Guest guest Posted March 27, 2003 Report Share Posted March 27, 2003 Joanne, Thanks for sending the great info on cholangitis and this one on pancreatitis. It caught my eye about azaithoprine (immuran) sometimes causing pancreatitis, I wonder how many of us was aware of this, sure surprised me. Love, Ruth JJCathcart <JJCATHCART@...> wrote: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000287.htm Acute pancreatitis Illustrations Definition Acute pancreatitis is an inflammation (irritation and swelling with presence of extra immune cells) of the pancreas. The pancreas is an elongated, tapered gland, located behind the stomach, that secretes digestive enzymes and the hormones insulin and glucagon. Causes, incidence, and risk factors The chief causes of acute pancreatitis in adults are gallstones, other gallbladder (biliary) disease, and alcohol use. Viral infection (mumps, coxsackie B, mycoplasma pneumonia, and campylobacter), traumatic injury, pancreatic or common bile duct surgical procedures and certain medications (especially estrogens, corticosteroids, thiazide diuretics, and azathioprine) are other causes.The mechanism that causes pancreatitis is not well known. It is thought that enzymes normally secreted by the pancreas in an inactive form become activated inside the pancreas and start to digest the pancreatic tissue. This process is called autodigestion and causes swelling, hemorrhage, and damage to the blood vessels. An attack may last for 48 hours.The disease affects men more often than women. Alcohol abuse is an important risk factor.In children, this disorder may be associated with: abdominal trauma cystic fibrosis hemolytic uremic syndrome Kawasaki disease mumps Reye syndrome various viral illnesses medications Symptoms abdominal pain that is greatest in the upper abdomen (upper left quadrant or upper middle of the abdomen) persistent or chronic recurrent or with similar pain in the past may be worse lying flat on the back (supine) may radiate to the back or below the left shoulder blade (left scapular area) radiating through to the middle of the back may be worse after eating or drinking (occurs within minutes following meals), especially greasy foods or foods with a high fat content may be worse after drinking alcohol nausea vomiting sweating anxiety fever mild jaundice Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease: swollen abdomen gaseous abdominal fullness abdominal indigestion hiccups skin rash or lesion clay-colored stools Signs and tests General examination may show low blood pressure and a heart rate above 90 (slightly rapid).Tests that show release of pancreatic enzymes: elevated serum amylase elevated urine amylase elevated serum lipase Test that show inflammation of the pancreas: abdominal CT scan abdominal ultrasound abdominal MRI In other blood tests results: CBC shows an elevated WBC count. A glucose test may show elevated levels. Serum calcium may be decreased. This disease may also alter the results of the following tests: trypsinogen serum magnesium - test LDH isoenzymes LDH fecal fat CEA calcium (ionized) AST Treatment Treatment is aimed at supportive measures such as fluid replacement by intravenous (IV) infusion, pain relief by analgesics, and withholding food or fluid by mouth to restrict pancreatic activity that makes symptoms worse. Occasionally nasogastric suctioning may be required if there is persistent vomiting or severe pain or if a paralytic ileus develops.Recurrent attacks may be prevented by treating the underlying condition.Surgery or endoscopic therapy (using an endoscope, a device with a light that can look inside a body cavity) is indicated in some cases to remove gallstones blocking drainage of the pancreas. In severe cases, the pancreas may be removed. Expectations (prognosis) In most cases, the symptoms resolve in a week; however, in some cases, life-threatening illness develops. The death rate is high with hemorrhagic pancreatitis or necrotizing pancreatitis and complications such as liver, heart, or kidney impairment may occur. Recurrences are common. Complications low blood pressure heart failure kidney failure ARDS (adult respiratory distress syndrome) ascites, accumulation of fluid in the abdomen cysts or abscesses in the pancreas There is a lot more to read. Joanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 Since the pancreas is responsible for our enzyme production, taking a good quality digestive enzyme product might help. Also, I read in Henry Bieler's, " Food is Your Best Medicine, " that the pancreas chief chemical element is potassium, so non-starchy potassium rich foods like celery, parsley and zucchini might be good. We have friends whose twin daughters have pancreatitis, and they have extremem difficulty digesting any fats. Because a NT style diet is rich in fats (albeit healthy fats), a consult with a well-educated natural nutritionist might be your friends best bet. Rebekah acute pancreatitis Just met a friend I haven't seen in a while... told me her 15 yr old son who has cerebral palsy, has had several bouts of acute pancreatitis in the last year... he nearly didn't make it through the last one. Does anybody have any ideas re diet changes/regime which could be useful in this case?... I've done some preliminary research... alot of what's our there is fairly orthodox in it's approach. As he received large amount of antibiotics I suggested she should give him some good probiotics etc... talked about gluten/caesin elimination... he's partly fed via a permanent tube he's had since birth so this might complicate things. Any help would be much appreciated. TIA Dedy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 >As he received large amount of antibiotics I suggested she should give him some good probiotics etc... talked about gluten/caesin elimination... he's partly fed via a permanent tube he's had since birth so this might complicate things. Actually if he is tube fed things can be easier in one sense ... I do have experience in this. They can make a formula in a good blender (like vitamix) that really has all the right stuff in it. The problem with the canned formulas is that they are mainly made of corn syrup and milk powder or soy protein. A homemade blend can have hamburger, coconut oil, kefir, kale, carrots, dried anchovies .... real food, in other words! I kind of think most of those canned formulas are the *cause* of some of the complications these kids have. Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 11, 2004 Report Share Posted September 11, 2004 Heidi, Do you have specific recipes for tube feeding?... I'll check with my friend what's in the stuff he gets at the moment.. On the acne thread there was mention of dandelion & burdock root tea for the liver, having been damaged by large doses of antibiotics... would it be a good idea for my friend's son to drink that? TIA Dedy From: Heidi Schuppenhauer <<Actually if he is tube fed things can be easier in one sense ... I do have experience in this. They can make a formula in a good blender (like vitamix) that really has all the right stuff in it. The problem with the canned formulas is that they are mainly made of corn syrup and milk powder or soy protein. A homemade blend can have hamburger, coconut oil, kefir, kale, carrots, dried anchovies .... real food, in other words! I kind of think most of those canned formulas are the *cause* of some of the complications these kids have.>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 12, 2004 Report Share Posted September 12, 2004 >Heidi, > >Do you have specific recipes for tube feeding?... I'll check with my friend what's in the stuff he gets at the moment.. Ummm, I won't guarantee this is totally accurate, but I use something like: 2 cups cooked rice 1 cup vegies (whatever is around, kale and collards and other greens if you can) 1 cup fruit (whatever is around) 4 oz or more beef 2/3 cup fat (olive oil, coconut oil, or other) vitamins (for insurance), salts, cal/mag/d 2 cups water 2 cups kefir Basically just think " what is a good diet " and grind it up. Using a diet program to figure out total calories and nutrients is a good thing to do though, or talk to a nutritionist. Humans can probably live off just kefir (some tribes did that as their main food source). But anything is better than that canned stuff. Especially important is to get the probiotics in there ... kefir is the best. But don't start anything SUDDENLY on a sick kid. In my case, my son had diarrhea for 6 weeks straight, so I gave him only liquids for a day to see what would happen ... then just ground up rice (rice is generally considered good for diarrhea) and he cleared right up. Then I added ingredients one by one. At one point I was using eggs, but then he tested allergic to eggs, so I avoid anything that might be allergenic. >On the acne thread there was mention of dandelion & burdock root tea for the liver, having been damaged by large doses of antibiotics... would it be a good idea for my friend's son to drink that? I don't know ... I haven't tried dandelion tea, though it sounds like something to try one of these days. I do know that dandelion root was used as a coffee replacement during the war, though that was roasted, it can't be too bad for you? I was on doses of antibiotics, but the side effects seemed to go away when I started kefir beer. Eating bitter greens does make me feel good though, so I do eat bitter greens a lot, maybe they do good things for the liver. > Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 12, 2004 Report Share Posted September 12, 2004 At 01:52 PM 9/12/2004, you wrote: > >On the acne thread there was mention of dandelion & burdock root tea for > the liver, having been damaged by large doses of antibiotics... would it > be a good idea for my friend's son to drink that? i've never known anyone to react badly to it. i've let my young daughter have it, though i dilute it. -katja Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Hi , No, my brother-in-law- doesn't have fibro- just the acute pancreatitis. I didn't mean to scare you- he does have periods of time when he feels ok, but then it flares back up. Kinda like our fibro flares. He does have to stick to that strict diet which is very hard for him since he likes to eat! lol! Best of luck, Beth Beth MoormanFrom: <funny_dumplin@...>Subject: Re: Acute Pancreatitisdominie Date: Sunday, June 22, 2008, 12:55 PMBeth and ,Thank you both for writing back - I was just curious about it because I'd never heard of it. I just knew it was a different kind of pain than I was used to having (with the fibro). The people at work don't really understand, but I have to be out sometimes. Oh well.Beth, I hope your brother-in-law will start improving. That scares me! Does your brother have fibro as well???, how are they treating your pancreatitis? I have to have an ultrasound done this Tues. on my pancreas and my gallbladder. The Dr. thought I was having gallstones, but he said probably NOT because my liver enzymes were within "normal" range, but that my pancreas enzymes were like 389!!! (He said normal was around 264 or so)...I didn't check on that. Anyway, I'm not sure how to deal with this on top of the fibro...especially trying to work full-time. I just hate their snide remarks about me being sick. I guess I need to toughen up!!! I wasn't sure if it may have been caused by meds, something to do with fibro or what. Anyway, thank you both for responding. I appreciate your time.I hope each of you have a wonderful, pain-free day.> From: melanie ellis <crazyhouse@...>> Subject: RE: Acute Pancreatitis> dominie > Date: Saturday, June 21, 2008, 12:22 PM> > > > > > > > > #yiv1715599989 .hmmessage P> {> margin:0px;padding:0px;}> #yiv1715599989 .hmmessage> {> FONT-SIZE:10pt;FONT-FAMILY:Tahoma;}> > I dont know if mine is acute, but it almost killed me.it started when i took medicine that didn't agree with my system.That was January and since then i have had 3 occurances.IT is unbelievable ....worse than Fibro...M elanie> > > dominie > > From: funny_dumplin@...> > Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2008 14:22:08 +0000> > Subject: Acute Pancreatitis> > > > Has anyone experienced acute pancreatitis? I was diagnosed with this > > yesterday morning after going to the ER. This on top of the fibro. Very > > hard to deal with.> > > > > > ------------------------------------> > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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