Left side pain, etc.

[Guest guest]

On the subject of pain...occasionally I have felt some left side

pain, sometimes around to the back (feels like it is under my rib

cage). Not so much in the center or right sides, though. Except

when I had my attack it was bad in the center and wrapped all

around. But, when i get the occassional pain it is never very

severe and doesn't usually last more than a day , sometimes

only hours. It is best described as " annoying " or kind of dull.

Sometimes it is a full feeling, best way I can describe it is when

you are really full and unbutton your pants and feel like

" ahhhhhh " , but with this I feel like if I could pull the skin of my

upper abdomen out I would feel relief, but you can't do

this....make any sense? very weird feeling. But, when this

happens does it mean that the pancreas is eating itself or

hurting itself? May seem like a dumb question, but I can't quite

think of how to ask it....

I don't have chronic pancreatitis, though. This pain only

happened one time, I think, for no apparent reason. The other

instances were the day after I had consumed any alcohol the

night before. I know this is a NO-NO, but I still tend to be a little

stubborn sometimes when I feel great (which is most of the

time) and think, why not have a couple? I told my doctor this

because I was concerned....but like I expected he just said that I

shouldn't worry about any future attacks w/ alcohol abstinence.

Because of these few slip ups I got all paranoid and asked if I

should have another CAT scan or other test to see if there is

more damage and he said that from my prior records and the

fact that I wasn't in any pain at the time he said that I would

probably see that there is nothing abnormal with my pancreas.

So, needless to say I walked away from the appointment a little

discouraged, but when I look at it, I guess I have pretty much

been told what I need to do.

Kay

[Guest guest]

Dear, Kay

I found this web page copied and pasted for you.

Question

What are the signs and symptoms of pancreatitis and how is it treated?

Answer

Acute pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. The commonest

causes are excessive alcohol ingestion and gall stones blocking the

pancreatic duct. Less common causes are infection (e.g. mumps),

hyperlipidaemia, and various drugs.

The main symptom is pain in the abdomen which radiates through to the

back, usually developing suddenly and becoming sufficiently severe to

require opiate analgesics. Most patients are nauseous and may vomit.

The patient is ill and sweating with a rapid pulse and shallow

respiration. There may be a fever. In severe cases the patient

becomes almost comatose. The abdomen is extremely tender.

A combination of the above symptoms and signs plus a raised blood

amylase level make the diagnosis.

In mild cases treatment is no more than hospital admission with

intravenous fluids and a nasogastric tube to allow the inflammation

to subside. In severe cases the patient lands up in intensive care

with a variety of complications including kidney failure and blood

problems. In these cases the patient is often in hospital for many

weeks.

In some instances recurrent pancreatitis, usually in alcoholics,

leads to chronic pancreatitis. In these cases the pancreas is

eventually destroyed by recurrent inflammation. The patient becomes

an insulin dependent diabetic, has problems with digesting fats and

may suffer chronic abdominal pain.

I cheated and copied and pasted your answer. I have never heard of a

case, not being question for alcohol at some point during a

pancreatitis attack. It seems to be the main question the doc asks

you. Stay alcohol free, if it ever brought on an attack.

Thanks

> I don't have chronic pancreatitis, though. This pain only

> happened one time, I think, for no apparent reason. The other

> instances were the day after I had consumed any alcohol the

> night before. I know this is a NO-NO, but I still tend to be a

little

> stubborn sometimes when I feel great (which is most of the

> time) and think, why not have a couple? I told my doctor this

> because I was concerned....but like I expected he just said that I

> shouldn't worry about any future attacks w/ alcohol abstinence.

> Because of these few slip ups I got all paranoid and asked if I

> should have another CAT scan or other test to see if there is

> more damage and he said that from my prior records and the

> fact that I wasn't in any pain at the time he said that I would

> probably see that there is nothing abnormal with my pancreas.

> So, needless to say I walked away from the appointment a little

> discouraged, but when I look at it, I guess I have pretty much

> been told what I need to do.

> Kay

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Thanks....yep, I know this stuff. I was just saying that I have had

an accute attack (diagnosed with acute pancreatitis),and believe

that before that I had a couple of minor, non-hospitalized ones. I

have known that alcohol is a no-no...I guess that I have just been

wanting to hear more from the dr.s than that. Not sure why

though....

> Dear, Kay

> I found this web page copied and pasted for you.

>

>

>

> Question

>

> What are the signs and symptoms of pancreatitis and how is it

treated?

>

> Answer

>

> Acute pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. The

commonest

> causes are excessive alcohol ingestion and gall stones

blocking the

> pancreatic duct. Less common causes are infection (e.g.

mumps),

> hyperlipidaemia, and various drugs.

>

> The main symptom is pain in the abdomen which radiates

through to the

> back, usually developing suddenly and becoming sufficiently

severe to

> require opiate analgesics. Most patients are nauseous and

may vomit.

>

> The patient is ill and sweating with a rapid pulse and shallow

> respiration. There may be a fever. In severe cases the patient

> becomes almost comatose. The abdomen is extremely tender.

>

> A combination of the above symptoms and signs plus a raised

blood

> amylase level make the diagnosis.

>

> In mild cases treatment is no more than hospital admission

with

> intravenous fluids and a nasogastric tube to allow the

inflammation

> to subside. In severe cases the patient lands up in intensive

care

> with a variety of complications including kidney failure and

blood

> problems. In these cases the patient is often in hospital for

many

> weeks.

>

> In some instances recurrent pancreatitis, usually in alcoholics,

> leads to chronic pancreatitis. In these cases the pancreas is

> eventually destroyed by recurrent inflammation. The patient

becomes

> an insulin dependent diabetic, has problems with digesting

fats and

> may suffer chronic abdominal pain.

>

>

> I cheated and copied and pasted your answer. I have never

heard of a

> case, not being question for alcohol at some point during a

> pancreatitis attack. It seems to be the main question the doc

asks

> you. Stay alcohol free, if it ever brought on an attack.

> Thanks

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> > I don't have chronic pancreatitis, though. This pain only

> > happened one time, I think, for no apparent reason. The

other

> > instances were the day after I had consumed any alcohol the

> > night before. I know this is a NO-NO, but I still tend to be a

> little

> > stubborn sometimes when I feel great (which is most of the

> > time) and think, why not have a couple? I told my doctor this

> > because I was concerned....but like I expected he just said

that I

> > shouldn't worry about any future attacks w/ alcohol

abstinence.

> > Because of these few slip ups I got all paranoid and asked if

I

> > should have another CAT scan or other test to see if there is

> > more damage and he said that from my prior records and

the

> > fact that I wasn't in any pain at the time he said that I would

> > probably see that there is nothing abnormal with my

pancreas.

> > So, needless to say I walked away from the appointment a

little

> > discouraged, but when I look at it, I guess I have pretty much

> > been told what I need to do.

> > Kay