Again last night: someone diagnosed (and hospitalized) with Acute Pancreatitis. I have a way of dealing with the pain without massive expenses, and without narcotics. Read on, thousands are already using it. (By the way, anything with "itis" in the name is inflammation - in this case, inflammation of the pancreas).
There are two types: Acute and Chronic. Those are bad names, it should be Type 1 and Type 2. Here's how to identify pain caused by pancreatitis:
Both Acute Pancreatitis and Chronic Pancreatitis are severe pain near the center of your chest (right in the middle, right around where your rib cage ends). It can radiate to your back ... not quite in the center: it's just off to the right side.
If you have that pain and have not been diagnosed yet, it's likely Acute Pancreatitis. It takes many tests (and longer) to be diagnosed with Chronic Pancreatitis. Acute Pancreatitis and Chronic Pancreatitis are two different diseases. Acute Pancreatitis is the most dangerous. If you have that pain, head to the emergency department - it is treatable and you can get back to "normal" fairly quickly.
I have Idiopathic Chronic Pancreatitis. Idiopathic means "no known cause". It started more than a decade ago and with frequent trips to the ER. Treatment was pain management including narcotics. Nothing stopped the pain. Nothing restored "normal". That is until another visit to the ER. I was so fed up when I left the ER after a chemical cocktail of injections, three different types of oral pain killers – and still some pain persisted. I walked out of the hospital hand-in-hand with my sweetie and told her that was my last hospital visit. And, it was. Over the next few weeks, I researched and finally found a commonly available cheap solution.
Here's how it works. Our body produces bicarbonate in the pancreas. If you have inflammation, it's clear that the bicarbonate production is compromised ... bicarbonate reduces inflammation. If you have inflammation, you need more bicarbonate.
Neat thing is that there is a cheap source of bicarbonate, and you likely already have it in your kitchen cupboard. Sodium bicarbonate ... or BAKING SODA. And the neat thing is that it works the same for Acute Pancreatitis and Chronic Pancreatitis.
It's fast too. I have been in situations where the pain was just starting to make itself know. Take a bit of baking soda and the pain is gone is less than 2 seconds. 2 SECONDS!
Thousands are using baking soda as a panreatitis pain killer.
Here's how. Don't exceed a maximum of 1 level teaspoon per day. You can start with 1/8 level teaspoon at a time ... spread it out so that you get 8 doses between the time you wake up and the time you go to bed. The taste is a bit like ENO. You'll get used to the taste in a short time frame, it will become like plain water. Alternatively, you can take 1/4 level teaspoon four times a day (again, not to exceed one level teaspoon per day).
I know you have to work and do things throughout the day. It isn't that convenient to carry around baking soda with you and mix it in with a glass of water while working or on the daily communite. So, I suggest mixing it with bottled water and sip at it through the day. And, by the way, I do take a small bottle of baking soda with me. I've gotten used to the taste, so if I need quick pain relief, I lick my finger and dip it into my small bottle of baking soda and ingest it that way.
Best of luck with your pancreatitis pain ... call me if you want to talk. But, and I emphasize, I am not a doctor and you need a doctor to manage your pancreatitis. Listen to them. Don't stress out on the cause, it doesn't matter ... work on managing the pain.
Earlier in this article, I said anything with "itis" means it is inflammation. One of the side benefits of taking baking soda on a regular basis (and I do, I've been taking almost one level teaspoon each day for over 12 years) is that arthritis pain is almost gone completely. In some areas, completely gone.
And, a few points I need to make:
- Acute Pancreatitis is highly unlikely to lead to Chronic Pancreatitis. Just because you get Acute Pancreatitis pains on a recurring basis does not make it Chronic Pancreatitis. That's why I said the names "Acute Pancreatitis" and "Chronic Pancreatitis" should be called something else like Type 1 or Type 2 Pancreatitis.
- One of the possible treatments for Chronic Pancreatitis is a Total Pancreatectomy with Islet Transplant. While this is a valid treatment, keep in mind the mortality rate over time. My advice: do not have your pancreas removed because of pain. Better to deal with pain management. In my opinion, a pancreatectomy should be consider only in life threatening situations: pain is not life threatening.
- If you have Acute Pancreatitis, listen to your doctor. Don't follow advice on Facebook or other forums ... chasing a possible Chronic Pancreatitis diagnosis for alternative treatments (pancreatectomy) is a disaster in the making. I followed threads where a young lady wanted to end the pain of her Acute Pancreatitis with a pancreatectomy. To get that operation, you need a diagnosis of Chronic Pancreatitis. Facebook users gave her advice on how to get that diagnosis, even providing doctor's names. She did that, got the Chronic Pancreatitis diagnosis. I followed her unfortunate problems after that. A pancreatectomy does not take the pain away. She had "phantom" pains. Plus real pains from complications. One year later: she was passed away. Sad.
- And the final point: please follow your doctor's advice. Let them know you are trying baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and how it is working for you. In my case, my doctor was made aware. He made it clear he was unable to endorse that treatment, he didn't discourage it or try to stop me. No warnings, either, about long term use.