Re: Difference between biliary colic and pancreas attack

[Guest guest]

Laurie:

See how much you are now learning? Biliary colic/SOD spasm and

pancreatitis are tow different " animals " all together! The

colic/spasm is what causes the pancreatitis. The dut spasms, and

restricts flow, thusp ancreatitis.

For me, the two pains are totally different things all together.

The SOD pain comes on for no warning or reason etc and in my own

case, it usually starts up in my right ear. At lesat 99% of the

time it does. Then for days after, my ear is so sore!

Food can cause the spasm also and when you are in the state that you

are in (before treatment) it probably doesn't take much to get that

spasm going.

I know I sound like a broken record but the main thing that needs to

be focused on is curing that sphincter spasm so that it doesn't

cause ny more pancreatitis attacks. You can't fix the damage and

your pancreas is always going to be sensitive. By that I mean, what

would normally not be any problem for someone without CP might be a

big problm for you, i.e. drugs, stress, antibiotics, trauma etc

causing an acute flare of chronic pancreatitis.

Yes, opioids can increase the pshincter pressure but that does not

mean to not take them. So don't let your doc tell you there

is " nothing he can do " ! My goodness you have to have some relief if

only temoprary. What I have found out over the yeras though is that

oral forms of pain meds just don't work. It takes too long.

I like to think of biliary colic pain as pain coming on all of a

sudden and that bile duct is in their going into spasm (actually

squeezing is what I have felt sometimes, intermittently) and

pancreas pain is constant. But remember one causes the other. I

think that is where some folks get confused. The SOD and biliary

colic are the cause of the pancreatiits.

If I were to guess (and that is what I am doing but I bet I am

close), that pain you are ehaving after eating is from the chronic

pancreatitis and it is still inflamed. I sounds like you know when

your pancreas is acting up but not sure about the SOD spasm.

I would almost bet on the fact that you are having sphincter of Oddi

spasms (the pain from the sky...ha-ha) and then also pancreas pain

from the chronic pancreatitis caused by the SOD.

The docs still don't get it in general, especially with the SOD. I

had been diagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome more times than I

care to mention, kidney stones, gallstones, you name it. All those

years it was SOD and it fianlly in 1997 caused pancreatitis!

Please don't be afraid to take your pain medication. That was not

my intention. If you look at the big picture, the opioids can cause

spasm but it would have to be a little more long term or an awful

big dose. Its just something the docs have to stay aware of.

PErsonally, I think you are very brave. I cannot imagine " Toughing "

out so many SOD attacks!

Also, don't be discouraged as far as treatment goes. I am only

talking from my experience. The first stent placement/balloon

dilatation lasted a couple months and then I hurt again. I figured

that since I had had some relief, that possibly I cuold get relief

for awhile again. My doctors tried to keep me from not going back

to Dr. Cotton saying there was nothing more he could do. He did not

say that and actually told me to GET BACK and he would work with me

as long as I was willing to try. In my particular case, there were

high pressures in different places each time adn they never all

showed up at the same time. The lesson here is that these docs are

not suppose to do " therapy " , i.e. cutting, ballooning, stenting, etc

by guessing! They have to actually see and document pressures and

get directly to the source. It all sounds frustrating and some docs

will just go in once and tell you that htere is nothing more they

can do, but Im telling you, there are docs who will go that extra

mile! You just can't give up with this. I don't know much about

pseudocysts and pancreas divisum and some of the other things that

cause pancreatitis but I do know about SOD and it is frustrating, it

hurts and it is miserable, but it is also " mechanical " meaning the

sphincter doesn't work right for some reason, usually somekind of

trauma or birth defect. In my case a hysterectomy.

I sound like a broken record (I have some med in my system today)

but please don't give up! I would love to talk to you on the

phone. I have unlimited long distance on my home phone and call

everybody. If you would like me to call you, E-mail me at

kfortenb@... and leave your number.

Just hang in there, take your meds to stay as comfortable as

possible until you are seen by the specialists. I really do care!

DONT GIVE UP ON THAT SOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kaye

In pancreatitis , " goutbuster " <goutbuster@y...>

wrote:

> HI everyone,

>

> Another question. It seems the more I read, the more questions

> I have!

>

> This one is: What is the difference between biliary colic attack

> (or SOD spasm) and pancreas attack? as far as type of pain,

> degree of incapacity and how you tell the difference when it

> happens?

>

> I ask this because of the advice that I have been receiving that

> either mentions both events or mentions that you have to stay

> ahead of the pain. I have become absolutely aware of when I am

> having an attack of biliary colic (SOD spasm?). It is always the

> same, always intense, always unbearable and follows a very

> predictable course. However, I am afraid to take any medications

> for that for the reason Kaye mentioned (opiods increasing

> pressure / spasm thing). But I do notice that the meds will

> temper the day to day pain but rarely work when this daily pain

> intensifies to a great degree. When this daily pain intensifies

or

> gets exacerbated by a meal - is this the pancreas type attack

> pain?

>

> To further clarify my types of pain: I have the background, daily

> pain that is there 24 / 7. Bothers me when I walk, breathe deeply

> or laydown to sleep. This can wax and wane during the day and

> sometimes on more than a daily cycle. Then I have the pain that

> gets worse after I eat. Usually after every meal but sometimes

> not. This feels like being kicked in the stomach by a horse, or

> can be just a dull heavy ache. Then once or month or so I have

> biliary colic - which has been describe so well by others. Are

> these pains a combination of SOD type spasms and CP? I do

> recognize acute pancreatitis, as I had it once for sure and a

> second time a year later (but unsubstantiated).

>

> Thanks again all!

>

> Laurie

>

> (thanks mark for giving me " permission " to hog the board! It

> does reassure me that I am not out of line )