Preventing Pancreatic Attacks

Preventing Attacks of the Pancreas

The long-standing principle has been to try and rest the pancreas. This involves giving pancreatic supplements such as Creon (which contain pancreatic enzymes in high concentration) together with drugs which reduce acid secretion by the stomach. Patients should also follow a low-fat diet.

'Letting the pancreas rest' means no food and water (if hospitalized) - the patient is hooked up to an IV to simply bypass the pancreas. This bypassing of the pancreas means the pancreas does not need to function which essentially allows it to 'rest'. Hence the coining of the term.

While caring for the pancreas at home, there have been times that I have needed to let my pancreas rest. My diet during these times has included things like tea and broth only, or sometimes it means really running baby cereal and fat-free yogurt. For some people it means jello and tapioca. When the system is ready for it - which can be a couple days to several weeks or longer - toast and jam or other basics are often incorporated.

Following a low-fat diet was very difficult for the first couple years after I was initially hospitalized with severe acute pancreatitis. But gradually, I learned that I could decrease the pain and increase my quality of life if I decrease the amount of fat I allowed in my system. Fat-free cheese and lean meat makes a big difference. And now, I like foods that aren't as heavy... and my pancreas is always much happier when I take the easier, softer road for its recovery. Basically, when I refrain from eating fatty (or heavy) foods, my pancreas does not have to work as hard which decreases the overall pain I must deal with and most likely extends my life.

These measures reduce the presence of fat in the duodenum, reduce acid in the duodenum and reduce the need for pancreatic enzyme secretion. These measures are very successful in about a third of patients, moderately successful in a third and unhelpful in a third.

I have never really seen or felt any substantial or sustainable relief or positive results from Creon or Pancreatin.

Some eminent specialists have supported the use of antioxidants in the treatment of chronic pancreatitis. These antioxidants include selenium and vitamin C. You should take specialist advice (via your GP) before taking them.

Brazil nuts are very high in selenium. Some say that selenium helps to reduce the risk of cancer. I've read that chronic pancreatitis can turn into cancer. Therefore, I try to be proactive in staying cancer free. Years ago, I read the amount of selenium that was recommended. It worked out to be about 9 Brazil nuts per day. Sometimes, I go months without Brazil nuts. Sometimes, I can't handle more then 9 spread out over the course of a day. Recently, I ate about a 1/4 pound of them. It made me feel awful in a way that felt like the Brazil nuts were cleaning out and detoxing my system. I try to drink enough water at the same time to help flush my system... but honestly, I'm not very good at that.

Source for information in italics: NetDoctor

Stress and Chronic Pancreatitis

Earlier today something happened that stressed me out. Generally, I remember that nothing is worth getting stressed out over and I have, for the most part, learned to let things go. But earlier this evening, I just let something bother and now I can feel the effects of it in the form of inflammation.

My immediate response was to realize that stress just isn't worth it, particularly when it's over something stupid. Second, was to be grateful that I've been feeling so well that I've been healthy enough to forget that stress can inflame my pancreas and make me more vulnerable. Third was to take the pink ginger out of the refrigerator and eat a healthy amount directly out of the jar. Fourth was to make a cup of anti-inflammatory tea to further help reduce the swelling.

Whatever it is that is bothering me doesn't need to be so important that it can cause an pancreatic attack which could inevitably take my life. Nothing is that important.

Note: I also had pizza twice today. First was an individualized cheese pizza around lunchtime then around dinnertime I had a slice of cheese. I don't usually eat pizza. On the slice I had at dinnertime I put a little (rather dull) chili pepper. It is possible that the pizza and chili pepper created the flare-up rather than the stress.

It is possible that the stress caused it. It is possible that a combination of stress, chili pepper and pizza. Don't know. Just wanted to make sure I was giving an full assessment of what might have caused the current flare-up. Had I not gotten stressed or eaten the pizza I seriously doubt I would be suffering from a flare-up right now. Because I have pancreatitis, it is always important that I treat my pancreas with care and respect. Every time I forget to do that potential creates more scar tissue and damage to my pancreas with the very real potential to shorten my lifespan.

Pancreatitis Pain & Diagnosis - Letter From PD

Thank you for sharing your personal experiences with Pancreatitis. I was specifically intrigued by the lack of pain with your case. I am a 40 year old heavy drinker with swelling in the upper left quadrant. Aside from the dull aches under my ribs, in my back and left chest, I experience none of the other symptoms like jaundice, oily stool, sick to stomach, weight loss etc. I am wondering what were the symptoms that provoked you to go to the ER? Like when yours was discovered, I feel my pancreas may be huge at this point. Best, PD

Hi PD,

Yeah, your symptoms sound very similar to what mine were... and are, at times.

I did reflexology on my feet. That was how I initially found out about the pancreas in the first place. The bottom of my foot was sore in the spot that pinpointed to the pancreas.

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I had never heard of the pancreas before and eventually looked it up online. I didn't pay too much attention to it over a period of time - probably about three years - until the symptoms seemed to become clearer and perhaps more regular then ongoing.

The only way I can describe what sent me to the hospital is that when I would drink it felt like a waterfall was going over the center of the bottom of my ribcage in the middle.

I had had problems over the past several months before I had gone to the hospital. There were times when I had stopped drinking for a few weeks and times when I had pretty much stopped eating. I knew there was a serious problem from the 'waterfall' feeling and other symptoms and by the constant soreness on the bottom of my feet in the places that would indicate the pancreas.


If you are having a problem as a result of your drinking then you might consider that you might have a problem with alcohol.

Acute severe pancreatitis is not kind. It has an incredibly high mortality rate, the long term does not necessarily look bright for many who do not deal with it early and even some who do. Eating can end up being difficult and burdensome for the rest of your life.

Pancreatitis can sometimes happen once, or a few times, or it can even take a couple years before one recovers from it then it go away (this is what I've been told but not what I have experienced) and sometimes it can it can turn into chronic pancreatitis which (if you live long enough with it - statistics say that 50% of people diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis die within 2 years) can turn into pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest and most painful forms of cancer. People don't live with it long enough for doctors to be able to study it for very long. It's basically a hopeless disease at this point.

Look at Steve Jobs. He had all the health care money could buy but there was only so long he could live with the disease even though his form of pancreatic cancer was one of the mildest with some of the most hopeful statistics.

My suggestion is that you stop drinking, fix what's going on in your life which has put you in a position to want to drink so much and move forward.

I have heard that Alcoholics Anonymous has meetings in most large cities throughout the world and even many small cities and towns in the US.

It might be worth looking into. A sonogram or ultrasound are options to have the state of the pancreas diagnosed. A simple blood test (ask them to look for pancreatitis specifically) can tell you if there is a concern with the pancreas.

Another thing to keep in mind is that often the liver becomes the problem. So, even if the pancreatitis doesn't kill you the problems that then can occur with the liver can kill. Again, if you relate this to Steve Jobs, his liver gave out before his pancreas did. Although, as of today, I do not believe the actual cause of his death has yet to be announced.

I believe that each of us has a biological system makeup that is slightly different from everyone else based on lifestyle, diet, etc. Therefore, it only makes sense that the symptoms one person feels will vary from what another person experiences.

Do you have bloating after you eat? If so, it could be a sign that your pancreas cannot handle that much food intake. This is my case. So, for me, less food more often seems like the easier, softer way for the health of my pancreas for the long term.

How to locate the Pancreas Reflexology Zone
Detailed Reflexology Chart

Pancreatitis & Surrender

Life just isn't as easy these days as I would like.

I'm on the cusp of life changes.

Since I have chronic pancreatitis and stress has set off a pancreatic flare-up in the past, it is my goal to handle these changes as effectively, directly and expediently as possible without any undue stress.

For me, surrendering to a situation is helpful. Sometimes I need to remember to keep my

expectations in check. Generally, if I am disappointed, it is because my expectations have not been met. Therefore, it is less stressful for me to alter my expectations than it is for me to stress out because they weren't met.

This doesn't mean I don't trudge the road of happy destiny and work my hind end off to accomplish my goals and live the life I want to live -

particularly with the looming assumed decreased lifespan of so many who suffer from chronic pancreatitis. Instead, it means that I 'let go' of those things that didn't live up to what I expected whether it be a goal, a situation, an event, a person or anything. Another way of saying it is that I do the footwork and let go of the results meaning that I can only control my actions not the outcome.

It took a very long time for me to heal from my last flare-up. Each pancreatic attack seems to

decrease my food intake levels and tolerance and, in my opinion, probably decreases my overall lifespan and years remaining living.

These days, I try to respect that life isn't always on my terms and sometimes it can be tumultuous yet if I respond as water does my pancreas will be better off and I might potentially

live longer than if I react poorly and set off another attack.

It is important during times of stress that I don't choose rich foods. Stress and rich foods is an awful combination for my pancreas.

Faith and action toward living... and living the life I want is my choice today. It serves me better than the alternatives.

Pancreatitis & Serenity

Sometimes, some life situations don't promote serenity. Rather, they tend to induce stress.

The reality is that all of us have stress in our lives. Some situations are simply out of our control and we do our best to change it or whatever needs to be done to rectify the circumstances.

I've been going through a lot of this sort of thing lately.

For a person who suffers from chronic pancreatitis and as someone who has had an attack come on at least in part as a result of stress, I am fully aware of the importance to keep my stress levels under control.

Denial of the problems isn't the answer for me. Some problems can't be resolved overnight. Some can. I'm trying to 'let go' of the things that I worry about but have no control over. The things that I have control over and situations I can change I am working toward changing.

These changes will take time. So the goal is to remain serene, work toward a positive solution, and remain calm in the process. Exercise (walking, stretching and swimming), eating right, working toward my goals are all things I can do to decrease my stress levels and work toward serenity. I am doing these things.

For people like me who suffer from chronic pancreatitis, it is extremely important to respect what stress can do to us. It can become uncontrollable and can kill us. My last flare-up was really difficult to get under control. It took months.

I'd rather be proactive and try to prevent the flare-up now then hopefully recover from it later.

Peace. Love. Joy. Happiness... and positive change.

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change
The courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference

Pancreatitis & Dehydration

Dehydration is like the curse of all evils. It's never a good thing and no matter what is going wrong with one's system dehydration only seems to make it worse. Dehydration makes no exception when it comes to pancreatitis.

The pancreas needs to stay hydrated or it becomes more vulnerable.

There are times when people are midst an attack and can't drink anything including water but this is when they go into the hospital.

On a normal day when liquids can go down, it is very important to remember not to get dehydrated. Overdoing it is never good for the pancreas and is certainly not necessary for hydration. Just a little gentle respect toward one's needs as they relate to thirst and liquids!

I'm sure this is coming up for me today because I was out in the sun and have been quite thirsty.

Water. Water. Water.

I need it.

I feel it.

I'm quenching my thirst.

I love my pancreas.

I don't want itmy pancreas to be mad at me. :-)

Pancreatitis & Sunshine

The sun offers the body Vitamin D. People who suffer from pancreatitis can easily find themselves inside too much or feeling a little down in the dumps.

A lack of Vitamin D can also bring on a depressive mood.

I'm not usually stressed out. I try to control it and keep things in check because stress can bring on a pancreatitic flare-up.

Yesterday, I was a little stressed out.

A lot of change is happening in my life and yesterday was a day for feeling it.
I did everything I could as far as putting one foot in front of the other to make sure my life is moving in the right direction.

For a woman, some days during the month are simply more stressful. I also took that into consideration.

Then, I wondered if there was anything I could do to help boost my mood.

The answer: Sunshine!

So, this afternoon, I spent about 15 minutes swimming and upwards of an hour lounging about in the sun letting my skin soak up all of that scrumptious Vitamin D.

Sometimes I forget the basics.

Eat small meals. No stress. Exercise. Sun. Plenty of sleep.

When I realize the err of my ways, I rectify things as quickly as possible.

I believe my pancreas appreciates the effort!

Can You Die From Pancreatitis?

From my understanding, a person can die from pancreatitis from their very first pancreatic attack. A person can also completely recover from an initial attack and never have another attack or pancreatic problems again... this is what the doctors in the hospital told me.

I would guess that a person's recovery, whether or not they recover and how long it take them to recover has a lot to do with that person's actions and how they treat their pancreas and whether they give the pancreas ample time to recover.

Alcohol can trigger a pancreatic attack. Therefore, if a person's pancreatitis was initiated by alcohol that person might be wise to steer clear of drinking alcohol particularly during the months following the attack to allow the pancreas to recover.

A pancreatic attack can also be brought on by a severe blow to the pancreas. I don't know (nor do I know that the information exists for anyone to know) if this sort of pancreatitic attack makes the pancreas more vulnerable to alcohol.

Pancreatitis can turn into chronic pancreatitis - which is what I have - which can turn into pancreatitic cancer.

Pancreatitis can kill you, it can become chronic pancreatitis or you can recover completely from it. From what I can tell, it seems that there is more choice than chance in the direction a person goes with the disease of pancreatitis.

If this is a person's first bout with pancreatitis and if it is caught early on - often not the case - then one might assume it is possible to recover completely without additional pancreatitic attacks if a person stays away from alcohol, high levels of stress and fatty foods.

If a person is diagnosed with pancreatitis after having had it for a while - often several years - then it is perhaps more likely that person would be susceptible to the pancreatitis developing into chronic pancreatitis. Chronic pancreatitis is either reoccurring or doesn't go away. In my case, the chronic pancreatitis pretty much never goes away but can still be kept under control.

From what I've read, if you're lucky enough not to have the pancreatitis or chronic pancreatitis kill you then it will in time most likely turn into pancreatic cancer. A brutally cruel disease that usually kills within 6 months to 5 years.... if you're lucky.

One of the reasons it is so hard to find a cure for pancreatic cancer is because people die from it so quickly.

If you or a loved one have pancreatic cancer then heart goes out to you and what you are going through. I hope that in time we are able to find a cure or at least a way to live a longer, pain-free life with this disease.

One of my favorite discoveries are natural bulk herbs that reduce tumors that I turn into teas. Often tumors go undetected. Therefore, I feel like I'm being proactive when I try to fight tumor growth from the beginning.