Pancreatitis and pipes

[collindow]

Yeah, I'll have to say the whole "kickbacks" thing kind of offends me as well. I can guarantee you one thing, and one thing only; that my father has never accepted any sort of bribe to prescribe a drug. He does exactly what he thinks is best for his patients.

He used to laugh at home at the drug reps who would give him things, and prescribe cheaper and/or better alternatives to his patients.

Like I said earlier, he is a pulmonologist. Well, and a critical care guy, a surgeon, and a general health doc. And the heart. His first advice to every patient he sees is to quit smoking. However, when he says that, he is referring to cigarettes. He acknowledges the deleterious effects of any kind of tobacco usage, but says the pipes and cigars, when NOT inhaled, cause few enough issues so as to not worry about, except in some cases.
Don't worry about smoking your pipe. It'll help to relax you, and make the days easier as your doc helps you through your pancreatitis. And get well soon.

 

[jship079]

Seakayak another cause of pancreatitis is medication some medication can cause it I know a woman who was admitted to the hospital she does not drink, smoke, no gale bladder disease any thing. She is a lukimia surviver and they told her some medications can cause it and it was most likely her medication. she said they continued to ask her if she drank because it is almost always related to drinking which is what they told me. So I would say to you that if you are looking for things to do that will cause you unreasonable risk its drinking hang that up (if you do it) and keep the pipe.

 

[seakayak]

Interesting you should mention medication, jship. I've been on Atenolol for blood pressure since last year and just read about the connection between BP meds and pancreatitis. Maybe I aught to speak with the Cardiologist about discontinuing the Atenolol and going with a trial of pipe smoking to control my pressure. Let's think outside the box here:0)

 

[krgulick]

Sorry to step on toes, but it does seem with some doctors that they are writing a prescription for or are promoting certain drugs very much. I do not think all are like that, but the ones that I have had personal contact with seem very much interested in getting you on certain drugs for certain conditions. Where maybe a change in diet or other things would alleviate the condition just as well.

 

[cornguy]

Seakayak, I've been on high-blood pressure medication for several years and it appears to be working quite well because when I get my checkups my bp is just fine. I don't even want to think about any side-effects. (Too much medical information)

In fact, I'm doing my favorite high-blood pressure exercise right now. It's very relaxing and invloves my personal trainer, Prince Albert whose office is in Carter Hall. He's being assisted by a Country Gentleman.

Here's to your good health.

 

[dubinthedam]

Smoking is bad for your health, all forms. It also makes your recovery from any illness longer. Take more snuff and smoke less is the best advice I can give.

 

[seakayak]

Update: I've discontinued the Atenolol (with doctor's blessing) for a trial period since my readings have been on the low side lately. GI doc took my BP this afternoon and it was 100/70. He was very pleased. It appears that my pipes are effective tools for the control of high blood pressure. It all gets back to my original questions about "unreasonable risks".

I know that Atenolol can contribute to pancreatitis. I have, thus far, found no direct connection between pipe smoking and pancreatitis. Unless some new research surfaces, it appears the BP meds present a greater immediate risk than the pipes I will speak with my Cardiologist on Monday, but initial signs point to pipe tobacco as a safer "alternative treatment" for many who suffer from both high blood pressure and pancreatitis.

 

[jrtaster]

what a coincidence! read this thread two days after being released from the hospital after being diagnosed/treated for acute pancreatitis. ultasound tests ruled out gallstones (the drs' first guess) and my wife convinced them that i wasn't a chronic drinker (they didn't believe me!), their second guess. i hadn't been bit by a scorpion(the ER doc's humorous stab).

treatment in the hospital was basically non-drug based...just do/eat nothing to "aggravate" the pancreas, but a second insulin was added to deal with the astronomical spikes in my blood sugar (i was diagnosed with diabetes more than 15 years ago)

no direct cause was ever specified so "drug interaction" was the inferential cause.

the discharge orders specified a bland diet, and drastic reduction in caffeine intake and "smoking." the drugs suspected were of course discontinued and now my own drs. are trying to find effective replacements for them.

blood sugars remain high. never much of a coffee drinker so caffeine reduction wasn't hard. i tend to smoke less in very hot and very cold weather since i can only smoke outdoors. thus i had already greatly reduced my pipe smoking for a good month or more prior to the attack which hospitalized me.

the point of this rambling is that rich diets, smoking and caffeine are the general whipping boys, probably because they DO AGGRAVATE many such disorders. i will try to moderate diet, smoking, drinking and caffeine because to do otherwise just seems foolish BUT I WILL NOT GIVE UP ANY OF THESE VICES simply as a result of this incident.

 

[seakayak]

Welcome aboard jr. I've arrived at the same conclusion. I don't drink. I needed to reduce dietary fats with or without the pancreas issue and have already done so. The pipe will remain as a "reasonable risk" at least until I find hard evidence to the contrary.