I figured I should post an update on my pancreatic adventures since early May, now that I've had all kinds of tests completed. The simple answer is that all of the tests came up normal. The doctors couldn't find any clear cause of the acute pancreatitis. They call it idiopathic pancreatitis when no apparent cause can be found.
On June 12, I had an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) done, which is a fancy medical term for an abdomen MRI with contrast for the area around the pancreas. All of the results turned out to be normal, with the exception of a fatty liver, which I already knew about. In my case, the liver has fatty deposits throughout, most likely as a result of a long-term high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. Luckily, a fatty liver can traditionally be reversed over time with a healthy diet.
A blood test taken while I was in the hospital for any autoimmune diseases also came back negative.
I had a conversation with my primary care physician on June 20, and while he admitted this was a highly unusual case of pancreatitis with no known cause, he felt that a poor diet leading to a high level of triglycerides in my blood (hypertriglyceridemia), the third most common cause of pancreatitis, was the most plausible cause in my case. A couple days into my hospital stay, they had checked for this. They informed me then that while my triglycerides were high, they weren't high enough to cause pancreatitis. My doctor on June 20, however, believes it's possible that I did have hypertriglyceridemia upon admittance at the hospital, and after fasting for 2-3 days, the triglyceride levels might have decreased significantly.
For my own sanity, I have to go with that being the likely cause of the pancreatitis. Being on a low-fat diet and avoiding alcohol for the rest of my life should result in a healthy body and a decreased likelihood of any recurrence. I'm also back to brisk walking again now that I'm feeling good and back to a 2000-calorie daily intake. Exercise and diet should hopefully bring down my triglyceride levels and cholesterol.
Out of curiosity, I asked my doctor what my lipase level was when I was admitted to the hospital. Lipase, a pancreatic enzyme, is normally found in the blood at 11-82 units per liter (U/L). With pancreatitis, the lipase level might be about three to six times that amount. When I was admitted to the hospital, it was 8000+ U/L, which was WAY more than six times the normal level. Three weeks after being released from the hospital, my lipase level was back to a normal 46 U/L.
At this point, I must close this chapter of my life and recognize that all I can do is choose a healthier lifestyle and hope for the best. Hopefully, this is the last post that I write that has anything to do with my pancreas!
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