Happy New Year 2013 Everyone

Happy New Year ya'll and best wishes for 2013.

Avoid acute pancreatitis or even a flair and ...

Stay well!

I know that many of you didn't pay attention to my previous warnings about eating only what you cook and of course abstaining from inflammatory foods such as red meat, pork, lamb, duck, butter, margarine, cooking oil, chocolate and anything else with FAT or alcohol in it and some of you have been paying the price.

I also know how difficult it is during this time of year when everyone else is celebrating, eating, drinking and making merry, yet, when you or I do we often get sicker than a dying dog.

Yes I know it isn't fair but who said life was fair?

I keep seeing "key words" being used to find this blog such as:

Can I eat lobster with pancreatitis?

Can I drink champagne with pancreatitis?

Can I eat chocolate with pancreatitis?

So I thought I'd go ahead and answer even though I have a few posts around that pretty much say the same thing I'm gonna say now.

Q: Can I eat lobster with pancreatitis?
A: Yes, as long as it is not cooked in some high fat sauce, butter, margarine or oil and ...

As long as you do NOT dip it in butter before you stuff that tasty morsel into your mouth.

Lobster, crab, shrimp, scallops and other shell fish are just fine BY THEMSELVES. It's the shit that they are either cooked in or dipped in that is the problem.

See the lemon on the plate?  The lemon is just fine but the butter in that little dipping bowl IS NOT fine. Lobster with lemon juice may make your taste buds tingle but that butter may be what causes you to be doubled over in massive pain and puking on your shoes while trying to get to the hospital, so ...

Make sure nothing is cooked or prepared in a way that will make you sick this New Year and don't be afraid to tell some waiter that it is very important that your directions in cooking your food be followed. I've done it many times. I've even asked/required that my food be cooked seperately, in freshly cleaned, non-stick pans with no oil, butter or any other type of fat. If you point out you will come back from the dead and haunt their asses (waiter & chef) forever if they fail to follow directions the job gets done.

Q: Can I drink champagne, wine, beer, hard liquor with pancreatits?
A: Fuck NO! Are you insane? It is all alcohol! Alcohol is extremely toxic to a damaged pancreas and or someone who has the gene (genetic factor) that makes alcohol toxic to their pancreas anyway.

NO ALOHOL! None, zip, nada and watch for it in cold remedies, mouthwash, ripe bananas and vanilla extract.

Toast with carbonated water and lemon juice or some alcohol FREE stuff that tastes just as bad :-)

Q: Can I eat chocolate with pancreatitis?
A: Those chocolate covered strawberries look good don't they? I bet they are too. I love chocolate covered strawberries, especiall with good champagne but ...

You know champagne is out and chocolate can be bad too because it contains tons of fat but it also is made with vinilla extract and vinilla extract contain alcohol. So, what do you think my anser is? You're right, it's NO!

Now just because you can't eat or drink anything good doesn't mean you can't have an enjoyable evening. After all would you prefer to be carted off to the nearest ER on New Years Eve or kissing that special someone and having passionate sex until the wee hours of New Years Day?

Make the right choices and have a safe, HAPPY New Year!

Pancreatitis Blog Comments That Might Interest You

Some people who read this pancreatitis blog write comments I won't publish because they contain email addresses but I think they are important and deserve a response. I do NOT email people who ask me to because I prefer to address any comments via the comment sections on this blog so that others can read, learn and obtain info as well and I can reach many people that way with just one response instead of writing the same thing a dozen times. So please, do NOT include your email addresses in comments :-)

1) jc cool nottingham has left a new comment on your post "Pancreatitis Diet - Diet for Chronic Pancreatitis":

hi my names jason the last 2 month i have beeen at an e every damn day :( i havent ate in 2 month just water n fortisip juice which is costing a bomb! 14 year bck they found out i had sudasis drained n yes they left scar tissue n now they just give hydrocodeine im on creon also but i just read it has pork! in it i really neeed your help real bad im scared to eat anything i have been takin bluueberry juice i have a mri scan on 31st december plz plz plz i am begging u will u email i dont want to die i will do watever it takes i have a 2 year old boi jaydon he lives with me full time i have not been toilet for poo in 2 month also but it seems the hospital r not even botherd n thats mean n evil in my eyes plz help

Response: Hi JC, don't worry about the creon. Yes I know I mentioned that I wouldn't take it cuz it is made using pig products but I'm ANAL! Pork makes me sicker than a dog and I just can't get my head wrapped around the idea that pig digestive enzymes are ok even though pig organs etc have been shown to be a close match to human and is most likely why pig enzymes are used in creon.

There are many people on creon and they are helped by it. I know of several who are on it and are benefiting nicely! Most people who are prescribed creon do well, some seem to gain weight but that doesn't mean there is something wrong with it. Some gain weight, others don't but most who use it see benefit so don't stop taking it, especially without consulting you doctor!

I also know one lady who is using digestive enzymes called Now Foods Pancreatin. I use a similar product from Now Foods too but the Pancreatin is made from porcine (pigs) and the Now Super Enzymes I use is not, I think mine comes from bovine (cow) enzymes and it contains ox bile and other stuff but she is very happy with her formula and it is a tad stronger than the super enzymes I use so do NOT take EVERYTHING I say as the gold standard. I'm just a guy man, just a guy and sometimes I am WRONG.

The rest of your questions need to be addressed by your doctor as well. I can NOT diagnose or give blatant medical advice and I walk a fine really gray line just telling people what I have done to resolve certain problems and what I still currently do.

I know you don't want to die. Hell I don't want to die, nobody when it gets right down to the time wants to die and I wish I could be more help, seriously, I do but, I am not a doctor. Hell, I barley graduated from high school.

All I can say is creon seems to work for others, see what your mri shows on the 31st, spend some time reading this blog (diet and supplement info are all there) and I hope you get some good answers and get well. Get well JC and stay well.

2) kyli has left a new comment on your post "Frequently Asked Pancreatitis Questions":

Hi there,

This is Kyli - Ive been browsing your site again all day. You replied to me last month and I appreciated it so much. Sorry for not getting back to you! I have been so sick and I ended up back in the hospital. I'm now on a picc line which gave me blood clots - what a mess and of course they have no idea what to do with me. They want to send me off to another hospital. My lipase is coming down but they believe the amount of pain I'm in and haven't given up on me. That being said, nothing they're doing / suggesting is of any value to me. You obviously know all about that! Its so frustrating.

Anyway, I know this is a lot to ask but I was wondering if there's any way you could talk with myself or my fiancé over the phone briefly about a couple of things? I am so so sick and of course they're talking about an ERCP now and I just don't know what to do. I thought maybe if I could talk with you (you are by far the most knowledgeable person I have found online when it comes to the pancreas!) briefly about my situation, you might be able to offer some insight. I have been in constant pain - like one long acute bout basically, but its not considered chronic because I have no visible damage on any scans including EUS. I'm at a loss. I keep trying to eat and its unbearable.

Anyway, if that would be at all possible my email is ... thank you so much and hope you're doing well!!

Kyli

Response: See below after next comment from Kyli

kyli has left a new comment on your post "Pancreatitis Supplements - Take for How Long?":

Thank you! I have been praying and praying.. even had a couple chaplains come in. I do think God is giving me the strength to get through this somehow, though I wish he'd make it go away already that's for sure! lol. :) Anyway, I somehow didn't get your email! I get a lot of spam so I sorted through to see if I could find it but its not there, maybe you could resend it? Here it is incase I mistyped it last time:

My chronic pain is different from the acute pain - the only reason I know this is because I've had 2 episodes that I can really call attacks and basically what happened is my pain escalated from being tolerable to feeling exactly how you've described before in your blogs - like I was going to die. During both of those times, I was begging for morphine which is not like me because morphine makes me feel awful but I just wanted to be knocked out. I'm still not sure what the factor was in making it escalate like that and now I live in fear that my chronic pain will turn "acute" at any moment. Right now its staying around a "5" on the pain scale but usually at night it hits about an 8 and thats when I feel like I have to take a tramadol (which I totally hate doing). Its that crampy, burning, right through the back kind of pain.

My doctors here have been trying their best, it seems. They're at least in no rush to send me home and they've sent in groups and groups of specialists, but as you know, conventional medicine only knows so much. I agree with you about the MCCP - it sounds like thats exactly it and I'm terrified about what the means for me. Regardless, as soon as I'm out of here, I'm doing things as naturally as I can, jtube or not. The doctor did tell me today that if my pain is at all down tomorrow that I could try some liquids just to see one last time if theres any chance we can avoid the jtube. With where my weights at though, that seems an unlikely option.

Response: Hey Kyli I hope by the time you see this you are discharged and feeling much better. I broke the rule I made for myself - that I would not email anyone and I did email you and you didn't get the email so maybe I need to stick with the rule - don't take that wrong I'll try to help any way I can as long as we do it here on this blog. As long as your comments/questions do not contain your email I can publish them and respond. I did write a post for you and you can read it here: Suffering with pancreatitis

Don't get to upset with your doctors especially if they are trying. I have found that sometimes I've needed to be blunt with them, blunt but kind and inform them they need to pay attention to what I tell them, that I'm not there just because I'm lonely, that there is a problem and that I want answers, correct answers. Anyway ...

I also believe that many of them really want to help but their hands are tied. They have to many "scoring" and "criteria" that comes with diagnosing now days and if things do not fall perfectly inline they can't give a diagnosis that is actually right. The people who come up with these "scoring" tools like the Apache score and other bullshit for acute pancreatitis don't seem to realize that different patients may present differently, that having all the classic symptoms is good enough and so they have to wait until more damage, sometimes severe damage is sustained until ...

"Whoops! look at that lipase level now and ... Oh crap! Is that a cyst or a watermelon? That wasn't there a couple hours ago!" Or "Holy God look at all that necrosis!" Or "Code Blue we have organ failure, shock and ... "

Well you get the idea. So ...

Be thankful that your medical team knows pancreatitis when they see it, the ones I had in the ER couldn't have diagnosed a wart on their own nose in the dark with a map and flashlight.

The same holds true for chronic pancreatitis. To many criteria to meet, I believe there are 5 criteria but "minimal change chronic pancreatitis" has become a known fact yet only those who keep up on such stuff seem to know about it.

The biggest problems I see is the time they take to arrive at a diagnosis and the way they treat pancreatitis for the most part. They totally ignore the problem - inflammation. They do nothing but withhold food orally from a patient to resolve the inflammation. To me that just doesn't make sense because for me once the inflammation is resolved good things happen. The PAIN goes away. That horrible, nasty pain and most of the nausea disappears once the inflammation has been addressed and resolved. 30 - 50 cents of Ibuprofen (800mgs) makes a world of difference within an hour, usually. You can get 200mg tabs over the counter (Advil) for what maybe 5 bucks? 4 equal 800mgs. Or your doc can write you a script for 800mg tabs of Ibuprofen. Demerol didn't work for me Kyli but Ibuprofen did, in fact it has never failed. I've had several occassions where I've had to redose cuz the acute attack was persistent and kept coming back but not often. Usually ONE 800mg dose did the trick. Oh, I do NOT use it daily, only for acute attacks and so I haven't taken it in like 6 years.

Diet - strict low fat
Supplements - grape seed extract, curcumin, vitamin C and panc enzymes
Ibuprofen - IF needed

Those three things are my secret weapons that work for me and you can find everything I did and/or still do right here on this blog.

Get well Kyli and stay well.
 

Prayer Tree: If You Want Prayer ...

If you or someone close to you suffers from pancreatitis and you have a prayer request please post it here (under this post) in the comments section and let's all pray for each other because ...

I know there are many of you reading this blog who are suffering due to pancreatitis and could use the help of God to get through your days when pain and other symptoms bang at your door. So ...

Post your request in the comment section and many of us will lift your name (first name), your spouse's name or child's name up in prayer to the Lord Jesus and God the Father. Don't be shy, we can all use the healing power of prayer at times and Jesus is always faithful.

Addition on 2/10/2013: Just because you do not see replies under your request does NOT mean that I or others have not seen or have not prayed. Make your request known with just a first name (God will know who you or they are) and I and others will lift that request to the Lord.

"The LORD sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness." - Psalm 41:3

Prayer for Healing the Sick

Most merciful and eternal God, the everlasting Salvation of those who believe, hear us on behalf of Thy sick servant, Name, for whom we beg the aid of Thy pitying mercy, that, with his/her bodily health restored, he/she may give thanks to Thee in Thy church. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." - John 14:13

 

Oh ...

 

If you post a comment asking for prayer and you begin to feel better repost another comment so everyone can see that their prayers were indeed answered by Almighty God.

Suffering With Pancreatitis: Kyli NEEDS Help

There is a sweet young lady who as I write this is in the hospital suffering with pancreatitis. She is young, she is in pain, she is on a J tube and from what she says is somewhat better but not doing real well. She has been in for quite sometime and is in need of help and you can help by praying. So if there are any Christians reading this post I ask you to pray for Kyli. Ask our Lord Jesus to heal her, surround her with His love, comfort and send His Angels to guard and protect her.

She has posted comments on this blog but I have not been able to publish them because they contain her email and I do not publish comment that contain private email addresses. Anyway ...

Please pray for her.

Kyli, if you are reading this post I want you to know I am gonna walk out on a limb and tell you what I would do. This is ONLY what I would do. YOU have to do what you feel is best for you and it sounds to me like your medical team is doing right by you as much as they can with orthodox medical protocols. With that said ...

IF it were me ...

I would ask the doctor WHY I have pancreatitis. He/she may not have a clue and may be totally in the dark in that respect. IF alcohol (binge or total alcoholic) is not the problem, I have no gallstones, my blood fat levels are normal, I am not diabetic (diabetes drugs cause AP), I can't point to some other drug as the problem, I did not suffer severe abdominal trauma (within the last year or two), no one else in my family has ever had pancreatitis (hereditary), I don't have or SOD has been ruled out, I'd ask if some weird autoimmune disease such as celiac, lupus, sjogren's or chron's may be causing it (there are many that cause pancreatitis - the list is long). Autoimmune disease can cause autoimmune pancreatitis and AIP responds to steroids.

In your last comment you mentioned they were gonna have you try to eat. Again, IF it were me I know that food is NOT my friend, especially if my pancreas is inflamed and this is where the medical team may not be up to speed. Red meat, pork, lamb, duck and ANYTHING made from those meats including soups and broths will make me sick again or sicker. Other than the fact they contain HIGH amounts of FAT (fat and alcohol are the enemy) I don't know WHY they make me sick they just do. OIL (any kind) is NOT good for an inflamed pancreas. I would NOT eat anything with any kind of oil or fat. That means nothing is to be cooked in oil, nothing is to be made with oil, butter, maragine or some other kind of fat. Now ...

I'd also ask the doc to give me 800mgs of Ibuprofen and why would I do that?

Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory drug. Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. I'd also have someone go to the nearest health food store and buy me some pure (nothing else in it but vitamin c) grape seed extract (95% polyphenols); 100 mgs caps/tabs and enough of it to start taking 200mgs 3-4 times per day for an extended time period. I'd also have them buy pure curcumin caps 400 - 500 mg caps and I'd take those 3 times per day. Both grape seed extract and curcumin are HIGHLY anti-inflammatory. I'd also have them buy pure vit C (500mgs w/bioflavonoids). I'd take these because I know these work for me.

I'd also ask the doc if there were any reason I could NOT drink grapefruit juice. IF there are no drug interactions with grapefruit juice I'd ask for white, unsweetend grapefruit juice. I found that grapefruit juice stopped my acute pancreatitis attacks (around 1982-83) and helped start the healing process then in 2004 a research team found that grapefruit protected rats from pancreas damage due to pancreatitis. So even before science discovered grapefruit may be helpful the Lord my God led me to drink tons of grapefruit juice. I'd be following His directions again. He also led me to Ibuprofen on one bad night after my diagnosis when demerol would even touch my pain. Then ...

I came to find that it all made sense via science but He knew all along when nobody else did.

I'd do everything he taught me again because it works.

May our glorious Savior Jesus hold you in His arms, protect you, heal you and give you peace Kyli.


UPDATE 2/21/2013 Kyli Is Home

Those of you who prayed for Kyli I want you to know she is grateful and was released from the hospital. From her comments it sounded like she was a pretty sick lady and glory to God she is still with us and seems to be improving.

I just got a comment from her stating that she was released on January 18, is home, not feeling well yet. I'd have posted her comment but she keeps putting an email address in them and so to protect her privacy I can not publish it. However here's a short protion of it:

"They're still unsure what the cause is for me, so they're still labeling it as idiopathic. I forget if I told you but my ERCP showed a couple abnormal side branches and duct irregularities but nothing severe enough to call it CP. I did find out through my geneticist recently, however, that I have one of the Cystic Fibrosis genes ... only having one means that I'm a carrier, not that I actually have CF. I don't have any lung issues, etc, and ironically enough, my GI doc isn't even sure if this particular gene I have is even associated with CP so theyre looking into that for me! What a rollercoaster this has been! (It would be very bizarre for this to be genetic since I have never had pancreas issues prior to 4 months ago!)"

 The docs don't know why she has it and of course the damage that showed on her ERCP wasn't "severe" enough to call it CP but I betcha she has CP or will have. Anyway ...

She isn't well yet. She still has her J Tube and can not tolerate any food to well however she did mention her pain is better so there seems to be some improvement since her release from the hospital.

Pancreatitis Supplements - Take for How Long?

Both the pancreatitis supplements I take and the diet I adhere to, and have shared with all of you, are NOT a cure. This means unfortunately, you will need to adhere to a strict diet specifically tailored to help your pancreas heal and stay healed along with taking those supplements for pancreatitis until you die and ...

I hope you enjoy many years of health because many of those who have adopted the supplemets I take and the diet I follow have also seen improvement. In fact ...

In fact while skulking around a pancreatitis forum I found myself  reading one person's post in the FB support group and she mentioned that the supplements and diet have helped her to almost feel normal again and she was able to go back to work! That is what I consider to be GREAT news! Several others have also posted some cool comments and so the diet and supplements seem to be helping those who use both properly.

Unfortunately, like I said in my opening statement, the diet and supplements are NOT a cure for pancreatitis. There is no cure for pancreatitis but from my own personal experience and from what others, who are using the diet and supplements say - they seem to work for other people who suffer from pancreatitis, not just me, and, that is pretty dang cool. But ...

If you begin the diet and supplements, start to feel better, even more well than you may have felt in quite some time and you STOP the diet, or the supplements or both, chances are you'll soon be sick again. Also ...

IF you have pancreatitis due to alocohol consumption and you continue to drink, neither diet nor supplements will keep you well. The diet and supplements may work wonders for those who use them but they won't work for those who continue to drink alcohol, so, if you plan to keep drinking, you may as well save your money for that casket you are going to need in the not to far distant future.

Something else I want to mention and this is strictly my own opinion so take it for what it is worth ...

I stay away from doctors.

I might change my mind if I truly thought I was dying, most folks do anything to live but ...

I have NOT let doctors poke and prod me after I was diagnosed because most everything they do in regards to pancreatitis either doesn't work, can actually cause another acute pancreatitis attack or even kill me and they have NO idea how to cure it anyway. The sad part is they don't even know how to treat it unless you become so bad you need some sort of surgical intervention! They guess, wait for the butchering green light and that is pretty much all they do unless things have really changed. I can do the guessing myself. I'm actually good at guessing. And ...

I think, I ain't sure you understand, that I am alive and fairly well today (30+ years after diagnosis) because I never went back except to keep my nausea meds script current and available. I simply used my head, did research and got lucky. However ...

I DO NOT SUGGEST YOU DO WHAT I DO in regards to doctors and their help but let me give some examples of why I feel this way.

1) Most doctors that I have met (except one) weren't even able to recognize the condition. Unless you blurt out you are an alcoholic (if you are one) the chances are still very good they couldn't diagnose pancreatitis to save their soul, especially if it were due to some other factor. Most still seem to think if you don't drink or have gallstones that you simply couldn't have pancreatitis. However, I must admit that there ARE good doctors out there, I know cuz in 58 years of life I have met two.

2) Even IF you get lucky and have an ER doc who is smart enough to read your prior med records (you've been diagnosed with pancreatitis already) he or she may be one of those who think they know more than the doc before and tell you that you have some other condition and let you suffer while he looks for some off-the-wall goof ball diagnosis like giardia and all this time you are in pain, puking and the damage to your pancreas is increasing.

3) Let's go so far as to say you get even luckier. You get an ER doc who is not only smart enough to read your prior med records but actually takes them seriously and he or she draws blood to check your enzymes. Your enzymes (Amylase and Lipase) are up, he or she orders a CT and stuffs a tube down your throat, then injects morphine, demerol or some other opiate which irritates the pancreas even more and can even CAUSE acute pancreatitis! And in my case demerol didn't do shit for the pain. Instead of trying to "mask" the pain with an opiate they should be administering an anti-inflammatory such as Ibuprofen. Ibuprofen and other NSAIDS carry risks as well but at least they address the problem, the inflammation where opiates don't do a damn thing in that regard. Then ...

He or she may also decide they need to do an ERCP. They do an ERCP and actually cause another acute pancreatitis attack or damage a duct or actually slice something on accident. Don't roll your eyes ERCP has an 11% complication track record which means 11 people out of 100 suffer complications from ERCP! How would you like to be one of the lucky 11? Yes, ok, in all fairness that also means that 89 out of 100 patients supposedly come through with no problems but ...

If I have other choices, I'll pass. I personally do NOT want anyone poking around my pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts or pancreatic duct with some sharp instrument that can do me more harm when there are other choices such as, US, EUS, CT, MRI and so on that have a lessor chance of creating further damage. However ...

YOU need to make your own decisions in regards to your life, health and the care you receive. Wow ...

Did I get off the beaten path or what?

Forgive me, I am getting older ya know and dementia could be setting in :-)

Anyway ...

IF you have this crap called pancreatitis and have experienced more than one acute attack or your scans show damage, well, the diet and supplements are a forever thing. There is no cure for pancreatitis.

Quercetin Kills Pancreatic Cancer Cells in Mice

The fact that research now suggests that a natural anitoxidant, quercetin, kills pancreatic cancer cells in mice is extremely promising because many times what works in rodents turns out to work in us humans as well. And ...

Sometimes natural therapies, especially antioxidants, work so well that they get swept under the rug here in the USA. In fact the FDA and FTC go all gestopo and ban marketers or companies from selling or mentioning benefits (EVEN WHEN RESEARCH PROVES IT) because the globalists can't make any money with natural products but that is another story. However ...

It is my gut feeling that you'll soon need to have your doc write you a prescription for vitamin C in order to get it and then, something that is now totally safe when manufactured by the private wellness industry will become toxic and kill you when manufactured by the Big Pharma companies. But lets continue with this post on quercetin.

Does quercetin kill pancreatitc cancer cells?

I don't know.

I'm just a guy who reads a lot :-)

But in the exact words of this article abstract published September 20, 2012 in Pancreas it states and I quote "Results: Quercetin inhibited the growth of pancreatic cancer cell lines, which was caused by an induction of apoptosis."

What is apoptosis?

Apoptosis is programmed cell death. In the case of the above article abstract on quercetin it means programmed pancreatic cancer cell death.

That is pretty exciting considering that nothing orthodox medicine does for pancreatic cancer victims kills pancreatic cancer cells.

Quercetin is a flavonoid found in fruits vegetables and grains.

Some foods such as tea, capers, lovage, apples and red onions are extremely rich in quercetin.

The fact that there is strong evidence that quercetin kills pancreatic cancer cells is HUGE simply because as I have mentioned before in a previous post regarding pancreatic cancer conventional therapy is almost useless in most cases and ...

Since inflammation from chronic pancreatitis increases our risk for pancreatic cancer it just shouts another reason why consuming green tea, capers, apples and red onion is a very good idea and none of those foods should be inflammatory towards your pancreas.

Maybe this is why mom used to say eat your apple and the word on the street was "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." So the next time you go shopping make sure you pick up some nice, sweet, juicy, apples (fuji, honey crisp, pink lady apples are my favorites) and munch away!

You may also want to find some decaf green tea, red onions (add them to beans, rice, veggies) and capers (add them to your fish dish) and start enjoying the benefits of quercetin. If you want a larger amount of quercetin it is available in supplements too.

Jarrow Formulas Quercetin 500mg

Genetics May Be Linked to Alcoholic Pancreatitis

Those who drink heavy may or may not eventually suffer from pancreatitis. According to a new study released on November 12, 2012 in Nature Genetics researchers have uncovered a genetic link between chronic pancreatitis and alcohol consumption.

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and more than 25 other health centers across the United States found a genetic variant on chromosome X near the claudin-2 gene (CLDN2) that predicts which men who are heavy drinkers are at high risk of developing chronic pancreatitis. Read more here

Glybera: New Gene Therapy for Familial LPL Deficiency

I had a reader ask me if I knew anything about the new gene therapy call Glybera. I don't or didn't know squat. I still don't know much and the reader most likely knows as much or more than I do. I had to look up Glybera in order to even know what the reader was talking about. Anyway ...

Glybera is a new gene therapy developed for the treatment of lipoprotein lipase deficiency (LPLD). Lipoprotein lipase deficiency or LPLD is a very rare inherited condition that is associated with increased levels of chylomicrons and chylomicrons are small fat globules composed of protein and lipid (fat).

Symptoms of familial LPL deficiency usually begin in childhood and include abdominal pain, acute and recurrent inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis),skin lesions called eruptive cutaneous xanthoma and an enlargement of the liver and spleen (hepatosplenomegaly).

So in laymans terms what exactly is lipoprotein lipase deficiency or familial LPL deficiency? It's extremely high blood fat levels. I mean we are talkin HIGH. Not just a tad over 150 for triglycerides but maybe 2500 - 5000 or more. We are talkin HIGH blood fats. Anyway ...

I remember mentioning somewhere that I didn't even know high blood fats cause acute pancreatitis until I started writing about my experiences, joined a couple support groups (didn't know those existed either) and read a bunch of posts. I didn't know kids got this crap. I didn't know a lot of things except what had happened to me because in 1979 everone looked at me like a bull with a bastard calf and so when I finally got diagnosed I thought I was all by my lonesome. I figured if most doctors couldn't even recognize pancreatitis that it just wasn't to dang common and when I started doing research to find out how to survive the information was so hard to come by that I just figured it was a rare thing - I guess I was wrong. The GOOD news is ...

That those who suffer with pancreatitis due to high blood fats may be able to find relief via gene therapy and Glybera. I still don't know anything about Glybera. It's brand new, just on the market and it may not be available in the United States as yet. In fact according to PRNewswire rollout doesn't begin until sometime towards the second half of next year but ...

If you suffer with pancreatitis due to extremely high triglycerides you may want to poke your doc and get him/her pointed in the direction of Glybera to find out if it may be something you should seriously consider.

Now one important note: A very low fat diet, preferrably vegan, or a modified vegan that includes some egg whites, fish and skinless poultry (not fried) and everything cooked without oil may help as well. In fact John D Brunzell, MD from the University of Washington's School of medicine says "symptoms usually resolve with restriction of total dietary fat to 20 grams/day or less." Read here

IF you have truly tried a very low fat diet for at least 6 months to one year without success you may want to look into Glybera. If you get on Glybera let us all know how you do on it.

Antidepressants Linked to Pancreatitis and Brain Bleeds

Antideppressants are often given to chronic pancreatitis patients because they can lower the amount of needed narcotic pain killers but it seems that they too may not be all that safe.

Do Antidepressants Cause Acute Pancreatitis?

In a study conducted in Denmark researchers found that many people without chronic pancreatitis developed acute pancreatitis after ingesting antidepressants. This study was published in June of 2007:  Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and risk of acute pancreatitis: a population-based case-control study

 

Antidepressants linked to brain bleeds

Antidepressants have also been linked to a 50% increase in brain bleeds. Antidepressants linked to risk of brain bleeds

I just happened to stumble onto the above information concerning antidepressants and so I thought I'd pass it along.

Pancreatitis: Why Doesn't My Pancreas Damage Show on EUS or CT?

Many people have asked me why they have had recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis or have had one doctor diagnose them with chronic pancreatitis only to have another say they don't have chronic pancreatitis or any pancreatitis at all.

For those of you who have had this kind of experience with your pancreatitis journey let me assure you that not all doctors know what they are taking about when it comes to acute or chronic pancreatitis. Even those who have some knowledge don't know everything even if they think they do. In fact ...

They have "cookie cutter" diagnostic criteria and for those who even know ANYTHING about the disease and can even recognize it in a clinical setting miss it or rule it out when you don't fit that "cookie cutter" mold.

Diagnostic criteria and scoring for acute pancreatitis
Diagnostic criteria for chronic pancreatitis

IF someone doesn't fit the "cookie cutter" mold the disease is most often ruled out. But ...

Dr. Sutherland says different in regards to chronic pancreatitis and he has a list of certfications and is kudosed as being one of the top authorities. He is:

• Director of the Diabetes Institute for Immunology and Transplantation
• Head of the Transplant Division in the Department of Surgery
• Holder of the Golf Classic "fore" Diabetes Research Chair
• Professor of Surgery at the University of Minnesota

I found this on Dr. Sutherland's blog/forum: "There are articles on minimal change CP that I will send you the references. We also have an abstract showing that the traditional view that an EUS has to show 5 of 9 criteria for CP to be diagnosed is not correct, even one criteria has been associated with documented CP under the microscope." Read the article here

Now keep in mind he makes a boatload of money from pancreas surgery and is regarded as one of the best when it comes to TP/AIT so there is always the possibilty he is pushing for more surgeries but my gut feeling and common sense tells me that he is correct about minimal change chronic pancreatitis.

This means that whether or not your damage presents on radiological testing in blazing colors you still most likely have chronic pancreatitis, it isn't all in your head, your symptoms are real and you need to get a handle on your condition and control it or you may be faced with becoming one of the "gutted" survivors.

Minimal Change Chronic Pancreatitis (scholar type articles):

1: article one
2: Pdf article two
3: article three
4: Pdf article four

Pancreatic Cancer: What Can You Do to Lessen the Risk?

This series on pancreatic cancer or cancer of the pancreas is not intended for the world at large. It is meant mainly for those who have been diagnosed with and still suffer from chronic pancreatitis because ...

As I mentioned in my previous post chronic pancreatitis increases the risk of pancreatic cancer. I have found through research that the culprit is the inflammation associated with chronic pancreatitis, I shared that also in the previous post and it is something you need to be aware of yet this is in no way intended to create fear; only awareness because ...

Cancer of the pancreas is insidious and hard to diagnose quickly because many of the symptoms are those you may already have with chronic pancreatitis. But that is NOT the only bad news concerning cancer of the pancreas. The worst is yet to come.

Pancreatic cancer is aggressive, persistent and does NOT respond to current medical protocols such as chemotherapy or radiation. The ONLY chance of survival seems to be with complete elimination of the cancer via surgery and surgery isn't a guarantee. If the cancer has metastasized (spread to lymph nodes or other organs) life expectancy is usually quite short with inoperable pancreatic cancer life expectancy measured in months.

Watch the follow videos and learn.

Part 2

Visit this site for indepth information on cancer of the pancreas.

Since inflammation of the pancreas is one of the risk factors of pancreatic cancer it seems obvious that whatever one can do to eliminate the inflammation should be done not only to lessen the risk of cancer but to also lessen the pain associated with chronic pancreatitis. So ...

Learn HOW to eliminate the inflammation!

The TWO most beneficial ways to fight inflammation in your pancreas, possibly heal your pancreas and/or lessen your chronic pancreatitis symptoms is to eat a highly anti-inflammatory diet and consume supplements that fight inflammation.

The interesting thing to note is that the supplements I use to fight inflammation in my pancreas also create apoptosis, programmed cancer cell death in some cancers but I could find no proof via studies that suggest they create pancreatic cancer cell death. Pancreatic cancer doesn't seem to die and so the best offense in this case seems to be a strong defense by honing in on the elimination of risk factors such as smoking (stop if you do), refined sugar consumption (sugar feeds cancer cells) and eliminate as much of your pancreas inflammation as possible.

Pancreatitis Diet

Foods That Fight Pancreas Inflammation

Pancreatitis Supplements

Aspirin May Lower Risk of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer: Chronic Pancreatitis Increases Risk

Unfortunately those who suffer from long-term chronic pancreatitis also have increased risk of dying
due to pancreatic cancer. So ...

What can YOU do to lessen the risk of pancreatic cancer since you have been diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis?

In order to completely understand what YOU can do to lessen your risk of pancreatic cancer you must first understand what may be the #1 initiator.

What is that initiator?

Chronic inflammation.

Chronic inflammation is linked to cancer, strongly linked.

In fact here is new evidence that backs up what I just said: Inflammation enhances pancreatic cancer cell progression and if this article isn't enough evidence for you here's another: Link Between Inflammation and Pancreatic Cancer Discovered

When someone is diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis what does that mean?

It means that person suffers from chronic pancreas inflammation doesn't it? Of course it does because pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. That is why long-term chronic pancreatitis is an increased risk factor for pancreatic cancer. But ...

Don't take my word for it here is more evidence that chronic pancreatitis is in fact a precursor for pancreatic cancer: Inflammation and Cancer V. Chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer

Now that you probably understand your increased risk for pancreatic cancer you may be even more inclined to do what it takes to prevent your chronic pancreatitis from escalating into pancreatic cancer but how, exactly, do you do that?

You need to stop or at least control the inflammation.

That is easier said than done for most people because ...

In order to stop the inflammation you are going to need to do things that you either don't want to do or find extremely difficult such as adhering to a completely pancreas friendly diet (a true pancreatitis diet), stop drinking and/or ingesting alcohol in any form and ...

Unfortunately there are those people who suffer from chronic pancreatitis due to underlying health conditions that are beyond their control such a cystic fibrosis, hyperlipidemia, autoimmune disease, and genetic conditions (hereditary pancreatitis). These conditions make it far more difficult to eliminate the inflammation, in the case of CF it's impossible due to the necessary CF diet. In cases of chronic pancreatitis challenged by an underlying disease or condition the most you may be able to do is to control the inflammation as much as possible.

I don't have all the answers.

There are many people who suffer with underlying conditions such as cystic fibrosis that simply won't respond to a hard core pancreatitis diet, in fact, in the case of cystic fibrosis what I do personally would probably kill a cystic fibrosis patient because the diet they have to eat in order to ward off some of the symptoms and challenges of CF is definitely NOT friendly to a damaged pancreas, but, they have no choice.

CF patients are screwed.

The rest of us have a chance, hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.

In my next post I'll address what YOU can do to lessen your risk of pancreatic cancer and of course heal your pancreas as mush as possible. Until then ...

Have a pain free day!

Genetic Factors Cause Pancreatitis

Listen while a doctor explains why your friend, family member or someone you know, who suffers pancreatitis, may not feel well due to the pain involved with pancreatitis.

If you think your friend, family member or co-worker is "malingering" or simply wants sympathy from you think again as this doctor explains that pancreatitis pain is worse than cancer. 

He then explains some of the genetic factors that may cause pancreatitis and reasons genetics may be involved.

So the next time you think your family member or friend is "faking the pain" remember the above video and try to imagine pain that may entice you to blow your brains out and end it - you may then get the picture

Does Cabbage Cause Pancreas Pain or Acute Pancreatitis?

Read ALL of this post because cabbage is as likely to cause pancreatitis pain or pancreas pain as you are of winning the lotto tonight or this week. Cabbage and other vegetables are NOT your enemy - they are your friend!! But ...

I can not say the same for pancreatitis support groups. 

I can not recommend support groups because most are comprised of sick people who do not learn and give off way to much BAD information and here is a VERY recent prime example:

Poster: "I have had CP for four years and only been in the hospital once but last night I thought I was on my way to ER. Has anyone had a problem with eating a cucumber or cabbage? I had both last night and was able to stay home with my pain meds but still not feeling too good. Just liquid and crackers for a few days."

Answer #1 "i eat cucumber every day and it does nothing-its one of my 'safe' foods but i gave up cabbage ages ago............... after an attack"

Answer # 2 "Haven't eaten cabbage, but do okay with cucumber. Hope you feel better soon :)"

Poster: "Thanks, guess I will skip the cabbage."

Now I can guarantee you cabbage is not the problem. Why would cucumber (a vegetable) cause ZERO problems while cabbage (also a vegetable FULL of antioxidants) does?

Does that make sense?

I am tired of wasting my time with people who enjoy being sick. That is why I have decided not to waste my time in support groups. I have told these same people and provided EVIDENCE to back up what I say yet they do NOT listen. So why waste the time? But ...

What really concerns me is that people who may want to learn how to heal join these support groups that are full of erroneous information and they get led by people who have not taken the time to do their due diligence and learn what is really the problem. Now ...

Could cabbage cause a problem?

ANYTHING is possible but I really doubt it. Cabbage causes gas in some people, just like broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables but farting is far cry from pancreas pain or an episode of acute pancreatitis isn't it?

So what may be the culprit?

First you need to know what the person ate WITH the cabbage. For example did she:

1) Have corned beef and cabbage? If so it was the corned beef causing the problem not the cabbage.

2) Put the cabbage in a salad such as cole slaw or top it with some sort of oily dressing? If so, then it was the mayo or oil that caused the problem.

3) If the poster would have said I ate the cabbage and cucumber raw with NOTHING else my next question would be what did you eat yesterday and the day before? I would ask this because ...


Raw or boiled cabbage (by itself) is as likely to be the cause of the posters complaint as you or I are of winning the lotto this week.

I eat TONS of cabbage. But ...

I NEVER eat it with beef or oily dressing. In fact I usually eat it raw or only cook it in some manner that does not require oil or animal fat (no oil, no fat, no grease, no pam spray, nothing) and top it with only spices like salt, pepper, garlic and sometimes cayenne pepper for some kick. Cabbage by itself has NEVER made me sick but I can tell you that BEEF and cabbage or cole slaw or something similar may make me VERY sick. But hell don't take my word for it because I am adding some vegetable research to back up what I say. So ...

Be sure to have corned beef and cabbage or cole slaw or some salad with cabbage smothered in an oily dressing tomorrow or this weekend, get sick and then ...

Blame the cabbage!

Vegetable research

Vegetables Help Stop Acute Pancreatitis

The medical community is finally catching up to things I have known for YEARS! They have finally figured out that vegetables are good for helping to control, even stop acute pancreatitis. They don't know why which doesn't surprise me but at least they have found out as you can read in a new study published in original form in the journal Gut on June 28, the link above is simply to an article about the study.

In 2009 they discovered antioxidants (15 years later than me) help pancreatitis pain, yet I know certain antioxidants go even farther by helping to actually stop acute pancreatitis attacks and heal pancreas damage. Grape seed, curcumin and vit C

Vegetables and or a vegan type diet is essential for healing your pancreas. I've been telling people for the last year or so to change from their normal fat filled, meat filled diets to vegetables. Especially during the first 6 months to a year after an acute pancreatitis attack. Then once the pancreas is healed you can add anti-inflammatory FISH (cold water, oily fish such as WILD salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, trout, cod, halibut, bass) along with some skinless poultry.

Why you need to do a food diary

Pancreatitis diet

Why My Pancreatitis Diet Is So Important

This is a short post cuz I really don't have anything else to say. If you have questions be sure to ask them because they may give me an idea for another blog post. If I know the answer I'll tell you and usually point you to science that will back me up. If I don't know the answer I'll tell you that too and most likely find one by doing some research.

Have a pain free day!

Pancreatitis Pain: How to Stop Pancreatitis Pain

Pancreatitis pain can be mild to severe. I can personally tell you from experience that you do not want to experience the severe form of pancreatitis pain but I'll wager that if you are reading this blog post about pancreatitis pain that you've been there, done that.

I can remember one acute pancreatitis attack I was kneeling over the toilet when my wife came in (I was married at the time) and she asked me something, probably "what was I doing?"

I asked her "are my guts still inside me?"

I actually remember asking her that exact question but according to her I wasn't real coherent and obviously in severe pain so she got my ass into the car and she drove me to the ER.

This was just one of my many acute pancreatitis attacks and I can say, without doubt, you never want to experience severe pancreatitis pain. Sometimes it felt like something (remember Alien where that giant wormy thing pops out of peoples abdomens?) was trying gnaw a way out and explode from my abdomen.

Pancreatitis pain, especially when severe, is debilitating. Most people can't even phathom what it is like; however if you can imagine the pain associated with pancreatic cancer you are most likely close because pancreatic cancer patients often suffer from acute pancreatitis. So one could say pancreatitis pain is similar to pancreatic cancer pain, which may or may not be true.

Normal medical protocol is to treat pancreatitis pain with opiates such as demerol, morphine and morphine derivities. I've had demerol and it did absolutely nothing. It didn't even take the edge off my pancreatitis pain.

I've talked with several people who have had demerol for different types of pain. It was used years ago to reduce or eliminate pain from surgery and people who had experienced demerol told me it was a wonderful time for them. They flew high in the sky for an hour or two and felt nothing but pleasure.

I thought " how nice for them, isn't doing shit for me!"

I was diagnosed with acute and chronic pancreatitis in 1979.

It took 7 ER visits and half a dozen other doctors to finally figure out what was wrong with me. I don't want to go in to it in this article but let's just say I found out why doctors call their business a "practice."

I was sicker than a dying dog for several years. Then ...

I started drinking grapefruit juice.

I believe I started in early 1982 but get this ...

My acute pancreatitis attacks stopped.

My pancreatitis pain was far less severe and 30 years later I find research on the internet that specifically states that flavonoids, found in grapefruit juice, STOP acute pancreatitis in rats and actually protect their pancreas.  Ok ...

So maybe I am part rat!

All I know is that grapefruit juice stopped my acute pancreatitis and protected my pancreas long before it protected rats. You are most likely shakin' your head thinking this guys a nut so here - READ THIS! Scientists discovered in 2004 what I discovered in 1982, that unsweetened, white grapefruit juice stops acute pancreatitis but ...

At the time I thought it was my low fat diet and the drug called Robinul that my doctor had prescribed starting to kick in. I wasn't smart enough to realize that I'd been on that drug for about three (3) years already and it was most likely something else. Since my really low fat diet was new (within about 6 months) I just chalked it all up to the diet and the drug. But ...

The real winner was the grapefruit juice and ...

Unsweetend, white grapefruit juice can be found at any grocery store.

Fast forward about 12 years to 1994.

In 1994 I discovered antioxidants.

In fact I learned about several very special, highly anti-inflammatory antioxidants that are so powerful they literally stop pancreatitis pain and with diet allowed my pancreas to heal.

As it turns out the medical community stumbled upon my previous discovery as well and published the results of a study done by Pramod Kumar Garg, MD, DM, of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi in 2009. Dr. Garg states: "We are encouraged by our findings, as significant improvement was noted with antioxidants in respect to all the parameters of pain in this study. In addition, reduction in pain resulted in fewer man-days lost, thus providing functional employment gain to the patients. The findings should spur further research in this exciting area."

It took the good doctor 15 years more than me to figure out that certain, very powerful antioxidants help pancreatitis pain. Unfortunately the good doctor used antioxidants, such as selenium that can be toxic at high doses whereas I chose NON-toxic, highly anti-inflammatory antioxidants like grape seed extract, curcumin and vitamin C.

Taken in theraputic doses they will help to control pancreatitis pain and with an anti-inflammatory diet for pancreatitis you may heal like I did and enjoy some pain free years.

Is it worth a shot to change your diet and try some supplements?

If you said yes, then go get the supplements.

You can get grape seed, curcumin, vitamin C, pancreatic enzymes and a muti vitamin/mineral formula at any good health store. Just make sure that the vitamin C, grape seed and curcumin are "stand alone" products. You don't want grape seed, curcumin or vitamin C that is mixed with a bunch of other crap that could be toxic when taken in large amounts.

Posts about how to stop pancreatitis pain:

1) Ibuprofen for acute pancreatitis

2) What happens during an acute pancreatitis attack

3) Pancreatitis diet

4) Supplements for pancreatitis