Pancreatitis Support Group
Chronic pancreatitis can present as episodes of acute inflammation in a previously injured pancreas, or as chronic damage with persistent pain or malabsorption. Patients with chronic pancreatitis can present with persistent abdominal pain or steatorrhea, as well as severe nausea. Some patients with chronic pancreatitis often look very sick, while others don't appear to be...
I have had ulcerative colitis for 15 years. It has been mainly under control with flare ups every once in a great while. I recently had a very bad flare and had to be put on prednisone. It is much better but I am still having some issues and am done with the prednisone. I was also told I have mild/early chronic pancreatitis 2 years ago. I have never had pain or other problems. I found out by chance after doing preventive screening for PC . My brother died of pancreatic cancer at age 46. Right now I am having loose stools, bloating, and fecal urgency/incontinence. I have to watch what I eat and the quantity otherwise I am in trouble the next day. Last time I had a UC flare it was a little different than this time. I am just wondering if anyone out there had anything to share about having these 2 conditions at the same time.
When I first started having problems (that eventually was diagnosed with SOD acute on recurrent pancreatitis) I quit eating gluten (knowing I had family members with Celiac and pancreatic cancer.
How you get tested...a blood test, but the gold standard is a biopsy of the small intestine. My Gi doc took a biopsy at the ampula (sphincter that connects the pancreas to the small intestines) when I had my last EUS and it was negative.
I am slowly trialing gluten again but remembering that it DID help me some when I stopped eating it 5 years ago.
Good luck to you. I have a sister that has bouts with UC. No fun!
SimilarLY, SOD ( sphincter of Oddi dysfunction) in the pancreas can with repeated malfunction progressively damage the pancreas. The SO is like a pressure activated flood gate. It is located at the head of the pancreas where it joins the small intestines. When we eat and the pancreas releases "digestive" enzymes into the main pancreatic duct it pushes against the SO, increasing pressure and the sphincter responds by opening and letting the enzymes flow into the small intestines to digest food. When the SO doesn't open or is delayed in opening and getting the juices out, you have an acute pancreatic attack. I feel my first pains of an attack on the right below my ribs at thread side of the pancreas, but then it can go spread across the whole midriff, into the back etc..
When I had breast cancer and told a very old friend in my church, his first question was "Did you get bruised?". He knew what we are just beginning to learn in cancer about inflammation and the tissue beds surrounding cancer. Damaged tissues can support cancer development. We are also learning about supporting our systems and tissues with supplements to decrease inflammation and the damage of free radicals, but that is another subject.
One other thing...you are associating your loose bowels, urgency and diarrhea with your UC. Pancreatitis is also associated with this. I had a pretty bad "hit" yesterday, enough to trigger " metabolic dumping". This is when the pancreatitis is bad enough, my bowels start cramping up and with multiple urgent bathroom trips over the next hour or so my bowels will empty all solid and most semi-solid content. I have also had pancreatitis attacks where the bowels shut down completely, with little detectable motility (Doctor checking with a stethoscope ). There is a name for that condition but it slips my mind.
It will be difficult to tease out your UC from your early CP. Someone suggested you ask your doctor about taking some enzymes. I second that. Good luck with your search for answers and help.
When I google search for stuff I always use research as my first word in the search (research SOD digestion). I get better info that way.
Hope this helps.