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Treatments for Pancreatitis
Treatments for pancreatitis will usually consist of two basic types.
Emergency Care
The first will be for emergency care that you get during an inflammation. These flare-ups can be extremely painful and dangerous and often times require hospitalization.
I hate going to the hospital but sometimes there is just no way that I could be treated for the extreme pain that comes from an acute attack of pancreatitis without a hospital stay.
During a hospital stay you will usually get intravenous pain meds and fluids.
In my case they also try to get my blood sugars under control. These tend to soar during a Pancreatic attack when my Pancreas is inflamed.
I usually also need laxatives. The pain meds tend to slow my bowels down and I need to keep things moving to avoid a blockage.
Since I already suffer from Gastroparesis or slowing of the stomach and Ileus or slowing of the bowels it’s important to start this treatment early.
Steps During Pancreatitis
A standard beginning treatment for pancreatitis is generally to hospitalize the patient for bed rest and cease any food or fluid intake through the mouth.
This allows the pancreas time to cool down and become less inflamed. The fasting allows the pancreas to take a break from the requirements of secreting digestive enzymes required to digest food.
Many times the doctors will order IV fluids to keep the patient hydrated and allow some nourishment. For extended fasting a tube can even be inserted into the small intestine past the pancreas to allow nourishment.
The pain experienced during an attack can be severe and can require narcotics to control. These can be introduced either intravenously or through intramuscular shots to avoid the pancreas.
If a gallstone is the cause of the pancreatitis, an ERCP may be ordered for removing the stones that are blocking the bile duct.
In pancreatitis that may be the result of elevated blood triglyceride levels the fasting alone may reduce those levels and medication can also be prescribed to help with their maintenance once the patient starts eating again.
The treatments for pancreatitis after a flare up can be changes in diet or lifestyle, different drugs to help treat the issues, or in worst cases surgery may be considered to correct deformities of the pancreas or to clear blockages.
Ongoing Pancreatitis Care
Once the flare up has cooled and the pain diminished your Doctor will probably try to determine how the flare up occurred and what can be done to avoid one in the future.
