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New to exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI): What helps?

Posted by jewill @jewill, Dec 6, 2016

I was dignosed with e p i. Exocrine pancreatic insuffency in 2015 after having a severe reaction to premarin estergen cream then 2 weeks later i had an even more sever reaction to an infusion of reclast it is a biphosphonates l am severly allergic to phosphates, dr did not check for that. i had diarrhea lost 20 lbs destroyed 90 % of my pancreas dr gave me creon 3600 2 with each meal low fat diet that is all the information i got from him did research on web for diet and supplments .need a dr in austin tx that knows more about e p i would apprecate any info on this thank you jewill

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secretcloak | @secretcloak | 11 hours ago

20m. For the past 4 months I have been having diarrhea and light colored stools with every meal I take. The stools are type 6, light brown, floating, no oily slick on toilet, easily flushable, not smelly. I'm also losing weight and am fatigued. Doc first prescribed bismol thinking that I have ibs. I did elastase test while on bismol and it came back at 422. Then another elastase test 15 days later. It was 86??. I'd say the stool that I gave for sample was also very loose. I went to 2 docs about it. One said it's not reliable as you have diarrhea. The other one said epi and put me on kreon. So I did a test by myself while taking bismol and kreon and it came back at 811??. I'm saying is it possible that bismol might have altered the results? I was taking bismol to firm up stools cause otherwise it would be diarrhea. Does this indicate epi?

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secretcloak | @secretcloak | 10 hours ago
In reply to @secretcloak "20m. For the past 4 months I have been having diarrhea and light colored stools with..." + (show)
Profile picture for secretcloak @secretcloak

20m. For the past 4 months I have been having diarrhea and light colored stools with every meal I take. The stools are type 6, light brown, floating, no oily slick on toilet, easily flushable, not smelly. I'm also losing weight and am fatigued. Doc first prescribed bismol thinking that I have ibs. I did elastase test while on bismol and it came back at 422. Then another elastase test 15 days later. It was 86??. I'd say the stool that I gave for sample was also very loose. I went to 2 docs about it. One said it's not reliable as you have diarrhea. The other one said epi and put me on kreon. So I did a test by myself while taking bismol and kreon and it came back at 811??. I'm saying is it possible that bismol might have altered the results? I was taking bismol to firm up stools cause otherwise it would be diarrhea. Does this indicate epi?

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Anyone? 😭😭😭

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venture | @venture | 8 hours ago

The med is likely affecting the test. Your D-symptoms are common with severe EPI. -Especially losing weight can mean you are NOT digesting food thoroughly, thus diarrhea. CREON and ZENPEP are excellent meds to boost your digestive enzymes. Which must be taken WITH your meals at the beginning. This should involve multiple creon or zenpep pills each meal. There are NO over the counter enzymes that can treat EPI. If possible stay off any prescription digestive meds for few days before your elastase test. If you are taken enough Creons you diarrhea should improve

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secretcloak | @secretcloak | 7 hours ago
In reply to @venture "The med is likely affecting the test. Your D-symptoms are common with severe EPI. -Especially losing..." + (show)
Profile picture for venture @venture

The med is likely affecting the test. Your D-symptoms are common with severe EPI. -Especially losing weight can mean you are NOT digesting food thoroughly, thus diarrhea. CREON and ZENPEP are excellent meds to boost your digestive enzymes. Which must be taken WITH your meals at the beginning. This should involve multiple creon or zenpep pills each meal. There are NO over the counter enzymes that can treat EPI. If possible stay off any prescription digestive meds for few days before your elastase test. If you are taken enough Creons you diarrhea should improve

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@venture should I do another elastase test without bismol?

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