Inflamed pancreas

[hanadr]

This is one where I think I've worked it out, but would welcome sensible comments.
My daughter, aged 29 and NOT diabetic was diagnosed with gallstones last week( apparently quite common in new mothers. She had a baby in April) She was in so much pain on Thursday night that even afte a pethidine injection from the GP, she was admitted to hospital and has been there since. They have been supporting her for an inflamed pancreas. And monitoring BG. This has gone down steadily since Thursday night(5.9) until this morning (3.4) the nurses tried glucogel, but it wouldn't come back up . She phoned me and said she was hungry, but they won't let her eat until this afternoon. They kept her "nil by mouth" in case they had to operate in a hurry.
My guess is that when they put her on IV fluids, there was no glucose in the drip and since she hasn't eaten for several days, she's completely exhausted her glycogen reserves, Hence no need to worry about the pancreas. She will probably be discharged on Saturday and a keyhole gallbladder removal planned for the New Year.

 

[Trinkwasser]

Sympathies, BTDT with the gallstones, and the blockage of the bile duct led to liver problems rather than pancreas in my case, but the pain was excruciating. In my day they opened you up from navel to ribcage and delved in with both hands but nowadays the keyhole op is somewhat routine.

Can't speak for BG problems personally as I was "not diabetic" at the time, I would have thought a glucose drip and possibly injected insulin would be a plan. It may be the pancreatic inflammation has temporarily affected the alpha cells which produce glucagon so the liver is not emitting glucose, you'd think a hospital would be the ideal place where they could control this.

 

[hanadr]

Thanks Trink wasser. I don't think a hospital is a place wheree anything ets discovered. You're lucky if they give you lunch.

 

[Cameraman]

Hi Hana, I too was 29 when I had pancreatitus, which ended with the removal of my gaull bladder. I was in hospital for 6 weeks nil by mouth and had to be fed direct into my heart though a tube with something I can't remember the name of but looked like bannana milkshake. When I was well enough to eat/drink I was sent home for a month on a zero fat diet and returned for surgery. I was told then it was only a matter of time before I became diabetic, it took in fact a little over 20 years. My sympathy for your daughter as its the most painfull experience I've ever had, more painfull then being shot. I was given a morphine pump to use when the pain was unbearable. Hope she is Ok, my best wishes to her.

 

[Jude]

Can you explain the connection between pancreatitus and needing to have the gall bladder removed?

I was 30 when I had my gall bladder removed but no-one ever mentioned problems with the pancreas. Its very strange that I have just read this thread because over the past few days I have wondered whether not having a gall bladder has any connection with diabetes - anyone know?? I had some horrendous episodes of pain with the gall bladder (had 60+ stones) and was hoping my IBS would be cured by the removal of my gall bladder but unfrotunately that was not the case!!

Jude :roll:

 

[Trinkwasser]

Can you explain the connection between pancreatitus and needing to have the gall bladder removed?

Gallstones can become wedged in the bile duct, hence the excruciating pain which goes away as suddenly as it comes. Among other things the pancreas produces digestive enzymes and when the bile duct is blocked these back up and start to digest the pancreas and/or liver. Also infection often develops in the gall bladder and can also be spread backwards.

That's a part of it.

The connection with diabetes is the other way round, Type 2 is associated with dyslipidemia and the stones are often based on cholesterol which is in such high concentration that it crystallises in the bladder and the crystals grow into stones. Cut one open and it has a sparkling star shape inside, at least mine did, but they were too soft to make into jewellery

 

[hanadr]

Gall bladder lies within pancreas and any inflammation tends to spread.

 

[daveburdett]

I had my gall bladder (complete with common bile duct) removed via keyhole surgery in mid-January this year (2008). I had none of the diabetes symptoms but in a follow-up test to the keyhole in late February I was diagnosed with Type 2. On examining diagrams of internal organs, I see that the common bile duct joins the pancratic duct just as the latter connects to the small intestine. So a slip of the scalpel removing a bile duct might damage the pancratic duct. I put this idea to my surgeon but she said (perhaps naturally) that this would not happen. My bile duct removal (even with arms-length keyhole surgery) and Type 2 onset could not be connected in any way. I remain doubtful about this, but what can I do? Anyone experienced a similar coincidence?