Re: Help with Definitions and Expectations

[Guest guest]

Dear Tim,

Recovery from an acute pancreatitis attack with the severity of

your mother's, where there are fluid collections and cleansing

procedures involved, can take a considerable amount of time. I

would expect that due to the severity of her condition, and her

age, that recovery could be several months.

That gagging reaction is quite common after being on TPO for

any duration, and should subside with time. Have the doctor's

suggested the use of enzyme supplements for your mother once

she is able to eat more? If you ask for the enteric coated enzyme

supplements, the capsule can be opened and the granules

mixed in with some applesauce or other soft, mushy food, thus

making it easier to swallow than a solid capsule. You might ask

about this if the doctors haven't already recommended it.

Generally they will not start on enzyme supplements until the

lipase levels have returned to normal, as it is contradictory to

take enzymes while in the midst of an acute attack.

It may be that your mother has acute pancreatitis only. This may

be her only attack. Only time will tell. With acute pancreatitis,

some people can have one attack and eventually recover fully

with no future problems. Others will have a record of recurring

acute attacks, once every few months, once a year, once every

couple of years. It varies with each individual. Chronic

pancreatitis is when the pancreas has been damaged to some

degree and the patient continues to have periodic inflamation

and sub-clinical episodes of pain. Depending upon the patient's

individual pancreatic condition and causes, he or she can go

weeks without any problems, and then suddenly have a flare-up.

Generally, with time, the time between pain episodes

decreases, and most patients in later stage of the disease have

varying degrees of pain on a daily basis.

Evaluation of your mother on a periodic basis will determine

whether or not she is chronic, or if she has recurrent episodes of

pain, it is likely that her condition will be chronic. IMHO, it's too

early to tell at this time, as she is still recovering from this severe

acute attack. If she isn't in any pain, I think her prognosis looks

very good.

Usually antibiotics are given during the first few weeks after an

acute attack, but once the danger of inflamatory infection has

passed, there isn't really any medication that will speed the

healing process. The inflamation does and will subside, but any

damage that has already been done to the pancreas is

irrepairable, since the pancreas cannot repair itself as some

other organs can.

You say that your mother has not really had any more pain. IMO,

that means she isn't chronic and is just slowly healing from this

severe attack. It takes time. There really isn't anything more they

can do to help her to eat, that too, will come in time. It might be

helpful if an anti-nausea medication were given to her, I think the

sense of nausea associated with food might have some bearing

on why she gags. This is only my personal observation, though,

and I speak only as a patient, not a medical professional. I know

when I was nausiated all the time with my initial pancreatitis, the

use of an anti-nausea medication helped me to eat

again....otherwise I felt like gagging whenever I started to eat.

Talk with her doctors about this.

The goal is to get her back on her feet, with proper nourishment

so she can thrive again and regain her energy. If she is in no

pain, I think the future looks promising for a total recovery. You

might try making some nutritional smoothies, with some non-fat

ice cream and her favorite fruits. Popsickles are also soothing.

Carrot juice (homemade is best), is another idea. It's wonderful

for the digestive system. The trick now may be just to find

different and attractive food that she'll eat and not cause her to

have to do too much chewing or swallowing.

Sorry, I've begun to I'm ramble here, trying to think of things I

enjoyed while feeling that gag reflex all the time when I was

healing from my first acute attack.

Check with the doctors about the pancreatic enzyme

supplements, and something to help with nausea. If I can think

of any more suggestions, I'll post again. Keep writing to us, we'll

do the best we can to help you to help your mother through this.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SE & SW Regional Representative

PAI, Intl.

Note: All comments or advice are personal opinion only, and

should not be substitued for professional medical advice.

> I guess what I'm trying to find out is does my mother have (from

what I have described) Acute Pancreatitis or Chronic

Pancreatitis. I thought Chronic Pancreatitis meant that you

would have recurrent attacks and Acute Pancreatitis meant you

would have an attack and then it would subside.

Will any medicine help her with her situation?

Also, should the doctors be doing anything for her at this point to

help her start eating again?

My mom isn't in any real pain. She hasn't really had much pain

since the first week of her attack.

Tim