Overcoming Pancreatitis Pain in Children

Nothing is more difficult for a parent than to watch their child suffer in agony and so I'll tell you what I would do if it were my child in pain due to pancreatitis.

Since we both know that pancreatitis can turn ugly fast it would be a good thing to move quickly and resolve that flare or acute attack.

This is only what I would do.

You have to do what you think is best.

If it were my child in pain I'd give the regimen I use to stop the pain a try with some revisions.

1) Since young children should not be given aspirin I'd check with my doc to find out how much Ibuprofen (motrin, advil) I could safely give my child based on age and weight.

I might also check with a pharmacist to verify.

If I were to check out the link to Ibuprofen and scroll down to over dose I'd see the amount necessary to cause problems in humans.

Problems can arise at 100mgs/kg so adjust accordingly.

1 kilogram = 2.20462262 pounds.

You can get liquid flavored Ibuprofen as Ibuprofen or Advil for kids at the drug store (Walgreens etc ...).

2) Grapeseed extract comes in capsules that most likely are difficult for young children to swallow so I'd want to break one open and add it to a clear juice, like maybe apple juice and have my child drink it fron a sippy cup. Now the dosage is another challenge and I would guess using the ONE milligram per pound of body weight guidline for optimum saturation a 10 pound child would only need 10 - 15 milligrams.

The problem lies in finding 10 or 15 milligram capsules. One way is to break open the capsule and guess at 10-15 mgs. I sincerely doubt more would harm them.

I thought liquid grapeseed extract might work better so I may try to locate some liquid grapeseed extract, not oil, just liquid grape seed extract and make sure it isn't combined with or "tinctured" with alcohol or anything such as vinilla extract (contains alcohol) for flavor enhancement.

3) Curcumin. I'd also see if there were some 100mg curcumin capsules available. That way you could break one open and give it mixed in some juice with the grape seed extract. The only liquid curcumin I found was mixed with alcohol and vinilla extract - BOTH - are big NO-NO's so that may not be a possible option. I may have to use 500mg caps and wing it by breaking one open and splitting it into 5 somewhat equal shares (using a blade of some sort and a small mirror to create the eqaul shares).

I would imagine that the grape seed extract and curcumin is going to taste pretty foul so chances are my child is gonna hate the stuff which may be the biggest challenge of all and that's why disguising it in some way (juice) may be a marginal solution.

If my child is old enough to swallow capsules easily that solves the problem of taste (looking over shoulder to see if my kid is old enough) but either way it is, in my opinion, essential to stop the pain and inflammation as quickly as possible to avoid more pancreatic damage.

IF the pain and nausea doesn't completely resolve within 60-90 minutes after giving him or her the cocktail then it's off to the ER we go! Time is tissue. Save the tissue.

Leave a comment and let me know you're alive!

The KEY to Beating Pancreatitis: STOP the Inflammation!

It is absolutely imperative to stop the inflammation in order to begin beating pancreatitis, Acute Pancreatitis and Chronic Pancreatitis.

Nothing else matters.

Nothing!

I'm gonna harp at you about this until you "get it."

It's inflammation that causes the enzymes to start chewing on your pancreas which inturn causes all the damage.

Ok, it is actually the digestion of the pancreas by its own digestive juices that create the damage BUT ...

It Is Pancreas INFLAMMATION That Is Responsible

That is why MY first goal to achieve during an Acute Pancreatitis episode is to STOP the pain by STOPPING the INFLAMMATION.

That is WHY I swallow 800mgs of Ibuprofen OR 1300mgs of aspirin, the EXTRA grape seed extract and curcumin during an acute pancreatitis episode. All THREE are HIGHLY anti-inflammatory.

If you have chronic pancreatic pain, you have inflammation.

The inflammation is caused by:

• Previous unhealed damage
• The food you eat
• The alcohol you consume
• An underlying unresolved condition

Narcotics only mask the pain. They DO NOT stop the inflammation which is causing the pain. In order to STOP the pain you MUST stop the inflammation.

I Think Pancreas Tissue Can Be Regenerated

I am beginning to think that pancreatic tissue can regenerate but this regeneration (if possible) can not take place until the inflammation is completely resolved. My thoughts on this subject of pancreas regeneration has to do with adult stem cells in the pancreas and other organs as well.

How do you stop or resolve the inflammation?

You begin my regimen.

1) Diet. You adhere to MY Pancreatitis Diet (find it in previous posts). If you have pain you need to become a vegan (No meat of any kind or any type of food prepared with meat, this includes broths. No dairy, No fat, No oil).

Vegans use oil to cook, you don't.

No oil.

BUT ...

Do you want to know HOW to develop your own personal pancreatitis diet? If so check out this page on HOW to do a proper pancreatitis diary. This is the absolute best way to formulate your own, specific to you pancreatitis diet.

2) Supplements - You consume 300 - 800mgs of grapeseed extract (100mgs to 200mgs 3-4 X Daily), at least 500mgs of curcumin (preferrably 1000, 500 2 X daily) and at least 1000mgs of vit C DAILY. You also take a GOOD enzyme supplement with pancreatin 4X 15-20 minutes before every meal and a QUALITY multi-vitamin supplement with B12 (do not buy a product with the B12 called cyanocobalamin. Cyanocobalamin is super cheap B12 and contains cyanide used in the extraction process. Methylcobalamin is what to look for). You NEED B12 when on a vegan diet because B12 can only be consumed naturally by eating meat and dairy.

3) Anti-inflammatories for pain (Ibuprofen, aspirin)

Once you have adhered to the regimen for how ever long it takes to become pain free you continue with the vegan diet until you have been pain free for at least 6 months. Then and ONLY then ...

You may begin to add in some LIGHT fat to your diet and see how it goes. But your days of red meat, pork, lamb and any form of alcohol are OVER.

Just because you become pain free does NOT mean you are cured. There is NO cure for Chronic Pancreatitis. Once you have it - you are ALWAYS at risk. So ...

For the rest of your life you will be on the regimen, diet and supplements unless of course you want to have pain or worse.

The choice is this:

Stop the Inflammation or DIE

No sense "pussy-footin" around. IF you don't do what it takes to live and live without pain, nausea puking, etc then you are choosing to live in pain and potentially dying a painful death.

Those are your options.

Granted you may not die tomorrow if you don't change your lifestyle and stop the inflammation. You may be lucky and suffer for YEARS before having that Acute Pancreatitis episode that leads to necrosis, infection, internal bleeding, organ failure and death. Or maybe the medical establishment will get you totally hooked on narcotics, slice open your pancreas (various proceedures) or even remove it completely before you die. That sounds wonderful doen't it?

Yes, I am blunt, rude, obnoxious and sarcastic but I am doing my damn best to get you to understand how critically important it is to STOP the damage and you can ONLY do that by stopping the INFLAMMATION!

If you ever come up with a better plan, please, let me know.

Leave a comment and let me know you are alive!

Grapfruit Juice: Learn to LOVE Grapefruit Juice!

Grapefruit juice may be a friend you need to become close with because ...

Going back over my personal experience with Pancreatitis I have remembered something that may be important, which is I drank a LOT of grapefruit juice (research now shows it may be significant).

I honestly can not say I drank grapefruit juice because I knew it would help. In fact, just the opposite.

I drank grapefruit juice because I could no longer drink alcohol socially and I liked unsweetened grapefruit juice.

I first started drinking grapefruit juice when I became involved with the vacation timeshare industry.

Those folks were party animals.

We'd work all day and party all night but since I could not drink alcohol I drank grapefruit juice - a lot of it.

I never noticed that the drinking of the grapefruit juice had any significance because I was on meds prescribed by Dr. Langdon and had cut all fat from my diet. What I do remember is that my acute pancreatits attacks ceased. Poof and they were gone! But ...

I thought it was simply diet and meds (prescription robinul, compazine and Ibuprofen) but now ...

I am not so sure.

It may have had a lot to do with the amount of grapefruit juice I was consuming daily, my LOW fat diet and Ibuprofen.

All I know is that I was free of acute pancreatitis episodes for the whole 7 years I was in the vacation timeshare industry.

I wasn't totally well (my abdomen was still tender, I'd get nausea from time to time) but no acute panc episodes.

I had not yet found grape seed extract or curcumin and ...

My abdomen did not heal (the tenderness leave) until I found grape seed extract and curcumin.

It took quite sometime for my abdomen to heal after I started with grapeseed and curcumin, but one day, I realized, the tenderness was gone and has only been back ONE time and that was during and after the acute pancreatitis epsidoes I had when I ate the dang turkey sausage about 5 years ago. That episode lasted for about 3 weeks and I don't remember how long the tenderness and lump lasted. Yeah, I had that dang lump again after those acute attacks but it again went away and ...

I can not tell you what that lump was because I have never gone back into emergency ever since Dr. Langdon diagnosed me and gave me the Ibuprofen to relieve the pain.

I mean what was the use?

I'd been into the ER seven (7) times before and none of those people even had a damn clue!

How were they gonna help me? And ...

What I just said does NOT mean YOU should avoid the ER! Just because I have some issues doesn't mean you won't get help and YOU need to get help when you are sick with this crap.

Anyway, you might say I stumbled onto to grapefruit juice by accident because I had no idea at that time it may be beneficial but now there is research that indicates it may have been a huge contributor to my recovery.

More research on grapefruit seed extract

You can buy grapefruit seed extract if you hate grapefruit juice but if it were me I'd try grapefruit juice first, for like 90 days, use it 2, 3, even 4 times a day (for taking your grapeseed, vit C and curcumin) and just see if you notice improvement. In combination with the grape seed, vit C and curcumin it may be the extra kick some of you who are sick need to overcome this thing and start healing.

One word of caution:

Grapefruit juice, grapefruit seed extract or simply eating grapefruit is potentially hazardous when taking certain prescription drugs such a those used to lower cholesterol. There are many others too. And the combination of some can have deadly adverse effects so ...

If you are on prescription meds and wish to begin drinking grapefruit juice, call your phamacist first and go through your meds with him or her and check for any possible interactions with grapefruit juice before you start drinking it.

Leave a comment and show me you are alive!

What IF The Human Pancreas Can Regenerate?

I brought up this subject in a previous post and as I do research I begin to believe more and more that the human pancreas can regenerate its own tissue.

That would explain a lot to me and answer questions I have.

I am going to bore you by going back over old ground because it is important to understand WHY I am beginning to believe there is in fact a possibility of pancreatic tissue regeneration.

If you go back over older posts or visit Pancreatitis - Living with Pancreatitis and re-read my story or even my story on this blog you will note where one of the things Dr. Langdon did to enable him to confirm his suspicion was to use two drugs (injected) that caused me to have an Acute Pancreatitis attack in his office.

He drew blood evey 30 minutes until my enzymes spiked and then he drew blood I think twice more and asked me how many times this had happened and after I told him many times he said I should be dead. That was as blunt as he ever became in regards to death. Ok ...

What I never mentioned is that, even though that attack was NOT fun, it wasn't the worst by any means. Now keep track with me here cuz I rechecked some dates and I have made errors.

So, I have wondered over the years WHY was my last CT scan (It was done in 2005) clean and my doctor I go to know so sure I never did suffer from Pancreatitis? In order to get my current doc to prescribe my nausea drugs I had to prove what I said because my CT scan showed no damage.

Yes, I actually had to call Dr. Langdon's old firm and luckily they had my records in storage and were able to pull them and send them to my current doctor. Now ...

My current doctor was amazed.

Of course he said that it was OLD material but I asked him if he thought there is a cure for Pancreatitis?

And of course he said no.

And so I asked him since there is no cure and the guy who diagnosed me is one of those rare, brilliant men who writes papers for NEJM to share with other docs so they can learn and now teaches at the largest med school in Texas don't you think there is a very real possibility he was quite correct in his diagnosis?

Of course my doc said yes and gave me my nausea drugs.

If you remember Dr. Langdon did a CT scan and endoscopy (after the in office panc attack thing) and then told me I might have 10 years until I couldn't eat anything and would need a panc transplant and that they usually didn't go well.

He never came right out and said I'd be dead in 10 years.

He also never came out and said I had panc damage either. But ...

My abdomen was VERY tender and after he left for Texas something happened.

I noticed this LUMP about center mass where it was most tender. I had NO doc, he was in Texas and you know about my personal experience with most doctors so I just never had it checked out. So I do NOT know what that lump was. But ...

Once I completely overhauled my diet it began to subside and soon it was gone. However it did return from time to time, usually after extremely painful attacks. Yeah, I still had attacks even after my change of diet but they were fewer in amounts. Before I changed my diet I was having them 2-3 times per WEEK!

It was NOT a pretty picture.

I was NOT well, it was hell. But ...

The more fat I cut from my diet the more well I became.

Now let's flash forward to 1994.

That's when I found grapeseed extract.

With diet and grapeseed extract I began feeling like I just might live.

In 1995 I found curcumin. And ...

I had enough research behind me to where I started doing Vit C, grapeseed and curcumin with MY diet.

I really started feeling better.

Then, cuz I wasn't quite pain free I decided to go completely vegan.

What an amazing difference!

In a short time I actually felt good! Now ...

I can not tell you what a short time was because I didn't write it down but I'm thinkin' about 6 months into the vegan thing coupled with all 3 supplements.

I noticed the lump was gone and stayed gone.

My abdomen began to feel normal, not tender all the time.

In about a year I felt almost great!

So, I think ...

What IF that lump was a cyst or swollen damaged tissue?

What IF, after about 10 years of MY rigid regimen of diet and supplements, my pancreas actually healed itself?

I am not saying that IS what happened, I am just saying "What IF?" And ...

That is WHY my last panc CT scan was clean?

Ok, I found more research.

If you have been to my Squidoo page and already read the seven pieces of research I had there you should go back and read the last three I just added. There are 10 pieces now. You can see them here.

It is pretty cool stuff and makes one think.

Later, I hope you have had a nice day :-)

Leav a comment and let me know you are alive!

Coffee and Pancreatitis

Many Pancreatitis victims believe that their Pancreatitis pain is exasperated by coffee or the caffiene in coffee but that is NOT true. I have known it to be an untruth simply because I have drank coffee PROFUSELY for the entire 30 + years I have been living with Pancreatitis.

Again, as I have mentioned in earlier posts, patients and doctors alike have erroneous beliefs when it comes to Pancreatitis triggers, especially when it comes to a Pancreatitis diet and an immediate course of action to prevent damage from an episode of Acute Pancreatitis.

Coffee is NOT a trigger in fact there is scientific research that not only disputes coffee as a Pancreatitis trigger but goes so far as to say coffee can prevent or reduce the risk of Pancreatitis.

The difference between what I share with you and what others may say is that I can almost ALWAYS back up my opinions and theories with scientific evidence that either suggests or proves I am or may be correct.

This disease or condition of ours is so volatile, one minute you are fine, the next you are sick, that it is difficult to correlate Pancreatitis triggers to symptoms that may present due to something that has been ingested up to a week prior. It is absolutely erroneous to believe that ALL triggers create an immediate effect because they DO NOT!

What triggers an immediate (within hours) response one day may trigger a response the next time it is ingested 72 hours later and the patient and/or doctor will incorrectly believe that something that was eaten on the day of pain is the offending food or drink.

If you are eating red meat, pork, lamb, or any combination including any parts of either which are used in something that should be for all intents and purposes safe, such as smoked turkey sausage which is cased in pork intestines, and you MISS the part about pork casing (like I did) YOU WILL GET SICK! But ...

It may NOT be an immediate response.

Mine wasn't to the smoked turkey cased in pork intestines. It took 3 days and I became supper ill eating BEANS and RICE!

I KNEW beans and rice were NOT triggers and so I dug out the turkey sausage container and re-read everything. That is when I found "Pork Casings" on the package. I knew then I had poisoned myself, unintentionally, and I was sicker than a dog for about 3 weeks!

My Acute Pancreatitis episode was caused by the pork casings NOT the beans and rice. That is why you need to use a food diary to track what it is that actually is responsible for your episodes of pain and sickness.

By doing so I can guarantee you will find that a lot of what you believe to be true is in fact erroneous and if you wish to become pain free you can adjust your thinking, you diet and begin using the supplements I use and most likely, after time, begin to feel much better than you do right now.

Or you can simply reject what I am telling you and continue to suffer.

It is ALL up to you.

I can only lead you to the river (pain free living), I can not make you drink of the cool, healing waters!

Leave a comment and let me know you are alive!

Gallstones and Gallbladder Pain - What I Would Do ...

I know you are feeling ill if you have gallstones and/or an inflamed gallbladder. Gallbladder pain can become quite severe. So, I'm almost positive you'd like to know what you can do to relieve your pain.

If you have suffered acute pancreatitis recently due to gallstones you are probably still ill due to your acute pancreatitis episode as well.

If you do have gallstones, your gallbladder is most likely inflamed which will create misery even if you have NOT suffered an acute pancreatitis episode and so you may wish to find some relief in order to function half-way normally.

I'll tell you what I would do and you can do whatever you like because I am NOT a doctor but I am a 30 + year survivor of pancreatitis.

6 Ways To Relieve Your Gallbladder Pain

If it were me I'd go to the store and purchase:

1) Some fresh garlic. Garlic is a natural antibiotic but you must eat it raw for it to keep its antibiotic properties intact. The garlic will help heal any infection that maybe skulking around inside your gallbladder or at least help to keep it from progressing.

I'd eat 3 cloves per day to start. Drink some V8 juice first (I did not say eat solid food) because fresh garlic can be hard on your stomach if it's empty.

2) Grape seed extract (95% proanthocyandins). There is plenty of research on grape seed extract in regards to its amazing ability to do various things but one thing it does is to stop inflammation. It'll help the inflammation in your gallbladder and your pancreas (if you suffer with pancreatitis).

3) Curcumin extract (95% curcuminoid). Curcumin is proven to relieve pancreatitis pain and will most likely do the same with gallbladder pain because it to is a very potent anti-inflammatory.

4) Ibuprofen (motrin, advil) and take some. It will help relieve the inflammation in both your pancreas and gallbladder. If you prefer to use aspirin, aspirin works too.

5) Call your doctor and ask for nausea medication. Phenergan works really well and so does Compazine. Only take nausea meds when you need to do so. If he thinks you need a prescription antibiotic I'd consider that as well, you might ask while you have him on the phone.

6) Low fat diet. Eliminate everything with fat until your gallbladder inflammation resolves. In fact, if I were quite ill I would only be "drinking" vegetable and fruit juices until the inflammation and ALL symptoms resolved. Then I'd do the vegan thing if you have suffered from an Acute Pancreatitis episode in order to allow your pancreas to heal.

What To Do IF You Think You May Have Acute Pancreatitis

If you think you have acute pancreatitis due to gallstones the best advice I can give is to go to the ER and get evaluated immediately. Acute pancreatitis is nothing to play around with. It can become deadly if not resolved and if you have a gallstone stuck in the pancreatic duct you definitely need emerceny care.

Gallbladder Pain

So if it were me, with gallbladder pain I'd being doing the above to fight infection, stop the pain and handle the nausea.

Once your nausea and pain are under control, you need to cut out all food that triggers both gallbladder attacks and possible acute pancreatitis (if you have had acute pancreatitis).

I'm pretty sure that if I had gallstones and an inflamed gallbladder I'd find relief doing the above and would soon be able to function fairly normal after the inflammation resolved.

To keep the inflammation at bay I'd simply continue the process of low fat diet, supplements and add a little fresh garlic in every now and then to keep the bugs at bay.

Pancreatitis?

If it turns out, after a thorough evaluation at the ER, that you have experienced an acute pancreatitis attack due to gallstones you can read more about MY personal experience and how I conquered the condition with diet and supplements for pancreatitis here on this blog.

I wish you the best!

Gallbladder Flushes to Remove Gallstones Instead of Surgery?

Gallbladder flushes for gallstone removal to me is scary stuff. There is a ton of what I would call bad information on the Net in regards to "natural cures."

Now, please don't get me wrong!

I believe that whenever possible natural, alternative remedies, if they can be proven effective and safe with positive risk versus benefit proof are a much more viable option than toxic drugs or dangerous surgeries. However ...

The key proven risk versus benefit

For example I promote using certain supplements to relieve Chronic Pancreatitis pain and protect the pancreas form more damage but those supplements have been proven, through various studies (you can do research via pubmed.com and verify the efficacy) to be non-toxic or very close and do exactly what they are suppose to do, which I have found through personal experience to be true.

So to resume my lack of confidence in gallbladder flushes, which I alluded to in my last post, gallstones and pancreatitis, and give you reasons for my lack of confidence simply do a search on pubmed.com for:

1) gallbladder flushes,
2) gallbladder flushes using epsom salts, olive oil and lemon juice

Or anything else you deem as an appropriate keyword or search term and you'll find exactly what I did ...

NOTHING.

The thing about pubmed.com is this: they research and post abstracts (with their conclusions) on just about anything that may have validity in regrads to a solution for some particular medical problem.

In the case of gallbladder flushes there is absolutely nothing that shows even one speck of promise.

The only place you'll find anything good about gallbladder flushes is from those who promote it in order to sell an ebook or something else and don't get me wrong on this point either.

I too market digital ebooks online for various niche markets BUT I do NOT promote something that has no validity, promising research or could be down right harmful.

The proponents of gallbladder flushes indicate or profess it is safe.

How on earth can passing gallstones be safe, especially for someone who has already experienced one episode of mild acute pancreatitis due to gallstones?

They say that the use of epsom salts dilates the common bile duct.

There is NO proof of that being true.

They say that passing stones via a flush is much different than passing them without a flush.

How is that possible?

Do they think that just because you swallow a cup of olive oil that it, the oil, in some way greases the common bile duct making it slippery and the stones simply slide down the shute (bile duct) like a kid on a water slide?

That isn't possible!

The oil dumps into you stomach, and, if it doesn't make you puke, then into your small intestine.

It never even sees your gallbladder or bile duct.

All the oil does is to make your gallbladder spasm like a roller coaster and spit out potentially dangerous, and potentially razor sharp stones that could lodge in your common bile duct and cause another episode of acute pancreatitis.

That much oil at one time could also cause you to have another episode of acute pancreatitis, if you have had one already due to gallstone obstruction, because oil is a trigger.

Gallbladder surgery, is it safe?

No surgery is what I'd call safe.

There is ALWAYS risk.

Risk from a slip of the scalpel, risk from general anesthesia, risk from infection.

Gallbladder surgery is NOT what I would call safe, in fact, there is a mortality rate as high as 19% in elderly patients, who present with emergency type senarios, in need surgical gallbladder removal.

My own father died on the table while having gallbladder surgery.

He had Hodgkin's Disease, now called Hodgkin's Lymphoma and it had invaded his gallbladder.

Granted this was in 1973, years ago, and there were underlying complications which attributed to his cardiac arrest. They resuscitated him but he suffered some brain damage and never fully recovered before his death about a year later.

Now, I am certainly not trying to put the fear of God in you, or scare you away from having gallbladder surgery.

THOUSANDS of gallbladder surgeries are done each year in the U.S. with no more side effects than nausea and vomiting due to the general anesthesia and there is some evidence of long term risk of intestinal cancer due to the bile continually dripping from the liver directly into the small intestines but ...

What you need to determine, in your own mind, is which offers less risk with the greatest amount of potential benefit for you.

Do research, quality research, (look for expert scientific testimony and stay away from promoters) on gallbladder flushes and gallbladder surgery in order to help you make an informed decision.

Good luck and I wish you better health!

Leave a comment and let me know you are alive!

Gallstones and Pancreatitis

One of the leading causes of Acute Pancreatitis and necrotizing pancreatitis is a gallstone or gallstones that create obstruction.

Obstruction occurs when gallstones travel down the common bile duct and get stuck in the Ampulla of Vater creating a blockage in the outflow of pancreatic juices from the pancreas into the duodenum. The backflow of these digestive juices causes lysis (dissolving) of pancreatic cells and subsequent pancreatitis.

The victim goes from unpleasant pain, nausea and possible vomiting due to gallbladder disease to an actual life threatening situation called acute pancreatitis.

This is why, if you are diagnosed with gallstones, it is a good idea to get rid of them; however, there are only a couple of ways to achieve this goal.

One way is to surgically remove the gallbladder. All surgeries carry risk and of course unpleasant side effects, from the surgery itself or the anesthesia. In fact the mortality rate for gallbladder removal in the elderly can be as high as 19% in emergency type surgeries.

My own father died on the table during a cholecystectomy (gallbladder surgery) due to cancer. They resuscitated my father but he suffered brain damage that he never quite recovered from before he died about one year later.

Another way, supposedly, to rid the gallbladder of stones is via a flush. I personally know little about liver, kidney or gallbladder flushes except that they sound unpleasant at best and potentially dangerous at worst, especially for someone already diagnosed with Pancreatitis.

Promoters of flushes say that flushing gallstones isn't like passing them normally and supposedly doesn't carry the risk of obstucting the common bile duct thereby causing gallstone pancreatitis but I personally don't have their confidence.

I have read where chemists have indicated that the passing of stones, using a flush, may not be actual stones but instead are small lumps of what is basically soap.

From what I understand the combination of oil, lemon juice and epsom salts produces a soap like formation that may look like someone is passing a soft stone but is actually passing a lump of soap.

If anyone reading this blog has concrete evidence, such as actually smashing the the so called stone with a fork (for example) to in fact determine its consistency and can actually testify as to the efficacy and safety of doing a gallbladder flush I'd like to hear it in the comment section.

I'd also like to know if there is any truth behind the usage of chanca piedra in order to dissolve gallstones. I have found some intriguing testimony for chanca piedra but I am always looking for more from those who use it versus sell it.

I have done some research and have found some intersting information in regrads to both but since I have no reason to actually do a flush or try chanca piedra it could prove valuable, to those with gallstones, to hear from those who have successfully used either remedy.

Leave a comment and let me know you are alive!

Where to Find Quality Pancreatitis Support

I have searched the net for quality pancreatitis support and do you want me to tell you what I really think about what I have found or what you want to hear?

I'll go with what I really found and hope you want the truth rather than a bunch of rah, rah bullshit.

So far what I have found in support groups are a bunch of people who suffer. They have no clue about how to stop the pain, heal their pancreas and live pain free yet, they continue to give advice to each other (the blind leading the blind) and often times that advice is so frickin wrong it makes me cringe.

I'm serious.

The information that is passed back and forth by the people I have found in pancreatitis support groups is so dangerous it simply makes me angry.

This blog is designed for one reason.

To help people heal their pancreas, if possible (not everyone will be able to heal even if they do exactly what I do because they are already so far gone it isn't possible).

I have read the stories of people who are so sick it is nothing less than heart-breaking yet they will not listen to someone who has been in a similar situation (maybe not as bad, maybe worse at one point) yet found a way to stop acute pancreatitis attacks dead in their tracks, heal the pancreas damage and live mostly pain free. IF ...

I'd have found someone like me when I was extremely ill I'd have jumped at the chance to learn and DO anything that made sense to stop that unbelievable pain. But ...

There are some really stupid people in the world, people who think they are wise yet have no clue. These same people eat foods that would have surely caused my death years ago if I had continued eating them but I was lucky.

Someone whispered in my ear and helped me find the truth.

I am sharing that truth with you, free of charge.

You'll find where I use certain supplements to heal and keep me healed and I could care less where you buy them. This blog is NOT about making money. $.23 (twenty three cents), $.44 or even a buck or two from a sale doesn't turn me on. This is not my dream niche. I work online in areas that nail $25 - $200 per sale. I wouldn't walk across the street for twenty three cents in commission let alone invest the time it takes to write this blog. So ...

If you happen to be some puke who thinks I am taking advantage of people who suffer, get your fucking head out of your ass so you can see daylight.

God save my ass.

I have no clue as to why however I can come up with several hundred reasons why He should have simply let me die. He, God, showed me how to heal. He taught me how to do research and showed that what He whispered in my ear YEARS ago has now been proven by science to work.

IF you should ask me a question I will tell you what I would do, NOT what you should do because I am NOT a doctor, I can't give medical advice nor can I prescribe a course of treatment. I can tell you that what doctors do in the ER is almost totally wrong and why I wouldn't go in unless I hear that whisper in my ear telling me to go but ...

I would suggest that you do NOT ever do what I do because you can die from acute pancreatitis. I do not trust doctors. I have my reasons for that but that does not mean I am right. As you read this blog you will find out why I do not trust doctors, why I avoid them, especially when it comes to pancreatitis and why unless I hear that whisper in my ear telling me I need life saving care I can not perform myself I'll never set foot in an ER ever again for AP.

As for support groups, I can not recommend them. You will receive to much erroneous information. I have been memebers of about 4 no, 5 groups and all have been what I'd call a bunch of sick, clueless people offering advice on how to STAY sick.

You can do what you want but ...

Taking advice or listening to those who are still sick, have had their guts butchered by some doc and are not pain free is like taking finacial advice from your Uncle who has gone bankrupt 3 times or that fat lady who is offering tips on how to lose weight. It simply doesn't make sense. Anyway ...

If you need support feel free to ask. There is only one of me and I don't spend all my time on this blog but when I see a comment in the form of a question, I answer it. If I know the answer I'll tell you what I know and if I don't know the answer i'll tell you and then look for the best answer, hopefully supported by science so that you can make an intelligent decision. But ...

I can tell you this doctors are not always right (they just think they are omnipotent), they call their business a "practice" for a damn good reason and that is because they practice on YOU. That is why I NEVER do anything some white coat tells me to do (have a procedure, pop a pill etc) without doing research on that procedure, medication or surgery FIRST whenever possible and it is always possible unless you are comatose.

Acute Pancreatitis: I Should Be Dead

I've had a lot of Acute Pancreatitis episodes.

David Langdon, M.D. (the ONLY doctor that was able to diagnose me) actually used drugs (2) to cause an Acute Pancreatitis attack, drew my blood every 30 minutes for over 5 hours and he said at 3 hours my enzyme levels started to spike and by the end of 5 hours they were so high I should be dead.

He asked me to tell him again how many times this had happened and I told him I had been to the ER 7 times with really bad attacks but all they ever did was to draw blood one time and once they drew blood and gave me a shot of demerol which didn't do anything but maybe take the edge off. Then ...

He did a CT scan (they were really new at the time), what may have been an early ECRP, he simply called it endoscopy (Stuck a scope down my throat to check shit out) and then we had a little chat where he told me I was going to have problems and eventually wouldn't be able to eat. He mentioned something about a Pancreatic Transplant in maybe 10 years or less and then said they weren't to successful.

He did not actually say I was gonna die but I got the picture. And I must admit I was not thinking to clearly and didn't ask nearly enough questions so I have no idea whether my pancreas was damaged or not because he did not bluntly say it was a disaster and sometimes I miss the subtle hints.

Unfortunately, just a short time after he diagnosed me, he left for Texas and a teaching position at the University. This guy was brilliant and I found out later he wrote articles that were published in the prestigious journals like NEJM and he was quite well known and revered.

When I look back at the time I was really sick I remember little things like I couldn't stand to have a woman lay her hand on my abdomen while sleeping, even though at the moment I didn't feel sick, cuz doing so hurt and would make me nauseous.

I also had this lump, you could see it, almost in the middle of my abdomen just at my rib cage. It seemed to come and go or maybe I just didn't pay close enough attention.

All I know is that after Dr. Langdon diagnosed me, put me on medication and told me to eat less fat and quit drinking alcohol I did start to feel better, for the most part, but I still had some awful Acute Pancreatitis episodes like the one I mentioned earlier in another post (the one I had while at the car dealership). I'm sure gald I didn't die in that damn bathroom.

Headlines: "Man Dies In Bathroom of Car Dealership"

That would have been something to be proud of huh?

Anyway, if you are reading my blog I just want you to know I really have been where you are, I have the T-shirt. I may not have had necrosis or cysts or internal bleeding, I know I didn't have organ failure because I am alive but I have had some horrible frickin' pain and other symptoms. I cringe everytime I think about it. And I never want to experience that shit again.

That is WHY I'm so anal about my Pancreatitis diet and supplement regimen. I'm NOT a pain junky. I used to be an adrenaline junky but was never into pain. So ...

If you are like me, hate pain, then give my Pancreatitis diet and the supplements a try. A GOOD try because it may take awhile to see real results.

And I could careless where you get the supplements. In fact, if you have a good health food store near you get them there, you can have them today or tomorrow and swallow those puppies so you start receiving benefit sooner!

And START MY Pancreatitis Diet!

What you swallow DOES make a difference!

Yeah, yeah, I know you love beer, me too.

I know you love steak and roast, me too.

I know you probably like bacon and eggs with biscuits and bacon gravy, me too!

But how do you like the pain? Do you like that too?!

How do you like the thought of death and leaving your loved ones?

I hope you listen to what I have to say - no wait I can't give medical advice so scratch what I just said. DON'T LISTEN. But ...

I didn't like the pain or thought of death so I changed, completely changed my diet and started taking the supplements vit C, grapeseed extract and curcumin. And soon I felt better.

That's what I did, you have to do what is right for you and of course what your health care provider feels is the best treatment because I am not here to dispense medical advise, treat or cure any disease and everything I say should be taken with a grain of salt for I am just a guy. I am not a doctor, hell, I didn't even go to college!

My story is for your entertainment only. And since I forgot what the hell I was really gonna write about in this post I am gonna say have a nice day!

Leave a comment, let me know you are still alive!

Is There a Pancreatitis Cure?

Is there a Pancreatitis cure? I would imagine if you are reading this "Living with Pancreatitis" blog you have suffered at least one episode of Acute Pancreatitis, maybe pancreatic damage and continue to suffer with Chronic Pancreatitis. If that be the case there is probably a high possibility you are also searching for a Pancreatitis cure.

I am not going to lie to you or mislead you; there is no cure for Pancreatitis. However ...

Being the curious sort of individual I am I have been investigating the possibilty of pancreatic tissue regeneration.

There isn't much research on the subject but some does allude to a possibilty of pancreatic tissue regeneration.

I can almost guarantee that IF the possibility exists it would only occur if the inflammation of the pancreas was totally resolved.

As of this time most people, including doctors, do not seem to know how to resolve the inflammation and keep it from returning.

In my personal experience and opinion the first step to resolution of inflammation is not the normal ICU protocol of administering opiates for pain but to use anti-inflammatories instead. Opiates do NOT reduce or eliminate the inflammation they only mask it by relieving the pain.

The only good portion of the current protocol (in my opinion) is to take food from the patient, however, instead of completely resting the patient's pancreas they feed via a stomach tube, which to me is ludicrous.

I believe the patient should be immediately given anti-inflammatories, such as Ibuprofen, (I personally prefer aspirin) to eliminate the inflammation because once the inflammation is resolved the pain usually resolves as well. I know this to be true via my own experience.

I prefer to nail the problem to attain resolution of pain and the problem is the inflammation. Masking pain with narcotics simply doesn't get the job done and eliminating food (which is imperative) does not resolve it fast enough to prevent damage.

The patient should be hydrated, with water ONLY and food should not be given for at least 96 hours, in order to rest the pancreas and it is my belief that food should never be given until the patient has bonifide hunger and I seriously doubt any patient who has experienced Acute Pancreatis will actually experience hunger until the inflammation is completely resolved and the pancreas has rested enough to be capable of doing its job again.

Then the patient should only be given vegetable and fruit juice until the patient has recovered sufficiently as to report NO symptoms of illness for 96 hours after the consumption of liquid food.

Then a very strict diet of ZERO fats. No animal, dairy, or oil type fats of any kind and that includes any type of broth that is NOT completely vegetable in origin.

The patient should become totally vegan for at least six (6) months following an episode of Acute Pancreatitis.

Vitamin C, grapeseed extract and curcumin should be taken religiously for those six months and continued thereafter for the rest of the patient's life, along with a very strict diet (NO red meat, pork, lamb, duck, or other high fat foods) in order to prevent further damage. Of course alcohol consumption, of ANY kind, is strictly out of the question and a total NO.

This type of regimen may result in far less Chronic Pancreatitis pain, less complications and provide an atmosphere conducive to possible regeneration of pancreatic tissue.

Remember, anything you read on this blog is for informational purposes only. I am NOT a doctor nor do I give medical advice or prescribe a course of treatment. I merely speak my own mind and thoughts based on MY personal experience and nothing else.

Leave a comment and let me know you are alive!

Living with Someone Who Has Pancreatitis

Living with someone who has Pancreatitis can be a challenge.

One that I wouldn't wish on anyone.

In fact, because I was so sick at first and I was told by the only doctor who was able to diagnose my condition that I most likely did NOT have a future and since my wife wanted to have children and I felt so uncertain about my life and it seemed to me very selfish to make her go through it (I had watched my mom go through my father's cancer and death), and to expect her to give up what she wanted in life - I released her.

She was NOT happy about it but I really thought I was actually doing her a very big favor. And, I heard she met someone, got married and had kids and hopefully was very happy.

Now, I didn't say that is what someone else should do so don't even think I am insinuating the same course of action because I am not.

And I MEAN that.

Hell, I was probably wrong but given the exact same situation, that I faced then, I'd probably do exactly the same thing because there most likely was no future with me.

Anyway, back to the subject matter: Living with someone who has Pancreatitis

The subject matter was again keywords people are using to find my site so there must be quite a few folks looking for answers. Hopefully I can supply some decent ones that make sense.

Living on Borrowed Time and Scared to Death

The first thing you need to understand is that someone who has Pancreatitis, unless they are in denial, knows they could be living on borrowed time. And true none of us knows when we'll die but some of us may not live as long as most. And it's a tad different than cancer because the moment of truth's realization could come tonight after their next meal.

At any time, without much warning, they could suffer Acute Pancreatitis which results in necrotizing pancreatitis, organ failure and death.

Pancreatitis is a conditon that can turn ugly real fast.

I tried to put that out of my mind, but, it was and still is always there.

If you remember I have previously shared that I visited the ER on 7 different ocassions. None of those visits had even close to satisfactory results or a hint of quality care.

The most that EVER happened was ONE blood draw and a shot of demerol, which did NOTHING to decrease the pain. Now ...

When I am sitting on the edge of the ER bed, leaning over, holding my guts in, sweating profusely, and panting like a damn dog from pain because there was no way I could lay down, hell I couldn't even sit still, you would think any moron could determine there was a need for more tests.

So, if your someone is receiving the same quality care I did (that was sarcastic) you need to understand that even if they portray an outside appearance of courage, they are probably scared to death.

That fear doesn't leave simply because the pain subsides.

Your spouse, child or significant other, deep down most likely has a very large feeling of impending doom. Even if they receive quality care they are probably in fear of the next episode and their uncertain future.

If they suffer from complications it is going to be that much worse.

They May Not Want to Be a Burden

They may not want to inconveinence you by asking you to cook them seperate meals from the rest of the family and so they eat what the family eats which is something that will make their pancreas very upset, probably cause more damage, even end their life.

I can't stress that enough so I am going to say it again ...

Most people are much nicer than me. And so when asked if something is ok for dinner (or breakfast or lunch), especially if they love it, they will most likely say: "you bet", eat it and suffer instead of telling you it isn't a good thing for them.

That is WHY, if you love them, you need to know exactly what a Pancreatitis victim should and should not eat. So study my Pancreatitis Diet because it means the difference between your loved one suffering, maybe dying, or living to enjoy more happy memories with you.

Now I am gonna be blunt.

Pay strict attention to my diet regimen.

I haven't written this blog to make money or become famous.

I am simply sharing what has actually worked for me and allowed me to become and stay pain free for the last 16 years except for ONE 3 week period when I was sicker than a dog because I poisoned myself with pork intestines. I did NOT read the label on the turkey sausage as well as I should have. The TURKEY sausage was in "pork casings" and I paid dearly.

If you listen to most doctors, nutritionists, or people on the web who have the condition and are not pain free you are going to keep your loved one suffering, I guarantee it.

I'm a bonafide walking-talking, pain free Chronic Pancreatitis victim and I can vehmently tell you that a strict Pancreatitis diet is absolutely imperative and if you vary from what I share with you on the subject of diet, you are basically poisoning your loved one.

How is that for blunt.

Guess what it ain't over yet cuz I ain't through.

I couldn't careless what doctors say in this regard.

I have read diet information on medical sites that make me cringe!

If people who suffer from Pancreatitis follow the food recommendations of most doctors and patients I have run across on the web it is no frickin' wonder they are still sick and in pain and damn lucky they aren't dead yet.

The NEXT point I want to make is:

If they aren't hungry - don't push food on them!

Loss of appetite is a BIG signal in Pancreatitis.

What it basically means is that the patient's pancreas is not in a good mood and doesn't wish to be disturbed!

Listen to the signal!

If your loved one eats, they will most likely PAY - and - get this - that payment could be a horribly painful death!

IF they are NOT hungry just let them be, don't make them feel bad because you spent hours cooking. It isn't their fault they aren't hungry or not feeling well, in fact, it may be yours because you make them feel they have to eat!

This use to happen to me ALL the time.

So you cooked a great meal.

So it took you hours.

I'm sorry, they are sorry, but get over it, let them be or you are gonna make them sicker than they already are.

For now I have run out of things to say so ...

Leave me a comment and show me you are still alive!

Frequently Asked Pancreatitis Questions

These Pancreatitis Questions are taken from the keyword phrases that people have used to find my site and not questions that have been directly asked of me; However, If people are using them for search they obviously want answers, don't ya think?

1) Vitamins, minerals and supplements for pancreatitis?

The best vitamin-mineral formulation I have found is called All In One. It uses mostly, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants from plant sources. It also has a full complement of amino acids and mixes easily in my orange juice. It is also gluten free.

The others are of course grape seed extract, vit C and curcumin. The grapeseed extract, vit C and curcumin seem to fight the inflammation. Well they don't seem to, they do! And they are all 3 very strong cancer fighters as well.

2) Does turmeric and garlic cause pancreatitis?

In a nut shell NO.

In fact there is begining to be quite a bit of research available on the Net from scholars (PubMed) that indicate curcumin, the curcuminoid found in turmeric, definitely relieves Pancreatitis pain.

Garlic is another highly anti-inflammatory little gem. It is also a cancer fighter and an antimicrobial. So it has the added benefit of protecting the pancreas for sufferers by helping to ward off bugs that might cause infection.

3) Can someone with pancreatitis have cough syrup?

I don't see why not as long as it does NOT contain alcohol. Make sure you read the label and if you have any reservations about a product ask a pharmacist for their input as to alcohol content.

4) True pancreatitis cures?

There are none. There is NO cure for pancreatitis. I have found a regimen (diet and supplements) that have enabled me to be pain free for a long time. But that doesn't mean for one minute I am cured. I know this to be true because I had been pain free for years and made a bad mistake (I missed "pork casings" on a label) and was sicker than a dog for about 3 weeks. So if you are looking for a cure, you'll be looking for a long time.

5) Pancreatitis can I still drink beer?

Does beer contain alcohol?

Oh it does?

Then beer is out!

NO alcohol- period!

6) Is jack fruit bad for pancreatitis?

This one I frickin' had to look up lol. Jack fruit is common in southeast asia, Indonesia and other places but I have never eaten it. Quite honestly it never looked to good. Even though I looked it up to see if I could find something about it's properties, I found little. What I was looking for is to see if it was similar to avocado and full of fat. I did NOT find what I was seeking so I must admit - I have no idea.

If Jack Fruit is an oily, high fat fruit like the avocado, be very careful. The avocado has beneficial omegea 3 oil and is even an anti-inflammatory food but if you are sick (experiencing pain etc...) it is a food to stay away from until you may be able to tolerate a small amount. Avocado can be a 2 edged sword. See my Pancreatitis Diet info section for more details.

7) Pancreatitis pizza?

As far as I know there is NO such thing as a pizza that is safe for a Pancreatitis diet. They are full of fat from meat, cheese and oil. Even if you get a "veggie pizza" the crust is FULL of oil from cooking (pizza hut, dominoes, etc)and it's topped with cheese.

If you made a home made pizza from scratch and left out everything that contained fat it wouldn't really be a pizza but it may help you curb your craving for one. You could try "soy cheese" and bake it without using oil.

8) If i already have cronic pancreatitis can i get a pre payment plan for private health care?

Great question.

I called an insurance broker after I was diagnosed and asked. At that time "Pancreatitis" was uninsurable for both health plans and life plans. I do not know if the "uninsurable" stipulation has changed.

9) Can pancreatic infection kill you?

Yes, in fact necrosis and infection in combination, necrotizing pancreatitis, is quite deadly. It is something you do not want.

10) Pancreatitis at what age does it strike?

Pancreatitis seems to be a fully discrimination free killer as far as age is concerned. It can victimize children and older adults. Supposedly it strikes mainly between the ages of 30 - 40 but don't count on it. I first started having symptoms at 16 and was finally diagnosed at 24 or 25. However old I was in 1979 at time of diagnosis. There are people whose stories I have read about who were as young as 2 years old!

11) WHY does water make me puke?

read this post:   Beating Pancreatitis: When In a Pancreatitis Flare Why Does Water Make Me Puke?

12) What does chronic pancreatitis do to my longevity?

read this post: Beating Pancreatitis: Life Expectancy After Chronic Pancreatitis (CP) Diagnosis

I'll do more later.

Leave a comment and let me know you are alive!

My Pancreatitis Diet and WHY It Is So Dang Important

I remember having acute pancreatitis (I had been diagnosed by this time) while at a small University town. I had a job selling cars at a Chevy dealership.

I had NOT told anyone when I applied that I was sick. I simply didn't think it was really anyone's business, anyway ...

The pain came on fast and intense.

I made it to the head for water to take my Ibuprofen and Compazine.

I'm about 25 - 30 minutes into the attack, sitting on the floor, against the white tiled wall, leaning forward holding on to my guts so they don't fall out and panting like a dog when this guy I worked with came in to the head and asked if I was ok.

I was barely coherent but managed to say something like:

"Does it look like it?"

He asked me if I wanted an ambulance and I said:

"No, they can't help me."

I prayed alot durng those periods of acute pancreatitis.

I had nothing else to rely on except God, my Ibuprofen and Compazine.

After an hour or so the Ibuprofen kicked in and the pain began to subside.

I told the boss I needed to go home, and he didn't even ask why (I must have looked like death warmed over).

I didn't die and in a few more hours I took another one of those horse pills (Ibuprofen).

Now I was still married to my first wife at the time. She was a damn fine cook, one of those farm gals who was good in the kitchen and she had made tamale pie for dinner the night before.

I loved her tamale pie.

As intelligent as Dr. Langdon was (remember, he was the ONLY one who could figure out my condition) he told me to limit fats and drink NO alcohol.

And that's how it was for quite sometime.

I pretty much thought the doc was right, that I may not live 10 years. In fact, I was beginning to think he was a might generous in his time frame.

I can tell you, from personal experience, that "limiting fats" doesn't work because my wife had seen me sick and she knew first hand what I was going through and tried her best to "limit fats" by making sure she didn't use any extra fat in cooking, draining fat from meat she cooked and so forth. But ...

It just didn't work.

It wasn't until I figured out that eating was NOT a good thing, or at least eating the way I was accustomed to eating, that things began to change.

I started making a list of things I knew contained fat.

Red meat, pork, lamb, duck (duck may be a distant cousin to poultry but it is way to greasy), butter, margarine, mayo, whole milk, cooking oil etc ...

My list became quite long.

I asked my wife to begin cooking with nothing except what was on a very short list I had left.

Fish, chicken, turkey, veggies, fruit, legumes, and whole grain products.

In a couple months I noticed I began feeling MUCH better. And so it went until I discovered grapeseed and curcumin.

Once I had done some research, ok, HOURS and hours of research and put everything together in regards to diet and fasting for as long as it took to FEEL hunger before I ate again after an episode of pain I was on my way to relief. Then ...

Years later when I discovered grapeseed and curcumin things really changed. And after awhile I had way more "well days" than "sick days."

I tightened up my diet (I eliminated EVERYTHING with fat - period) and started a grapeseed and curcumin regimen.

I basically became a vegan for like 6 months.

To my suprise and JOY, I became well?

After about 6 months with ZERO pain, I began to try some skinless chicken and fish.

I was still ok.

I started gaining weight and soon looked like I might live. I felt like I might too, for the firt time. In fact, for the first time, since becoming sick, I actually began making some plans for the future because ...

Maybe I actually had a future. But ...

I'm a curious idiot of sorts and sometimes have this need to know stuff that gets me in trouble so I wanted to know whether it was my diet or the grapeseed and curcumin that were making a difference. So ...

Like I have previously mentioned somewhere I did a test on myself.

I don't remember whether I dropped the diet first or the pills but either way I became ill again on just ONE. I found out that the elimination of ALL fats and meat (except chicken, turkey and fish) from my diet and the vitamin C, grapseseed and curcumin regimen were BOTH absolutely necessary IF I wanted to feel well.

ONE without the other DID NOT work for me.

If you are in pain and want it to stop you should consider TWO things:

1) A complete overhaul of your diet
2) The addition of vitamin C, grapeseed extract and curcumin to your daily ritual.

You can get quality supplements at any good health food store or you can check out the exact ones I use here: Supplements for Pancreatitis

If you have pain, your pancreas is not a happy camper.

Pay attention now ...

IF you have PAIN your PANCREAS is NOT happy!

If you have necrosis and cysts it is because your pancreas is not a happy camper.

Your pancreas is not a happy camper because in some way, whether your fault through alcohol abuse or continuing to eat HIGH FAT foods, it is telling you to "Back off."

You NEED to listen to your pancreas because ...

If you don't listen, your pancreas is simply gonna say "screw it" and destroy itself. If that doesn't kill you, then ...

You will either be facing a potential surgical removal of the pancreas (not a pretty picture), living on insulin shots and enzyme therapy or of course the very real possibilty of death due to NOT having a functioning pancreas.

Is eating high fat foods such as red meat, pork, lamb and so forth worth it?

Only you can answer that, it isn't up to me.

It is your decision.

Leave a comment and let me know you are alive!

What About Resveratrol for Pancreatitis Pain?

Resveratrol has been a subject of excitement for quite sometime now with supplement manufacturers and online marketers claiming it cures everything from hangnails to cancer.

There has been some studies that indicate resveratrol may inhibit certain cancers from growing which is just fine with me because resveratrol is found in grape seed extract.

So if you are taking grape seed extract to reduce the inflammation of Chronic Pancreatitis like I am there is no need to run out and spend $40 bucks for some over priced resveratrol when grape seed extract contains it.

I have no clue as to whether or not resveratrol is helpful in eliminating pancreas inflammation like grapseed extract but then neither you nor I need to be worried or concerned because grape seed extract already contains resveratrol and any cancer inhibiting ability it may supply.

Leave a comment and let me know you are alive!

Liquid Grapeseed Extract - This May Be The Ticket For ...

Instead of using grapseed powder and having to purchase a scale I did a little more checking and found there is now LIQUID grapseed extract. That sure solves the problems of measuring and all that crap if you are thinking of using my regimen on your child or someone who has difficulty swallowing capsules.

Liquid grape seed extract

Be advised I have NEVER used liquid grapeseed extract before nor have I used grapeseed extarct powder, over course I imagine that is what is found in capsules. Anyway I have only used grapesed in capsule form so I can not tell you whether the liquid works as well or better.

Leave a comment and let me know you are alive!

Pancreatitis Diet: Foods that Fight Pancreas Inflammation

Most foods that fight pancreas inflammation can be grown in your own soil or easily purchased at your local grocery. Always choose organic varieties of these inflammation fighting foods to avoid environmental toxins such as pesticides.

Most foods are not anti-inflammatory and if you are trying to formulate your own anti-inflammation pancreatitis diet you want to eat foods that fight inflammation. Foods that are anti-inflammatory can be broken down into five groups that include:

1) Spices and Herbs. Certain spices are strongly anit-inflammatory and can be easily used to put out the fire of inflammation simply by adding them to your diet.

Garlic in every form, raw, powder, or cooked. When cooking the less it is cooked the more beneficial it is in regards to its myriad of benefits. For best results use 3 fresh raw cloves daily or one teaspoon of garlic powder by adding it to your meals.

Cayenne Pepper is one herb and spice that you should get to know inside and out. It is one of the most effective and highly anti-inflammatory herbs available and that is exactly why you find it in so many topical pain medications for such things as arthritis.

Ginger is a potent anti-inflammatory and this potency is attributed to phenolic compounds called gingerols. In several studies ginger has been shown to be very useful in reducining pain and swelling for those who suffer from arthritis along with actually killing ovarian cancer cells.

Turmeric is a very potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs without the side effects and when combined with cauliflower, it has shown to prevent prostate cancer and even stop the growth of existing cancer.

2) Vegetables. Some of the more highly anti-inflammatory veggies are brussel sprouts, broccoli, beet greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, green chili peppers, and spinach. Other good choices include carrots, green snap beans, green leaf lettuce, asparagus, cauliflower and sweet green peppers.

3) Fruits. Raw oranges (not store bought juice), raw papaya, raw avocado (especially California variety), tomatoes (yes they are a fruit), pink and red grapefruit, strawberries (raw), raspberries, blue berries, huckle berries, apricots (raw), cantaloupe (raw). Most other fruits believe it or not have inflammatory properties.

4) Nuts and Seeds. Almonds, cashews, pecans, pistachio, hickory, brazil, hazel and macadamia nuts offer excellent anti-inflammatory properties. Flax Seed is strongly anti-inflammatory and has the added benefit of being a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids. Caraway, yellow mustard, dill, cumin and celery seeds also offer some anti-inflammatory properties.

5) Fish. Wild salmon, makerel, sardines and trout are the most anti-inflammatory and also have the highest amount of beneficial fish oil.

I'm sure there are other somewhat safe foods for a pancreatitis diet in the veggie and fruit categories but those are the better one. You can check your food selctions for an "inflammation factor" using this tool.

Oh and the site that has that tool is not mine, I just use the tool to check food inflammation factors and that's it, I suggest you do the same.

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Leave a comment and let me know you are alive!

Two Examples of BAD Pancreatitis Information ...

Here is an example of horrible information online for pancreatitis pain and diet: http://pancreatitissupport.com/
__________________________________________________

There are certainly some very tough situations for some people. Recently heard from M who wrote about not being able to afford ER support for a recent flare of pancreatitis. M wrote:

“I was first diagnosed with Pancreatitis just before my wedding in August of 2010. The only relief was my week in the ER on fluids in my IV and a serious of pain and sleeping pills.
Now I have a horrible flair up and can’t afford to go to the ER for another week as I am still paying on the old bills.
Does it help to eat the yogurt/jello while you have it or do you have to stop all food intake until the pain subsides? This just doesn’t feel like it would be healthy at all.
I think my sickness must come from a combination of alcohol, food, and stress.
Any suggestions?”

Firstly M, we think you should do whatever you can to seek medical assistance as soon as humanly possible. Is it possible for you to see your general practitioner prior to going to the ER? Limiting food intake is the usual initial treatment but as you allude – it can be difficult and you also want to ensure nutrition (and most importantly ensure that you are keeping well hydrated). You should attempt to keep water intake. Yoghurt might not be the best thing due to the fat content. Definitely low fat variety and even then probably only small amounts. Try a small amount and see how it goes. Also, some mashed potatoes, pumpkin/other vegetables might be worth a go. As you’ll see in the interview with dietitian, sometimes some hospital grade sustagen or similar product could be helpful.
Please try to obtain some medical assistance and let us know how you get on!
All the best
Jenny
________________________________________________________

Nice shiny website but the info is dangerous.

The ONLY thing good is that the poor woman who is suffering is told to get medical care as soon as possible.

The woman should NOT eat - period.

She should keep hydrated with water and they did say that but they are also telling her to eat to simply placate her instead of telling her to stop eating, quit drinking alcohol and take an anti-inflammatory to relieve the inflammation.

By the time she goes to the hospital, because she can't afford it, she could be in very serious trouble or even dead!

Well at least they didn't tell her to have a damn steak!

Geeeez! I hope nobody buys their book!

Here's another site that is dangerous as far as a pancreatitis diet and it is from a medical center for gawd sakes: Medical Center

Scroll down to Nutrition and Supplements.

They do mention grapeseed extract which is great but notice where it says to eat fewer red meats and more lean meats?

It should say NO red meat!

No pork

No lamb

And the ONLY lean meats that should be in a pancreatitis diet are turkey, chicken, quail, pheasant, grouse (all without skin), and fish.

Good Lord! It's no wonder so many people with pancreatitis never see a resolution to their pain. The information out there is deplorable!

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Pancreas Regeneration - Is it Possible?

Being the curious sort of dude I am, I am now looking into research as to whether or not there is any possibility that a pancreas damaged by pancreatitis can regenerate in some way.

As I find information I will post to this blog and point you to the research I find. You can view what I have found so far here.

If there is a chance of the pancreas regenerating it's own tissue, such as the liver has been known to accomplish, then it would only make common sense that it is extremely imperative to STOP an acute pancreatitis episode as quickly as possible in order to avoid tissue damage and thereby limiting the amount of pancreatic tissue that needs to be regenerated; thus making it that much easier for the pancreas to regenerate.

You can read about what I personally do here

If pancreas regeneration is in fact possible it may explain, or at least be a reasonable conclusion, as to WHY (after so many acute episodes) my CT scans are clean. And would also lead me to beleive it might just be possible (not saying it is a hopeful possibility) with the correct pancreatitis diet and protective supplement regimen the pancreas may be able to restore its own cell tissue to its former self.

I am not saying you should get your hopes up or expect miracles but wouldn't that be frickin' exciting for people like us who suffer from pancreatitis?

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A Word of Warning to Pancreatitis Victims

Pancreatitis is a killer condition, by that I mean the condition can kill you, and I am appalled at some of the information I see on the Net, regarding advice for those who suffer from Pancreatitis.

Either the people giving the advice do not have pancreatitis, are simply trying to make money, at our expense, by selling recipie books and other crap or have pancreatitis and enjoy being in pain.

It doesn't matter which it is, just be aware and when you see someone that says they eat steak and feel better because of it (like I did), yet in other posts mention they are sick and NOT pain free, you need to remember what I have told you.

Red meat does not work for those who suffer with pancreatitis.

I've read blog posts and sites that recommend foods for a pancreatitis diet I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole! My gawd I had no idea there was so much outright DANGEROUS garbage on the net regarding our condition.

In an earlier post I outlined my pancreatitis diet. It is strict, it only shares what is most likely safe to eat and what is NOT safe to eat.

No recipies.

All you have to do as far as recipies is to eliminate anything that isn't safe and substitue something that is within any recipe in any cookbook you now own.

Substitue chicken or turkey for beef, no beef, in homade chili for example.

If you want you can apply to a commercial agency so you can be one of those folks on a commercial for Wendy's that say: "Where's the Beef?" But don't you eat it unless you enjoy being sick!

I personally see no reason to spend a ton of money on recipies but then I'm no chef either. But ...

What I'm concerned about is all the truly dangerous info out there so be very carefull who you take advice from regarding pancreatitis.

I'm not a BS'er, I'm not selling something trying to get rich off of others misery, I am a bonafide walking-talking 32 year survivor that has been pretty much pain free (except for one series of acute attacks in 2005 that were MY fault for not reading labels) for 16 years and I am willing to share exactly what I do for absolutely no cost to you.

Will what I do work for you?

75 - 90% chance it will.

Nothing and nobody is perfect.

I honestly feel due to my own experience and tons of research that very few people who do what I do will find zero relief. In fact, I think with time, if you diligently follow my regimen, you may possibly become totally pain free just like me unless you really screw up.

But remember this, you do everything at your own risk, I do not guarantee shit and I am not a doctor, in fact this whole blog is simply for your entertainment, nothing more.

See there I got ya to smile didn't I?

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Necrotizing Pancreatitis: WHY you don't want it ...

Necrotizing Pancreatitis is characterized by pancreatic tissue death with infection during an acute pancreatitis episode. It is one of the worst senarios and basically gangrene of the pancreas.

Necrotizing pancreatitis is something I have been it seems, able to avoid, and something I certainly do not intend to experience if at all avoidable simply because it is one of the major causes of death during an episode of acute pancreatitis.

I personally believe I was very lucky in the beginning because of the number of acute episodes without competent intervention (7 ER visits with nobody able to diagnose the condition), not one of those ER doc's thought of taking any tests other than ONE blood draw so as far as I know I did not have any necrosis.

Now get this, and this is another reason I am so untrusting of doctors, during at least 2 of those ER visits I was jaundiced, with tachycardia, and during ALL of them I had extreme abdominal pain, fever, and was sweating like stuck hog. Yet NO ONE was intelligent enough to recognize a major problem. In fact ...

During ONE of those visits I was given a shot of demerol that did absolutely NOTHING for the pain and those people couldn't pick up the clues.

So if you think I am to harsh on doctors, sit for a moment and think of how you'd react after 7 ER visits, while in total agony, yet those doctors did nothing worthwhile to accomplish a diagnosis.

Then add in the other 6 I had seen via regular appointments, one of which resulted in a notation in my SRB (Service Record Book) that I might have a mental problem while another idiot told me with no tests that I had a spasdic colon.

Thank God I found David Langdon, M.D. because if it were not for that fine man I probably would be dead!

I am lucky I am alive, the GOOD Lord had an angel on my shoulder and obviously, for some reason, he wasn't ready to bring me home.

I guess what I am trying to tell you is that you need to do what ever it takes to AVOID necrotizing pancreatitis.

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Acute Pancreatitis Triggers: Keep a Food Diary

I began keeping a food diary because I needed to learn EXACTLY what the triggers were that caused an acute pancreatitis attack or made me feel at all unwell.

I take my life seriously, and pancreatitis is serious business to me. I know what can happen during acute pancreatitis and for me the picture ain't purty.

I began keeping a daily record of EVERYTHING I put in my mouth.

And what you need to understand is that even though pancreatitis is not what I'd call an enigma type disease it does have a lot of idiosyncrasies. And ...

What I found is that there are what I call "immediate triggers" and "advanced triggers."

Immediate triggers are those foods that can bring an attack within hours.

Advanced triggers are those that precipitate an acute attack but may have been eaten days previously. And ...

It's the "advanced triggers" that people disregard, thinking they are harmless simply because they did not result in symptoms right after or on the same day of ingestion. Plus ...

These "advanced triggers" cause people to believe that certain foods, additives, spices and so forth are triggers (because they get sick after eating them) when they are in fact, not responsible.

Very few things caused me to have an immediate response but tons of foods caused me to become sick as much as 96 hours down the road.

WHY some foods trigger and immediate response and others do not or why some that trigger an immediate response one day, trigger a response 2 or 3 days later on another occassion, I simply don't know.

If this condition, pancreatitis, could be considered an enigma this is the reason and why it is so important to discover the real triggers, foods that lead to acute pancreatitis.

For example you could think: "This guy is full of shit, I eat steak and don't get sick but I eat rice and veggies with cayenne pepper and blah, blah, blah 3 days later and am sicker than a dog."

It wasn't the cayenne pepper (many people believe cayenne pepper is bad for pancreatitis victims), it was the steak you ate 3 days ago.

I can eat cayenne pepper EVERY day, and I do eat it a lot, and NEVER get sick. I can also eat steak and think I got away with it because I didn't get sick that day or night or even the next morning but maybe the next night I'm sicker than hell wondering what the &^%$?

What in the hell triggered that? Because ...

I know the oatmeal for breakfast (with no milk or vinilla extract), the fruit I had for lunch and the rice and beans I ate for supper were NOT the triggers.

Eating on the day I did get sick may have been the last straw for my pancreas and it just said: "Screw you buddy, you fed me steak and I'm pissed" and so it was in fact the steak, the red meat full of saturated fat that was the real trigger.

Or the baked potato with sour cream, bacon bits, butter and chives you ate 2 days ago or anything else that you THINK is safe but in fact, is NOT safe.

The hard part about the Pancreatitis diet is figuring out the REAL triggers and avoiding them like you would the black plague.

Broths made from anything that is an animal is NOT safe.

I don't even LOOK at fat content on labels. I could care less what the label of a soup can or can of broth says in regards to fat content. What I DO care about are the INGREDIENTS.

Split pea with ham soup (I don't care if the can says 99% fat free) is gonna make your pancreas pissed off. You may not pay on the day you eat it but you are gonna pay in some way, later, and then you will blame something you ate that day instead of the real trigger which was the ham.

So, if you think I am full of shit, keep a food diary and when you get sick, go back as much as a week and look at what you ate to find the real culprit. When you find something I have told you not to eat, you'll hopefully begin to see the light.

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