Does anyone out there have Pancreatitis? I was just in the hospital and that was my diagnosis.?

Question

I was told if I had one more drink of alcohol I would die. I already have COPD and can't smoke. They also put me on a low fat diet.
Can anyone relate to this?

TO: "help one another": You are a crude, rude jerk. What you said to me was in very poor, insensitive taste. WHY did you give yourself the "help one another" name? Please don't share any of your help with me again. You are damn lucky I can't say what I want to on this site.

Answer 1

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is a large gland behind the stomach and close to the duodenum. The duodenum is the upper part of the small intestine. The pancreas secretes digestive enzymes into the small intestine through a tube called the pancreatic duct. These enzymes help digest fats, proteins, and carbohydrates in food. The pancreas also releases the hormones insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream. These hormones help the body use the glucose it takes from food for energy.

Normally, digestive enzymes do not become active until they reach the small intestine, where they begin digesting food. But if these enzymes become active inside the pancreas, they start "digesting" the pancreas itself.


Acute pancreatitis occurs suddenly and lasts for a short period of time and usually resolves. Chronic pancreatitis does not resolve itself and results in a slow destruction of the pancreas. Either form can cause serious complications. In severe cases, bleeding, tissue damage, and infection may occur. Pseudocysts, accumulations of fluid and tissue debris, may also develop. And enzymes and toxins may enter the bloodstream, injuring the heart, lungs, and kidneys, or other organs.

Acute Pancreatitis
Some people have more than one attack and recover completely after each, but acute pancreatitis can be a severe, life-threatening illness with many complications. About 80,000 cases occur in the United States each year; some 20 percent of them are severe. Acute pancreatitis occurs more often in men than women.

Acute pancreatitis is usually caused by gallstones or by drinking too much alcohol, but these aren't the only causes. If alcohol use and gallstones are ruled out, other possible causes of pancreatitis should be carefully examined so that appropriate treatment—if available—can begin.

Symptoms
Acute pancreatitis usually begins with pain in the upper abdomen that may last for a few days. The pain may be severe and may become constant—just in the abdomen—or it may reach to the back and other areas. It may be sudden and intense or begin as a mild pain that gets worse when food is eaten. Someone with acute pancreatitis often looks and feels very sick. Other symptoms may include

swollen and tender abdomen
nausea
vomiting
fever
rapid pulse
Severe cases may cause dehydration and low blood pressure. The heart, lungs, or kidneys may fail. If bleeding occurs in the pancreas, shock and sometimes even death follow.

Diagnosis
Besides asking about a person's medical history and doing a physical exam, a doctor will order a blood test to diagnose acute pancreatitis. During acute attacks, the blood contains at least three times more amylase and lipase than usual. Amylase and lipase are digestive enzymes formed in the pancreas. Changes may also occur in blood levels of glucose, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and bicarbonate. After the pancreas improves, these levels usually return to normal.

A doctor may also order an abdominal ultrasound to look for gallstones and a CAT (computerized axial tomography) scan to look for inflammation or destruction of the pancreas. CAT scans are also useful in locating pseudocysts.

Treatment
Treatment depends on the severity of the attack. If no kidney or lung complications occur, acute pancreatitis usually improves on its own. Treatment, in general, is designed to support vital bodily functions and prevent complications. A hospital stay will be necessary so that fluids can be replaced intravenously.

If pancreatic pseudocysts occur and are considered large enough to interfere with the pancreas's healing, your doctor may drain or surgically remove them.

Unless the pancreatic duct or bile duct is blocked by gallstones, an acute attack usually lasts only a few days. In severe cases, a person may require intravenous feeding for 3 to 6 weeks while the pancreas slowly heals. This process is called total parenteral nutrition. However, for mild cases of the disease, total parenteral nutrition offers no benefit.

Before leaving the hospital, a person will be advised not to drink alcohol and not to eat large meals. After all signs of acute pancreatitis are gone, the doctor will try to decide what caused it in order to prevent future attacks. In some people, the cause of the attack is clear, but in others, more tests are needed.

Complications
Acute pancreatitis can cause breathing problems. Many people develop hypoxia, which means that cells and tissues are not receiving enough oxygen. Doctors treat hypoxia by giving oxygen through a face mask. Despite receiving oxygen, some people still experience lung failure and require a ventilator.

Sometimes a person cannot stop vomiting and needs to have a tube placed in the stomach to remove fluid and air. In mild cases, a person may not eat for 3 or 4 days and instead may receive fluids and pain relievers through an intravenous line.

If an infection develops, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. Surgery may be needed for extensive infections. Surgery may also be necessary to find the source of bleeding, to rule out problems that resemble pancreatitis, or to remove severely damaged pancreatic tissue.

Acute pancreatitis can sometimes cause kidney failure. If your kidneys fail, you will need dialysis to help your kidneys remove wastes from your blood

Answer 2

My significant other who is a very functional alcholic was in Rush Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago with the same thing. He went into organ failure. His pancreas shut down, his kidneys failed, his liver failed. He turned yellow and they thought he was going to die. He was put into an intentional coma for 30 days while he went thru alcohol withdrawl. He could have died from the withdrawl alone.
God seen fit to give him another chance. He gradually and very slowly was brought back to health. He now is a permanent diabetic on insulin, he has borderline renal failure and his MD is always keeping track of his kidney finction. has problems with digestion. He vomits all of the time and has trouble digesting his food.
After all of that, you would think he would never take a drop to drink again. Well, He forgot. He was in a coma, so he doesn't remember the near death experience. He drinks again after 2 years dry. I cherish every day with him because outside of his drinking, you could not ask for a better person. He is not a sloppy or mean drunk, He is a very functional, sweet, kind person.
I think his family forgot too because they bring him the booze and drink in his home. Thats what started the whole thing over again. When you see everyone else having a beer, he slips off and fills his glass 3/4 full of Vodka and has a squirt of pop.
I try to think of the good times because I know his alcoholism will eventually kill him. His kids don't care because they stand to become inhearitors,l so to speak. They don't support him being alcohol free.
I hope you have the power to not drink anymore. God knows if you are sick, you have had enough of the party.

Answer 3

I can. I just had gallbladder removal surgery about a week ago. My gallbladder caused me to get Pancreatitis. It was awful. It also caused me to get jaundice and affected my kidneys as well. I was in the hospital for two weeks and I have never been so sick. Listen to the doc, they know their stuff. Focus on what you can do and not on what you cant do. You can wake up every morning and live another day. Best wishes!!!

Answer 4

Don't drink. Do y ou want to live? The doctors aren't kidding. If you don't die for real with one more drink, it'll happen soon anyway. If you do drink again, do your family a favor: make a will and get your financial affairs in order. They might not resent you so much after your funeral.

Answer 5

i think you have abused your body over the years , you've been given second chance take it and take doctors advice x

Answer 6

Is it deadly? too bad....