May 25, 2012
Topics A-Z Digestive Disorders Managing Acute Pancreatitis after the Hospital
Managing Acute Pancreatitis after the Hospital |
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Dear Ask The Doctor: I was admitted into the hospital last week December 23rd,09 with acute pancreatits.I was given a CT scan and put on an IV and fed only ice chips.They wanted to do an EGD to test for ulcers but i refused the test because i was not comfortable with it at the time.The doctors told me that my medication Lisinopril was causing the pancreatitis.I was then released from the hospital the next day 24th of December,09 because doctor said there was nothing more they could do for me and there was no reason for to be there.I'm at home still in pain and cannot eat or bareley sleep at times.What should i do now! Dear Timothy: Acute pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) if a very painful condition. The pain is often associated with, nausea, vomiting and fevers. Acute pancreatitis can progress rapidly to hemodynamic instability and often requires close monitoring in the ICU. Oral intake has to be restricted because food in the stomach is a signal for the pancreas to produce pancreatic enzymes necessary for proper digestion. Restricting oral intake stops the signal to the pancreas and allows it to rest and recover from the inflammation. Common causes of panreatic inflammation include alcohol, gallstones, steroids, trauma, infections, cancer and certain medications. Once a complete investigation is done and a cause is found that does not require surgery; patients may go home as long as they are stable. The pain can last up to a month and you should take prescribed pain medications as needed. Avoidance of food high in fat is also helpful during the recovery phase and I often suggest an extremely bland diet high in fluids(water, ice chips, soup) and low in fats. I often find the hardest thing for my patients to do is REST. recovery from acute pancreatitis requires taking it easy for at least a month. Do not jump back into your regular routine too fast. I hope this helps |
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 28 December 2009 ) |
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