Question about chronic pancreatitis

[Guest guest]

I saw this on a webpage and it scared me...i was wondering how

accurate it is, I am a 19 yrs old female and got chronic pancreatitis

when i was 18. I didn't get it from drinking, I got it from

gallstones....any details on this will help. Thanks, Leah

Is chronic pancreatitis dangerous?

The major problem with chronic pancreatitis is pain control. This may

require the use of morphine-like drugs (pethidine, morphine and

diamorphine). There is always the risk of addiction to these drugs,

particularly if their use is not controlled.

Chronic pancreatitis is associated with a reduction in life

expectancy. Only half of the patients with a diagnosis of chronic

pancreatitis will survive for longer than seven years following

diagnosis. There is also an increased rate of cancer of the pancreas

in patients with chronic pancreatitis and this accounts for a fifth

of the deaths. Other causes of death include complications of

diabetes and complications of alcoholism.

[Guest guest]

Hi!

From what I have learned over the years about CP and AP and all

the stuff that goes with it I am interpreting the information that you

posted as being a very generalized, uneducated statement

concerning CP that is directed towards the misunderstanding

that CP is a result of heavy alcohol ingestion.

Because the majority of the cases of CP that most doctors see is

alcohol induced, you must remember that the information that is

posted or written about CP is directed towards this population

unless it clearly states that it isn't. This is because medical

education is directed towards the statistically proven patient, or

as I call it, medical profiling using history and symptoms and

age, etc. This is when they teach students, residents and fellows

to apply their knowledge to the " typical " patient and his or her

presentation of symptoms. When a patient doesn't fall within that

profile, confusion over treatment, diagnosis and dissemination

of information occurs. The information that you found must be

interpreted in this manner: that it applies to the " typical " (read

alcohol induced) CP patient. Those patients that fall outside the

middle of the bell shaped curve are vexing to physicians and

have difficulty getting the right information and treatment, in my

experience.

From my understanding, the lessening of life span for the group

mentioned in the informaton that you posted is when they do not

change their lifestyle...if they continue to drink they will most likely

die within that timeframe. However, those that stop drinking may

not fit into that prediction. And most assuredly, those that have

CP from other causes do not fit into that prognosis. I caution you

to interpret information gained from medical sites that do not

mention the different causes of CP. If the site does not, then you

can assume that they are referring solely to alcohol induced CP

and you probably shouldn't apply that information to your own

situation if alcohol consumption is not in your life choices.

Laurie

[Guest guest]

thanks Laurie..I was really scared about that.