoms of ) the cyctic fibrosis gene. One in 20 people in the uk carry the gene, so they're going to test me for it, if I do have it, it's really important that my husband gets tested as well, and if we both have it, that's a whole new discussion. Apart from that, I just haven't had nine months without ap since I was 18, so the chances of me getting through a pregnancy unscathed are slim, I think, at the moment.

As I understand it, all women are more at risk of getting ap when they are pregnant. I am assuming that that means that you and I are particularly at risk, and I have been told by one doctor that ap in pregnancy 'usually' results in miscarriage. But, that's one doctors opion, and he wasn't a specialist, so other dcotors may regard that as alarmist, or spot on. I don't know. I could really do with some answers!!

C

csimon

replied on April 20th, 2009

New User

hey I read your posts and couldnt help but comment.. I had my first pancreatic attack when I was only 11 after that had 9 episodes in the time span of 2 years. After the two years I havent gotten any episode thank God, but to this date doctors havent found the cause. I went to Georgetown hospital, miami childrens hospital, Jackson Memorial, Baptist Hospital, John Hopkins hospital, Mayo Clinic in Rochester and tons of other hospitals and nobody could discover the cause. Now I am 20 years and havent suffered from a pancreatic attack, when i turned 19 I decided to try alcohol and since nothing happened i started to drink moderatly of course and rarely, my mom was diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis and i have decided to stop drinking so i wont end up in the same situation. We had tests done to test our genes and hereditary pancreatitis was not the cause apparently. I am registered as an unknown cause of pancreatitis but I think its hereditary that is the only explanation. Just wanted to let you all know

Learn About Us

Get Help

Join In

Do More

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health
information:
verify here.

The site is not a replacement for professional medical opinion, examination, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your medical doctor or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment or making any changes to existing treatment. Do not delay seeking or disregard medical advice based on information written by any author on this site. No health questions and information on eHealth Forum is regulated or evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and therefore the information should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a medical doctor. Posts made to these forums express the views and opinions of the author, and not the administrators, moderators, or editorial staff and hence eHealth Forum and its principals will accept no liabilities or responsibilities for the statements made. Schizophrenia health sitemap.
This page was last updated on January 1, 2009.
© 2008 eForums, Inc