What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of pancreatitis begin as an attack of acute pancreatitis. You will experience a gradual or sudden severe abdominal pain. Pain usually begins in the upper abdomen and penetrates to your back. Your breathing may become shallow because deep breathing causes more pain. This pain continues for days and may get worse if you eat or drink alcohol. You may get some relief from the pain by sitting up and leaning forward. Other symptoms include nausea and vomiting, fever, swelling of the abdomen, rapid pulse, high or low blood pressure, shock, feelings of faintness, and jaundice (a yellowing of the skin or whites of eyes). The symptoms of acute pancreatitis are similar to chronic pancreatitis. However, as the pancreas becomes unable to produce the enzymes your body needs to digest and absorb nutrients, fats and proteins are not digested or absorbed. This is called exocrine failure. It causes frequent, foul smelling bowel movements. As the disease progresses, the pancreas loses its ability to make insulin. This is called endocrine failure. The pain occurs more often and lasts longer. You will begin to lose weight and show symptoms of diabetes, including increased thirst, appetite, urination, fatigue, and weight loss. Although it is unusual, chronic pancreatitis can lead to pancreatic cancer. In very severe cases called necrotizing pancreatitis, the pancreatic tissue begins to die from the tissue damage. In patients with necrotizing pancreatitis, the area between the ribs and the hip bone will be reddish-purple or greenish-brown, called Turner’s sign. Or, the area around the navel may be bluish, called Cullen's sign. Both conditions are caused by the pancreas bleeding into the abdomen. Other serious complications of chronic pancreatitis include kidney, respiratory, and heart failure due to shock; blood clots; pancreatic abscess (a collection of pus that results in infection); and pancreatic pseudocyst. Pancreatic pseudocyst occurs when dead pancreatic tissue, blood, white blood cells, enzymes, and fluid leaked from the circulatory system grow together. Pseudocysts can abscess and rupture.