I went to see Lawrence yesterday (the PAC at my PCP…heh) and he did some poking around on my stomach, took some blood, send me home various implements with which to collect various bodily fluids (I know, TMI) and gave me a strong antacid.
The pain has been so weird. It’s like hunger pains that go all the way through to my back. Hunger pains that roll over with a strong amount of pressure. It triggers the ol’ gag reflex, and is generally terribly uncomfortable, which is why I went to the doctor. I’m used to heartburn discomfort, but this is something completely different. So anyway, I came home with the hope that the Protonix would do the trick.
It didn’t. Usually the weirdo pain would ease a little if I ate. Not anymore. So I just kept on eating. The phone rang, and it was Lawrence. He told me my white count was elevated, and he’d like me to come in for an ultrasound. Nowish. He said to wait for someone to call me and then I would come on in. During our conversation, he speculated that it could be a pancreas problem. Nala called and said that they’d do the ultrasound tomorrow, but if the pain increased at all or if I started throwing up or having any additional abdomen pain I should go to the ER.
I went to the ER. The pain was constant, about 7 on a scale of 1 to 10 rather than the 5 it was before, and I had wicked cramping in my abdomen. After an ultrasound, a bunch of X-rays, and a LOT of bloodwork they determined that I have acute pancreatitis. See below:
It’s not very exciting, is it? The whole ER visit took about 3 1/2 hours and they gave me something via IV before I left that made me LOOOPED. I slept great, but feel today pretty much today like I did yesterday. I guess it’s going to take a while to get to feeling better.
It is a relief to at least know what is wrong. Here come some lifestyle changes.