The cost for Creon is the highest single medication bill we pay since my husband's total pancreatectomy. This year with the changes by March we had paid out a very large amount of money and then pop, now we are through some kind of a door and there is no cost to any of my husband's medications when using Medicare related Part D/ Wellcare Drug insurance. We just have found that being prepared to put out that amount at the beginning of each year will be the ongoing challenge and plan. I was fascinated with the free Creon from the Abbvie company by "whipple 2232" comment. You are fortunate. We even have had periods that we have had to search for a pharmacy source for the Creon and switching pharmacies for one that can access it. (We live in a large metropolitan area. ) We were doing well at our local Fred Meyer Pharmacy until a year ago and then poof, it was no where to be found. We finally did a mail order pharmacy, but found that it wasn't part of our Part D program at the beginning of the new year. Currently we are getting it through Costco, but we must give them heads up to have it on hand. Clearly far more expensive and difficult to obtain than insulin. The bottom line is that without an adequate dose of Creon absorption will not happen well. He was on a lower dose for sometime after surgery with multiple stools daily, an increase to 36,000 pill size doses changed that to more normal stool pattern, thus increasing absorption for him. What was fascinating to me was to learn that without taking the prescribed proton pump inhibitor, an alkalinizing medication) 30 minutes before the first meal of the day his stomach would stay acidic. When the stomach is acidic then the Creon breaks down there reducing its usefulness rather than below that in the intestine where the absorption for many nutrients takes place. We found also that iron and calcium want acidic stomach fluid to begin their digestion at that point, so due to that he has deficits in iron and calcium levels. (He also has no pylorus, lacks 1/3rd of his stomach, has no duodenum, spleen or gallbladder. Thus missing a lot of enzyme.) There are some absorptive qualities of iron & calcium ongoing in the small intestine that supports absorption but he has had to have IV ferritin twice during the last 5 years post pancreatectomy although we document the iron intake and it is over twice that of the minimum daily needed and he isn't on chemo now. This is my understanding, check with your prescriber on that information as everyone may have a bit different surgery and thus medication needs. Only follow your prescriber's advice. His exhaustion decreased with the Ferritin infusion from his oncologist. Just this week he received an infusion of Zometa for bone hardening to decrease the osteoporosis. He is also 80, so there are likely lifetime issues that precipitates his needs. Our Endocrinologist for diabetes is also a bone specialist. I have found that asking questions for guidance ongoing from our medical team is the most informative and healthful way to precede, with the problems. No one answer fits all.