worried about pancreas/gallbladder

[miss01]

I am a 28/F who has elavated amylase. Doc is concerned and wants me to have an ultrasound. Doc thinks it could be a blocked duct or gallstones. I am freaking out! She thinks it could also be the beginning of pancreatitus (pancreatitis). OR the birth control pill. What does this mean? Could I have cancer? It is this fatal? I think my amylase level was 142. I have been a drinker for 13 years too. Please give me your opinion on what you think this is. 4 days ago I had pale stool but never since then.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Elevated amylase can be caused by pancreatitis.  A blocked duct can lead to this scenario.  I agree with the ultrasound as the initial test.  

To evaluate the gallbladder ducts, an MRCP or ERCP can be considered.  The MRCP is an imaging study to look for any blockages.  If present, an ERCP can be done to clear it.  

If negative, alcohol can lead to pancreatitis.  Abstaining would be part of the treatment plan if this is the case.

A GI referral should be obtained to evaluate for these possibilities.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_

[Kalio1]

I would stop alcohol until you get to the bottom of this.
Light colored stools can be a sign of hepatitis. I'd have a full workup done on your liver like your doctor is suggesting and be sure they do the blood test to rule out hepatitis b and c.

[Jaybay]

No need to jump to the Cancer conclusion right now.  If your amylase is elevated and you don't have active acute pancreatitis - believe me, you'd KNOW!  It's horribly painful - it pays to start looking at the most common causes.  Birth control hormones can cause the bile excreted by your liver to thicken.  The bile travels down the bile duct and is stored in the gall bladder until needed to digest fats.  The thicker the bile, the more it tends to sludge up in the ductwork, and maybe eventually form gall stones.  At one point, the pancreatic duct joins with the common bile duct.  If sludge is present in this duct, the pancreas can't empty correctly and becomes irritated and inflamed.  An increased amylase number is one indication of this problem.  Sludge can be removed with a procedure called an ERCP.  It is similar to an endocscopy and performed by a gastroenterologist on an outpatient basis.

Try not to be scared - it sounds like your doc is on the right track, and you'll probably be just fine.  Also, definitely lay off the alcohol for now - NOT good for an angry pancreas!  :-)

[pookieblo]

Please tell me how I would know if I am having a gallbladder/pancreas issues. Perhaps gallstones? I have been having this pain in the upper left abdomen under my rids for months. If I feel down my left side I can feel lumps. Constipation is definitely an issue also. I have had xrays done, Ct scans which revealed I had hemangiona on my liver. I was told that this has no effect on my health at all. A follow up MRI indicated that it was hemangiona. but still the pain persists, I have had blood work done, all seems to be okay, except for the fact that I had blood in my urine. My PCP is doing an additionall urine culture. Since this has gone on for a while, the last few days the pain which seems to be a burning one has spread to my back. I am currently having a burning sensation in the middle of my back. I have been sent to a gastroenterologist and they told me i had IBS put me on Zelnorm two times a day. It helped me go, but about a week into the meds I developed what seemed to be an alergic (allergic) reaction. My chest, throat and face became very red and my throat swelled up somewhat. I could feel lumps in it. I just had a colonoscopy and upper EGD done on Friday 2-9-07 and they revelaed I had two small polyps which have been removed and gastritis and esopagitis. I am still having this pain, have been back to my doctor like I mentioned to do an additional urine culture and was given levaquin in the meantime. doctor told me that the CT scan I had done about 2 months ago told me all organs came back normal. Blood work indicated that my ANA was fine, no bacteria in my stomach, liver was good pancrease was good. I dont know what to do anymore. I am stressed out to the max...my stool has been yellow. Not clay colored, but yellow. I have been taking Benefiber powder fiber supplement and focusing on Bran products to help me go to the bathroom?Although, I have been going to the bathroom more often that I was, I just dont know what is causing this pain. PLEASE HELP. I am so scraed I might have cancer.

[Kalio1]

Go see the doctor!

[CLOUT101]

I had my gallbladder removed 12/04/07. I was having severe pain called "right flank pain" under my right rib cage that went into my back on the same side like it was wrapping around. They did and ultra sound and discovered I had a polyp in my gallbladder. Because of my history of cancer in family they had to remove it and biopsy it. My enzymes as well as billirubin were elevated and continued to go up. Right after surgery my enzymes were both over 300 and my billirubin was 3.2. The pathologist said to wait and retest. They thought it could be sludge in the bile duct. My #'s are still off. I too have a history of IBS now with constipation and was put in miralax. Tomoorow I will be going to another doctor to have a scope put down my throat into my stomach. It is reall important to consult a physician because as I found out you could develop complications and end up in the hospital ( such as panceatitis.) But I know for me as well as my father in law who had his removed two months before me as well as his sister for gallstones, The pain is usually on the right side. Good luck!!!

[Mrutan]

My husband suffers from Chronic pancreatitis. He has had three episodes in the last 5 years. While that might not seem like a lot the first one had him hospitalized for 17 days, with a weigh loss of 66lbs.

Some doctors say that pancreatitis is not deadly, but it can be. It is a very serious condition. He is not a drinker, he has one beer a year, maybe. His vice was Pepsi. He drank quite a bit of it.

The symptoms of pancretitis and gallbladder do have simliarites. However, the pain with the pancreaus is severe enough to put a strong man on his knees praying for an end. The pain is high up in your stomach, it doesn't stop. The only way to make the pain go away is to stop all intake of anything by mouth. No food, no drink nothing. Your doctor can check your pancreatic enzyemes to see if they're elevated.

As for your gallbladder, although the pain is intense usually after a bowel movement that will relieve the pain. Also the onset of a gall attack usually comes after eating fried greasy foods or something like spaggitti or ham. If you think it's gall bladder, you can take mylanta before you eat and most times it will stop the pain from coming.

However, with either of these problems you are at risk. If your gallbladder is really inflammed it can burst.

Your best bet is to talk to your dr and have the test done. They're virtually painless and you will feel better knowing one way of the other.