Did smoking cause my pancreatitis?
I’m 28 and had an ERCP about a month ago. The doctors placed 3 bile duct stents because the duct was severely narrowed/blocked.
I’ve never drank alcohol or used drugs. I only smoked cigarettes, usually lightly (not a heavy smoker). Before all this smoking started, I had stomach pain and was later diagnosed with pancreatitis.
One doctor told me it probably wasn’t from smoking, especially since I never drank. But the specialist who did my ERCP strongly blamed cigarettes and told me to completely avoid smoking, even passive smoke.
Since then, I’ve still had an occasional cigarette during stressful work days, maybe 1–2 a day, and now I’m anxious that I’m making things worse.
Can smoking alone really cause pancreatitis or worsen bile duct/pancreatic issues this much, even in someone who never drank alcohol?