DEAR DR. GOTT:
My son, who is in late 50s, has had perfect health all his life. Now, suddenly, he has developed what his doctors call “pancreatitis”.

More than a year ago, he started having attacks of incapacitating, excruciating abdominal pain about every two weeks. Each attack lasts a few days and then goes away.

He has no health insurance and waited a long time before seeing a doctor. He was told that he needed gallbladder removal because the doctor was 98% sure that this was the problem. However, after having the surgery, the attacks returned every two weeks, exactly as before.

DEAR READER:
Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas (a gland that produces digestive juices, insulin and glucagon). There are two types of pancreatitis, acute and chronic, both of which can be life-threatening. [Read more...]