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Still in pain after 3 + wks

Posted , 7 users are following.

barbara21725
barbara21725

My husband had his first attack of acute pancreatis a little more than 3 wks ago. He was hospitalized for 3 nights. he then went home and returned 4 days later and again was hospitalized 6 night. Home again then 2 days later the pain started again. Has been eating tiny meals. No alcohol. Low fat...Is currently taking tylenol/codein. Helps very little with the pain. Don't know what to do at this point. He does not really want to return to the hospital. If it comes and goes it is now considered to be chronic or just still getting ove the initial attack from 3 weeks ago. Any suggestions from anyone. He does not have any nausea or vomiting.

0 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • pete70517
    pete70517 barbara21725

    Posted

    Hi Barbara,

    Sorry to hear your husband is in so much pain due to Acute Pancreatitis. I have much the same problem myself, but my pain was never really acute or sharp enough for me to return to the hospital, although it has continued now for a year. However,on a scale of 10 for pain, mine would be about 2. Everyone is different and if your husband is really in bad pain, I think he should have no hesitation in returning to the hospital as this is something to take seriously, as you well know at this stage.

    Many people are concerned, as I am myself, about the distiction between acute and chronic pancreatitis. It's confusing and it's better left to the doctors to decide as it may have something to do with the actual state of the pancreas as seen on the various scans that are done.

    would recommend that your husband follow a diet almost of no solid food at this stage as is done in the hospital. Rather than solid food, healthy juices from vegetables etc could be substituted and various other anti inflammatory herbs such as curcumin and grape seed extract, among others, can be taken. Once the pain subsides, then a diet of lean chicken, white fish low in fat can be gradually re-introduced. It's important to check the labels for fat content.This isn't easy of course as it's a whole new way of eating. But, anything is worth a try once the pain is so intense.

    All the best and I wish him good health,

    Pete.         

    • glenna59348
      glenna59348 pete70517

      Posted

      Hello Pete. I just saw your post. Very good advice!! I have been taking turmeric for a few years now. My attack hasn't lasted as long as others. I can't help wondering if its because of the turmeric. Thank you for sharing!!

  • glenna59348
    glenna59348 barbara21725

    Posted

    Hi Barbara. I'm sorry your husband is in so much pain. I recently had my first acute attack also. I take ibuprofen for my pain. A warm Epsom salt bath also helped me last night. I have been told hot water bottles help too. I wish you both the best. Hope he gets relief soon!!

  • diane44431
    diane44431 barbara21725

    Posted

    Everyone seems to have different experiences with these pancreatic disorders.  I recovered from my first attack (which wasn't as terrible as bad as others - they did not hospitalize me, but then I live only 10 minutes from the hospital) and kept to the diet for well over a year with NO further bad experiences, other than back aches.  The past month, I've been suffering stomach issues and bad pain, so have been back to my doctor, who sent me back to a GI, and have had an MRI and will have an endoscopic ultrasound later this week, (because I ended up at the ER just this past Sunday) and they still don't formally diagnose it as chronic.   They are just trying to find out why I'm having such terrible pain.  Tylenol has little effect on my pain, the one with codein is a bit better, but after this recent ER experience, I have an Rx for oxycontin.  I can tell why people get addicted to it, because it does take care of the pain, but it really doesn't to anything to solve whatever the problem is that is causing the pain, so I'm only using it at night so I can get some sleep.  

    There isn't a lot any one can say about why any one person is reacting one way or another to treatments.  Best advice I have, is to find a good GI with support staff that can help you answer questions while the doctors look for some kind of cure that will work.

    It is a very frustrating disease.

     

  • chrissie_1971
    chrissie_1971 barbara21725

    Posted

    dear Barbara

    I should think he still hasn't recovered from the first attack , I was in hospital for a month after mine and it does take a long time to get over it , I still get done pain but not enough to return to hospital .

    I hope he starts to feel better soon

    chrissie

    • barbara21725
      barbara21725 chrissie_1971

      Posted

      Hi Chrissie and thanks for the support. Last night was the first night in a series of about 4 that he has not screamed in pain. He was in pain sitting up yesterday but for whatever reason has worse pain at night when he attempts to roll over. Pain lately is either on the right or left side of his back under his rib cage. Does this make sense?
    • chrissie_1971
      chrissie_1971 barbara21725

      Posted

      Dear Barbara

      I do think he should return to hospital if the pain gets worse again , I had internal bleeding as well , so I think he needs to get checked out , it's such a serious condition

      chrissie

  • rebeccablow
    rebeccablow barbara21725

    Posted

    Hi Barbara,

    Unfortunately he should definitely return to hospital. I've had pancreatitis 4 times in the last 10 years. The last time I chose not to be admitted and now I have bleeding from my pancreas which the doctors cannot stop.

    I have found the only way to treat to eat nothing, drink a lot of water. Being in hospital helps as they can put you on a drip. I take Tremadol for the pain.

    I am sure that if I had been admitted on my last attack I would not have these ongoing issues now.

    Good luck!

    Ps. Warm baths also seem to help!

    Rebecca

    • candice124
      candice124 rebeccablow

      Posted

      Rebecca may I ask, do you have on going digestive issues too? IS your pancreas literally bleeding? May I ask have you considered having it removed at all?
    • barbara21725
      barbara21725 rebeccablow

      Posted

      Hi Rebecca, Pain seems to have subsided somewhat overnite.though this has happend before. I think if the pain was any worse he would have been desperate enough to have had me take him to the emergency room.  Upon his last discharge (last Thursday) one of the docs who saw him prescribed meloxicam. I pulled some infor off a site that said this drug was for arthritis and advised that physicians should not use as it could cause acute pancreatis. The drug info that came with the med mentioned nothing about acute pancreatis. He saw his pcp day after discharge and he told him not to take the meloxicam. What the ;;;;;!
    • barbara21725
      barbara21725 candice124

      Posted

      Candice, I was under the assumption this was a vital organ, so I didn't think you could live without it.

    • candice124
      candice124 barbara21725

      Posted

      It is extremely vital yes. but you can live without it.. Not well but you can survive. You take insulin and Creon for th erest of your life. The op itself involves removing your spleen gallbladder , pancreas and part of your duodenum so you are not exactly whole after the op and it comes with its consequences. Please look up the TP/AIT operation if you get a chance. This is where they take your insulin cells and place them in your liver to help prevent a bad form of diabetes called brittle diabetes
    • rebeccablow
      rebeccablow barbara21725

      Posted

      Arthritis meds? That sounds dodgy. Ive always taken and been ok with tramadol. It's highly addictive though so just be careful. All the others, codeine, buscopan, morphene makes me really constipated, messes with my ibs or just isn't strong enough. See if your doctor will prescribe him tramadol. 

      yea, candice I got a cist on the ampula to the pancreas during my last attack. Also some vareses veins around the pancreas due to lack of blood flow during the attack. 

      Basically about 6 months after my pancreatitis I was hospitalised due to low hb. I've been having weekly ish blood transfusions ever since. The thoughts are that I am bleeding from the pancreas due to the arteries now pumping too much blood into the pancreas. I've had two emboli saying but they haven't worked. Now try want to do more tests and start me on b blockers to lower the blood pressure to reduce the bleeding. I'm a bit worried about this as I have a quite low blood pressure normally anyway.

      I really think if id insisted during the pancreatic attack to be admitted to hospital and had the fluids put into me as they did the other times, all of these other problems wouldn't have occurred. So just be really wary you are getting the right treatment for your husbands attack. Pancreatitis can cause really horrible long term damage that is less easy to fix!! 

      i think you can have a pancreatic transplant? Or maybe part removed? My doctors consider this an 'unpopular option' at this point although it has been discussed. 

  • candice124
    candice124 barbara21725

    Posted

    Hi Barbara, I am 6 months out and still in pain also a level 2. although sometimes its very bad. I personally consider thsi achronic disease always. I am yet to find one  person who has healed. My mom had an attack recently too, 2 months later she is also still in pain not badly but it is there. For me the pain is the last of my worries as I have major digestive issue too. All the best and Im so sorry xoxo
    • barbara21725
      barbara21725 candice124

      Posted

      Well my husband 2 day feeling normal is gone this morning. He slept thru the night but his morning the pain is back. He did eat more than he previously did when he was in pain. But the guy has lost 13 pounds in the past month. He is thin to begin with. He was hungry. I don't think he should be loosing too much weight.

    • candice124
      candice124 barbara21725

      Posted

      AAh I am so so sorry. I too lost 20 pounds. I weighed 85 pounds, Im now 100 pounds but losing weight again. The pain of this disease is relentless. Is he able to work at all?
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