Symptoms:

• Abdominal pain
  • Greatest in the upper abdomen
  • May last from hours to days
  • Eventually may be continuous
  • May be worsened by eating or drinking
  • May be worsened by drinking alcohol
  • May spread (radiate) to the back
• Digestive problems
• Fatty stools
• Nausea and vomiting
• Pale or clay-colored stools
• Unintentional weight loss

The symptoms may become more frequent as the condition gets worse. The symptoms may mimic pancreatic cancer. Sitting up and leaning forward may sometimes relieve the abdominal pain of pancreatitis.

Signs and tests:

Tests for pancreatitis include:

• Fecal fat test
• Serum amylase
• Serum lipase
• Serum trypsinogen

Inflammation or calcium deposits of the pancreas may be seen on:

• Abdominal CT scan
• Abdominal ultrasound
• ERCP

An exploratory laparotomy may be done to confirm the diagnosis of pancreatitis.