What caused my pancreatitis? I see questions in my Beating Pancreatitis Support Group on a regular basis. It’s often disguised in different phrasing but it amounts to the same question. Here’s the deal:
What Caused My Pancreatitis?
Almost everyone in my Beating Pancreatitis Support Group has asked or wondered this question. It’s a very important question, especially IF you have just experienced your first attack of acute pancreatitis. It’s important to find the cause in order to stop any recurrence if possible because …
The more acute pancreatitis attacks you experience the more your pancreas will be damaged which could and often does lead to a “chronic” condition. So …
Don’t let them (doctors) sit on their thumbs acting stupid, telling you that your case is idiopathic because “Idiopathic” simply means you have an ignorant, lazy doctor. And that’s the real truth.
BECAUSE …
NO Pancreas EVER Became Inflamed For No Reason!
GET THIS: There is ALWAYS A REASON. Tell them to find it asap. It’s important. In fact it could mean the difference between you healing up nicely and never having another episode or progressing to the chronic stage of continual suffering.
It’s your job to make sure you find out because I think there’s a more insidious reason they won’t tell you what the real cause is and just say it’s “idiopathic” instead of looking for the actual cause and resolving it if possible. That reason is M.O.N.E.Y. Understand this: well and cured you are worthless after the first episode and repair. Dead you are also worthless after they have sold off your body parts but …
Chronically ill with pancreatitis you’re a gold mine of revenue
Chronically ill you are a “manageable” gold mine, a cash cow. With enough damage from recurrent acute pancreatitis you become a chronic stream of revenue for the hospitals, attending physicians, radiologists, lab techs, etc, etc, etc.
The Most Likely Causes of Pancreatitis
The most likely list of reasons, not necessarily in order, are:
Gallstones are the #1 cause but stick with me there’s more!
1) Gallstones are the #1 cause of acute pancreatitis. The gallbladder spews stones after a high fat meal and one or two or three get stuck in the common bile duct or worse the pancreatic duct and soon your pancreas is inflamed due to the enzymes activating while still inside your pancreas and those enzymes begin digesting your pancreas. Not fun.
2) Alcohol (especially if you have a genetic variant) is the #2 cause right now with drug induced pancreatitis coming on strong in third place. Just because you drink alcohol occasionally doesn’t mean you’re going to get pancreatitis. Alcoholic pancreatitis usually takes one of these two things:
- Heavy alcohol consumption over time OR
- The genetic variant that predisposes you to alcoholic pancreatitis
3) Big pharma drugs (drug induced pancreatitis is way more common than they want you to know). What drugs are the most suspect?
- Diabetes drugs, especially GLP-1 class (Byetta, Victoza, Ozempic, Trulicity, etc) because they contain Gila Monster venom. SGLT-2 inhibitors such as canagliflozin (Invokana), ertugliflozin (Steglatro), dapagliflozin (Farxiga) and empagliflozin (Jardiance) can also be a problem cause.
- Heart drugs such as ACE Inhibitors (Lisinopril contains snake venom), diuretics such as furosemide and thiazides contain sulfa and the pancreas doesn’t seem to like sulfa.
- Immunosuppressants used to combat organ transplant rejection and autoimmune diseases.
- Narcotics (Morphine and derivatives) have been proven by rechallenge.
- Antibiotics (sulfa drugs such as Bactrim (sulfa drug); tetracyclines, erythromycin; and many more)
- Analgesics such as Tylenol.
- Cancer drugs
- Statins used to lower cholesterol
- Anticoagulants (Eliquis, Pradaxa, Etc) contain snake venom. Yes, those clot busting drugs used to stop strokes contain snake venom.
4) Viruses/bacteria. Viruses: epstein barr, consackie, covid, etc. And Bacteria such as: H. pylori
5) Congenital defects such as Pancreas Divisum
6) Venoms. Snake, spider, scorpion, bee, catapiller, cone snail, blue ringed octopus, jelly fish, etc
7) Abdominal trauma.
8) Cancer. Acute pancreatitis can be the first sign of pancreatic cancer
9) Autoimmune diseases such as: Lupus, RA, UC, Crohn’s, Sjogren’s, Celiac Disease.
10) Hormone fluctuations (estrogen), as seen during pregnancy and/or period time
11) Genetics (testing will indicate what genetic variants may be contributing).
12) Hyperlipidemia aka high cholesterol/blood fats
13) Calcium. High calcium blood levels.
14) Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction
15) Intestinal Parasites
This is NOT a complete list of potential suspects that answer the question: What caused my pancreatitis. But the above list gives you a place to have them start the discovery process. The sooner you find the REAL, ACTUAL CAUSE and fix it, if possible, the better. IF …
You get flack, hesitation, any bs, please FIND ANOTHER DOCTOR because the one in front of you is USELESS.