The main symptom of sudden (acute) pancreatitis is sudden moderate to severe pain in the upper area of the belly (abdomen). Occasionally the pain is mild. but the pain may feel as though it bores through the abdomen to the back. Sitting up or leaning forward sometimes makes the pain less. Other symptoms of an attack of pancreatitis are:
?Nausea and vomiting.
?Fever.
?Fast heart rate.
?Sweating.
?Yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes (jaundice).
?Shock.
Long-term (chronic) pancreatitis also causes severe pain in the upper abdomen. as the condition progresses, fat may be released into your stools, indicating that your body is not absorbing fat and protein. as a result, you may have diarrhea and lose weight. You also could develop diabetes if your pancreas no longer produces enough insulin.
Other conditions that have similar symptoms include bowel obstruction, appendicitis, cholecystitis, peptic ulcer disease, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
The link I used is below. I hope this helps.
Good luck.
Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is a large gland behind the stomach and close to the duodenum. The duodenum is the upper part of the small intestine. The pancreas secretes digestive enzymes into the small intestine through a tube called the pancreatic duct. These enzymes help digest fats, proteins, and carbohydrates in food. The pancreas also releases the hormones insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream. These hormones help the body use the glucose it takes from food for energy.
Normally, digestive enzymes do not become active until they reach the small intestine, where they begin digesting food. but if these enzymes become active inside the pancreas, they start "digesting" the pancreas itself.
Acute pancreatitis occurs suddenly and lasts for a short period of time and usually resolves. Chronic pancreatitis does not resolve itself and results in a slow destruction of the pancreas. either form can cause serious complications. in severe cases, bleeding, tissue damage, and infection may occur. Pseudocysts, accumulations of fluid and tissue debris, may also develop. and enzymes and toxins may enter the bloodstream, injuring the heart, lungs, and kidneys, or other organs.
Symptoms of acute pancreatitis:
Severe abdominal pain
Upper abdominal pain
Central abdominal pain
Abdominal swelling
Abdominal tenderness
Nausea
Vomiting
Fever
Sweating
Rapid pulse
Dehydration
Low blood pressure
Shock
Symptoms of chronic pancreatitis:
Back pain
Abdominal pain
Weight loss
Diabetes -
Malabsorption -