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Hi Jaime Pancreatitis ( or even just a 'touchy' pancreas) givess pain in the upper left area of the abdomen near the rib line, sometimes traveling towards the back.It may feel as if the pain is central upper abdomen too. It can be a constant ache or throb, usually dull , not sharp but as it progresses can turn sharp.It lasts days to weeks. It can come on suddenly or build slowly.It usually but not always gets mighty severe. Many end up needing very powerful pain killers for hours to days. The pain may begin or worsen with eating ( due to spasms of the ducts that release digestive enzymes that the pancreas makes) It can also feel worse if you lie flat, especially on your back. other sx are: nausea ( if there's vomiting, it doesnt releive pain),fever chills, fast heartbeat,dehydration if you havent eaten, drank enough from the nausea. The self help ( IF youve been dx and the sx are within the "safe" range as told to you by your Dr) is to avoid eating and stick with clear fluids 1-2 days then gradually add thicker broths and other liquids and then bland light foods slowly adding to a normal diet. DO NOT try to self help unless youve already been under a Drs care--this can get dangerous including shock!! The pancreas can dump enzymes which will digest itself or other parts of your own GI system! Usually digestive enzymes arent active until they reach the small intestines but if they start activating inside the pancreas ( due to inflammation or mixed signals or a stone blocking the duct from the GBladder or even unknown reaons) theyll start their work while still inside the pancreas digesting it. Then as they leak out into the small intestine, theyll continue their damage. The pain is usually enough to send you to the ER--where theyll diagnose with blood tests for amylase and lipase as well as by history and exam.IF you ever suspect this make sure they take the bloods--Ive been sent home with a prelim dx of "gastritis" only to return hours later in danger because they didnt do the bloods!! Now I insist even if the area is only a bit twingy, with pain. If you become chronic or have several episodes fairly close together, its important to not skip meals or go too long without eating as it seems to trigger a case.Also often pain starts to be less with each attack which isnt good--means the pansceas may be shutting down altogether.and the pain's warnings arent there. Alcohol use and glalltones are the main risk factors as well as infections causing inflammation and some drugs (like tetracyclines)--most cases arent pinpointed--as environmental and genetic factors interplay. If youre prone to gall bladder issues, the pain may feel both right and left as the pancreatic duct and common bile ducts are connected.And the inflammation will spread This is considered a severe/life threatening condition!! hope that explains it as for cysts and tumors--I too have become "prone' to them since the Lyme/TBDs--its my opinion that the inflammation and the messed up immune signals the TBD causes may also make us vulnerable to these cysts. Finette |
