Putting Off Pancreatitis

Your stomach aches persistently and consistently. No matter what you do your abdomen hurts. You could have pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas gland, which commonly results from heavy drinking or from a disease of the bile ducts or the gallbladder. But it can also be the result of trauma, peptic ulcers or a high level of blood calcium. So there are many potential causes, and it is difficult to diagnose. You can also suffer from chronic pancreatitis.

The result can be mild and self-limiting or severe and fatal, depending on the amount of cell damage that occurs. This, in turn, is reflected in the number of signs and symptoms present. In severe cases, digestive enzymes in the pancreas, such as trypsin, run amok and attack and destroy the cells of the gland itself.

The pancreas has two primary functions. First, it makes digestive enzymes (chemicals) and releases them into the small intestine. These enzymes break down carbohydrates, proteins and fat from food.

Your pancreas also produces several hormones and releases them into the blood. Among these hormones is insulin which regulates the amount of sugar in your blood (glucose). Insulin also helps provide energy now and stores some for later.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, you are more likely to get pancreatitis if you are male, African-American, have a family member who has had pancreatitis or gallstones, have obesity, high triglycerides (fat in the blood) or diabetes, are a smoker and are a heavy drinker (three or more drinks per day).

Pancreatitis is usually caused by gallstones or heavy drinking. Rarely, it can also be caused by medications, high triglyceride levels, infections, abdominal injury, metabolic disorders like diabetes and genetic disorders like cystic fibrosis.

If you have acute pancreatitis, you may experience symptoms such as moderate to severe upper abdominal pain that radiates to your back, pain that comes on suddenly and builds over a few days, pain that worsens when eating, swollen tender abdomen, nausea and vomiting, fever and faster than usual heart rate.

Because acute pancreatitis can appear under different disguises, the only sure-fire way to establish a diagnosis would be to examine the gland at operation. This is impractical and rarely done, unless a bile-duct obstruction exists. Instead, acute pancreatitis can be differentiated from other possible imitators by laboratory tests and imaging techniques. A high level of amylase in the blood or urine is one indicator that is highly sensitive but not specific.

To firm up the diagnosis, tests for trypsinogen, hemoglobin level, leukocyte count, blood sugar and other factors are often needed. In addition, X-rays might help reveal suspicious secondary changes in the small bowel associated with the disease.

If you have pancreatitis, you will be referred to a gastroenterologist. Doctors use one or more of these methods to treat pancreatitis.

·       Hospitalization with supportive care and monitoring.

·       Pain medication to provide comfort.

·       Endoscopic procedure or surgery to remove a gallstone, blockage or damaged part of the pancreas.

·       Supplemental pancreatic enzymes and insulin, if your pancreas isn’t functioning well.

If surgery is recommended, your doctor may suggest a laparoscopic procedure. During laparoscopic surgery, your surgeon inserts a laparoscope (an instrument with a camera and light) into keyhole-sized cuts in the abdomen. The laparoscope sends images of your organs to a monitor to help guide the surgeon during the procedure.

Acute pancreatitis lasts for a few days. But if you have a severe case it may take several weeks to months to recover. You can take some healthy measures to help avoid getting pancreatitis such as eating a healthy diet, exercising, stop smoking, saying no to drinking alcohol and taking medications as prescribed.

Though pancreatitis can be painful, with the proper treatment you can make a full recovery. It is important to pay attention to the underlying conditions such as gallstones that might lead to the illness. Discuss any concerns with your doctor.