r/pancreatitis

I was just diagnosed with pancreatitis a few days ago. Doctor did the usual, put me on no fat diet and gave fluids with instructions to see my pcp to find the cause. CT scans were clear, so they don't think it's my gallbladder. Im on day 3 of the diet and the doctor said to slowly introduce soft foods and liquids. First day i drank broth and water. Second day I added crackers. Today I decided to try sugar free oatmeal with water and it's causing minor discomfort but not nearly the level I was experiencing. Im just wondering the timeline of reintroducing foods. Do I have to do one food at a time? Is it also normal to experience constipation? Would it be safe to take a gentle laxative? Im still waiting for my doctor to find a time to get me in. What foods are safe to eat without flaring up pancreatitis? How do i know if something is ok without testing it and risking another hospital trip?

In this group? I’m not sure and I have some questions about recent test results from a ct scan I had done in the er. Thank you in advance for your help

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I’m a guy in my mid-20s. For the past 5 years, I’ve been dealing with chronic pancreatitis attacks, severe attacks , a lot of operations , and stents . Lithotripsy , etc There have been many attacks , and honestly, the pain is something I wouldn't wish on anyone.

Now, my family is asking me to settle down - get a stable job first, and then they’ll arrange my marriage. They say they won’t delay it much once I’m settled. But the marriage talks have forced me to confront something I’ve been quietly struggling with.

Sometimes I feel I shouldn’t marry at all. Why should I give this suffering to someone else? It happened to me , I've made my peace with God about it , but if, in some future generation, my child or grandchild has to go through this, they’ll suffer immensely. It feels selfish to knowingly take that risk. There was a time I thought I’d just stay alone, maybe even become a monk later in life. But deep down, I genuinely, genuinely want a family of my own. It’s stuck within me . I’m stuck between this fear and this deep longing.

I consulted the gastroenterology team at AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad ( the best in the world for GI issues). The doctor told me my condition is kind of undefinable – they can’t conclusively say that it will definitely pass on. They’ve seen many cases where no one in the generation had it, yet the person developed it. So it’s not a straightforward genetic pattern. The doctor’s advice was practical: marry a girl from a very different district, someone with good genes, and the chances of it occurring in children will be significantly lower. Even earlier, a renowned Ayurvedic doctor from Uttarakhand told me the same thing.

Now I’m left confused. Should I specifically look for a girl who also has pancreatitis, so we both understand the pain and perhaps decide to adopt? That way my lineage wouldn’t carry the risk. But is that the right approach? Or is there actual science, some precautions or screenings we can do to ensure the next generation doesn’t get this? I can’t bear the thought of watching someone else, especially my own child, go through this agony.

Please, if anyone has medical insight, genetic knowledge, or even personal experience with a situation like this, tell me what you think. I’m not looking for sympathy , just real, grounded advice. What would you do in my place? Are there any tests or preventive steps that can be taken before having a biological child?

32M and I have recurring episodes of acute pancreatitis.

It’s due to alcohol abuse so I’m already prepare to be treated like crap in a healthcare setting, but AP is something else.

Sometimes I’m able to ride it out at home during a flare up, but their comes a point that the strong pain meds are truly needed.

Have you ever gotten the feeling that the ER docs think you are just seeking the drugs? Last time I went in, I told the doc that I’ve had several episodes of acute pancreatitis in the past and I’m sure that’s what this is. They hooked me up to a normal saline IV, drew blood to send to the lab, and took a CT image.

About 2 hours of suffering later, doc comes back with strong pain meds and says “wow, your lipase is very high and the CT shows inflammation. I think you have pancreatitis.”

Thank you, Sherlock.

Even though I go to the same facility each time and I’m sure they have access to my historical visits, they act like I’m faking until they see the blood labs themselves.

Any tips for getting them to act when I first show up? I’m not going there for fun.

Hi all,

I had my gallbladder removed in mid Feb then suffered 2 attacks after the removal with the most recent on 15/5/26.

On that same day (15/5) they done a non contrast MRCP and the report says there is a tiny 4 mm fluid-containing spot in the gallbladder bed that may represent a small cystic duct stump or a tiny remnant of gallbladder tissue after surgery.
Im also doing an EUS in 2 weeks.

Has anyone had similar findings after gallbladder removal and if so, what did it turn out to be for you?

I’m not looking for a diagnosis, just experiences or what your doctors found in similar situations.

hey all! long term pancreatitis haver here. diagnosed at 10 y/o, currently 35. the tl;dr of my question is this: does hospitalization length differ depending on the cause of the pancreatitis?

the long of it is this: I recently had an endoscopy to check out my pancreas since it had been ages since I had one, and it sparked a conversation that I didn't get to finish with my doctor. I was having a lot of anxiety about the procedure since the last time I had an endoscopic ultrasound I was already hospitalized with a flare up and the procedure made my pain a lot worse. I was nervous that the procedure would spark a flare up so I talked to my doctor about my concerns. thankfully he let me know that the chances were extremely low since he wasn't planning on doing any biopsies unless absolutely needed, and even then it would only up my risk factor to (his words) 1%. not sure if any of that is true but it made me feel better in the moment so there you go. I wanted to ask if I DID get a flare up because of this, how long he would expect me to be hospitalized for, but we got off track and needed to get the show on the road so our conversation ended shortly thereafter.

typically my hospitalizations last around 2 weeks, if I can get out before that day 14 mark then I'm very happy. I've had complications in the past and my longest hospital stay was something like 52 days, it was horrific. back in 2022 I had a pancreatitis flare up when I had a gallstone, and thankfully my condition improved majorly a few days after my gallbladder was removed, so that was a very short hospitalization.

when I was a kid they told me there were several causes for pancreatitis. alcohol, blunt force trauma, hereditary, etc etc. (I have mine due to a genetic mutation, so fun this luck of mine lol.) anyways, I'm morbidly curious about the healing times and if they differ depending on the cause. like if somebody got slammed in the stomach and that somehow caused them to get pancreatitis, would that take longer or shorter to heal on avg? obviously everything is flexible and there are no clear cut answers... but I wonder? if anybody has insight I'd love to hear it!!

hope everybody is hanging in there and if you're not pain free now then I hope you get some relief asap. thanks everybody!! 💕

(wasn't sure what to tag this, let me know if it needs to be changed)

Hey there.

I've had pancreatitis since 2021, and in spring of 2025 had surgery for a massive psuedo cyst.

Recently I've gotten back to work part time at a dollar tree. Nothing too fancy or out of the ordinary realm.

Suddenly the flair ups have come back, and I've been putting off hospitalization because honestly I need the money.

However my care physicians are extremely concerned about this.

They want me to go to the ER whenever I complain or be hospitalized, which I really can't do if I want to KEEP said job.

It doesn't seem to be food induced either. You know pretty instantly when your body doesn't like what you are eating with this condition.

It's only after I've been moving or lifting alot- then I hit a rest moment.

That's when the pain becomes buckling.

I can't do sit-down jobs as I've had 3 pulmonary embolisms, so long periods of stagnation are bad for me.

I'm only 30. I don't have enough work credits, I know that for a fact. (Which is why I was denied for my P.E.s)

I'm at a loss what to do other than run my body into the ground.

Is there ANY chance I could get on disability?

Feeling a bit helpless and on deaths door to be honest.

This sub has been incredibly helpful this past week so I thought I’d share my experience in case it’s helpful. I’m 10 weeks postpartum and had my first gallbladder attacks a little over a month ago; I had my gallbladder removed at the beginning of May. I’d never known that I had gallstones and had never had any medical issues at all prior to this—my pregnancy was uneventful except for bad nausea and heartburn.

After the gallbladder attacks, I was very careful to stick to a low-fat diet. My gallbladder surgery went well and after one night in the hospital I returned home with no apparent problems, though out of an abundance of caution I stuck to the low-fat diet, figuring I’d eventually start incorporating more foods.

Then one week after the surgery I got hit with another “gallbladder attack.” I called my doctor’s office and the surgeon on call said it was likely gas pain irritating my diaphragm, so I just waited for the excruciating pain to subside over the course of a couple of hours. The next day it happened again but the pain lingered for much longer. When I had the third attack in three days, this time it was accompanied by nausea and extremely painful vomiting; I couldn’t keep anything down, not even water. I went to the ER and after seven hours of pain and vomiting I was finally seen. My lipase was over 6000 and liver enzymes were also very elevated, so they said I had acute pancreatitis from a suspected gallstone left over from the surgery and was admitted overnight. CT later that night confirmed pancreatitis.

I had an MRCP done the next day which didn’t show a gallstone or dilated bile duct so the doctors’ best guess was that I’d had a gallstone left over from surgery but that it had passed, though it triggered pancreatitis in the process. Over the course of the next four days my lipase and liver enzyme levels kept dropping; I had two days of water/ice chips only, followed by a day of clear liquids, then a day of full liquids, and finally very soft solids. I still had a lot of pain and felt bloated/gassy, especially under my left ribcage, but I tried to stretch out the pain meds as long as possible since I’m breastfeeding and wanted to minimize my newborn’s exposure to the opioids, even though the lactation consultant at the hospital had reviewed the meds and said they were safe. (So did I suffer needlessly? Maybe! But I felt better about it.) After five days and consistent improvement with bloodwork I was discharged home with only ibuprofen and Tylenol for pain. Now that I’m a full week out from hospitalization, I’m starting to feel more normal again, though I’ll stick to the low-fat diet for the time being.

Has anyone else had pancreatitis from a retained gallstone and never had any other attacks? Now I’m paranoid about everything I eat, but the limited diet has made breastfeeding so much more difficult. Would love to hear from anyone with a similar story.

It’s been almost 9 months since my acute attack (alcoholic) and it’s been almost 9 months sober. I should be happy but I’ve never felt more empty than I do now. My mentality was always one day at a time get past 6 months, we don’t need a drink.

I can eat almost anything but there’s always the thought of is this safe for me and my pancreas? Will this cause a flare? Will I be in hospital again?

I thought me being sober was meant to be good but I’m just becoming the person I was before I started drinking. Muted, introverted, depressed, angry, bored. I’m trying new and old things to spark something but it all just sucks. I can’t socialise with people coz I’ve got nothing going on and they’re all the same conversations anyway.
The looks I get now from “friends” and family boils my blood too.

But the worst part? Everyone offers to help but when you ask it’s like this massive chore and they give this look of disappointment.

Idk man sure maybe I have a problem and I crave alcohol but I just wish the people around me would just listen and understand it’s not just me missing alcohol it’s this constant fear I have with my pancreas.

Being in the hospital and having only my family visiting once and just being disgusted and ashamed of me. laying in the bed just looking at the ceiling hearing only the beeping of the machines around me, I was beyond lonely and afraid. Maybe that’s scarred me and is feeding into this depressed state of mind.

Idk I feel like I’m rambling and maybe this belongs on another subreddit but yeah

hello!! my nephew is 14 and got ex with idiopathic pancreatitis. had a flat up in 2023 and just had one about a month ago & got admitted. hospital said he had a little fat in his pancreas and inflamed but it should go down. discharged home and it’s only gotten worse and worse. got readmitted. did an MRI that still shows pancreatitis. but no answers to why so, they talked about an endoscopy but did not do it due to “wanting to wait till the pancreatitis is down.“ bc it’s a risk to do an endoscopy with pancreatitis.

has this happened to anyone? or have you gotten a endoscopy while having pancreatitis?

thanks in adVance!

I have been in gut hell for a year but the past 8 days has been a whole other level of pain . Last january i starte dgetting pains in my chest and upper abdomen in the center left , got a sonogram and other then gallbladder eminent when it was removed it was ok also endoscopy , i was dissapointed while being i have NASH she never tested my pancreus in the blood test , sent me to a cardiologist where there was a whole other issue of problems now my abdominal pain has been getting worse , its center left , very nauseous , very painful , it will ease up then come back , bile acid stool also , it does worsen after i eat , it gets dibilitating , the past 8 days i have really been in pain but i didnt go to er cause it would ease but but comes back could this be a pancreus issue ? and what test should i ask for ? I do have a history of binge drinking on a empty stomach however i havent had a drink in 2 months and removal of gall bladder which caused many issues

19F Was at the urgent care 4 days ago for upper abdominal pain, A CT was done, found nothing, blood work showed a lipase of 1,900, they discarded, it sent me home with nothing. Last thing I ate before any of this started was a very fatty meal, to be descriptive mcdonalds, 10 meatballs, torta sandwiches, milkshakes, donuts, pizza with stuffed crust, etc (i had similar pains after i ate meatballs before but i didn’t have the meatballs on top of another fatty meal then and the pain went away after a day).

Now?? In a hospital admitted, lipase pushing 3,000. After multiple ultrasounds, an MRI, and more blood tests (lipid panel, calcium etc) they finally found something, “ Mild peripancreatic inflammatory changes involving the tail of the pancreas. The tail does demonstrate diffuse restricted diffusion without a discrete mass.” My gallbladder and bile duct is distended however non hydropic gallbladder. Everything else is fine. The only thing they have on the tables for a diagnosis is a possible auto immune issue or secondary to component of chronic pancreatitis.

The only thing the hospital can do for me is pain medication, iv fluids, no fat diet, basic hospital supportive care things. My only diagnosis so far is idiopathic acute pancreatitis. I’m glad I caught it early but i’ve never had something like this ever happened to me before. But the fact that this is something my body has to try and clear on its own if my autoimmune test comes back normal scares me. I don’t wanna be stuck like this. This is horrible, if my lipase levels continue to rise then i don’t know what to say or do…

Is there something about CP/EPI that causes dehydration aside from diarrhea?

I'm doing pretty well since starting Creon and treating sibo but I feel like crap every single morning upon waking. It's not from hangovers, haven't touched alcohol for a few months. I think I'm just really dehydrated, although taking a few sips of water overnight doesn't relieve the morning blahs (nausea, headache, general malaise). When I get up and have breakfast (2 eggs, arepa, sometimes fruit) and coffee (with milk but no sugar) I feel better.

I don't have diabetes but my A1C from a few months ago was just shy of prediabetic territory for the first time.

The other thing is that I'm struggling with sweet and/or fatty snacks after dinner/before sleeping. I don't usually take Creon with them. For instance, peanuts, cookies, chocolates. These don't cause CP/EPI symptoms except for one or two times when I really overindulged and it caused watery diarrhea the following few days. Other than that my stools have typically been pretty good, similar to my manageable"normal" IBS/D that I've had for decades without pain.

April last year i was in hospital for about a month with alcohol induced necrotising pancreatitis and i was told specifically not to drink, i havent drunk since, however i was just wondering if anyone who specifically had the same issue as me has been able to do anything else whatsoever since theres, i know a doctor would advise against anything because they are a doctor but has anyone tried mdma, ketamine etc since and how did it go for you, ive had opiates since but i was wondering if theres any party drugs i can take as i really am missing it

Hello all. Just wondering how to support and deal myself with seeing my dad go through this. I feel lost and broken seeing him helpless in a hospital bed. He made it off the ventilator after being on it for 2 weeks which felt like a HUGE win but now seeing him attempting to communicate, helpless and weak and sad hurts me deeply. They say he seems to be improving but it feels like there is no end in sight. Has anyone else gone through this? I’m so scared. I miss who he was before. Will I ever get him back

Before being admitted to hospital with AP?

In february i got changed from venlafaxine to escitalopram.

4 days in i get this pain after eating, then it begin. 4 hours of intense pain, I can’t explain. I curled up, sit front over, force myself to vomit out of the window. I call live line doctor they tell me to push through.

The next day i was thinking Holy fuck that was weird. And i eat again. BOOOM another 4 hours i call. The ambulance i get to the hospital and the doctor says because of my lifestyle. I tell him i eat Healthy, don’t smoke, never drink and that I recently changed medication. He refuses to believe im 27 years old Healthy guy and is self caused he dont even telll me I should Watch out for fat while eating.

So I’m thinking to myself its this medication so I stop taking it. I eat fine for some days and somehow manage to eat something with fat again and I get it again

I got total of 5 attacks all last 4 hours

There is days or weeks even 1 month between the attacks

I eat low fat diet now, chicken, Rice, spagetti, whatever that has low fat in it. I don’t touch biscuit they fuckt me to even tho low fat.

So yea I’m basically afraid to eat now, i Watch it like a hawk.

Going to the doctor soon and getting blood test or see if I can get into a scanner of some sort.

I just hope this isn’t for life

I have low pancreas enzymes and my doctor gave me Critical Digestion which has pancreatic enzymes, but also probiotics. I get a stomachache (just in the bottom right side) when I take them, and I'm thinking it might be the probiotics interacting with possible SIBO - and NOT the enzymes. Was wondering if I should just take the enzymes and if someone sells that? Thanks

He (41) won’t admit that he has a serious alcohol addiction, and it feels like he’s choosing an early death and completely okay with it. At this point, I honestly don’t know what else to do other than accept that this is his choice. I know addiction is cruel and complicated, but watching someone seem so indifferent to the fact that they may never see their children grow into teenagers is one of the most heartbreaking things I’ve ever witnessed….