Just googled pancreatitis and found something courious

[napi21]

Acute pancreatitis is usually caused by gallstones or by drinking too much alcohol, but these aren't the only causes. If alcohol use and gallstones are ruled out, other possible causes of pancreatitis should be carefully examined so that appropriate treatment--if available--can begin.

Surely you don't think the AG is drinking too much, do you???????

[Dookus]

1. by all accounts

he doesn't drink at all.

[pacifictiger]

2. in holistic health circles

those types of complaints are made worse by judgemental attitudes, anger, ridgidity, etc. I think that fits don't you?

[Fenris]

3. He drinks the blood of non-Christians, but that's about it.

[ClintonTyree]

4. Copious amounts.................

of Vaseline applied to one's scalp have also been linked to the disease. It seems that after entering the scalp follicles, deposits form in the gall bladder thus enhancing the risk of this form of affliction.
Rousing choruses of "Let the Eagle be Sore" seem to help temporarily, but long term use of said petroleum products is a one way ticket to disaster, say un-named medical professionals.

[politick]

5. IS this true?

about the vaseline?

(And "Let the Eagle Soar" is a beautiful song, btw ;) )

[indepat]

16. What I would give for your gift!

[cryofan]

6. A nurse told me that disease is strictly an alcoholic's disease

Remember when they had to fly a doctor out of Antarctics a couple of years ago because he had pancreastitis? Well, a nurse told me that she wondered how he ever got sent down there because that disease was strictly an alcoholic's disease.

from google:
"Around half of all people with chronic pancreatitis are heavy drinkers or alcoholics, which makes alcohol consumption one of the most common causes"

But the rest are due to gallstones. Isn't that what the news is saying, that he has gallstones?

[Piperay]

7. Gee...

my Standard Poodle had pancreatitis a few years back and he was really really sick, thought he might die but the vet saved him. I'm sure that he never drank any alcohol, of course I had to be gone some so perhaps he got into my liquor. :shrug: ;-)

[Scout]

12. my Labrador Retriever has it too!

no alcohol for her! she has to eat a low fat diet for the pancreatitis, and has food allergies too ... so she gets a nice low-fat venison and potato kibble (or I make it homemade when we have venison).

[pacifictiger]

11. actually

gallbladder problems that are making the pancreatitis worse, are from an overloaded liver which can be due to a number of things. The liver is the body's filtration system to purify the blood and can be overloaded by many things including alcohol - coffee, pesticides, polluted air chemicals absorbed into the blood through the lungs, synthetic medications, too much fat or the wrong combination in diet, not drinking enough water, etc. etc. All body systems work together and when one is affected, the others try to compensate and in turn are often overloaded.

[0007]

13. My best friend, a doctor said the same thing -

The doc pointed out the puffiness in the face and particularly around Ashcroft's eyes are a dead give away.

[DoYouEverWonder]

15. Only in men

the disease is more common in women but for different reasons.

However, Asscrack's docs said they'd never seen this severe a case in a man who didn't have a history of alcoholism. I'm beting that Asscrack is a closet alcoholic. That may be why he's such a rigid fundamentalist, they usually turn out to be the biggest hypocrites.

[annagull]

8. he got it from wiping his ass with the Bill of Rights for 3 years

Thanks to Bill Maher for that joke :-)

[Hekate]

9. It can also be caused by medications to treat other ailments

My husband is currently in remission from severe, chronic colitis. I say "in remission" because before he finally went to a gastroenterologist and got it under control it looked like he might have to take a disability retirement and just stay home and bleed, although if he retires we lose medical benefits--well, I'm sure you all know that story. Dick Cheney probably doesn't have to worry too much about retaining his excellent medical plan if he is forced to retire, and from my point of view it would be just wonderful if he shipped back to whatever level of Hell he hails from.

Kinda got off track.

Pancreatitis: After a year on the very powerful meds he'll probably have to take the rest of his life, including immunosuppressants, my husband's blood tests looked rather iffy to his doc, who started to tinker with his meds. Turns out that one possible side effect is pancreatitis--which, let me tell you, can kill. A friend's adult niece was in the ICU for three months and not really expected to live. Anyhow, tinkering with the meds made his blood and pacreas look better, but caused a bit of a relapse...

My husband has never been able to drink more than a little because of his gut, and now with these meds if he has any alcohol it could kill him. No chance of alcoholism here.

My mother and several female friends all suffered badly with gallstones that had to be removed. I think it was Mark Twain that quoted the old-time doctors' dictum that the typical sufferer was "female, fair, fat, and forty." None of them were ever more than moderate drinkers, but they all fit Twain's description. Aside from the pain, if left untreated the stones can sometimes block up the pancreas, leading to...

So while I have no sympathy for Dick Cheney's troubles, they are not necessarily brought about by alcoholism. The man's body has been trying to kill him off for quite some time now, and this may just be another system that is quitting on him.

Hekate

[REP]

10. He Has Gallstone Pancreatitis

From the Merck Manual (emphasis added):

Stones in bile ducts, although less frequent than in the gallbladder, are the most common cause of extrahepatic obstructive jaundice and may lead to serious or lethal infection (cholangitis), pancreatitis, or chronic liver disease. An obstructed biliary tree quickly becomes colonized, usually with gram-negative bacteria. The resulting cholangitis becomes an important source of bacteremia and systemic infection. Early endoscopic or surgical decompression is usually indicated.


Calculi that have passed from the gallbladder into the common bile duct may move quietly into the duodenum, may remain silent for long periods in the duct, or may partially obstruct the terminal duct, producing transient or persistent pain, jaundice, pancreatitis, or infection. These complications are usually preceded by recurrent episodes of colic. However, some patients (usually elderly) whose gallbladder stones have never caused cholecystitis or gallbladder colic may present with ductal obstruction.

Back to me: additionally, it can lead to diabetes as well as chronic liver disease. Removing the gallbladder usually leaves the patient with chronic painful diarrhea as well.

[0007]

14. I hate to be ugly, but.................

[donhakman]

17. OK look at this

[megatherium]

18. My Baptist brother wasn't a drinker at all, and had this.

He had his gallbladder removed and several other operations over the span of three months. He was hospitalized on IV for the duration. He's recovered now, thank goodness. I believe the disease is connected to obesity (my brother was 300+ lbs). The gallstones that trigger the disease are made of cholesterol.