Anyone have experience with Acute Pancreatitis?

[ashmarie06]

I am a 24 yo Female and I need advice!

On Saturday morning I started exhibiting pain in my left side upper abdomen. It wasn't a sharp pain, but a dull, pressure feeling. All day saturday i felt nauseaus but never vomited, and no fever. The pain got worse and my better judgement told me to get it checked out, Urgent Care was closed so I went to the ER. I was in and out of the ER in an hour. With blood work, a chest x ray and some fluids.. they told me it was a "virus"

fast forward since then, and the pain still hasn't went away. the same gnawing, dull pressure pain. It has spread to my flank, left shoulder, back and sometimes my chest. My left arm even feels weak.. I can't get comfortable unless i'm sitting up and hunched over. I have ran a low grade temp, which goes away with ibprofen. But the pain however doesn't. I wake up in the night, due to the shoulder and back pain. But i feel like if it was muscle related it would at least ease up with an anti inflammatory.

I don't have much of an appetitie, and even though i'm drinking.. i'm not producing much urine (TMI) sorry! In 24 hours, i have urinated only twice.

I called my PCP who to no avail, told me if it hurt that bad to go to the ER, or wait until tomorrow afternoon to come see her. I'd hate to pay a co-pay just to be sent to the ER...

I'm at a loss, and my best friend who is a nurse told me it would be worth another visit to the ER to just double check things.. I just don't know.

Does anyone have experience with acute pancreatis? did you have atypical symptoms or were they spot on?

 

[clm10308]

I'm no medical professional, but that sounds a lot like when I had gall bladder trouble. I had milder symptoms for several days, but the day that I went to the ER, I thought I might actually be having a heart attack. I ended up having emergency gall bladder surgery when my DS was 2 weeks old.

If you dont want to go to ER, do you have any of those drop in Urgent Care clinics that you could use? With my insurance, urgent care was lager co pay than primary care dr, but much less than the ER.

 

[shelwoj]

I agree with the gallbladder symptoms. When you go see a doctor or to the ER mention that you wonder about gallbladder and they'll probably run blood work.

I had acute pancreatitis, was hospitalized for a week, and you will KNOW when you have it. It was the worst imaginable pain I have ever had, even after two c-sections.

Good luck, I hope you get this figured out soon.

 

[Disney Doll]

Go back to the ER and tell them your symptoms again, including the chest pain.
It could be pancreatitis or gall bladder. Maybe appendicitis.

In any event, none of them are anything to screw around with. You can die from pancreatitis.

ER now!

 

[ohiomom28]

Gallbladder and appendix are both on the right side. Both have pain in different spots but not on the left side. Appendix is usually around the belly button and gallbladder is usually on right side radiating to the right shoulder or back. Pancreatitis is described as worse than labor, although it could be irritated. I would go get it checked.

 

[shelwoj]

Gallbladder and appendix are both on the right side. Both have pain in different spots but not on the left side. Appendix is usually around the belly button and gallbladder is usually on right side radiating to the right shoulder or back. Pancreatitis is described as worse than labor, although it could be irritated. I would go get it checked.

I have to disagree with the gallbladder pain being only on the right side. Mine was not limited to one side, it radiated all over and into the arms and shoulders (both sides).

BUT saying this, everyone is different and I highly recommend seeing a doctor again. Ongoing pain, especially abdominal, is nothing to play with.

 

[MagicalMawMaw]

My first thoughts were gallbadder....like everybody else.

During some of my attacks I thought I was having a heart attack. Also, my pain was not on the right side.

When I finally went to the doctor they said it is supposed to hurt on the right side. Mine was more on the left & sometimes all over.

Best thing I ever did was to have gallbadder surgery & no more awful attacks!

 

[Christine]

Did someone tell you that you had acute pancreatitis or are you googling?

I know someone who did have it and they were horribly ill. Meaning, I don't think you'd be typing your post that you did if you had it.

Is sounds like you could have some gallbladder issue or some type of gastroenteritis.

 

[cheerful chickadee]

I'm going to second (or 5th) the gallbladder. A few months ago I started having pain in my left side near my stomach, a "prickly" burning type pain in the middle of my back, severe nausea, when the nausea got worse I would spike a slight fever (100*) and feel very ill. At first I thought it was a stomach bug but it came back a few weeks later and has happened numerous times since then. I started getting pain on my right side under my ribs that radiated up into my sternum and chest, into my back, shoulder area along with the nausea. My PCP ordered an ultrasound and found gallstones. I also had a endoscopy done and they found gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) so they're not sure which thing is causing what It took months of me going back to the doc saying something is not right for them to order tests.

whatever it is, I hope you and your docs figure it out soon. It stinks feeling sick and not being able to figure out what it is!

 

[lsulindy]

I'm going to vote for gallbladder also. I had a gallstone which came loose and went into the ductwork between my liver, gallbladder and pancreas. They went in to retrieve it, shot dye up the wrong duct and gave me severe acute pancreatitis. I was hospitalized for 3 weeks. Worst pain EVER! And, I've had 3 kids.

The pain was more on the right for the gallbladder and the pancreatitis. But, that sounds like a gallbladder attack to me.

 

[ilovejack02]

Pancreatitis is a different animal , as in you would be on floor in pain. Get the self to ER or Dr asap. Gall bladder isn't anything to fool around with either. If left to long you can die.

 

[bookgirl]

I had GB disease which caused AP. And I had a lot of those symptoms. Unfortunaltly I did not go in until I was in shock, my pancrease had shut down and I was so dehydrated I couldn't even pee or spit.

Get to the ER, tell them ALL your symptoms and be proactive. I almost waited to long by putting it off as a GB flareup or the flu.

 

[ashmarie06]

Just an update! I ended up going to the local hospital, when the pain in my back got so bad I couldn't lay down. After an IV, EKG, X-ray and CAT scan. I was admitted. However, I was admitted due an irregular heart rate. I've never had any heart pain, and the pain was in my back and abdomen. I was spitting out PVC's every 2 beats. I had an echo done, and they found out that my heart muscle and my lungs were so inflammed they were pushing down and out into my abdomen and back! Scary stuff. After 3 days of antibiotics, morphine and phenergan. I finally got to come back home! Thanks to everyone for all of their advice!

 

[jujube]

Just an update! I ended up going to the local hospital, when the pain in my back got so bad I couldn't lay down. After an IV, EKG, X-ray and CAT scan. I was admitted. However, I was admitted due an irregular heart rate. I've never had any heart pain, and the pain was in my back and abdomen. I was spitting out PVC's every 2 beats. I had an echo done, and they found out that my heart muscle and my lungs were so inflammed they were pushing down and out into my abdomen and back! Scary stuff. After 3 days of antibiotics, morphine and phenergan. I finally got to come back home! Thanks to everyone for all of their advice!

Glad you're on the mend. Take care!

 

[shelwoj]

So glad you went and had it taken care of.

 

[lsulindy]

Glad you're feeling better!