pancreatitis from MS meds?
 

I have been having a tummy issue for months now. I havent stopped whining. The MS guys said it was the MS hug, maybe. The surgeon guy said my intestine keeps flipping back and forth. The GI guy said it is irritible bowel. I have flairs and remissions and its been awful. it can be extremely painful.

Last night had a huge flair, and went the the ER, so we could finally get a picture or CT during the storm. It turns out to be flairs of pancreatitis, and it showed on CT as inflammation, and my LFTs were up. The ER MD is convinced that after looking at my list of meds, the copaxone is keeping this stirred up.

I cant begin to describe just how sick I was last night. We have searched long and hard for why this keeps happening. The big girl MS center is going to make me the topic of discussion for the weekly meeting tomorrow. One of the MDs wants me to keep taking copaxone, even if it is the root cause. :eek:

Has anyone else ever heard of this? I have not seen it in any research that copaxone can "cause" this, but from what I understand it can keep it unhappy. Im tired of being this intense level of sick. Something has to give. even if its dropping the needles, and going to CAM.

So sorry that this stuff keeps kicking you Dejibo!

Your symptoms sound a lot like what my grandmother went through for years. She was not on any meds and did not have MS, just IBS and kinking intestines that would hit her out of no where. She often had pancreatitis as well.

Jim's gastro told him he most likely has an ulcer from all the meds he takes. The only way to stop the trouble is to stop the meds. Not an option.

Hope you get it figured out. Did it become more intense after the steroids? If it is the shot I don't blame you for wanting to stop it.

Sorry that you are in so much pain. My first thought was the steroids too as they can cause major tummy problems. I had to go on nexium after my experience with the 'roids and have not been able to go off of them. I also have ongoing problems with IBS. However, this seems to be an ongoing problem for you. I would go off of the copaxone if it is the likely culprit. Of course that is easy for me to say since I could not tolerate it. Take care!

So sorry Dej. :( :hug:

The Terrible 3s...Spring, Stress and Steroids.:eek:

(((Dej)))...so sorry, dear...

Dej,
For the Professional (non consumer) information

Copaxone

Side Effects & Drug Interactions

Digestive:

Infrequent: Dry mouth, stomatitis, burning sensation on tongue, cholecystitis, colitis, esophageal ulcer, esophagitis, gastrointestinal carcinoma, gum hemorrhage, hepatomegaly, increased appetite, melena, mouth ulceration, pancreas disorder, pancreatitis, rectal hemorrhage, tenesmus, tongue discoloration, and duodenal ulcer.

Dej, An excellent Oncologist I had to see, for a rare Copaxone disorder, it gave me, said infrequent means 1:1000 patients on the drug.

http://www.rxlist.com/copaxone-drug.htm

Oh crappola, I hate it when these thing happen. :hug:

I hope it isn't the C, but if so, you should probably stop it. :(

I'm so sorry you're going through this Dej.:hug:

From what I recall in my nursing experience, pancreatitis is one of the nasties for some-one to be going through. Treatment was always antibiotics, drip and suck. Has opinion changed on that now?

I'm on Nexium to treat tummy upsets from the medications I take now, but I doubt I was on Copaxone long enough to blame that on my present woes. The allergic reaction I had to C caused me to fit, but it didn't upset my stomach! :rolleyes:

From the side effects Lady has listed, I'd be asking my own doc if C was to blame or not. We both now that long term gastric inflammation can lead to Ca, and we all have enough to deal with, without the possibility of having that in our futures as well.

Yuck, yuck, yuck, yuck....I'm so sorry you're having to go through this...and even more sad that it might be from the copaxone.

You know...I know no one said life was fair...but I never would've imagined life could have so many deep levels of unfairness that suck from bad to worse sometimes. :(

Dej, So sorry to hear about this. :hug::hug:

Lady already hit on what I was going to say about it being one of the rare side effects of Copax. I'd also check some of the other meds you're on to see if that's a rare one for them too, since it could be a double whammy. I'm all for keeping with the treatments when they are helping, but when it's making you worse - let your voice be heard in regards to your care! Some of them are unaware of the rare effects these drugs have.

I went through that with the Rebif allergic reaction. :( They couldn't believe it was happening after so long, but they got it after it happened more than once - even at half dose and trying a shot from a new batch. But this is not unusual for me to have an initial tolerance that eventually goes out the window.

Hang in there! :hug::hug:

we have combed thru my meds, and while we dont believe that the copaxone is the original source of the pancreatitis, we do believe its the reason it wont settle down, and each event spikes higher and harder.

I have been on bowel rest, IV fluids, and just bed rest at home, versus doing it in the hosptial. I am a horrible person to stick in the hospital, and after the IVSM and the current round of MRSA and other nasties that are in the hospital here currently, we decided that I would be better off at home. so, I am sitting quietly waiting for this to pass. I am feeling some better, and wouldnt wish anyone on earth to go thru that. it was brutal to say the least.

Thanks for all the good feedback. I was just too sick to look it up. I am still in the breakdown lane, and not sure I will be upright long today either.

You guys rock. I can always count on it, that someone else has already done the research,or gone thru it. :grouphug:

Wow...I've never heard of these side effects. It's scary that the meds are sometimes worse than the disease...
take it easy, Dej...we need ya around here!!:hug: