5 misconceptions about pancreatitis
Only a few modern townspeople do not experience problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Too tense rhythm of life, stress, poor ecology and improper diet lead to dysfunctions of the digestive system, the most important of which is the pancreas. The number of patients with pancreatitis increases annually; the disease is rapidly growing younger. Meanwhile, with regard to the treatment regimens for inflammation of the pancreas, there have been no changes since the 1980s. Today, as before, the main methods are following a strict diet and taking enzymes.
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Often, people suffering from chronic pancreatitis look for alternative ways to get rid of the disease, but usually such attempts (like self-medication with pharmaceutical drugs) only exacerbate the problem. There are many misconceptions associated with the treatment of pancreatitis. Today we will try to comment on the most common ones.
Enzyme preparations are addictive
Pancreatic enzymes are needed to break down proteins, carbohydrates and fats in the intestines. With pancreatitis, their production is impaired, as a result of which the body suffers from their deficiency; systemic disorders of the functions of the digestive tract develop, which entails very unpleasant consequences for the whole organism.
In such a situation, taking enzyme preparations is, in fact, a substitution therapy. The fear that the pancreas against the background of such treatment will become "lazy" and stop working at all has no basis. When a stable remission is achieved, the condition improves, the normal production of enzymes resumes.
Plant enzymes are as effective as animals
Enzyme preparations for the treatment of pancreatitis are made from the pancreas of pigs. These products contain a balanced and most suitable for humans set of enzymes (proteases, amylases and lipases).
Medicines are also made from plant materials. Supporters of their use argue that these drugs are better absorbed and safer for health than products of animal origin, but by now it has been established that plant enzymes are ineffective. Experts believe that they can be used only in the initial stages of pancreatitis.
There are alcoholic beverages that are harmless to the pancreas
This is not true. Alcohol is dangerous for the pancreas, even in minimal doses. A person suffering from pancreatitis should decisively exclude any alcohol-containing foods from their diet.
High doses of enzyme preparations are hazardous to health
When prescribing substitution therapy, the doctor determines the dosage regimen of drugs, guided by information about the stage of the disease and other individual characteristics of the patient. In such a situation, overdose is excluded.
The opinion that the minimum amount of enzyme agents or their one-time intake can solve the problem is false and even dangerous. Chronic pancreatitis is time consuming; some people take enzyme preparations for years. So far, no side effects of long-term therapy have been identified.
By taking enzymes, you can go without a diet
Enzyme replacement therapy is not an alternative to diet. Those suffering from pancreatitis need to carefully monitor their diet. To get rid of the disease, you will have to reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed, give up fatty, fried and spicy foods, fast food, canned food, smoked meats, and any alcoholic products.
In the diet of these patients, a strict balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates must be observed. It is equally important to maintain a diet: take food at the same time, fractionally (often, in small portions), do not eat at night. The total calorie intake of the daily diet is usually determined individually, depending on the stage of the disease and the needs of the person.
The success of treatment for pancreatitis directly depends on compliance with all the doctor's recommendations. You cannot arbitrarily interrupt the intake of enzymes or reduce the prescribed dosage: the disappearance of unpleasant symptoms does not always indicate a complete recovery.
It is important to monitor your diet. If pancreatitis is diagnosed, some products will have to say goodbye forever. However, this does not mean giving up the usual way of life. Patients with pancreatic pathologies have access to delicious dietary meals, normal work load, active rest and sports.
It is dangerous to start the disease. Ignoring medical recommendations (especially gross errors in nutrition) can lead to complications: intestinal obstruction, hepatic or renal failure, diabetes mellitus and other metabolic disorders. The development of malignant tumors is not excluded. That is why, at the first signs of pancreatic inflammation, you need to visit a doctor and carefully adhere to the prescribed treatment.
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Maria Kulkes Medical journalist About the author
Education: First Moscow State Medical University named after I. M. Sechenov, specialty "General Medicine".
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