Pancreatitis being blamed on 3 mini doses of semaglutide rather than long term alcohol abuse
Currently sitting in the ER (going on 6 hrs atp) with my husband post a severe, acute pancreatitis attack.
(Disclaimer: this man has had me sew his limbs back together to avoid an ER run more than 6 times over 13 yrs)
He started semaglutide one month ago, dosing .25 the first time, .25 the second time & .5 the last time (yesterday).
Tonight, he experienced a severe medical emergency that lead us immediately to the ER. He is 59 yo. Has been abusing alcohol daily for 40+ yrs. This past yr has been an absolute throat punch as far as his health is concerned. At present, he’s seeing 6 specialists with several more lined up. As of Feb. 2025, has an aortic aneurysm measuring 4.1 cm (5.5 is a worry). He has an absurdly large umbilical hernia that can’t get operated on bc of his heart issues. High bp. High cholesterol. The list is long & vast but that’s the main gist.
He drinks from sun up to sun down. Over the course of the 13+ yrs I’ve been with him, he has changed up WHAT he drinks, but not the frequency. He used to put down handles of jack, then went to white wine, now he’s onto white claws bc “he needs to lose a lot of weight & get control of his prediabetes”. (Yes I’ve lectured him about the sugar/calories in those stupid ass cans).
The ER went nuts the millisecond we walked thru the door bc he couldn’t breathe. Aortic ultrasound, ekg, chest xray, CT abd/chest/pelvis, mega hydration, zofran, morphine, etc.
Their immediate concern was a ruptured aortic aneurysm. Thankfully it’s since been preemptively diagnosed as acute severe pancreatitis.
** ETA: as of 3 am, it has been confirmed as severe acute pancreatitis. They admitted him for that, but also in part due to his trouble breathing **
Bc he has had THREE SHOTS OF SEMA, over the course of a month, he has determined THAT to be the cause. Not the long term alcohol abuse. It’s maddening. Absolutely maddening. His only cousin died from liver cirrhosis. My husband watched him die. It was horrendous. He always said “I’d never be that guy”.
He is. He IS that guy. And it sucks. Bc I love this guy.
Thanks for letting me vent. I’ll be in the ER with him for a good nother 6 hrs or so.