Pancreatitis

[Anna1970]

My mother has been suffering from Pancreatitis for the past 4months.  She has been in hospital three times with severe pain, vomitting, and fluid in the abdominal.  In that time she has lots over 25kg.  She is 60 years old but since loosing so much weight she looks like 80 years old.  She no longer drinks but continues to smoke.

What worries me the most is that she eats very tiny amount of food, she vomitts everyday and she is just not getting any better.  She is in bed for nearly all of the day because she is very tired.

Please is anyone out there that can tell me if this is normal for someone in her situation or is she slowly dying???!!

[83amd]

I just wanted to say sorry, i know exactly how you feel, my ant passed away 3 years ago june 8 because of pancreas cancer. I know you have to be a very strong person, it was the hardest thing i hever had to witness. I will never forget that morning :( now i have to worry about my own mother. life is so unfair. i hope you are ok

[crambone]

i agree 100%,...i just sometimes come off as devils advocate,i dont mean to sound harsh,,i just like to let people know what they ask about.
she asks "or is she slowly dieing ?????"with many question marks, and i believe that pancreatitis is killing her,,,so in my openion,yes she is slowly dieing from it.
im sorry,i just try to answer the question at hand straight forward is all...sorry.

[CalGal]

Crambone, there are people who have stopped drinking and start to take care of themselves and have lived good lives for over 20 years. That to me, at age 60, says that Anna's mom could have a long life. No, it may not be pain and complication free, but it's not bad.

I believe in honesty, but I also believe that there's such a thing as hope and being compassionate. I believe people can change when they're pushed to the wall to do so. Hopefully, Anna's mom will be one of them.

[crambone]

i understand your ideas and concerns,but the pancreas does not heal itself,and as people it food,it onyl gets worse.
you can get a cell transplant,but that just buys time and we know that.
theres no such thing as pancreas transplant.
if this lady is as sick as her daughter tells us,i think it is a fresh idea to be honest,and i think she would want that too.
the attacks will continue until she has kidney failor,respitory failor,or heart failor.
yes your right,with healthy changes she can live longer..with enzymes and diet,but not live a long life.

[CalGal]

Crambone, everyone is VERY different. Just because you have a friend who is at the stage where nothing can be done doesn't mean that Anna's mother can't be helped. In the vast majority of cases there is hope. In my opinion, I do not believe you're doing a service to anyone by suggesting that she should 'prepare for the worst.' Yes, this woman's pancreas IS damaged and we all know that the pancreas doesn't repair itself, but with a change in her habits and careful diet and enzyme supplementation, Anna could have a long and happy time to be with her mother.

[CalGal]

Anna, they probably should have given her a diet to follow and some enzymes to take. Is she following the diet and using the enzymes? Those could be two of the important things to do. This will be a very hard thing to treat since it's due to alcohol, so she's going to have to do her part. And I know it's hard for you to watch, but her whole body is depleted and it's going to take a long while to reverse that.

[crambone]

shes dieing..i have a buddy thats only 26,,with two little kids,and has alcohol induced panreatitis,and hes diesing,theres nothing they can do,,,you cannot live without a pancreas,and theres no transplant for it.
i want you to completelty understand,and im not buttering it up,,,prepare for the worse.
the pancreas is eating itself every time she eats,it does not release the enzymes needed for digestion,thats why shes lost soooo much weight,and the enzymes eat the pancreas from the inside out.

[Anna1970]

The reason for her condition is Alcohol (sad to say).  The Doctors seem to just think that she is ok, but to me she is NOT.  The vomitting part is terrible, how can she get better if what ever she eats she brings up??

Thank you very much for your reply.

[Fuzzz]

Have they explained the cause of the pancreatitis?  It is a painful and scary condition, and I think outcome has a lot to do with the cause, but I'm sure it's very hard to watch somebody go through this.  I hope she gets relief soon.  I think the doctors treating her are the best ones to ask these questions of.  I hope they make themselves available to you.  If you keep missing them, ask the nurses to make a note on the chart about how the MDs can reach you, and that you need information.  

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