NORMAL ENZYMES IN CHRONIC PANCREATITIS

[Guest guest]

Hello my fellow pancreatitis sufferers,

I recently came home from the hospital ER. I went to the ER yesterday afternoon

because of the intense abdominal pain I was having which radiated through my

back and into my left shoulder blade. The ER gave me IV fluids, pain meds, and

nausea meds. At 3:00 a.m. in the morning I was being discharged from the

hospital. The doctors told me that my amylase and lipase were normal for me. My

enzymes do stay elevated slightly, but the doctors still say that this is normal

for me. I did not have a ride home from the hospital and I did not want to wake

my husband and two children up in the middle of the night. The ER allowed me to

stay in one of the quick care rooms in the ER until the morning. I woke up in

the quick care room literally screaming and crying. I called my GI doctor to let

him know what had happened and that I was still in alot of pain, etc. The GI

doctor wants me to see a pancreas specialist. He and the hospital that he works

at doesn't do specialized pancreas tests. He feels that my pancreas needs

further evaluated, but he doesn't have the equipment to do the procedures on me.

Now I will finish telling you about my nightmare at the ER today. I called my GI

doctor and let him know that I was still having alot of pain, nauseaous, etc.

The GI doctor recommended that I check back into that ER. He said they are

required to make me comfortable. After I got off of the phone, I went back to

the nurse triage desk to check in again. They were aware that I was at the ER

the prior night. The resident whom came in to me asked what happened? I told him

how I woke up in severe pain, nausea, etc. I then told him that my GI docs told

me that I have chronic pancreatitis and that my enzymes will not get elevated

because my pancreas is partially burned out. I don't produce enough of enzymes.

I can have all of the symptoms of acute pancreatitis and my enzymes can still be

normal due to the chronic pancreatitis. It went in one ear and out the other. I

was lying in the hospital bed crying my eyes out due to the pain. The ER doctor

told the nurse to give me Benadryl for pain via IV. I never heard of taking

Benadryl for pain before. I was given the Benadryl, but that did not do anything

for my pain. I asked the doctor if the Benadryl would take away my pain. He said

yes. I was still hurting and crying. I then alerted the nurse and doctor. The

doctor had the nurse give me a cocktail mix of milk of magnesia and lidocaine. I

took one sip of that cocktail and began vomiting bile all over the place. I told

her that there is no way I could drink that mix. She then told me that I had to

because that was what the doctor was given me for pain. I didn't drink it

because I was throwing up way too much. The resident then came back in the room

and I showed him the bile I had thrown up and that I was still in alot of pain.

He totally ignored the container containing the bile I had thrown up and told me

that he already had done the paperwork for me to be released. He said it as if

he was saying who cares that you are sick and thowing up bile and still in pain,

you are leaving here. I then told that resident again that I have chronic

pancreatitis and that my enzymes will not elevate yet I can still have all of

the pain, nausea, vomiting, etc. like with an acute attack. He still released me

with no management of my pain.

I am now home, but I am still in a great deal of pain. I have alot of pain in my

upper stomach which is radiating through my back and into my left shoulder

blade. I'm doing alot of crying because of the pain. My husband brought my pain

medicine " Darvocet " to the hospital so that I could take it to try to releave

some of the pain since they didn't want to help me.

I am really frustrated. I know many of you go through the same thing as me at

hospitals. There needs to be a bulletin made and sent to all hospital emergency

rooms. The bulletin should state that individuals whom suffer from chronic

pancreatitis enzymes will usually not elevate due to pancreas burnot. The

individual can still have the symptoms of acute pancreatitis. They can still

have all of the pain, nausea, dry heaves, even when their amylase and lipase are

normal and that these individuals need to be taken seriousally and not

prejudged.

I'm getting ready to lie down. I don't know what I'll do when the pain starts

to get really bad again. Keep me in your prayers.

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