Smoking and drinking

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

I have no idea whether or not smoking will trigger an attack or

cause the pain to begin or to be worse than it would otherwise be.

However, as Sandy says, it is definitely associated with a much

increased risk of pancreatic cancer for patients with hereditary

pancreatitis, which I have. Hereditary pancreatitis is already

associated with a greatly incresed risk of panc cancer (40% risk

over a lifetime, up to age 70) and, on average, those who smoke

develop the cancer much earlier. These are findings are readily

available for anyone to read in relevant research studies. I can

give links to anyone interested.

Of course, since I have HP I don't smoke at all. I have never smoked

more than a very, very occasional cigarette anyway, say between two

and six in a year, at the very most, often less. (I know that might

seem odd. I just used to smoke a cigarette now and then when out

with colleagues at an end-of-term " do " .) Of course, it has been

absolutely no hardship to me to give up smoking. If I didn't have HP

I think I might still try hard to give up smoking in case it is

generally linked with complications. On the other hand, everyone has

to make his or her decisions about these things. We all have to deal

with stress in our own way.

I didn't drink much before the 1990's....just an occasional glass of

wine. I drank a bit more from about 1995/96 onwards. More regular

wine-drinking became much more popular in the UK from the 80's and

90's onwards. Between 1995/6 and 2003, I was having a glass or two

of wine most evenings with my meal. Of course, I gave this up as

soon as I was diagnosed with CP in 2003. I have had what I now know

to be severe pancreatitis attacks since I was a little girl so

alcohol has certainly not actually caused my disease. However,

again, I don't wish to make it worse than it already is (severe,

advanced and extensive, according to my pancreatologist) so I drink

zero alcohol now. I am at risk of serious complications anyway so I

don't drink. Unlike one or two of you, I have not lost the taste for

a good wine! I do miss it, not at all on a daily basis, but when I

am eating out or on special occasions. I keep hoping that I will

lose the desire for an occasional drink! I also have coeliac disease

and have had to follow a strict gluten-free diet since 1988 (no

wheat products, bread, cakes, biscuits etc.). At the time I thought

I would never cope with the diet despite the improvement in my then

desperate state of health. However, I can honestly say that I don't

miss it at all now. I have simply got used to a different diet and

to making sure I always have my own bread, crispbreads etc. with me.

I look forward to the day when a tonic seems just as good to me as a

glass of burgundy!!!!!!!! Can't say I'm there yet!

By the way....I TOTALLY agree with Chrissy. It does NOT matter what

caused your pancreatitis. Everyone should have the best possible

treatment. None of us is in a position to judge anyone else; it is

certainly not for doctors to do so, although, of course, they have a

duty to advise patients on the best ways to avoid future disease or

complications. In any case, many actual alcoholics, never mind

people who just enjoy social drinking, NEVER develop pancreatitis.

Doctors are still researching why some people do. People should not

be blamed for their illnesses.

We have to accept that some patients will fib to their docs and says

they have given up drink when they haven't. I suppose we have to try

to understand that, however infuriating it may be to be " accused "

unjustly oneself. However, I suspect that some docs who don't

believe a CP patient who says he or she has given up alcohol are not

aware that the disease can continue to have its effects even when

the alcohol has been stopped. That is the whole tragedy of

pancreatitis. Drinking can, and usually does, make it a lot worse or

even fatal. Unfortunately, once it's chronic, stopping drinking will

help a lot but won't necessarily cure the symptoms. Some really

ignorant docs aren't really aware that pancreatitis is so often

caused by gactors other than alcohol.

I've said before that I remember a doctor suggesting to me around

1985 that my mother must have been an alcoholic or very heavy

drinker. (She died in 1965 at the age 41 of acute pancreatitis after

many years terribly ill with CP.) In fact she was virtually

teetotal. I saw her only twice with a drink in her hand; on neither

occasion did she even finish it!

I was so angry with that doctor. Incidentally, at the time, even

though hereditary pancreatitis was already recognised as a

condition, and I was consulting him about very severe symptoms, this

particular " specialist " (??!!) didn't even follow up the lead and

consider pancreatitis as a possible cause of my illness.

Love to all.

Fliss (UK)