How very very sad and I send you my condolences. I'm so very sorry. It must be the hardest thing to lose a child and I can't even imagine how you must be feeling.

I think that as one of the major causes of pancreatitis is from alcohol abuse then if your son was already on alcohol withdrawal they could have just put two and two together. In fact some would say alcohol is the most common cause. There are tests to tell if you have alcohol in your blood but whether that is done routinely in acute pancreatitis patients i don't know.

I imagine they will have looked at all other reasons too including gallstones.

If your intent is to try and overturn the autopsy report your probably going to need the help of a pancreatic disease specialist, who can tell you from looking over the lab work and autopsy if he finds any irreularities. The most often quoted cause of pancreatitis is excessive alcohol consumption, however it is also the most often misquoted cause. I was told initially by a group of 12 doctors in a renound Kansas medical center that the cause of my pancreatitis was alcohol abuse. I was a social drinker, however it was clear from their reaction when I told my doctors this that they did not believe me, and from some of the medications they put me on it made it very obvious. I was put on a drug to help with alcohol withdrawal. I never went through alcohol withdrawal. I was questioned extensively by inhouse shrink ad patient advocate, which I thought at the time meant my advocate, but no she was trying to get me to say something she could use against me. I didn't realize the hositility until I figured out I had second guessed the hospitals "team" of specialists and was correct since nothing they thought should help ever did. I finally got better in spite of them, though did almost die the first week while under their specialty care. I had an ercp done in Oklahoma city a good while later after dealing on a daily basis with chronic pain swelling nausea, etc. I was diagnosed with CP, and the cause was genetic, yes Genetic! I have an abnormal pancreas that has been that way since birth but took until I was 55 years old before it blew its top and caused me any lasting grief. I guess my long winded point is not all doctors are right the first time, and not all diagnosis are correct the first time. Sometimes it takes a bit of digging as it were to find the truth. I'm sure the doctors in Kansas thought I was gonna sue them, I did not. I just wanted to know what was really causing my pancreatitis because I knew it wasn't from me being an alcoholic as the counselor tried to get me to cop to since I wasn't one I refused to be labeled as one, and vice versa if I was one would admit to it, just the way I am! I wish you all the success in the world in whatever endeavor you are on and wish there were some way to help you with your grief which I know has to be intense. I will pray for you......

Thank you for your kind words.
The doctor's report found no gallstones. I'm wondering if the AST and ALT are indicators?

Hiya

I am so very sorry for your loss, I pray that gradually your pain will lessen.

I believe that the AST, ALP and the GGT results coming back very high can be an indicator of high alcohol use.

I hope that you get an answer soon!

Big Hugs!

Kiwi

I am sorry for the passing of your son.....my heart goes out to you. It is hard to find closure especially if it is your child, so some of us look how we can keep it open and find reasons to not find closure. You didnt say how long he has been off the alcohol a day, a week, months? Alcohol abuse wreaks havoc on all the organs ......long term alcohol abuse even when you stop sometimes cannot stop the damage already done. You mentioned lab work, liver enzymes-AST and ALT would be high, also BUN &Creat could be high-kidney function, lipase and amylase-pancreatic enzymes, all his electrolytes would be off, etc. Did they deny not doing a drug screen? Would it put you at closure finding out if it was drugs instead of alcohol? If i can be of further help please friend me and i can try to answer any medical questions you have or support.
P.S. I had hemorrhagic Pancreatitis too but not from alcohol abuse or drugs......
Warm caring Hugs.....
One more thing can you post something about your son that made you smile and you can share something with us before the awful disease took hold of him.

Diane

Thanks Diane for your comments. No it wouldn't help to know it was from drugs and yes the specific lab results you mention were off. The drug screen would have shown alcohol (not just other drugs) in the bloodstream and that's why I wondered why it wasn't done.
I guess the bottom line is he is gone and most people do not understand how difficult losing a child can be. I'm not looking to sue or overturn anything. I just want a better understanding of what the doctors saw to lead them to this conclusion.
There are many happy memories which I try to think of on a daily basis. One is where he loved to do random acts of kindness for others and how humble he was when it was noticed. Or his incredible sense of humor...........
Thanks for all of the notes. It has helped to see others opinions and thoughts.

My heartfelt condolences to you and your family. I hope and pray you get the answers you are seeking. God Bless You!

Sharon

Thank you Sharon...your kindness is appreciated.

I am very sorry for the loss of your son. My thoughts and prayers go out to you...

A drug screen does NOT include alcohol levels. It must be done separately because special blood collection tubes which contain a preservative are used for this. You can request your son't medical records from the hospital and have them reviewed by a specialist to determine if it was done.

Alcohol is a main cause of pancreatitis. When I had my first attack, that was one of the first questions I was asked. I don't drink at all...I haven't had one in over 20 years. My CP is idiopathic...cause unknown.

Once again, I am so sorry. I can't even begin to imagine what you are feeling.

Laura

Thank you Laura for your kind reply. I have all of the medical reports and the autopsy and know the screen was not done. Yes, I know it has to be done separately. The medical report has conflicting notes in it where in one place he was a social drinker and in another he was drinking heavily on a daily basis. I know I shouldn't think this but I wonder if the hospital was covering it's behind since my son died less than 24 hours after going in. He was so sensitive to medications that I wonder if that is what contributed to his death. He had a tachycardia about 8 hours before he died and he wasn't even placed in an ICU unit. Given how serious his condition was, we are at a loss to wonder why.
I guess I should move on as "others" have suggested but honestly I can't help wondering if he was misdiagnosed.