10 Races for 10 Years

Awareness Series

Acute pancreatitis is a sudden inflammation of the pancreas that occurs when digestive enzymes begin damaging the pancreas itself instead of helping digest food. The condition can cause severe illness and often requires hospital treatment. In serious cases it can affect other organs and require intensive care. The pancreas plays an essential role in digestion and blood sugar regulation, yet many people know very little about it until something goes wrong - including me.

There is currently no medicine that can stop the inflammation in acute pancreatitis. Research is helping scientists understand the condition better, but there is still a long way to go. When I was in hospital with pancreatitis, my time in intensive care focused on supporting my body while it recovered: fluids through drips, oxygen, strong pain relief and constant monitoring. Even today, doctors still don’t fully understand why the condition becomes severe in some people but not others. That’s why research is so important.

Common symptoms of acute pancreatitis include sudden severe upper abdominal pain that can spread to the back, nausea, vomiting and fever. When I experienced pancreatitis myself, it took four days before the condition was correctly diagnosed after I was initially treated for acid reflux. By that point I required intensive care and several weeks of recovery in hospital. Recognising symptoms early can help people receive the right medical care sooner.

Around 8 in 10 cases in adults are linked to gallstones or alcohol, although factors such as medications, genetics and high triglycerides can also trigger the condition. In around 1 in 10 cases, doctors are unable to identify a clear cause - pancreatitis doesn’t always have a single explanation. In my case, the exact cause was never confirmed, although alcohol was considered the most likely factor. The experience led me to stop drinking and smoking immediately, and over time completely change my lifestyle.

It produces digestive enzymes that help break down food and hormones such as insulin that regulate blood sugar levels. When the pancreas becomes inflamed during pancreatitis, those normal functions can be disrupted, and the body can quickly become seriously unwell. Understanding how the pancreas works helps people better understand why pancreatitis can be such a serious condition.

Over the years, my lifestyle has changed too, particularly around diet and becoming more active. Today I try to eat mostly whole foods, limit processed and fried foods, spread my fat intake across the day and keep my sugar intake low. It’s an approach that now generally works well for me, but I’ve also learned through experience that overeating or eating the wrong foods can still trigger symptoms. Everyone’s recovery journey is different, which is why trusted advice and information from organisations like Guts UK is so important. Better advice and support also depend on improving our understanding of pancreatitis through research.