Gallbladder disease or Chronic Pancreatitis

I'm so pleased to hear from you as I have many of your conditions, But I must say I'm not familiar with The I think must be abbreviations of words or test eg mrcp fbc. I have had Cronic Pancreatitis for 5 years also cysts and gallstones. I've not had the opportunity to find out about these conditions as I've not had an IPad, I was 59 years old and they first thought I had cancer fortunately It wasn't. But after all the tests It turned out as above, the pain as we all know is horrendous. I take Tramadol, Morphen and Creon. If Gem, you could help or anyone else I would be greatful, I am sure with young children It's a lot harder. By the way my pain is on the right side unlike yours. 

Hello.. The thing about CP is that it's hard to get a diagnosis. You had good tests that would pick up on anything significant, but an ERCP is a good one to see if there are any calcifications on your pancreas, which is fairly definitive in diagnosing. I have read that estrogen can make pancreatitis worse, or even cause it. Fatty foods don't bother you? You can eat butter and fried foods w/o worsening symptoms? If so, it's probably not gall bladder or pancreas. Look closer at small intestines or liver. (I have a "redundant" duodenum, and extra loop.. A few Docs at Cedars think MAYBE it could be the cause of my CP- or could be the cause off all of my pain, no one is quite sure. Only a major surgery, which I haven't done, would possibly help but may cause more issues). People have these kind of symptoms all the time and look and look and never figure it out. Do not worry, you've had good tests to rule out many things .  Start by reading a lot. Change your diet completely for at least a month to see if it helps. Read "The Healthy Guy" blogs ( here in US) about CP or just read anything, especially from people who gave CP. They usually are much more informative than Drs. 

Stop worrying. Pray for direction.

Alls I can say is that the start of my CP matched many of your symptoms.  From what I have been through it's hard to say the cause as I think there may have been a combonation of them.  Chemo, genetic mutation, previous abdominal surgeries, ect.  And as I've come to learn that even any injury to the pancreas can create this nasty beast.  The begginging part of my onset of digestive issues was gallbladder "sludge".  That surgery found "bad cells".  Doctors language.  My pain then was more right sided, and came with meals.  After surgery, had the diahreaha...then it kinda changed to huge abdominal bloating after eating...that wasnt exactly painful, but irritating.  This waxed and waned for a few years.  Then in 2007, ended up in ER with Acute Pancreatic Attack.  I was told get off the Methotrexate I was taking for RA.  After this improved..more digestion problems, bloating, gastritis, bowel..Idk.  Sometimes I just felt so sick, but pain was not yet localized to the upper mid back area "stabbing" till 2011ish.  Saw a Wonderful group of doctors at at pancreas center (US).  They totally believed I was expierencing CP.  Said 95% of thier patients come with gallbladders removed, which were believed to be the cause..then sent me for a slew of blood work, MRI with contrast, ERCP, EUS, ect and gastric stomach empty scan.  All of which confirmed CP, in head of pancreas mostly.  The MRI, was a special one which they would send all thier patients to one radiology center, because it's imaging was so much clearer..it shows how fast/slow the pancreas takes up the contrast, which allows it to view, and confirm diagnosis somehow.  I dont want to worry you bc you may not be heading this way, and yet I want to worry you, this way..if there is anything you can do to not further irrate digestive system..do these things.  Be very nice to your body.  Eat healthy.  Anything you can do that might stop any damage to pancreas that might have already occured.  If anything, it might slow down the progression, if in fact, CP diagnosis comes your way.  Best advice if diagnosed.  TP/AIT "islet cell transpant with total pancreatectomy done as early as possible when you will be your strongest for long term recovery, and practically guarunteed no diabetes afterwards...as your islets will be removed from pancreas, purified, and returned to your body to function as pancreas elsewhere.  Believe me..at first it seems not so bad, bad, severe, ok, then within a year maybe its everyday all day, and its progressive.  Good news is you may have more hope than many who couldnt find out sooner.  Be proactive, find out whats wrong, second opinion, everything.  Your body you know, and self reffer to pancreas doctor if possible.  I did, and if I had waited for my doctor to send me, it wouldve been much longer before I knew.  Your not crazy, and it may just be a fatty liver, but now you have some feedback from CP patients to see what its like for us, how we came to discover.  You dont want this.  I hope and pray you dont have this, and please remember us in your prayers.  We are often never comfortable, as pain meds are something we fight for, and food has become our enemy.  We pray for transplants, research, and ways to sleep at night, and for people like you, so that no one else will ever have to "walk in our shoes".  Do everything you can now to make your life fantastic.  I'm glad you asked, and I think your on the right track, probably something digestive.  OH and my pain is mostly upper middle back..stabbing affecting all nerves in spine.  It makes me nauseas, and when in acute mode vomit, digestion is horrible.  Im almost to no foods.  Not everyone feels thier pain the same, but alot of us have similar ways it affects us.  To describe it as excrutiating is true, its the nerve thing or something, that pinches, stabs, and leaves you all tense, awful.  I still bloat too.  Best wishes to you.  Let us know if you find any answers yet.  Wen~

So I'm not sure if it has ever recommended but my GI Dr suggested I drink beet juice daily 3 times a day 4 to 6 oz he advises that this will help the gallbladder de sludge itself and make it healtheir I too have pain on my right side just below ribs for several years now had many test hida scan which showed low function gallbladder also had ultrasound ct scans plus many blood tests my dr suggested that unless the systoms are really bad to not have it removd since no stones were found and in his exp he stated that once removed it can trigger other issues within the body so when when I get flare ups this is what I drink 

 

all of my pancreatitis pain is right sided or center and back never on left.  I too was told early on when all test came back fine that it was my galbladder.  The surgery told me my galbladder was fine and no reason to take it out but I insisted thinking my gi knew what they were talking about.  After surgery my surgen came in and told me he was right and my galblader was fine and that after I healed I would have to have more test.  I did and finally figured out I have chronic pancreatitis.  I know a lot of people do have undected galbladder problems that lead to pancreatitis symptoms but not all of us.

Hi all, so this is where I'm at now. The last 4 days I have had agonising pains on my right side under my ribs. This seems to flare up about 30-40 mins after eating. I've also had left sided pain under my ribs which is fairly constant and bearable it is however made 100 times worse as soon as I eat anything at all.

It was my husbands birthday on Thursday so I indulged in a piece of cake I've also had this weekend a nandos and yesterday at 2pm I had a chiquitos.

Last night I felt very tired (not like me) and cuddled up in the arm chair and fell asleep at 8.30. I woke up at 12am with the urgent urge to throw my guts up. After half an hour of pacing the toilet I threw up everything I could of possibly of had in my belly. I felt a bit better for being sick but all night I had terrible nausea and could even manage a sip of water without wretching.

This morning I have diarrohea, stomach is making hurrendous noises, fever and chills, shaking, can't drink without wanting to be sick again and really really bad pain in my right side that's radiating into my back!

Please can someone tell me if this is pancreas or gallbladder.

I don't have any left side pain at the moment. And my stools are normal colour, didn't float (I have had solid stools for the past 4 days for the first time in 6 months).

Thank you for taking the time to read and reply.

I should have my stool sample results today! Fingers crossed!

Hi all,

Stool results are back and they are normal!

The test was for fecal elastase.

I know this means my enzymes are ok and so then technically should be my digestion.

But does this mean I don't have Chronic Pancreatitis?

Recap of tests : ultrasoumd x 2 normal, MRI - normal, MRCP - normal, Bloods - all normal ( full blood count, LFTs, anti bodies) Amylase and Lipase - normal.

Thank you for reading