1. What are the long-term consequences of pancreatitis?
Acute pancreatitis usually causes no long term damage, and often no further problems develop. Chronic pancreatitis may follow a series of acute attacks, but is almost always due to many years of alcohol abuse. It causes permanent pancreatic damage with scarring and calcium deposits. Some people develop
diabetes. There is often difficulty digesting foods, especially fats, causing abdominal pain, pale, bulky, greasy stools and loss of weight.
Symptoms can often be controlled but the damage to the pancreas is usually irreversible.^ Back to top
2. What are the treatment options for pancreatitis?
Treatment depends upon the symptoms. If they are absent or mild, there may be no treatment. Acute pancreatitis causes severe pain that needs drug treatment and often causes vomiting with fluid loss that needs replacement by vein. Your doctor may suggest 'resting the pancreas' by a spectrum of options ranging from not eating solid foods to a low-fat diet and frequent small meals. If you have chronic pancreatitis your doctor will strongly advise you to refrain from drinking alcohol. A low fat diet and oral pancreatic enzyme replacement are other possible choices.
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3. Do elevated lipase levels always mean I have a pancreatic condition?
In
pancreatitis, the lipase rises quickly, but begins to drop in about 4 days. In other conditions, the rise is usually not as great, and the level is maintained for a longer period. Your doctor is the best one to determine if you have a pancreatic disorder based on your symptoms, medical history, and test results.
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