Pancreatitis

[Dreamnine.nine]

I've not been on here much lately due to suffering acute pancreatitis.

Definitely one of the most painful illnesses going, and it came on suddenly, waking me up at 10pm on a Friday at the beginning of October.

I was taken immediately to hospital and stayed there for a week. All they could do was control the pain with morphine and tramadol, and for a few days I was constantly vomiting so was on a drip.

Getting out of hospital, it has been a very slow 3 weeks with still quite a lot of pain, nausea and a general exhaustedness - sometimes I couldn't enjoy a book, or listen to music, or go online, just had to lie down. And I could only sleep 4 hours at night because the pain woke me at 2am and I'd have to take more tablets.

But I'm on good anti-emetics now, have come off the worst of the painkillers, and am slowly eating more and feeling a lot more positive. My doctor says it could be 3 months before I've made a full recovery, but I'm lucky as she has seen people die from it before. I hadn't been drinking much in recent months, but I used to drink a lot and my Consultant told me I can never drink again - this won't be a problem for me if I can avoid the hell of pancreatitis again.

Also I have to watch my diet as this can play a part - no rich food at all. For the past few weeks I wasn't eating much at all - Complan mixed with milk, scrambled eggs, yogurt etc. but now I'm beginning to eat more and vary my diet as I get stronger. My sleep is getting better, too.

So I'm pretty hopeful for the future now, and beginning to feel much stronger.

[traveller1st]

Awww man you have my complete sympathies.

It nearly took me out completely back in 2001. It did take my pancreas out. Intensive care job followed by open surgery to sort out other things that went wrong it (as if there was anything left to go wrong). I even had 'Grey-Turner's' so they sent the med students round eventually to gawk at me and take notes. Even got infections after the surgery and ended up back in hospital. As a result it left with me with type 1 diabetes, a useless and still sore pancreas, no gall bladder and a really cool (comparison scene from jaws) scar. So yeah, if you can, do what they suggest cause it can get worse.

On the slightly plus side the medical profession seem to agree that it's the only pain a man can have that's equivalent to or, in some cases, worse than giving birth. So the next time a woman says "You don't know pain until..." you have a legitimate "Well actually ..." to add to the conversation. Gotta take the positives where you can find 'em.

Anywho, take it slow and get better and thanks for taking the time to let us know.

My very best wishes.

Trav.

[Dreamnine.nine]

Thanks, Trav, and I am starting to feel better - I had a bad case, but obviously not the worst that can happen. You obviously suffered quite a bit given the surgery and infections. In hospital, they just treated my pain and the vomiting - I really had no idea that I'd be sick for weeks, possibly 3 months in total.

Yeah, the pain - at first I thought it might be a heart attack...but I was vomiting so much also. Thankfully the ambulance came quickly, and they suspected it was pancreatitis so I was given the morphine fairly quickly.

[traveller1st]

My strapline really is appropriate.

I took some anadin, went to bed and then decided something wasn't right so I phoned a taxi to take me to A&E lol. This was after vomiting out of my mate's car all the way home from Belfast. In A&E they made me wait 2 hours and the other patients ended up trying to take care of me. Ahhhh good old stoopid me and free healthcare lol.

They took one look at me and gave me that morphine dose that knocks you out. Last thing I remember was vomiting bile everywhere, bright green , real proper exorcist scene. I was still floating around the ward for most of that first week when I closed my eyes because of the morphine. Actually that was the second week, I think. First week was intensive care and ice cubes for food (no swallowing though), did you have that? The super-dooper nil by mouth. I had to be shaved and bed bathed and when I could eventually go to the shower I had to have a nurse wash me so it wasn't all bad. Now-a-days I have to wash myself ughhh it's like we lost a war.

After they eventually let me out I had to go back for the surgery because I developed a pseudocyst on the pancreas that was the size of a grapefruit. That was more months of hospital and learning to breathe and morphine clocks (if there were any fun bits that was it). I did get my own room with a TV though and it was during the world cup.

The infections came later and it was back in for more weeks and I narrowly avoided more surgery. Eventually I had been in hospital for sooooo long that year that the consultant decided that I should have weekend leave to go home for the last few weeks lol.

One good thing was that I lost about 6 stone during those first few months and, I kid you not, the consultant's advice to me was, when I did get out, buy a fish supper or two. Sorry for the over share but it's not often, thank goodness, that I get to talk about it and I hope in some small way my calamitous experiences cheer you up,

[Dreamnine.nine]

Oh, it's good to hear that - despite how awful all that was for you (and yours was pretty severe) - that you came out the other side.

I got regular shots of Morphine plus tramadol and paracetamol. Thankfully my vomiting (I had the green bile too) stopped and I was able to come off the drip. In hospital, though, they didn't have the regular drug I take for my bi-polar condition, so combined with withdrawal from that, the morphine and tramadol, plus just not really sleeping, I was hallucinating quite a bit.

After a week I asked to go home because I knew I would sleep properly there and with my normal meds. The first 2 days at home I did sleep a lot, but then I became as sick as I was in hospital - the constant pain, nausea, tiredness etc. It's just in the last week I've felt a bit more normal again ie. I can take an interest in the internet, books, music etc. Still haven't been out much but I'm definitely getting better. And my doctor has been really good. I've lost 16 Pounds in a month, but I was around 12st (168) to start with so I'm not too worried.

Definitely I think pancreatitis isn't well-known or understood amongst most people - unless you've suffered or had a close friend/family member who's had it.

[Zamantha]

Dream9,
Think positive & heal fast! Here's to a speedy recovery!
And Trav stay well also!!

Zam*

[Dreamnine.nine]

Thanks, Zam, I am on the mend now. I got a new phone recently and have been wanting to get out and take pictures of the Autumn foliage, plus the ducks and swans at my local pond..so perhaps this week I'll do that.

My thoughts are with you, also.

[Theforeigner]

DN, I wish you a speedy recovery

[Tahoe27]

How awful! I think we all sometimes take our health for granted. So glad you are feeling better. Take care of yourself.

[Emann]

Sorry to hear of your bout of pancreatitis. Hope you're feeling more like yourself as each day passes. Enjoy your outing taking pics!