Sunday, August 7, 2011

Pancreatitis Diet - Diet for Chronic Pancreatitis

A Pancreatitis diet, your diet for chronic pancreatitis should be as fat free as humanly possible which means a very, LOW fat diet.

If you have been diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis and want to prevent recurrent attacks your pancreatitis diet - what you put in your mouth and swallow is very important because ...

Chronic pancreatitis can turn ugly at any time and result in acute pancreatitis. The death rate of acute pancreatitis reaches 30%.

"Mortality rates for hospitalized patients vary from 5% to 10% in most series. In patients with interstitial pancreatitis, mortality is close to zero. Mortality is substantially increased in necrotizing pancreatitis (less than 1% for interstitial pancreatitis, 10% for sterile necrosis, 30% for infected necrosis)." - Acute pancreatitis, Cleveland Clinic

Motality death rates and Radiology info

The above informational links should leave you with the knowledge that there is no doubt how serious your condition is or can become and that doing anything to promote recurrence or that may lead to a recurrent acute pancreatitis attack isn't real wise. It simply isn't smart to fool around with what I call acute pancreatitis triggers. Ok, so ...

What are acute pancreatitis triggers?


Acute pancreatitis triggers are anything proven to lead to acute pancreatitis. In this post we are going to deal mainly with what goes into your mouth, your pancreatitis diet; excluding prescribed medications (opiates for pain, diabetes drugs for blood-sugar control, statin drugs for cholesterol and several antibiotics have been proven to cause acute pancreatitis).

The acute pancreatitis triggers found in most diets consist of two things:
  • Fat
  • Alcohol.

Those two triggers are OUT when it comes to a pancreatitis diet.

We have already discussed alcohol and why you should never allow it in your mouth so I am not going to belabor the subject. If you drink your risk of dying a hard, painful death is greatly enhanced.

I've found there is risk in eating. Food is NOT your friend when you have recurring acute or chronic pancreatitis so it is important to make damn sure you eat only the foods that can be considered at least somewhat safe. The lsit is short. Now ...

Right upfront I'm going to tell you that what you have read, heard or been told by just about anyone is probably wrong. This includes your doctor, dietician (I don't care if he or she is a PhD), your mom, Mr.AnswerBag down the street, some YouTube video or the author of some book on how to survive pancreatitis. If the information is written or produced by:
  • A doctor
  • A dietician
  • Someone who has never had pancreatitis
  • Someone who is now dead 
  • The surviving spouse or relative of a dead pancreatitis victim
  • Anyone who has not had pancreatitis and survived pain free for at least 10 years
That information on a diet for acute or chronic pancreatitis and how to heal your pancreas is in all probability ...

    ... WRONG.

What are safe foods for a pancreatitis diet


Safe foods for a pancreatitis diet DO NOT include red meat, pork, lamb, or duck. The ONLY sources of acceptable meat in a pancreatitis diet are fish, seafood (lobster, shrimp, scallops, clams - no butter or sauces) and poultry (skinless chicken, turkey, grouse, pheasant, quail). If you are in pain (you haven't healed) these may also contain to much fat. And ...

Safe foods for a pancreatitis diet DO NOT include cooking oils, margarine, butter, cool whip, mayo, salad dressings, ice cream, potato chips or processed foods that contain trans fats, palm oil, cottonseed oil, hydroginated oils or partially hydroginated oils.

If it is oily, greasy and/or full of fat it's out.

Yep, that means ice cream is not on the list. And any desert with coconut is out too. Pie crusts made with lard (pig fat) are out. Shrimp Scampi, lobster dripping in butter are out. The lobster and shrimp are fine it's the butter, oil, and fat that needs to go.

Rich cream sauces, gravies and the skin of chicken and turkey are all out. Yep, that means no biscuits and gravy, no mashed potaoes and gravy, no hollandaise sauce, no pasta premivera or alfredo. If it is rich, creamy and or tasty it is most likely off the list of safe pancreatitis diet foods.

Are you beginning to get the picture?

If you are a steak and bacon lover like I was adhereing to a pancreatitis diet is not going to be an enjoyable experience for awhile. But the good news is, after awhile it gets better. You will become used to going without certain foods and cooking in certain ways in return for feeling like a half-way well human being.

If you enjoy pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and possible pancreatic necrosis, cysts, hemorrhage and death by all means disregard anything I am telling you. Afterall, it is your life.

What can you eat safely?

The list of potentially safe foods is short.

Think MOSTLY vegan.

Think fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, fat free milk, vegetables (leafy green, cruciferous, tubers), legumes (beans, peas, lentils) fruits and whole grain products like brown rice, bulgar, barley, oats and wheat.

Watch out for things like turkey sausage (any kind) because they use pork intestines for casing. I made myself very ill for three weeks eating turkey sausage cuz I didn't see the pork casings on the label. Be sure to ...

READ LABELS.

Don't fall for 99% fat free bacon and bean soup, ham with split pea, or anything else that contains beef, pork, lamb or duck in anyway shape or form and that goes for lunch meat - anything! Read labels. If it contains forbidden meat pass it by.
I personally can no longer eat wheat, barley and rye products or any type of food that contains them due to Celiac Disease. So if you think your pancreatitis diet is going to be difficult - try mine. Due to my situation my diet list of safe foods is most likely at least 200% smaller than yours.

At least you can probably have pasta and good wheat bread while I have to eat alternatives made with brown rice flour and other weird crap that tastes like shit.

I can't even have a damn cookie that tastes good!

So if you wanna whine go whine to someone else cuz I have no tolerance for whimps. I've dealt with this shit for over 30 years and am still sick on occassion. But ...

I am alive and kicking after 32 years even though I could still have an ugly attack that brings death at any time. The good news for me and hopefully soon for you too is ...

At least, I am not sick ALL the time. And have had only ONE acute pancreatitis attack in the last 20 years. In fact, most days I feel almost normal, of course it has been so long since I really felt GOOD that I honestly can't tell you what normal was like. So I think I almost feel normal.

So here are your pancreatitis diet food choices again:

Fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, fat free milk, vegetables (leafy green, cruciferous, tubers), legumes (beans, peas, lentils) fruits and whole grain products like brown rice, bulgar, barley, oats and wheat. And ...

Be sure to cook everything WITHOUT using fats or oils.

No you can't eat Kentucky Fried Chicken or frickin' french fries from McDonalds. If you eat fast foods, red meat, potato chips, and other high fat foods I've told you are dangerous - you deserve to be sick. Ok ...

Here's a tool I use online to determine what foods have the most nutrient density and how much fat. You'll note it is on broccoli but you can look at almost anything simply by typing in the food you are looking to learn about anyway ...

If you read about broccoli you will see it is an excellent choice for a pancreatitis diet. It is loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, cancer fighting phytochemicals and has almost 7 grams of vegetable protein in a large stalk and only 1 gram of non-saturated fat.

Now keep in mind fat from meat sources (meat, broth, soup)  and dairy (milk, butter, eggs) is totally different than fats from vegetable and fruit. Meat and dairy fat is saturated fat and the most detrimental to the pancreas when one has chronic pancreatitis.

Monounsaturated fat is found in olive oil, nuts nd cooking oil. Yes nuts are extremely good for health but maybe not yours, especially in any amount over what could be considered extremely small. IF you are NOT healed avoid these fats.

Polyunsaturated fat is plant based fat. It seems to work fine as long as you are not in or just coming out of an acute attack. Nothing by mouth but water while in an acute pancreatitis attack and nothing for about 72 after it resolves. Then just juice, vegetable or fruit until you feel like you ar starving.

If you are just coming off an acute attack and you have had no pain or nausea for at least 72 hours and you are hungry try some veggies or some type of whole grain like brown rice or a combination of both in a small amount to see how it works out. This would NOT be the time to eat a triple decker turkey sandwich!

How much daily fat should be in a pancreatitis diet?

Great question, glad I asked aren't you? This is going to be a wishy-washy answer because you may be able to tolerate less than me or more than me depending on your amount of damage. After years on MY pancreatitis diet and the supplements I became able to eat almost constantly without any ill effects as long as I did not eat anything that was not on the list.

Heck I felt grrrrreeeaat again! Then ...

I screwed up.

I felt so good I said to myself: "Self, why are you still swallowing all these dang supplements? You are well, healed. Life is great!"

So I quit the supplements.

Bad choice.

The bad decision to stop taking my supplements took awhile to show up, about one maybe two years and one food choice screw up.

I think it was 2006 but it could have been 2005 or 2007 when I screwed up and ate smoked turkey sausage without reading the label. It is an experience I really don't care to remember well enough to correctly date it. In fact ...

I thought I might die.

It was one hell of an acute pancreatitis attack. It lasted for over 10 days. Recovery took another 2 - 3 weeks. The horrible pain would come on fast, I'd swallow 800 mgs of Ibuprofen and the pain would go. Next day, for no reason, it would be back with a vengence and ...

I hadn't eaten a thing.

Nothing by mouth but water.

I'd take my nausea meds and slam 8oo mgs of ibuprofen. The pain would recede in an hour and I'd just feel like I was gonna die but without the pain. I mean I felt rotten. Then it returned (11 episodes of acute pain all told) so I tried aspirin. That is when I found 1300 mgs of aspirin worked as well as 800 mgs of ibuprofen.

One time during the siege I had to take 2600 mgs of aspirin in one day (2 horrible episodes of acute pain that day). I would NOT suggest taking 2600mgs of aspirin in a day. It worked but I thought maybe I'd taken to much. All I could taste was aspirin, and I felt weird but that ended the acute pain attacks. However by this time, about 12 days into one of the worst times of my life ...

I again had a lump in my gut that was very tender but after about 12 days of sometimes excruciating pain, I started to get better. Frankly I was close to giving in and going to the hospital so I am really glad that shit ceased. I still felt like death warmed over but I dragged my ass out of bed, got dressed and ...

I went to the health store and bought more grape seed extract, curcumin and vitamin C. I'd have done that sooner but I was to sick to drive. Soon I was feeling much better but that last acute pancreatitis attack did more damage and now I can't eat some things I could before the episode.

It's been what probably 6 years since that acute pancreatitis attack and most times I feel pretty decent but it isn't as good as it was before. I sure the hell wish I had kept taking my supplements and had read that label. But ...

I also started drinking grapefruit juice again since I found (from researching) that it may have initially been what stopped my acute attacks in 1984 - 1985. The real healing didn't begin until I started taking the supplements. That is when my abdomen healed the first time and the supplements have healed it again. Anyway ...

I got off track, didn't I?

How much fat daily was the question before I got off on a tangent.

15 grams of fat - 25 max.

That stalk of broccoli and a skinless chicken breast (broiled) will provide tons of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, about 58 grams of protein and do it all with only 7 grams of fat. Eat the same meal with only 1/2 a chicken breast and you drop the fat count to 4 grams and still have a meal boasting 33 grams of protein. If you choose wisely you can eat nutrient dense, high protein, low fat meals 3 times per day and stay around 20 grams of fat or less each day, including HEALTHYsnacks and that is what is necessary.

Charlotte Gerson on Cancer and Disease
Eat right, be cancer free!


Each of us who have suffered long term with pancreatitis are, unfortunately, more prone to cancer of the pancreas. Eventhough the above video is geared towards cancer 89-year-old Charlotte Gerson, Max Gerson's (who founded the Gerson Institute in 1977) daughter, has a lot to say. All of it good and all of it can be applied to pancreatitis and a diet for pancreatitis.


This video contains a fascinating 48-minutes of great information and perspective from someone who has dedicated her life to helping others overcome serious illness. Gain valuable knowledge by watching this video. It is 48 minutes of some of the best information you will hear.

Now I have said this before but let me say it again. A modified, highly anti-inflammatory, vegan diet which means no oil used for anything, no oily or high fat content foods like nuts and avocado should help you receive measurable relief but as you can see it wasn't just the diet that helped me it was also the pancreatitis supplements because it wasn't long after stopping the supplements that I made ONE mistake and had one of the worst acute pancreatitis attacks I can remember. So for me it takes BOTH diet and supplements in order to avoid being very ill.

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

68 comments:

  1. HI there and CONGRADS..a little sense of humor with all of this..i have cp and goin in for a mrcp?? little scared had my galbladder removed to try to help..thanks for the am jolt!

    Buffy with a smile!..got too!!!

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  2. I just recently had a severe chronic pancreatitis attack. A large swollen red bump appeared right below my breatbone in the middle of my stomach. I am convinced this is related to my condition, as the bump began to disappear as the pain decreased, using your regimen. Any thoughts?

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  3. Dear Anonymous - I had a bump too when I was real sick but I don't remember it being red, it was skin colored cuz I couldn't see inside but ...

    I don't know if you are saying you got sick while ON the regimen I use which to me would signify you are strictly adhereing to a low fat, vegan type diet (no red meat, pork, lamb or duck or oil or greasy food and absolutely zero alcohol) while consuming vast amounts of grape seed extract, vitamin C and curcumin - OR - You are saying you were sick and are better because of using the regimen I use.

    Did you mean you are sick after using the regimen? If so how long have you been on the regimen, how much vit C, grape seed extract and curcumin do you consume daily and are you completely vegan or do you cheat?

    If you are becoming well using the regimen then thats a good thing right?

    Those would be my thoughts and questions.

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  4. I started to feel better after following your suggestions. I was wondering if the bump was my pancreas? Is that possible? BTW, thanks for all your information.

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  5. Yes, it is VERY possible. I had the same thing and due to my poor experiences with most doctors and my 7 ER visits I never went in to see about it but I have found others online who have had the same thing, the bumb, after particularly severe episodes of acute pancreatitis and it turns out that the pancreas swells so much it pushes up past and between the liver and stomach which inturn shows up as a painful, tender bump. This is what their doctors told them so it may be true. Anyway ...

    You are very welcome in regards to the information, I am very pleased to hear you are feeling better and I hope you continue to improve each day as time goes on.

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  6. Hi Paul-
    I had blood in my stool the other day and now that I think about it, it wasnt the first time. I do take ALOT of ibuprofen and know this can cause it. Have you experiences this nd should I be concerned?
    Kelli

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  7. Hi Kelli,

    Ibuprofen (NSAID's) and aspirin do cause bleeding in some people. You may want to stop the Ibuprofen for awhile to see if it clears up but bleeding can be dangerous so you may want to check with you doc too.

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  8. Thanks for the loads of the info that you have shared. I am diagnosed with cp last month. I am 33 years old and non drinker from India. Will follow your diet and hope it will save me from another acute attack.

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  9. Wow - so grateful to find your site online. I just got back from 3rd ER visit with acute pancreatitis and am beginning to relate to some of your comments about how useless these docs are. After many Dilaudid-filled days, I am completely on board with your philosophy about dropping the pain killers and finding a way to get rid of the inflammation. However, I'm also diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and take Asacol HD to control it. With mesalamine-class drugs like asacol, I don't believe I can take NSAIDs or aspirin. I'm looking forward to trying grape seed extract as one form of anti-inflammatory. Also, proteolytic enzymes are supposed to ease the strain on the pancreas, aid in reducing inflammation. I'm also reading that dl-phenylalanine is a good pain reliever. Any thoughts you may have on that are most welcome, otherwise, I just wanted to thank you for this website and all the time and effort you've put into trying to help people by sharing your experiences. Amazing.

    -Greg

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  10. Hi Greg - Yes eliminating the inflammation is the key to overcoming pancreatitis and this can only be done with a diet that is extremely low in fat, several spices (ginger, turmeric, garlic, cayenne pepper) that can be added to food and certain supplements that should be taken daily for the rest of your life (grape seed extract, curcumin and vit C).

    I am not an expert on UC and know just enough to be dangerous so I will tell you to ask your doctor about NSAIDS and using Ibuprofen for ACUTE pancreatitis pain. Your pharmacist should be able to tell you whether or not Ibuprofen or aspirin will cause a negative effect with any meds you are taking for UC (I personally trust their knowledge over doctors when it comes to meds and adverse reactions). I ony use Ibuprofen to resolve acute pancreatitis episodes - it is NOT a daily regimen.

    Proteolytic enzymes break down proteins and are a tremendous help for those who suffer and that is why you should be taking an enzyme supplement before each meal. I take one put out by Now Foods and it contains pancreatin 4 X which include proteolytic enzymes.

    An interesting note: Probiotics (the good germs that live in your digestive tract) have been found to be detrimental to pancreatitis patients and can cause deth due to infection (necrotizing pancreatitis) during acute pancreatitis attacks.

    I have ZERO knowledge in regards to dl-phenylalanine. Sorry I can not be of help with that.

    I wish you pain free days!

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  11. I'm confused about starting regime...do I go vegan for 6 months ( what about peanut butter]

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  12. Yes, vegan for 6 months at least and be careful about going vegan cuz they cook with oil (both used in cooking and ingredients) and you should not. Peanut butter is NOT a good food for pancreatitis patients who are NOT healed. It contains way to much fat.

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  13. Hey Paul-
    I am going on my third week of SEVERE pain. Since november, I have adhered to your regimen. I eat NO fat, no meat, chicken or turkey, just fish. Im at a loss. I started acupuncture for the pain and she seems to think its my gallbladder? I have no fuckin idea. Someone also suggested that I try the alkaline diet? Do you have any experience with this? Is this the way the rest of my life will be like? Oh, also, I take the curcumin, grapeseed and vit. c daily and extra when pain is coming on. I also take pancreatic enzymes. My dr told me not to take the advil as it can cause a bleeding ulcer but I take it anyway. OMG, this shit is HORRIBLE. The pain, as you know, is enough to make you crazy. In my case, crazier. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and experience.
    Kelli

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  14. By any chance do you take an enzyme at all. My husband, whose life changed on June 24th 2011 with acute pancreatitis, and a pseudo cyst and diabetes has been prescribed Zenpep. We are hesitant to take this as the side effects could reactivate his pancreatitis. This have been under control for a few months now- after adhereing to your recommendations. His cyst is going down. But his blood sugar level is out of wack.

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  15. Hi Irene I am glad to hear that your husband's pancreatitis is under control. That is great news! Yes, I do take an enzyme. I use an enzyme supplement call "Super Enzymes" by Now Foods. I do not take a doctor prescribed enzyme such as Creon or maybe the Zenpep. I know a little about Creon but nothing about Zenpep. Creon contains PORK. I would never use it myself. Pork simply makes me sicker than a dog.

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  16. Kelli, All I can say is DAMN I am so sad that you are still in pain! I need to ask some questions and bear with me ...

    Since I have some folks on here who leave their name on occassion and often comment anonymously I get kinda confused as to who I am actually talking with and who I have asked questions, what their answers were and so forth, so ...

    Question #1 - Are you positively sure it is pancreas pain? Is it the severe, burning, boring, like a hot knife covered in acid stuck in your guts and/or the feel like your guts are gonna explode out of your abdomen type pain as in acute pancreatitis or different?

    Question # 2 - Do you have complications such as pancreatic duct beading, pancreas divisum, a psuedocyst, calcification, or have you had surgery to remove some of your panceas due to necrosis? In other words is there a concrete reason for your pain?

    If there is any of this it may be a long time before you heal, if you do heal.

    Now to the diet part.

    Question # 3 - Have you really followed my regimen exactly?You are in pain but you are eating fish. ALL fish contains fish oil, some more than others and as I have mentioned somewhere before if you are in pain it is much better to ONLY eat VEGAN (no meat, no dairy, no oil).

    I, personally, DO NOT EAT when I have pain. I mean I DO NOT EAT ANYTHING. I drink water and take vit C, grape seed extract and curcumin. I ONLY take aspirin or Ibuprofen during an acute pancreatitis episode, it is NOT a daily thing for me and never was. Of course my pain subsided (the bad pain) after enough Ibuprofen or aspirin and then I DID NOT EAT for at least 72 hours sometimes much longer until all pain was gone and I felt hungry. The last episode of acute pancreatitis I believe I went for almost 4 weeks without solid food. I was to sick to eat. It was close to two weeks before I started drinking juice.

    ALL I did was drink water and take vit C, grapeseed extract and curcumin for close to TWO WEEKS, maybe THREE.

    I did NOT care about losing weight. I didn't care about anything but allowing my pancreas to REST and HEAL. I was NOT hungry, I was to sick to be hungry and when I am NOT hungry, especially when I am sick, I simply DO NOT eat - period.

    Once my pancreas has rested sufficiently to where I am ACTUALLY HUNGRY I then start with juice, vegetable juice and see how that goes for awhile. Solid food does NOT pass my lips until I am starving hungry after I have had an acute pancreatitis episode or experience chronic pancreatitis type pain (which isn't usually near as bad). Luckily I have had neither in years. But ...

    I don't eat when I have pain. I let my pancreas rest and I fast until the pain is GONE and I am certifiably hungry.

    I apologize for the time it has taken to answer you, I did not check my blog for several days. Kelli, I hope you find relief soon.

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  17. Hey Paul, no worries. Im so glad you are here at all. Now, here we go in response to your questions. I was pain free from end of nov, until this episode. Yes, I eat fish when Im not in pain. I have hypoglycemia and I need at least some protein. I also have a physically demanding job. I cant imagine not having real protein in my system. I am only assuming it is pancreatitis pain and it is the knife stuck in acid kinda pain. Haha. Ive never had surgery nor do I plan on it. I never had an ERCP but the CAT scan shows calcification(alot) and the duct is dilated. I, too, only take advil with pain, not daily with the grapeseed, vit c and curcumin but my doc says not to. This past week, while in severe pain, I ate grapefruit, crackers and drank coconut water and water. BTW, coconut water really helps with inflammation/pain. Also wanted to mention that I was in healthfood store last month and the guy recommended Cura-Med. I think it works better the curcumin. Have you heard of it? Im going to a new doc on monday. Do you think I should have more testing done? Alao, as of yesterday, my pain has subsided drastically. Have a great day.
    Kelli

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  18. Well crap Kelli ...

    I don't know how to say this except strait out. Everything I have read about calcification of the pancreas is not good, is associated with alcoholic pancreatitis and with duct dilation it is no wonder you have pain. I have not found anything to suggest that calcification of the pancreas resolves but zero alcohol, continued adhereance to diet and supplements may halt the progress and at least keep the calcification under control. The last thing you want is a pancreas that is ... bone.

    CuraMed sounds interesting. If it works for you use it. It IS curcumin but supposedly with better bioavailabilty than regular curcumin or curcumin mixed with black pepper (piperine).

    It is interesting to note that you ate grapefruit and your pain is better. I would keep eating grapefruit and see if it continues to help (I'm guessing it is the extra punch that had helped - I know it helped me tremendously. I drank tons of grapefruit juice before I found grape seed extract and curcumin and I am almost positive it is the reason my acute pancreatitis episodes resolved).

    Please keep me posted on how you are doing kelli.

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  19. Crap is right Paul. Haha Yes, I have had no alcohol for 3 years but quite fankly, I have always had stomach issues and I do not believe my cp is a result of alcoholism. My drinking career was very short-4 years and I have no other damage to liver etc. Do you think it is possible that I had duct blockage from a stone and this occured over a long period of time? Also, are you saying that these pain episodes are just reality for me now even with a srict diet and the supplements? Just your opinion?

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  20. To Kelli:

    Question: "Do you think it is possible that I had duct blockage from a stone and this occured over a long period of time?"

    Answer: Anything is possible I would imagine. If you had gallstones and had your gallbladder removed it is always possible they left an undetected stone (stones sometimes slip out of the gallbladder upon removal). They would have probably found it during tests but who knows?

    Question: Also, are you saying that these pain episodes are just reality for me now even with a srict diet and the supplements? Just your opinion?

    Answer: Unfortunately it is possible that your pain could be a long-term reality. Pancreatic calcification, once intiated, usually tends to progress. That doesn't mean yours will however it also doesn't mean it won't. Here's an article that contains causes of pancreatic calicification, CT images and so on. It also contains a section on "mimics" one of which includes a calcified gallstone and calcified arteries. I would suggest you do a Google search using the key words "pancreas calcification" or "pancreatic calcification" and invest some time reading scholar type articles (those written by scientists, doctors, PhD's). You may not like what you read but it will give you a better knowledge of what is happening to you, what you can expect as time goes on and also may lead to uncovering a possible way to address the issue if there is any possible resolution. http://www.ajronline.org/content/178/1/79.full

    If it were me, now remember, I am a tad off-the-wall, and have been known to embrace ideas and possibilities that others would say are truly frickin' crazy, dangerous and unwise but when I am faced with very little alternative - my conclusion is often "WHY NOT?" Then I try to find out the "why not" part - why I should not do what I am thinking of and then I balance the risks against the potential benefits and so if it were me ...

    I'd check into IV chelation with EDT. I have NO idea what it might do in regards to pacreatic calcification but it is used by certain physcians (M.D's and O.D's who are usually thought to be qwacks by the orthodox medical community) to clear calcified arteries in patients with atherosclerosis (narrowed arteries due to plaque). I personally know one of these "qwacks" and several years ago was able to visit with him and many of his (clogged artery) patients who swear they were still alive due to EDTA chelation so it may or may not be a possible resolution BUT if it actually does pull calcium from the arteries it may also do that with the calcium found in the pancreas.

    The jist of what EDTA does in respect to unwanted calcium deposits (very condenced version) is that it seems to redistribute the calcium and help it find a home where it should be (in your bones) or excreted from the body instead of where it is causing trouble. However ...

    And this is only a cautioned warning ...

    It could, may or it is a possibility that IV Chelation with EDTA may be dangerous for those with advanced pancreas disease (pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer etc ...) - you would need to ask some real pointed, blunt questions before trying something of this nature because the last thing you want to do is to damage your pancreas any further. And I am NOT the person to ask about this. I have merely mentioned something I would check out if it were me who suffered from pancreas calcification - because the orthodox medical community has no clue on how to remove the calcium except via resection and I am talking total removoal of the pancreas - which to me seems very unpleasant and quite risky as well.

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    Replies
    1. Hey Paul,
      Thanks for all the info. Now listen, I graduated suma cum laude but I cant understand these scholarly articles. I mean,come on! HAHA Can you recommend any articles that break it down in layman's terms? As far as surgery is concerned, at this point, I would never have a doc touch me. Too much uncertainty and varying opinion. It's sad, really. I am doing my best to gather info, trial and error different suggestions, etc. But, to be honest, I am fearful that this will kill me. For example, if I had to eat shit forever, I would if that worked, ya know? When the pain comes, it's freakin unbearable. Thanks for listening, Paul.
      Kelli

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    2. I hear ya about the scholar type articles cuz i often need to look shit up (terms etc..) just to understand them but by reading them at least you have a good chance of getting good info instead of from a layman (me for example) who didn't even go to college :-).

      Umm surgery, in my humble opinion, would only be done on me if my life depended upon it and I'm not so sure about that.

      I know or at least I have an idea of what you may be going through Kelli, I've had the pain and it is extremely unpleasant, in fact it makes me break out in a cold sweat just remembering it.

      I wish I could be more help Kelli but I've kind spilled most everything I know to do in this blog. IF fasting, diet, supplements and Ibuprofen don't work (the exact way I do it) I don't know what to suggest. I'm sorry.

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  21. Hi there,
    I have been recently being diagnosed as having chronic pancreatitis in early March 2012. My doc did not advise me wel... no medication, eat my normal etc etc. It was only when I surf the internet that I realise how dangerous is CP and the diet I have to adehred to !! I have started to follow yr regime.... only porridge with vegies and fruits. Not interesting though but have to do to ensure that I do not have any attacks ! sometimes I do have some abdominal and back and I just take fruits. It does help though.
    I have a few queries here..... what type of fruits can I take ?? bananas, grapes, melons, apples ?? and the vegetables???.... all kinds of vegetables ?? Can I take cereals ? low fat milk ? cereal drinks ? jams (no added sugar), honey ? Somebody recommend me olive oil ? is it OK? At times I am so confused and I do not know what to eat? sometimes it is just plain whole meal bread and plain water ?
    I hope you can really help me.....

    TQ.....Nelly/NMY

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  22. Hi Nelly, All fruit is perfectly fine except for avocado and bananas. Avocado is full of fat. It may be good fat but it may also play hell with your pancreas and cause an attack of pancreatitis. And ...

    Bananas are fine as long as they are not to ripe. Once the peel show spots it is not safe to eat them. The spots signal that the sugar in the banans is turning to alcohol and alcohol is a real NO-No.

    As far as I know all vegetables, leafy greens, cruciferious (califlower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, brocolli etc.), tubers (potatoes, beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, rutabegas turnips, etc.), legumes (beans, peas, lentils) and so on are just great. The only caution is how how you cook them which must be done without oil or fat and of course that means no additions after cooking either.

    Cerals are fine just read the labels because some processed cerals contain oils (palm, coconut etc.) but organic, raw oatmeal (rolled or steel cut) is really safe and good.

    Honey is fine, sugar is fine. I prefer honey and molasses to sugar because both contain antioxidants, vitamins and minerals where processed sugar is nothing but calories.

    Milk may or may not be ok it depends on your damage, fat free milk should work alright.

    Olive oil, like avocados, may be rich in omega 3's but it is oil and it may definitely cause you problems.

    The most important thing to learn while you are trying to heal is that food is NOT your friend. You must learn to eat to live instead of living to eat. Fat is the enemy. Any kind of fat and that includes oils. Alcohol is the enemy in any form and it doesn't take much to sometimes cause major problems so watch the vanilla extract (vanilla in baked goods, processed mixes and chocolate).

    READ LABELS

    Read all labels on everything you purchase at the store. If it contains fat, oils, or NO-NO meats (ham, bacon, beef, pork, lamb, duck), even if the label says 200% fat free - if it contains a NO-NO meat or oil it is NOT safe!

    Good luck

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  23. Paul, what do you know about papaya juice and aloe vera? I have read several blogs where people say this drink has been very beneficial. Pat

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    1. Hi Pat - I know very little about papaya juice except that papaya aids digestion and is in the enzyme supplements I use. That is most likely why people say it is beneficial but that is only a guess so as I said my only experience with papaya (that I know of) comes from my enzyme supplements. I have never drank papaya juice to my knowledge nor have I researched it.

      Aloe vera tastes so terrible I have never really used it nor done much research on it either in regards to pancreatitis however I do know it is good for cuts, burns and such. It may also help the pancreas but I do NOT know that to be true.

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    2. It work as a preventer not a stop the pain thing...

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  24. hi paul thankyou for putting this site up, iv been searching for my husband as he was rushed into hospital witj very bad pain and being sick, he thought he was dyeing. but after tests being done and a scan he was told he got pancrititis, the hospital told me tp put him on a low fat diet and no alcohol, which i didnt think was good enought information.he dont drink heavy and we are quite healthy eater we grow are own veg and feed our own ducks and chickens so 3 quarter organic anyway. since him being in pain coming home our own doctor realised it could be caused by tablets for he blood pressure . so he stop taking them on . so got double whammy to think about. but i have found your site very helpfull and i like ur links to.i already changed him to vegetables and done the process of adding a different veg to see if it agree with it time consuming true but worth the wait i think if it gives him a better quaility of life . but will take the steps you have suggested . iv also learned that when he had whole food he was in agony so did it in baby food form , which he has no pain. but like the idea of juicing as he as lost so much weight

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    1. Hi Diane - low fat isn't good enough because labels may say low fat but the ingredients are highly inflammatory to the pancreas. An inflamed pancreas can not tolerate ANY animal fat with the worst culprits being red meat, pork, lamb and duck; even chicken, turkey and fish may have to much fat for an unhealed pancreas. Dairy products also have to much fat and people think yogurt is safe but it is not safe for an inflamed pancreas. Oil (any kind) is not safe. If it is oily, greasy or fatty it should be avoided. And even after a pancreas is healed the worst culprits need to be avoided along with any type of broth or soup made from them.

      Blood pressure drugs can be triggers for acute pancreatitis as are ACE inhibitors. Veggies are great (no oil, butter or margarine) as are grains, legumes (peas, lentils, beans), fruits.

      If your doc has not put him on enzymes go to the health food store and get a high quality diestive enzyme supplement with pancreatic enzymes to help him digest his food.

      The baby food thing or good quality organic foods pureed in a blender was a great idea and juices are a great idea. Just make sure the baby food does not contain meat and or animal products or dairy.

      Once he heals you can begin trying skinless chicken and turkey (no duck) and some fish for protein. I hope he begins to feel better.

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  25. I am also a Celiac which makes the diet more difficult but I was wondering about what your take is on taking opiates for pain? I can't take NSAIDs and have been on daily morphine for a couple of years because I get regular extreme acute attacks which can last for 8 hours at a time everyday for a couple of weeks. I also have nerve damage, fibromyalgia, gastritis, sphincter of oddi dysfunction and chronic fatigue syndrome so I need a lot of pain relief. Also I didn't understand what you were saying about spices etc like garlic and pepper as in whether or not to take them? Thanks, J

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    1. J - Do the opiates help or resolve your pain? If they do and you can NOT take NSAIDs then you have very little choice. The opiates do NOT resolve the inflammation and so it is important to get that resolved. The combination of NSAIDs (Ibuprofen), grape seed extract and curcumin eliminate the inflammation and that is what makes the pain resolve. That is why I use those to stop an acute pancreatitis attack BUT ...

      Since you can NOT take NSAIDs you are at a disadvantage and have more of a challenge than me. So if it were me I'd find some grape seed extract, curcumin and vit C (ALL 3 fight inflammation) and I'd take them 3-4 times daily to help eliminate the inflammation.

      The biggest problem I can see with your opiate consumption is that you have SOD. Morphine causes acute pancreatitis in some individuals and it was given to me along with prostigmine to induce AP which it did. That was the way my doctor finally diagnosed me in 1979.

      The combination of morphine and prostigmine is called the Nardi Test and they used to use it to diagnose SOD. I was never told I had SOD so I have no idea whether I do or don't and don't really care ... all I know is that morphine, by itself, is known to cause AP in some patients which makes it a 2 edged sword and it in combination with prostigmine DID cause AP in me.

      If it were me I may suspect the use of morphine daily with your recurrent AP - UNLESS - you still drink alcohol and eat high fat content foods such as red meat, pork, lamb, duck, cooking oils, and so on.

      IF it were me I'd eliminate ALL alcohol, go on my strict modified vegan diet which means strict vegan (no meat, no dairy) and also eliminate any use of ANY KIND of oil in either cooking or ingredients and see what happens in say 6 months.

      IF your AP resolves it most likely was what you were eating and not the use of morphine. IF the AP does NOT resolve, I would then highly suspect morphine as a potential cause.

      If your AP lessens but does NOT resolve you could add grape seed extract, curcumin extract, vit C, and grapefruit juice daily. Check with a pharmacist to see if grapefruit juice will interact with any medication you are taking because it is very well known for doing so and the combination with certain drugs can be lethal. But ... grape SEED extract is safe so is curcumin and vit C. In fact those three may even help with your other maladies.

      In regards to spices - as far as I know ALL spices are fine to use some are even of extremely high benefit due to their anti-inflammatory properties. Spices with anti-inflammatory properties include: rosemary, turmeric, garlic, cayenne pepper, black pepper, ginger. I use them OFTEN and in healthy (large amounts). Use them, enjoy them, they help fight the inflammation!

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    2. J- I completely missed the "I am also a celiac" part. Yes it certainly does limit the diet. I KNOW your challenge in that area as well. I just started a new blog that you might be interested in as well. It IS brand new, 2 post? I think lol Living with celiac disease anyway ...

      I'll eventually share what I have learned in regards to that challenge also in coming months.

      Does anyone know what caused your AP? The reason I ask is that celiac disease is an autoimmune disease which shows high levels of IgG and IgA which are anibody isotypes. The IgG isotype - IgG4 - is also found in those who have AIP, autoimmune pancreatitis. In other words celiac disease is often found in those who have autoimmune pancreatitis and is either discovered after recurrent acute pancreatitis or before AP. Knowledgable docs sometimes link the clue while others miss it. So ...

      Adherence to your ZERO gluten diet may be more of an important issue than ever thought by you or your doctor in fact researchers have found that when ONE autoimmune disease is found in the body others can be "lurking" in the shadwos, latent or simply undiagnosed and ...

      Some researchers think that Fibromyalgia may be another autoimmune disease. In any event, those are my thoughts and what I've found via research.

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  26. HELP! My daughter just got out of the hospital with her second (in two years) pancreatitus attack. She has been home for one week and my husband (not thinking) made a cheesy chicken casserol and my daughter (not thinking) ate two helpings. An hour later she is in dire pain, threw up the food - and tried to throw up anything else that might still be in her stomach just to get it out of there. She has taken two ibprofen for the pain, but I am worried that I should talk her into going back to the hospital. She had a small amount of necrosis and doctors said if she wasn't 26 she would have been in ICU with drainage tubes, so she dodged a bullet - but now made a dumb mistake by eating greasy food. Any suggestions to help her though the next few hours/days?
    Thanks, Hannah's Mom

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    1. Hi Hannah's Mom - I know you are probably going nuts watching your daughter go through the agony of pancreatitis. First off it was probably good she threw up everything.

      Since she had been told she had necrosis she should be on her way to the hospital. I hope she is there now but if not she needs to go if only so they can check to make sure she is NOT in danger. That would be the prudent thing to do.

      The Ibuprofen is good. Two - you said she took two. I am guessing over the counter 200 mg tabs? IF she is still home and that didn't eliminate the pain - I take 4 200 mg tabs, 800mg at a time for an acute attack plus grape seed extract, curcumin, vit c. That cocktail usually stops my AP in about 90 minutes or less. BUT she should be on her way to the ER that knows her situation and has treated her previously - the ER that knows she has or had necrosis.

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    2. By the way Hannah's Mom you of course know I can NOT give medical advice. I am NOT a doctor. The above is what I personally do. I suggest anyone who is having AP (acute pancreatitis) should get their tail to the ER as quickly as possible. That is the prudent course of action.

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  27. I just found this post and most of what this says I do except the oil, but I usually take no more than 5-8 grams of fat a meal. I eat 3 meals a day, and a blended fruit snack. I go by an all naturally diet as much as possible, and I still have much pain. As your post states oils can cause pain, I am going to try to get olive oil and butter out of my diet and see if this helps my pain. I usually just use this rubbed on my vegetables, so it's usually not much. What I am wondering is, could pain medication cause some of my pain. Also my food is coming undigested and I take creon, but I have read some of the additives that is in creon and it doesn't sound good. If I'm using creon and my food isn't digested, should I be on a plant enzyme as I don't know if it's working. Is a plant enzymes better??

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  28. Howdy - oil and butter are not good for an unhealed, inflamed pancreas. Even after healing oil and butter can cause problems (inflammation) which may not end with an acute pancreatitis attack but may still cause nausea, even vomiting.

    If it were me I'd get rid of the oil and butter and I'd also drop my consumption of fat to a max of 5 grams of fat per meal. If that didn't help and eliminate symptoms I'd lessen the fat content further. Now ...

    IF your pain meds are opioids there is a good chance they may be responsible. There is evidence that states opioids cause AP but there are many drugs that do the same and when pain is severe and consistent there isn't much option for relief except via opioids so it's a viscious circle for those who are severely damaged, unhealed and in constant severe pain.

    Creon is made from pork but that doesn't mean ti is bad or doesn't work. You may need more (higher dosage) and so checking with your doc may be appropriate. Actually plant enzymes are not as strong as digestive enzymes and people with panc need digestive enzymes, pancreatin (amylase, protease, lipase).

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    1. As an added thought in regards to opioids, IF it were me and I was NOT addicted to opioids yet, I'd stop taking them and begin using high doses of anti-inflammatory Ibuprofen. You can get it over the counter as Advil or Motrin. It usually comes in 200 mg tabs and I'd start with two tabs (400mgs) for pain that was NOT like AP pain. IF the pain was severe 3 tabs (600mgs) and for AP pain I use 800mgs or 4 tabs and that usually resolves the AP in one dose. The longest I ever taken large doses of Ibuprofen has been for 10 days during a persistent acute pancreatitis attack, the last day of the seige, day 12 I used aspirin (2 doses of 1300mgs each) however I do NOT suggest that for anyone. It wasn't pleasant. However ...

      Aspirin may be used consistently for longer period, in smaller doses, say 650mgs (two aspirin) for extended periods more safely than Ibuprofen. Aspirin can cause bleeding so that could be an issue with extended use and Ibuprofen has the same risk along with the rare risk of heart attack but ...

      Both Ibuprofen and aspirin address the major issue of inflammation whereas opioids do NOT and infact can cause more inflammation.. NSAIDS (Ibuprofen, aspirin etc.) are not addictive so that is another benefit I consider to be important but the big benefit is that they address the inflammation whereas opioids do not.

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  29. Thanks for posting this blog. You give me a measure of hope that I can at least manage this condition one day. I have had a low intensity pancreatitis for about 19 months now. I never drank or had gall stones and am 31 years old. I have been seen by a few different doctors, including some specialists at teaching universities, and have had to discover much of this lifestyle myself the hard way.

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    1. Hopeful - you are welcome. With knowledge, diligent effort and some prayer you will definitely be able to manage your pancreatitis. Heck you may be able to become pain free as long as you take what you learn about pancreatitis, diet and supplements seriously. Others have, why not you?

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  30. Hi Paul

    Let me start of by saying I can't spell... so I'm not going to try...

    I have been suffering from cp for 4 years not sure how I missed this page with all the resech I have done.. thik I have reed all post to date nice work and much needed for us cp dumm asses...

    I was a 5th a day drinker how could not stop... dumm ass that's me... well needless to say I am now paying the price

    After 15 er trips, 8 different week long stays at the hospital and a 4 inc procyto cyst... you think I might have learned something... I did but not tell my cyst rupcherd on October 1 2012... I was rushed in to angio sergiry twice to stop the bleeding... was given a 9% chance of living... now i am the proud owner of 27 titanium coils that line my stomach like a dot to dot puzzle... It look cool on ex rays ha ha...

    I have been on a diet close to the one you described and I take a enzyme before every meal... still in pain all the time... seams like it doesn't mater what I try, pain... I have opieds that I live on for the pain... "not fun" I have not had a drink seems October 1 2012... all in all I'm just glad to be a live...

    So today I went to my health food store and picked up the grape seed and tumeric... as I'm already on v c 1000 mil... a day... plus a lot of other pills all good stuff v & m... you know... what we do...

    hope it will help with the inflammation... I just never thought of that... now that I am its a daah kind of thing going on... just want to a put my story up so PEPs can not do it the hard way like me and... 2. let you know all I'm doing now and how it turns out.. that all...

    PS... thanks a guy in pain...

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    1. Your story certainly doesn't sound fun. I hope you find relief using a proper pancreatitis diet and supplements. And ...

      Yes, Please do keep us posted.

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    2. OK going on 6 day of supplements and things are starting to look up... I still have pain but mostly in the morning... believ it is the antiinflammatory pills have worn off and my pain comes back... but after a good dose and a hour of breast I start felling better again... its nice to have found some much needed relief in my fight...

      Let hope my battle is starting to pay off... I finely fell like I have won a battle or two in the last 6 day... as you know one win will change your hole out look on the war... so thing are look good... think I have a fighting chance to acctuly winning this war... one attack at a time...

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    3. Hang in there. It is great to hear you are having some success and quite rapidly as well. It will take time and diligence to obtain a measure of healing. And with your backround and potential damage it may take awhile more than others. Don't forget the white unsweetend grapefruit juice if you can drink it without some sort of interaction with medication. If you are on prescription meds - Before using grapefruit juice call your doc AND your pharmacist and ask about interactions.

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  31. Thanks for all this information its amazing, I've been in immense pain for 6 years never experienced pain like it its worse when you lay down I av to bend forward and just pace about the house! Sometimes I can't even bear to touch that area and it swells right up! Been to a &e about 5 times there useless, I had my gall blader removed which didn't help the pain and I ended up with sphincter of oddi dysfunction and now (ive paid private to see a specialist) who says auto immune pancreatitis, I can't drink alcohol (that sets the pain off and I'm constantly sick) I'm going to be extremely strict with my diet and also get rid of the gluten. Thanks so much for this information, Angela

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    1. Hi Angela - you're welcome. I hope you have success in healing your pancreas.

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  32. I'm reading your blog from my hospital bed, had my first diagnosis of pancreatitis. I'm not sure which but it doesn't seem to be as painful as some other people who have posted.

    The doctors here are unaware of the food effect's and have been giving me solid food like mashed potatoes red meat and so forth.

    So I'm going to see if I can prove to them your point. After the first 2 days of nil by mouth, they returned me to water and hospital food, no advice on what I can eat or what to avoid. I remember that the burning sensation arrived and felt sick, heartburn returned.

    I've been in this ward for three days now, and they have still not managed to organise a CT scan on me yet.

    I'm going to test your theory with avoiding food and just drink soups and vitamins.

    I will get back to you on my progress.

    Gaz.


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    1. Hi Gaz sorry to hear you have pancreatitis. It is not real common but I have read where some people have acute pancreatitis and yet seem to have way less pain than most. Count yourself lucky in that regard - trust me on that but still it is not good.

      Red meat is definitely NOT a good choice, in fact it is incredibly foolish on their part. Be careful with soups - IF it were me I'd make sure it is strictly vegetable with no meat broth. Totally vegan (no meat, no dairy) until I was healed up. In fact I'd be on veggie juice first. Then to soup. Good luck I hope you get well soon.

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  33. I'm Kat, a 64-year-old female, just had my first AP attack about ten days ago. (My guess for cause would be either BP meds or micro-gallstones.) Pain was gone after six days, and I've been taking it really easy in terms of food, and have had no problems. No alcohol (I've always been a very light drinker anyway), no fats, no red meat, etc. My big issue is that I'm Type 2 diabetic. Since May 1 I had lost 25+ pounds and gotten my fasting glucose down 20+ points by restricting carbs. Now I see that, with so few food options, I will need to eat carbs, and already my glucose readings are on their way up again. Do you have any ideas on how people with Type 2 deal with this? I gave up sugars and starches years ago, don't eat junk. The only thing I ever snack(ed) on was nuts. At this point I'm just really frustrated.

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    1. Hi Kat - I can empathize with you. I don't have diabetes but I do have celiac disease (just diagnosed in 2009) so I have had to eliminate a tons of foods. Starting of course with wheat and barley only to find out that I am one of the few who also get a CD response from corn. So I can have nothing that contains anything made from those grains. This of course eliminated a LOT of food from my list. I had to adjust. I've again had to improvise, adapt and overcome. You'll need to do the same. Unfortunately I never said what I do is easy. It just works. I know that probably isn't what you wanted to hear but I don't lie and I don't suger-coat things.

      With diabetes it is obviously important for you to watch your intake of sugars and carbs and it does make things a lot more difficult for you. You'll have to probably stick with complex carbs and avoid all simple carbs. I am NOT what I would consider to be well versed in diabetes. All I can say is that where there is a will there is always a way.

      You had mentioned that you thought your BP meds may have been a cause and it's true some blood pressure meds are known to cause AP but so are diabetes meds. Metformin, Jenuvia, Actos and Byetta are the worst (those same drugs go by other names).

      Good luck Kat

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  34. hello. Im new to these facts, but 2 months old of pancreatitus. Im going to act on your posting. Can I talk to you on this page for advice or questions? Im going to go get these suppliments today. Im already taking the grape seed, B complex, anti gas pills (as I seem to retain air during attacks)
    :) songmaiden

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  35. hello. I am two months into being diagnosed with pancreatitus. Ive studied your articles and have gotten the suppliments etc. I had already started the grape seed ext. Ive been taking a probiotic every day, but do I understand that this isnt something I should not be taking, right? Any how, wish me luck and I hope I can consult with you about it. Thank you, Becca

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    1. Hi Becca - Yes if I remember correctly I did write something about the possible dangers of consuming probiotics (especially if one is still really sick) because an article, which I believe I linked to, said that probiotics increased the death rate of those who had AP. Now the probiotics were given via IV not the gut so that may have had some bearing on the outcome. I'd stay away from probiotics if I were sick.

      Good luck with the supplements but do NOT forget it is DIET AND Supplements, not just supplements that creates the healing. It takes BOTH a proper, no alcohol, no fat or super low fat diet coupled with the supplements.

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    2. Hi again. I am doing the diet as directed also, as is as much important as the supplements. I am only 115 pounds and definatly dont need to lose more but, can you tell me what I could eat that would put calories but not fat on? and also, I havent seen any reading about breads, so what do you think regarding bread. Hope Im not driving you nuts. :)

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    3. Becca no you are not driving me nuts. :-) Most of the foods that work well for panc folks do NOT have a ton of calories. Even once you are able to eat chicken (skinless) and white fish (halibut, cod, pollack, tilapia, bass, perch etc) those foods still don't have a ton of calories but they do offer a ton of protein which is needed to build muscle.

      Breads are fine, just read the labels and make sure there is no lard (beef or pork) in the ingredients. Try to stay away from hydroginated oils as well.

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  36. My husband had pancreatic cancer a little over 6 years ago. They had to remove half his pancreas at that time. He is 62 yrs old and has been a type 2 diabetic for 16 yrs. Sept 2012 he ended up in the hospital with ap. They discovered a cyst on his pancreas. After about a week he was released and sent home. With a follow up in 3 months to check on the cyst. When they did the follow up the cyst had shrunk and we were told no worries. A couple of months later he has another ap attack. which showed he had a blocked bioduct. They inserted 2 stents. 5 weeks later he is back in the hospital with AP and the blocked duct. They replaced the stents with 3 new ones. 4 weeks later he is back in the hospital with AP. The tests show the cyst is now almost 3" x 3". But not stable enough for draining. He is home now, pain free on a liquid diet. They gave us a list of foods allowed on the diet. We have followed it to the letter. The problem is they did not give us a time frame when we could start introducing soft foods. He is being really difficult sometimes about the limitations. Do you believe I could add soft boiled eggs to his diet without it setting off the inflamation again? I plan on getting the grape seed extract for him. Is there anything else you can suggest? I am sorry this is so long winded but I am getting discouraged with the contridictory info I have found and doctors too busy to sit down and really talk to you. Any help you can give me would be most appreciated.

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    1. Hi Gay - wow sorry I am so late responding. Somehow I missed a few comments and questions.

      I'm sorry to hear about your husband. It definitely sounds like he has had his share of tribulation and you too. I know it's been hard on you as well.

      if it were me and I am sure glad it isn't I'd do eg white, no yolks. Egg whites have protein and ZERO fat. The fat 5 grams per egg is ALL in the yolk and 5 grams of fat is all that should be consumed at any given meal with a cap on at 20 - 25 grams of fat per day including snacks.

      FAT is the enemy when someone has pancreatitis. Fat and alcohol. Beef, pork, lamg and duck should be avoided at all costs. No soups, no broths nothing made with those meats. WAY to much fat. But they are ALL highly inflammatory foods as well. So it doesn't matter if the package or can says 200% fat free - it is still inflammatory and labels sometimes lie.

      I have a buddy in England who has had a lot of his panc sliced out. It takes a lot of grape seed, vit C and curcumin to help his pain and symptoms but it does help and since he has been on the diet and supplements his psuedocyst has shrunck about 300%. He to is diabetic but I do NOT recall him telling me of any stents. So I believe that is a problem he doesn't have to overcome if one can.

      There must be a reason for the blockage. Do you know what that reason is? Is it scar tissue or something else? If you don't know I'd be asking. And ...

      When he becomes hard to handle in regards to diet ask him how he feels about another go round of AP, the pain, the nausea and vomiting, the possibility of necrosis and death? I have had way to many of those attacks (when I was sick) and I do NOT want any more. Food is NOT worth it, at least not to me.

      Oh and when I say a lot of grape seed and the other supps I meant A LOT. I think Simon told me he does 1000mgs at a shot. WAY more than I have ever done. I've done that in a DAY but not ever at one time. So it must be ok even at those doses cuz Simon is still alive :-)

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  37. Hi again. One more question,please. I've had a lot of gas retention since starting my suppliments. Any clue if any of these will cause this or is it too many vegetables? and if so, which vegetables. Thank you again

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    1. Hi becca sometimes when 1st starting the supplements a few people get flu like symptoms due to the "cleansing" effect. Those are all very powerful antioxidants and so may cause some discomfort until you have cleared out but gas may also be due to vegetable consumption. People who are NOT used to eating a lot of veggies (lots of fiber) may possibly experience gas until they get used to a more healthy diet BUT ...

      Some veggies like cabbage, broccoli and califlower can cause gas in some folks. They don't bother me but i know some normal healthy folks (family memebers) who get gas from certain veggies, namely the ones I mentioned. Whether or not a lot of people experience that issue I have no clue but if healthy people get gas from certain veggies that tells me it has nothing to do with the pancreas per se, just a personal reaction.

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    2. Becca I forgot to mention beans (legumes) they give almost everyone, including me, gas lol and garlic will too. Garlic and beans in combination really create some rippers lol

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  38. Well, then even occasional, say a couple of alcoholic drinks in a year and smoking are absolute no-no?

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    1. Alcohol in any form is NOT good. Smoking probably isn't to smart either but I smoke without any problems. However since CP increases the risk of pancreatic cancer smoking isn't to bright of an idea but I never claimed to be a genius.

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  39. I have had chronic pancreatitus since 1987. I am unable to take any Nsaids without them causing pain; the same is true of steroid shots which put me in a diabetic state. I can only take Tylenol for pain. It took me awhile to discover Nsaids were exacerbating the condition. I don't know if it is true with everyone but it is worth considering for anyone experiencing the condition.

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    1. Interesting, first time I've had anyone mention NSAIDs causing problems. Be careful with the tylenol it can kill you or damage your liver so badly you need a transplant to live. The unfortunate thing about tylenol is that it is an extremely weak anti-inflammatory. Can you take aspirin? Have you tried it? I know it's an NSAID but the composition is quite different and I found it works almost as well as Ibuprofen. It also won't kill your liver like tylenol.

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  40. Concerned Husband & FatherApril 13, 2014 at 5:13 PM

    Hello Health Guy. I am glad to see that you are still posting. I stumbled over your site in December and saw that it had been a while since your last comment. I have really enjoyed your information. I was a heavy nightly drinker, and your site helped be stop completely. Dry for five months, and now I hate the thought of it now. True poison! I have kept to the recommended regimine, but the pain is not really going away. I am taking the high dosage that you listed of the supplements including IB for pain. The emotional roller coaster is really hard for me and my family with thoughts of possible death. I am a father of three boys with a wonderful wife of 24yrs. They deserve a better me no matter how much longer I am around. Though the pain and discomfort is pretty constant from the front to back and side, and at time around the right kidney area, I am fortunate that the nasuea stopped after I stopped drinking. Never any vomitting, now yellowing of the skin or eyes. My digestion has improved quite a bit by taking Pancreatin. Just looking to see if you would recommend anything else like ginger for the pain or anything else to relieve the since of fullness in the right side. I stopped seeing the doctor about the pain after they removed my apendix then later the gall bladder, which did not help anything. Thanks in advance for anything furhter information you may have.

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    1. Congrats on quitting the alcohol! I know that may not have been easy. Sorry to hear your pain is not resolving. Tell me ... Did any doc tell you that your pancreas showed signs of calcification? Did you have any surgeries?

      How much grape seed, C, and curcumin do you take daily?

      Are you eating a modified vegan diet or something different?

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  41. Can you post a typical day for you? Like what you what you eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. thanks

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    1. Wow! Somehow your comment fell through a crack! I apologize. A typical day for me is to get up and have coffee and a cig for breakfast. Just kidding lol Ok ...

      I'll try to come up with a post about my typical daily food intake and I'll most likely post it to my other blog Beating Pancreatitis

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