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Really scared. Lipase level low - pancreas??

Posted , 5 users are following.

tera98696
tera98696

hi everyone.. I am a 28 year old female and for the last month i have been having bad left side flank pain, in my back and under my ribs on the left side. i went to the doctor today and ordered a panel of blood work including my lipase. My patient portal just notified me i had results in and while looking at my lipase, the normal range says 25-55 and mine is 13. I am freaking out. I cannot find anything online other then pancreatic cancer. Has anyone ever experienced low lipase levels??

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • heather38380
    heather38380 tera98696

    Posted

    hi tera. EPI is a common cause of low lipase levels and there are a number of reasons you could have this. are you having any other symptoms?

  • yonder01
    yonder01 tera98696

    Posted

    Hi, First, contact your doctor and follow up with them, if you don't hear anything ask to see a internal medicine doc. Tell them it is urgent, and if no one responds within 24 hours go tot eh ER and tell them you need your pancreas checked asap. You need to know what is going on right away, like ina couple days not a few weeks. Don't freak out, just do that, get a fast appt with the doc, a fast follow up appt, id no response within 24 hours go to the ER. You want to go to the ER so that if there is any treatment necessary that needs to be done right away they can start it. You need to stay hydrated as well. It does snot mean you have cancer.

    What is a normal lipase level?

    When the pancreas is inflamed, increased blood levels of the pancreatic enzymes called amylase and lipase will result. The normal lipase level is 12-70 U/L. Normal values may vary from laboratory to laboratory.

    What does it mean when your pancreas levels are low?

    A low level of lipase in the blood may indicate permanent damage to the lipase-producing cells in the pancreas. This can occur in chronic diseases that affect the pancreas, such as cystic fibrosis. ... With acute pancreatitis, there is usually no long-term damage and often no further problems develop.

    Stay calm and just do these follow ups. Freaking out wont do you any good, but since you are having pain it need to be looked into. Also check the gallbladder as well. IN the ER they can do scans to see if anything is going on, lie stones etc. Do a ct with contrast.

    I have had recurring symptoms like this except it also includes nausea and severe upper left abdominal pain and it runs in a cycle of 6-8 weeks, goes away and comes back and it happens during certain moths of the year, Very bizarre, and all numbers are always normal. I know something is very wrong but no one can find out what it is, This is my 5th year of dealing with this. It has altered my life drastically and am now home bound.

    • tera98696
      tera98696 yonder01

      Posted

      wow thank you for your response. I ended up meeting with my Gastro doctor last week and he wants to do an ultrasound of the liver and the pancreas and an upper endoscopy everything was scheduled for next week but they called and canceled it with the virus outbreak so that kind of put me on the back burner wasI ended up meeting with my Gastro doctor last week and he wants to do an ultrasound of the liver and the pancreas and an upper endoscopy everything was scheduled for next week but they called and canceled it with the virus outbreak so that kind of put me on the back burner with with waiting...the pain is a little better today and yesterday i will say but still concerned. what have you had done??

    • yonder01
      yonder01 tera98696

      Posted

      HI, well I am glad he has the tests ordered, once this scare is over you can get them done, in the mean if it gets really bad again don't hesitate to go back to the er to make sure . I have had a few ct scans done with contrast, gall bladder out, a parathyroid gland out, and several hospital stays when it got out of my control, basically I try to treat at home but go in if I cant control the pain etc. I am also awaiting dna full exome testing I had to save up for as insurance wont cover it. I don't hold out much hope of finding out what it is. But I keep trying. I also have another blood test to do but like you am waiting for this scare to be over, but I do have to get prescriptions in a couple days and might just have it done. Try to stay away from people and wash hands etc..I am also live on crowd med now, but after the first few medical detectives talked to me it has been quiet since, so that is kind of a dead end for right now, though they did have some good ideas and have checked those out. I am hoping that in time, that something will happen that will give us a clue as to what this is. It has been very frustrating and also a learning experience for sure. thanks for asking, good luck to you keep us updated !!..Just another suggestion make sure you do the hida test on the gallbladder and not just the scan, 😃

    • ashley64960
      ashley64960 tera98696

      Posted

      What did they end up finding out?! I am also 28 and having these exact symptoms! My level of lipase was 10.

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