Need tips on eating to heal acute pancreatitis

[channlluv]

Long story, but tonight I am on my second day of NPO waiting for a mysterious fever to break. I've been in the hospital since 2am last Sunday morning when I though I had a bad stomach flu -- I'd been nauseous for a week before that. I even took a pregnancy test because it was that medium level nausea that never quite goes away. Negative.

So Sunday night I start throwing up over and over...bad stomach flu, maybe I can sleep it off. But I'm weeping from the pain and trying to get comfortable in the bathtub with a warm shower pouring over me. DH told me to decide whether he would call an ambulance or drive to the ER, but either way, I had five minutes to get dressed.

Fast forward a few hours and they've got me on pain meds and a diagnosis: acute pancreatitis and gall stones requiring immediate removal of my gall bladder. Pain level: 10, shifted to seven on the meds.

So long story, but I'm looking ahead and trying to figure out how best to heal my pancreas. Oh, and a partially collapsed left lung. I've been using the breathing thing often, and I'm doing the long walks around the floor, but when I get home and start eating food I prepare myself, what do I do?

Anyone been through it and have some tips?

Thanks!
Roxy, currently grieving of the total loss of fitness

[hebe]

oh no! I have no experience at all, but couldn't not post. I'm sure someone will be along with more help, but in the meantime be easy on yourself and best wishes for a full and gentle recovery.

[OakLeaf]

Aw ((((((((Rox)))))))) - I'm the same as hebe, nothing to offer but sympathy and hope that they get it sorted soon.

Won't they set you up with a dietitian?

In the meantime, I ran across this: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/pancreatitis-000122.htm - the University of Maryland site has been reliable for me in the past.

Take good care.

[redrhodie]

Hang in there, Roxy! That sounds awful. I hope you get to go home soon.

[Blueberry]

Good grief, Roxy!! I have no advice to offer - but hope that you begin to heal quickly and can come home soon!! Hugs!!

[Crankin]

I second the advice of a dietician. Do it while you are still in the hospital, if you can. Or at least, have them set it up. Your gastro doctor should be able to recommend one.
Take care of yourself.

[jessmarimba]

I hope you're feeling better and can go home soon!! Thank goodness your husband demanded that you go to the hospital - it's so easy to think that familiar symptoms have a familiar cause, when sometimes it can be just about anything.

[indysteel]

((((Roxy)))). How awful. I sure hope you're able to go home soon and that you have a fast and full recovery.

I would hope that your doctor will help you develop a diet. My understanding is that fatty food and alcohol are particular triggers, but beyond that, I don't know much about it. Good luck; please keep us posted!

[channlluv]

Thanks, friends. I've added "see a dietitian" to my list of things for the doctor for when he comes by this morning.

I would have to put the pain level right up there with childbirth. I don't ever want to go through this again. I feel like I've had close to a full system reboot and it's a good time to make those hard-to-adopt dietary changes that I've been wanting to do, but haven't because I've been caving into cravings. Now, I hope can remember this level of pain and what caused it and use that as motivation to complete the healthy life transition.

Thanks for the love and support.

Roxy

[Biciclista]

oh sorry to hear you are in such pain. You will be put on a low fat diet.

[maillotpois]

I'm so sorry!

DH had this - right after Thanksgiving as well, about 9 years ago. Echoing Indy's comment about triggers - I think that was a trigger for him, fatty food, etc. He was in the hospital a couple of days, no surgery and it doesn't sound like his was as bad as yours. His recovery was ok. He ended up losing 30 pounds after that over a period of about 6 months and it has never recurred.

[Owlie]

Gentle hugs, Roxy.

Gallstones can cause pancreatitis. You'll probably be put on a low-fat diet to deal with the gall bladder (or lack thereof). Beyond that, I don't really know. Heal quickly!

[emily_in_nc]

Wow, Roxie, so sorry! :( That level of pain sounds on par with the pain I had when I had to have multiple x-rays after fracturing my pelvis in a cycling accident. Even on morphine, I was screaming like an animal as they shifted me around. Fortunately, you can't really "remember" pain like that; I just remember screaming.

On the silver lining side, from looking at some of the links, it surely sounds like you may end up losing a fair or significant amount of weight from all this. Too bad to have to do it this way, though!

Keep us posted and hopefully you will feel much better soon!

Thinking of you,
Emily

[Jones]

I know nothing about diets I just wanted to add my good wishes for a full and healthy recovery.

[Dogmama]

Just wanted my wishes for a quick recovery.

[ny biker]

Just wanted my wishes for a quick recovery.

Me too!!!

[azfiddle]

Roxie, hugs- feel better soon.
Sharon

[channlluv]

Would you believe I've been here eight days, living on air and ice chips, and I've gained six pounds. It's all saline, I know, but still.

Still spiking 100+ fevers, still inflamed pancreas per an MRI, but the ultrasound showed my kidneys and bladder are clear.

Still waiting for the pancreas to cool down, which it's not doing. I was allowed a little cup of Italian ice and a cup of Jello tonight for dinner.

Thanks for the links. I've got a bit of study to do.

I asked about seeing a Dietitian and the doctor said before I leave, but not yet.

I"ll be here for a couple more days.

Roxy

[shootingstar]

Wow, roxy. Take care and hope you get back on bike soon!

Keep us posted.

[pll]

Wow. I have no advice, just wanted to wish you a fast recovery.

Virtual hugs!

[wildrover]

Wow. My hospital stay only lasted a weekend, I thought I was having a heart attack, but the ER knew what was going on. I'm sorry you are in such pain, I know it hurts.

Had my gall bladder out and never had those symptoms again. That was in 2001. Mega fatty foods aren't good for me to eat (gas-x helps), but I'll never learn...

Hope your surgery goes (went?) well, and you recover soon!

[channlluv]

I'm ready to start making extreme promises to leave this place. "Oh, Lord, if you get me out of here, I promise I'll never eat anything but salads."

The Italian Ice and Jello didn't sit well, but they let me have more Jello and some cranberry juice and a cup of pudding. I'm not sure how that counts as a liquid, but I'll take it. So far, so good.

Has anyone else had pancreatitis? How long does it usually last? My doctors are stumped by the continuing fevers. They're talking about putting me on IV nutrition.

Roxy

[Catrin]

How did I miss this before...I am so sorry you are having to go through this and are still in the hospital. Hang in there and hope you get to feeling better very soon!

[Desert Tortoise]

Roxy, I hope the doctors can nail down the fever and let you go home soon.

I chuckled a bit at your promises if they let you go. I got that way too when I was put in the hospital for 5 weeks during my pregnancy. I actually tried to bribe the tech to let me stay in the pool (water therapy) longer than the allowed 20 minutes. I pleaded that was the only time they let me out of my cage (room) and that I was in lockdown (restricted movement). She said no.

Sorry I don't have any answers for you but I hope you feel better soon.

[channlluv]

Murienn, you know that link you shared led me to a forum post by the wife of a man whose pancreatitis wasn't "cooling off" either, and it turned out he had spleen damage what was causing the pain they'd all been attributing to the pancreas.

I've added a spleen check to my list of questions for the doctor tomorrow.

Thank you all so much for the love and support. My days feel like three or four days -- I wake up from these deep drug-induced sleeps feeling like four hours have passed and it's only been a half-hour.

And the dreams. Holy cow. I totally get how Coleridge and Byron and all of their buddies justified indulging if they came out the other side with stuff like I've been dreaming.


And on a side note, I had reiki healings yesterday and today. I hope they helped.

Roxy

[jyyanks]

Praying for a speedy recovery. I hope you feel better!

[azfiddle]

Hang in there Roxy. I really hope you get some relief from the pain and fever and get back to "normal" soon!

[ccnyc]

Hope you get well very soon!

[channlluv]

My doctor is letting me go home tonight. Yay!

The fevers are trending down and I have to go for a follow-up MRI to see what this fluid pooling on top of my pancreas will declare itself to be, and I'll have pain meds and a list of stuff I can't do.

A dietitian will come later this afternoon.

Thanks again for all the love and support. I really do love this board.

Roxy

[indysteel]

Yay, Roxy! I hope all the lingering issues resolves themselves quickly and that you start to feel better soon!

[OakLeaf]

Yay! Home is good. :) Do you have someone who can pamper you while you heal?

[maillotpois]

Excellent news!!!

[Owlie]

Yay!

[pll]

It's excellent that you are going home! Just rest in your own bed should help the recovery. I hope you get well soon.

[redrhodie]

Yay! That's great news. I hope you're feeling better soon!

[Crankin]

So glad you are going home.

[Catrin]

So glad to hear you are going home! Yayyyyyy!

[channlluv]

I spoke too soon. That was the plan, but eating real food for lunch and dinner ended up hurting. I'd been weaning myself off the dilaudid, so I felt it. The Percoset isn't as strong and didn't mask the pain. So I'm still here and back on NPO.

:/

Roxy

[redrhodie]

Oh no. This sounds absolutely miserable. Are you feeling any better today?

[Catrin]

Oh Roxy, I am sorry. I hope you start feeling better again today!

[OakLeaf]

Ugh. Hang in there gal.

[Blueberry]

Roxy -

So sorry you're going through this. Sending healing, calming thoughts!

[GLC1968]

Oh my goodness, Roxy - I'm so sorry to read all this! I hope you are having an easier time of it today.

I understand the 'bargaining' very well. I was doing that two days ago with severe stomach issues myself. :(

Hang in there!

[Owlie]

Gentle hugs, Roxy. Hang in there, and feel better!

[pll]

I hope you are feeling better today. Virtual hugs!

[channlluv]

I am, thanks, pll. I get to go home tonight. Finally.

Roxy

[tangentgirl]

Feel better soon!

[pll]

I am, thanks, pll. I get to go home tonight. Finally.

Roxy

Yay! I hope the next post is from your home. Fingers crossed.

[emily_in_nc]

Yay! Glad to hear that you're going home, Roxy. You'll have to fill us in on what type of diet you will be on. Did you get to see a nutritionist before they released you? Hope you are feeling MUCH better!