For those of you that have Chronic Pancreatitis (or a strong suspicion that you do) , did/do you notice that your symptoms were any better or worse when: - You first woke up in the morning? - Directly after you ate (if so, how long did it take for the pain to start, on first bite or after awhile)? - Position that you were sitting (straight up vs reclining)? - Sitting vs laying down? - Driving? - Laying on your left side? - Movement or exercise - did it make it better or worse? When you are moving around, do you notice the pain less? I'm suspicious I may have early/mild chronic pancreatitis. I have persistent upper left quadrant pain (3/10), and pain in the back almost at the same position as the front. I have a history of slightly elevated lipase, but no doctors want to diagnose anything with the pancreas because ultrasounds & CT scans have been clear. Any answers to the above questions you could give would help me out a lot. Here are my answers: - You first woke up in the morning? It's always better for me in the morning. It takes 10-30 minutes to really kick in. - Directly after you ate (if so, how long did it take for the pain to start, on first bite or after awhile)? For me, it seems to get worse pretty fast after I start eating, and escalating slightly after that. - Position that you were sitting (straight up vs reclining)? I generally feel much better reclining, and much worse (the worst) sitting straight up or standing straight up. - Sitting vs laying down? Laying/lying down is better for me. - Driving? Driving tends to aggravate my pain in the left upper quadrant / abdominal area. - Laying on your left side? Laying on the left side at night seems to be tender, feels like there is pressure and mild pain all over that side. - Movement or exercise - did it make it better or worse? When you are moving around, do you notice the pain less? I usually feel pretty good when I am moving or exercising, not sure if that's because my mind is off the pain or because of the movement itself. Thanks in advance for your help.... Wishing you all the best as you try to find answers and heal!
YOU SOUND JUST LIKE ME! I just posted post right before you. It is DESPERATELY SEEKING DEVICE. Read it. To answer your questions: I feel better in the morning. Pain begins as I start to feel full. Feel better reclining. Feel better laying down. After I have been up and about it begins to hurt. Do you have any bowel issues, belching or gas?
Also the last 3 questions you posted I have the same answers.
Also the last 3 questions you posted I have the same answers. I am concerned about PC.
I have some some belching and gas. The pain sometimes feels like there's a bunch of gas stuck in my upper intestine or stomach - it's never bad in the lower part of my belly. My stool is filled with bubbles, sometimes to the point where it floats and then sinks.
How do you feel if you walk or exercise, does that make it worse for you?
Do you have loss of appetite? Have you lost any weight? Would you say before this started you lived a stressful life?
Are you located in the US or UK?Is it possible for you to try and go to another doctor to get an EUS?
Also, does it ever feel like gas is just trapped in your upper GI (Stomach or small intestine)?
From what I know, MRCP is a very good test. Seems unlikely that an EUS would find anything?
Also, to maybe provide you some re-assurance that it very well might not be PC, check out this that I read:
Unlike pancreas pain from acute pancreatitis, pancreas pain from pancreatic cancer does not fluctuate with meals.
Also,
Upper abdominal discomfort experienced on waking could be due to gases such as CO2 and nitrogen trapped in the upper small bowel, a process that may also account for symptoms that occur after meals when motility is increased by eating and, if abnormal, causing gas trapping.
I have an appetite but I am afraid to eat because it makes my pain worse and almost everything goes right through me.
I am extremely stressed, have been for almost 2 years. A lot of the stress is caused by this. I am in the US. I have requested a EUS butt they won't due it because the MRCP is normal. I have an appointment with gastro dr's physicians assistant Monday. Dr. has written me off already. If she doesn't help me I have no where else to go.
Well, thats not strictly true about PC not causing pain on eating, because mine certainly did. However, if you have had these symptoms steadily for a significant amount of time, your tests are clear and you haven't developed jaundice then it's highly unlikely you have PC. You may have some kind of gastric issue almost certainly exacerbated by stress and are trapped in a vicious circle whereby you worry constantly about your symptoms which in turn keeps them active. You said you often don't notice them if you're moving or excercising and that's probably because your mind is occupied with something else. This is probably where your answer to your problem lies - getting your mind off your symptoms. Of course, I'm not a doctor and you may very well have some issue going on but consider that it may be actually in your head rather than your gut (the one affects the other and vice versa).
Thanks for your reply. What were your early symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer?
It's a true thing about things being in the head. It's just hard to know what is and what isn't sometimes, especially when there are real feelings & no answers. You do see a lot of people on this board that are helped by psych medications when they have issues. Health anxiety can cause feelings of symptoms that are not real. But not everything is health anxiety.
True, not everything is health anxiety but the fact you're not aware of your symptoms when your mind is otherwise occupied would point to things not necessarily being all physical. But as I am not a doctor and have no knowledge of your medical history, only your doctors can advise you. And I would be inclined to listen to them rather than trawling the internet for answers. My symptoms of PC weren't like the ones you describe so not comparable. Believe me, I had pain that was so bad it would leave me breathless, like something was trying to chew it's way put of me. And it was obvious from my tests early on that something was very wrong with my pancreas but it just took a while for the cancer to be found.
Thanks @NixKiwiWolf
i wish this was panic and stress I am so sick of being dealt with as a hypochondriac or crazy person. The last 2 months have been bad but the last 2 weeks are getting to be unbearable. I get up feeling a little better but as the day goes by it goes downhill . I am at my wits end!
Hi John,
You are basically describing my symptoms over the past 18months. Like you, i have had countless scans/bloodwork all coming back normal. My most recent scan was a CT with/without contrast. I even had a liver/pancreas specialist who works in one of Dallas' most prominent Oncology centers look at the ct and he assured me i had nothing to worry about when it comes to my pancreas (im still skeptical as ive heard CTs can miss early pancreatits). He has scheduled me for a HIDA scan and thinks i have a failing Galbladder. Apparently it can occasionally cause left sided referring pain ? Have you talked to someone about your gallbladder? you said your stool often has bubbles, that could be due to excess gas which can also cause stool to float.
So there is 3 of us in the same situation. I have been searching for answers for 14 months. I dont have my gall bladder though!
have you looked into sphincter of oddi dysfunction? I have heard this is a common complication after gallbladder removal.
i know how you feel the anxiety from this is taking over my life . I have seen two different gastrologist my primary care physician and now a liver/pancreas specialist.my family tells me I need to go to a counselor because I’m obsessive and they think this is in my head. This all started after my son was born so many of my complaints for chalked up to postpartum crazines as much as I want to believe this is gallbladder related my guy keeps telling me it’s my pancreas it is maddening.
Have you been checked for any type of internal hernia? How is your stool? Do you have nausea or vomiting?
if you've had these symptoms for 14 months then you certainly don't have pancreatic cancer. So that's something. Frankly, you'd be seriously ill or dead.