Does this sound like Pancreatitis?

Posted , 3 users are following.

Hello - wonder if anyone can help?

I've been suffering with abdominal pain for the last 9 days/nights. My first pains came around 9:30am not too intense just uncomfortable. It seems a constant pain right across the abdominan under the ribs. As the day progressed the pains would also come in waves, yet didn't go away.

That evening the pains were pretty bad, I'd been taking paracetamol & ibruprofen in the day, managed to settle for a sleep but woke uncomfortable. I was back & forth to the toilet although wasn't what I'd describe as diarrhea. Had an evening of disturbed sleep. The next day the pain was still there just a dull ache but not as painful as the previous evening. By the early evening again my pains were strong & again I was getting the waves that were pretty bad. On top of this I was feeling sick, I'd not been eating. I rang to see if a dr could see me but they couldn't, I did manage an appointment at the out of hours.

Because when pressing my tummy wasn't painful as such, my bowels all sounded clear & I wasn't presenting any serious symptoms, I'd been advised to take codine. I was warned this would also probably bung me up.

The next day I didn't feel too bad. Managed it to take any painkillers. Slept ok. Saturday again I didn't feel too bad. My appetite was back & I thought it was done.

Sunday I started feeling pretty sick. Had tummy ache again. This continued through the day. I woke at 1am with sharpe pains in my tummy. I can only describe as the kind of pain you get when you've done too many sit ups? But intense. They came thick & fast for a few hours, I was back & forth to the toilet again yet wasn't going. Lots of writhering in pain trying to get comfortable. Taking ibuprofen again. Eventually it settled & I managed to sleep.

Monday woke with dull ache but not the pain. Managed ok in the day, late afternoon the pains started again. Another really bad night. This pattern has continued. Another trip to the out of hours as my doctors had no appointments - this time told it was possibly an accute IBS attack? Take buscapan. Did tbat that night, had the worse night then. Couldn't sleep, felt like I was going to be sick constantly, constant pains with thenadded waves. Trips to the toilet where I was now having diarrhea. I was managing mini naps of half hour at at time waking to pain/feeling sick.

Next day I went to my own doctor, explained everything. How the pains can be ok during the day, come Night it's horrendous. Pain control I'm in/out the bath at all hours. Taking paracetamol & ibroprofen, using hot water bottles. My dr said as I'd no history at all of IBS he didn't think it was that. Took bloods & prescribed omeparzole, 1 20mg tablet a day in a morning. He said if needed I could take 2.

Noticed that day I was feeling much better than previous days, sickness & retching all subsided. Actually felt an appetite. Got to 7pm last night & the all too familiar feeling of the pains started. Again spent a whole evening in pain - could only liken it to labor pains. I tried sleeping from 11pm - not a single bit of sleep & still in pain at 6am. At some point after that I managed to sleep as I woke them at 7:20am - once again the intense pains gone. Left feeling massively tired & like I'm washed out.

Rang about my bloods - everything's clear. Dr said as I didn't get relief from prescription to up the dose & take 2 morning & night.

Left with the plan that if I'm still experiencing same symptoms next week I'll be booked in for a camera.

Sorry my post is so long & garbled - I'm just after advise as to if this is similar to anyone that has pancreatitis?

1 like, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Posted

    Sorry to add each dr appointment my urines been tested - nothing to indicate. Trace blood & urine.

    Also I'm particularly thirsty, esp at night where I have such a dry mouth.

  • Posted

    Hi, this sounds exactly how my pancreatitis started. My tests were all normal but because if the constant pain which didn't get any better, my doctor ordered an endoscopy (all clear) then an ultrasound which finally picked up the inflammation of my pancreas and subsequent imaging tests (CT, MRI, EUS) all confirmed it. My bloodswere always good except late in the process when they showed inflammatory markers and elevated blood sugar for a while but even that has gone back down again. My consultant says I have idiopathic chronic pancreatitis as the inflammation isn't resolving but is still puzzled so continues to monitor me.

    Follow as low a fat diet as you can ( if in pain only have clear liquids - water, broth, jelly), drink plenty of water and absolutely NO alcohol. I do this and it does help. Although I still get random flare ups they dot last too long now. Good luck.

    • Posted

      Thank you for your reply

      sad I'm puzzled as the pains eased again today during the day. I'm just running another bath now as already I can feel tummy pains coming on.

      Taken 2 more of the omeparzole & 10ml gaviscon in a bid to ease tonight's attack

      I'm thinking bloods ideally need to be taken while I'm experiencing the pains yet as these are during the late evening that's not going to happen without a hospital visit which I want to avoid if I'm waisting their time & it isn't anything serious sad

      Just feel at a total loss how long these pains will keep coming back without any answers

  • Posted

    Hello Tallyree,

    Sorry to hear you aren't well. The coming and going of the abdominal pain you describe might well be pancreatitis. However, it might not be pancreatitis also. The camera tests will help determine the real cause and I'm afraid you will just have to wait until the doctors get the real picture.

    I was diagnosed with acute  pancreatitis over a year ago and I suffer from pain every few days in my right abdomen area. It comes and goes and I'm not sure if it's related to what I eat or not. My pain is not excruciating, and I'm obviously very happy about that, but there doesn't seem any end in sight. I'm just hoping it doesn't get worse. I take pretty strong medication for it nevertheless called ixprim which is a narcotic and can be addictive, so I have to watch it.

    In your case, let's hope you just have some passing medical problem and you will be able to put all this pain behind you. 

    I wish you the best of luck and good health.

    Regards,

    Pete.

    • Posted

      Absolutely I'm hoping the same Pete

      Thank you for your reply.

      Scary to read online how many people have/do continually suffer with this sad

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