New Type 2. Had pancreatitis.

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Shar67

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Thank you, I haven't been diagnosed with pancreatitis but I've been in bed for ten days with flu like symptoms, extreme headache I can't shift, no appetite and severe pain on the left side of my stomach just below my rib cage, which radiates into my back and across the top of my stomach like I'm wearing a really light belt, I also have a constant burning sensation in my left side and feel sick all the time. I can't stand up straight and can only walk bent over. I am also finding it extremely difficult to pass urine and haven't had my bowels open for the last 5 days. The pain did subside a bit if I didn't eat but as soon as I ate anything it came back with a vengeance and now it's pretty relentless regardless of whether I eat. I have been eating very limited amounts, small piece of fish or chicken a day nothing else, because I can't face it. The only appointment I could get with my doctor is the 2nd of November. I had thought it was just a nasty flu bug and it probably is but it's the pain in my side that's making me question my self diagnosis. I thought of constipation but I'm also concerned about difficulty passing urine.

I think you need to go to a&e or a walk in clinic, pancreatitis is inflammation around panc you will need antibiotics ASAP
 
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rosserk

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I think you need to go to a&e or a walk in clinic, pancreatitis is inflammation around panc you will need antibiotics ASAP

Thanks

If the pain gets to a point I can't stand or still hasn't gone in the next day or so then I will go to the drop in centre. I was of the opinion if it was pancreatitis though I would be in unbearable pain and I'm not there yet..
 
C

catherinecherub

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Thanks

If the pain gets to a point I can't stand or still hasn't gone in the next day or so then I will go to the drop in centre. I was of the opinion if it was pancreatitis though I would be in unbearable pain and I'm not there yet..
You need to get medical attention a.s.a.p @rosserk.
Nobody here can diagnose but the length of time you have been unwell and the symptoms need investigating before the G.P. appointment you have scheduled. Go today.
If the walk-in centre is not open today then present yourself at A@E.
 
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s.sollis

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Thank you, I haven't been diagnosed with pancreatitis but I've been in bed for ten days with flu like symptoms, extreme headache I can't shift, no appetite and severe pain on the left side of my stomach just below my rib cage, which radiates into my back and across the top of my stomach like I'm wearing a really light belt, I also have a constant burning sensation in my left side and feel sick all the time. I can't stand up straight and can only walk bent over. I am also finding it extremely difficult to pass urine and haven't had my bowels open for the last 5 days. The pain did subside a bit if I didn't eat but as soon as I ate anything it came back with a vengeance and now it's pretty relentless regardless of whether I eat. I have been eating very limited amounts, small piece of fish or chicken a day nothing else, because I can't face it. The only appointment I could get with my doctor is the 2nd of November. I had thought it was just a nasty flu bug and it probably is but it's the pain in my side that's making me question my self diagnosis. I thought of constipation but I'm also concerned about difficulty passing urine.
I wouldn't be waiting until November, get yourself down And E.
 

rosserk

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Called my doctors this morning and was waiting for a callback from the triage nurse to decide if I warranted an emergency appointment. My father was rushed from a dementia unit to A&E just after I finished calling the surgery.

Crawled out of bed and went the hospital with my mother.

Long story short... I collapsed at the hospital with breathing problems. They popped me on a chair and took my blood pressure which was normal. They said I was tachycardic but they would expect that from someone with breathing problems. They also took my blood sugar which was 7.1, bearing in mind I got straight out of bed to go the hospital with no time to eat or drink this was a fasting blood sugar. The nurse said that 7.1 was normal and I should see my doctor about the breathing problems.

My daughter picked me up from the hospital and we went to our local drop in centre where I was told there was a four hour wait. Just as I turned to leave my legs went and the receptionist just managed to catch me in a chair before I hit the floor. I was again struggling to breath.

Doctor came out and I was helped into the doctors surgery where he examined me, he prescribed antibiotics, (doxycycline) two to be taken immediately and then one a day for seven days. He said I have an infection somewhere on my left side and he was going to write to my doctor for further tests. He said the breathing problems are caused by inflammation affecting my left lung.

The breathing problems took me totally by surprise, I can't seem to walk ten yards without the discomfort in my stomach getting worse and I'm struggling for breath.

So I'm still non the wiser, other than 7.1 is a perfectly normal fasting blood sugar!
 

rosserk

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Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Agh thanks that's kind of you. The antibiotics haven't made a difference yet, if anything the pain and burning sensation under my ribs is much worse than before which is worrying and I feel like I have a tight wire across the top of my stomach. I was hoping I would have had some relief by now. Any activity even getting up to go the loo seems to make it worse, I'm frightened to move because the pain is excruciating.

Hope you're keeping well.
 

Yorksman

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So I'm still non the wiser, other than 7.1 is a perfectly normal fasting blood sugar!

No. Not at all but it is a typical remark.

I went into hospital with ventricular tachycardia in August and was there most of September and into October. I noticed on the patient notes that the sheet which kept a record of BG levels, which they always call BM levels, was divided into 5 sections. Lowest was for readings below 4, 2nd was for readings between 4 and 10, then, I think 10-20, 20-30 and finally above 30.

This makes the 4 - 10 band look normal. It's not. 4 - 6 is normal and this is what one paper, citing a study has to say about levels 7 - 10:

"The Belfast diet study provides an example of moderate weight loss leading to reasonably controlled, yet persistent diabetes. This study showed that a mean weight loss of 11 kg decreased fasting blood glucose levels from 10.4 to 7.0 mmol/L but that this abnormal level presaged the all-too-familiar deterioration of control."

Having said that, at 7.1, you should be able to get it down with a bit of effort and some small changes. I started with a FBG of 13.3.
 

rosserk

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No. Not at all but it is a typical remark.

I went into hospital with ventricular tachycardia in August and was there most of September and into October. I noticed on the patient notes that the sheet which kept a record of BG levels, which they always call BM levels, was divided into 5 sections. Lowest was for readings below 4, 2nd was for readings between 4 and 10, then, I think 10-20, 20-30 and finally above 30.

This makes the 4 - 10 band look normal. It's not. 4 - 6 is normal and this is what one paper, citing a study has to say about levels 7 - 10:

"The Belfast diet study provides an example of moderate weight loss leading to reasonably controlled, yet persistent diabetes. This study showed that a mean weight loss of 11 kg decreased fasting blood glucose levels from 10.4 to 7.0 mmol/L but that this abnormal level presaged the all-too-familiar deterioration of control."

Having said that, at 7.1, you should be able to get it down with a bit of effort and some small changes. I started with a FBG of 13.3.

That sounds scary hope you've fully recovered?

When the nurse took my blood sugar she said it was perfectly normal, even though I told her I had come straight from my bed without eating or drinking so it was a fasting level. I also told her 7.1 fasting is used to diagnose diabetes she said that was rubbish she'd been doing the job for years and I was definitely mistaken, there was nothing wrong with my blood sugar. I have only recently started to develope high fasting blood sugars, previously my post meal readings were the problem. I told the doctor at the drop in that she'd told me 7.1 was a normal fasting blood sugar and his response was... "That's news to me"
 

Yorksman

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I also told her 7.1 fasting is used to diagnose diabetes she said that was rubbish she'd been doing the job for years and I was definitely mistaken, there was nothing wrong with my blood sugar.

Strictly speaking, it had to be two separate readings on two separate days for a diagnosis:

"Fasting Plasma Glucose Test

The FPG test is used to detect diabetes and prediabetes. The FPG test has been the most common test used for diagnosing diabetes because it is more convenient than the OGTT and less expensive. The FPG test measures blood glucose in a person who has fasted for at least 8 hours and is most reliable when given in the morning.


People with a fasting glucose level of 100 to 125 mg/dL have impaired fasting glucose (IFG), or prediabetes. A level of 126 mg/dL or above, confirmed by repeating the test on another day, means a person has diabetes."


126 mg/dL is the same as 7.0mmol/L so there is no reason for her to be so dismissive. It should be enough to prompt a response, come back in 7 days and we'll repeat the test.

However, fasting tests usually prompt an HBA1c thesedays which is seen as the standard test.

Thanks for your concern about my VT. It took 4 defibrillator shocks to return me to normal sinus rythym. I now have one of those natty little implantable cardiovertor defibrillators now. The hope is that I went into VT because of a reaction to a heart rate drug called amiodorone and now I am off it, I hope the ICD will never have to fire.
 

rosserk

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Strictly speaking, it had to be two separate readings on two separate days for a diagnosis:

"Fasting Plasma Glucose Test

The FPG test is used to detect diabetes and prediabetes. The FPG test has been the most common test used for diagnosing diabetes because it is more convenient than the OGTT and less expensive. The FPG test measures blood glucose in a person who has fasted for at least 8 hours and is most reliable when given in the morning.


People with a fasting glucose level of 100 to 125 mg/dL have impaired fasting glucose (IFG), or prediabetes. A level of 126 mg/dL or above, confirmed by repeating the test on another day, means a person has diabetes."


126 mg/dL is the same as 7.0mmol/L so there is no reason for her to be so dismissive. It should be enough to prompt a response, come back in 7 days and we'll repeat the test.

However, fasting tests usually prompt an HBA1c thesedays which is seen as the standard test.

Thanks for your concern about my VT. It took 4 defibrillator shocks to return me to normal sinus rythym. I now have one of those natty little implantable cardiovertor defibrillators now. The hope is that I went into VT because of a reaction to a heart rate drug called amiodorone and now I am off it, I hope the ICD will never have to fire.


Absolutely agree about the two tests, but to say 7.1 is normal fasting level is typical of doctors and nurses. A fasting level if 7.1 should warrant further investigation.

It's the third day of my antibiotics and I've woken this morning after a restless night still in pain and feeling really nauseous. I was expecting the antibiotics to have started working by now but I'm not feeling any better. Not sure if I should give it a bit longer or contact a doctor?
 

Yorksman

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It's the third day of my antibiotics and I've woken this morning after a restless night still in pain and feeling really nauseous. I was expecting the antibiotics to have started working by now but I'm not feeling any better. Not sure if I should give it a bit longer or contact a doctor?

I can't comment on the antibiotics. Usually, for me, they start to work within a day or two but when my ICD implant went manky, oral antibiotics still hadn't worked after two weeks, so I ended up in hosital being given "the good stuff", introvenously for 30 mins, three times per day. I was on that regime for 5 weeks.

You can usually tell how long they expect oral antibiotics to work by the number of days that you need to take them, 7 days, 10 days, 14 days etc. They also always stress the importance of continuing right up until the end of the course and not stopping early.
 

rosserk

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I can't comment on the antibiotics. Usually, for me, they start to work within a day or two but when my ICD implant went manky, oral antibiotics still hadn't worked after two weeks, so I ended up in hosital being given "the good stuff", introvenously for 30 mins, three times per day. I was on that regime for 5 weeks.

You can usually tell how long they expect oral antibiotics to work by the number of days that you need to take them, 7 days, 10 days, 14 days etc. They also always stress the importance of continuing right up until the end of the course and not stopping early.

The antibiotics are for 7 days, I had to take two straight away and there were eight tablets and I have to take one a day. Normally you take three tablets a day and I've always started to feel better after three tablets, which I think is generally the norm. I have had 4 tablets so far so was expecting to feel better by now. I will wait it out and hopefully the sickness will ware off.

That's scary stuff to think your implant can go manky...
 

Yorksman

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That's scary stuff to think your implant can go manky...

It's was a hospital aquired infection. Originally on the surface of the skin but then started to get inside the wound. There are about 2500 to 3000 per month in the NHS. Most are not serious and easily treated but as an ICD has electrical leads which go up the veins and into the heart, they don't want to run the risk of the infection travelling along them and getting into the heart itself. So, they play it safe, take it out, give you masses of antibiotics and, when you are totally clear, put it in on the other side.

Anyway, I have twin matching scars now, one on each shoulder. :)
 
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rosserk

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It's was a hospital aquired infection. Originally on the surface of the skin but then started to get inside the wound. There are about 2500 to 3000 per month in the NHS. Most are not serious and easily treated but as an ICD has electrical leads which go up the veins and into the heart, they don't want to run the risk of the infection travelling along them and getting into the heart itself. So, they play it safe, take it out, give you masses of antibiotics and, when you are totally clear, put it in on the other side.



Anyway, I have twin matching scars now, one on each shoulder. :)


Hi sorry to bother you but think I can safely say the antibiotics aren't working and I'm getting worse. I'm in a lot more pain than before although it's still just about bearable. I'm belching now practically non stop and I have a really bad burning sensation all the way down the middle of my chest to my stomach, which I never had previously. Have you had pancreatitis, did you have any breathing problems?
 

Yorksman

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Hi sorry to bother you but think I can safely say the antibiotics aren't working and I'm getting worse. I'm in a lot more pain than before although it's still just about bearable. I'm belching now practically non stop and I have a really bad burning sensation all the way down the middle of my chest to my stomach, which I never had previously. Have you had pancreatitis, did you have any breathing problems?

No, but you should really see your GP quickly or at the very least call the NHS on 111. If your GP can't see you or if it's out of hours, go to A&E. That's more than acceptable when it comes to pain. Despite all the negatives about the NHS, they do react quickly to people with pain.