Pediatric Pancreatitis-Levels UNREAL!

[sanshin519]

My 5 yr old son is battling pancreatitis for the second time, one year after the first battle.  His enzyme levels tonight are unbelievable and scary...amylase 1823...lipase 7088!  Is there some kind of explaination when trauma, viral, and infection are ruled out?  What are the lasting ramifications of his levels getting this high?  How dangerous is it that these levels are this high?  And how lasting are the dangers?

[isoabch]

My lipase levels were in the 25,000 to 35,000 range over a four month period -- thus far no one has told me that there are long-term ramifications from this occurring.  I am seeing a specialist at Johns Hopkins next week -- I'll let you know if I find out anything else to the contrary.

[sanshin519]

I was told today that since your body only uses about 3% of the pancrea, the damage high levels can cause can be afforded unless it's a chronic, repeated, long term situation.  Then the pancrease runs out of living tissue, which if i'm understanding correctly, can lead to diabetes.  Not exactly sure but i know diabetes can be a spin off of pancreatitis

[Hyena of Ice]

Yes, Diabetes can be a spinoff of pancreatitis.  An old friend of my mom has diabetes which the doctors strongly believe to be caused by chronic pancreatitis (though she had acute-like attacks.  She had about 5 or 6 severe attacks in her life, severe as in needed hostpitalization or close.  SHe was in her fifties when I last visited her years ago, but her first pancreatitis attack she had in her 20's, so she'd had it for a very long time.)