1. Community
  2. Gut, bowel and stomach
  3. Abdominal Disorders

chronic pancreatitis scare :(

Posted , 4 users are following.

drash11
drash11

Hello,

I am a 39 year old male. I had a mild acute attacke of pancreatitis in 2002. Actually even then my gastroeneterologist did not want to put that down as my diagnosis as my pain was mild with no elevations of enymes and no hospitalisation needed. A CT scan however showed mild scarring of the head of the pancreas. he just told me stop drinking and sent me on my way.

I stopped drinking for about a month. And then switched to beer. Since 2002 i have been binge drinking on and off averaging once a week (8-9 cans of beer). absolutely no symptoms till last week.

Last week i started having burning epigastric pain that burned between my shoulder blades and i immediately started to worry about pancreatitis. i must add that ive had a problem with reflux for a very long time but have never had burning pain in my back before.

I will be seeing a specialist tomorrow and going through a battery of tests. a week after my symptoms began, its much milder but still present. epigastric pain with mild back pain 1 hour after eating. with little to no pain after 5pm. no pain while sleeping.

I wonder if it is my pancreas. Im worried sick. for those with experience with chronic pancreatitis, is this the way it starts? needless to say i have stopped drinking completey and sincerely do not want another drop. i have no trouble stopping. i was just a life of the party type of drunk smile

I do hope the endoscopy shows an ulcer or something. im just really scared right now that ive ruined my life.

Any advice/experience would be much appreciated!

Thank you!

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • smc89344
    smc89344 drash11

    Posted

    Hi,

    You're doing the right thing by not drinking as alcohol is harmful to the body in excess. I lost my 29 year old brother a year and a half ago from liver failure due to alcohol. My mother too is another one I'm in constant argument with. Secondly seeking a gastroenterologist is a good thing. They will perform scopes to hopefully give you an answer to your issues. If not, maybe it's anxiety related issues? Stress and nervousness cause alot of physical symptoms. ...believe me I've been thru it all including having an endoscopy and colonoscopy.

    Try to avoid acidic or greasy foods as these are triggers for gastrointestinal issues.

    Best of luck.

    • drash11
      drash11 smc89344

      Posted

      Hi Sandi89344,

      Sorry to hear about your brother. Thank you for your advice and good wishes

  • Dewygulati
    Dewygulati drash11

    Posted

    I am not sure about pancreas issue..but I do relate to you on the binge Drinking..I am 40 year old male

    Who started binge drinking at 16

    My issue is bloating and while they have not found any ..the worst are my thoughts..my mind has never been so worried or scared with the thought of negative or scary thoughts

    I've stopped drunking this year and started eating well..that's part easier..but my mind will never be the same ..as I think of possible illness we can get

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.