Guest guest Posted June 6, 2002 Report Share Posted June 6, 2002 I did some information gathering on the digestive enzymes. I know many of us are taking them. And I too found the warnings - if you have ACUTE pancreatitis. Logically this makes sense. All of the supplemental digestive enzymes contain lipase, protease, and amylase. With Acute Pancreatitis attacks Lipase and Amylase blood levels are elevated. For some reason (why the attack) these enzymes spill over into the body and show up in the blood. Taking a supplement will raise them even more. With CHRONIC pancreatitis the pancreas does not produce enough of these enzymes to properly digest food. So the supplements are needed. Bottom-line - Do NOT take with ACUTE pancreatitis, but they are NEEDED with CHRONIC pancreatitis. What puzzles me is why they are called " Liver " enzymes, when they are produced by the pancreas..... Lots of Gentle Hugs ReeAnn > -- In pancreatitis@y..., roguekc@a... wrote: > > I was doing some reading about panokase, the enzyme that my doctor > prescribed > > for me several months ago. While reading, I came across this > warning at the > > bottom of the page... Haha... Needless to say, it concerned me a > little bit. > > Does anybody else think this is the least bit bizarre?? > > > > Other medical problems - > > The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of > pancrelipase. > > Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical > problems, > > especially: > > > > -- Pancreatitis (sudden, severe inflammation of the pancreas) - > Pancrelipase > > may make this condition worse. > > > > <---Scratching head, > > Terry in KC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 7, 2002 Report Share Posted June 7, 2002 ReeAn, thanks for bringing this to others attention. I was going to after I read the original announcement but waited to see if any cleared this up. Anything taken by mouth when you are having an acute attack, will make the pancreas worse. Like, duh. So of course it was listed that way. My doctors always told me to stop eating or drinking anything (juice, water, etc) when I think I'm having an acute attack because they'll make the attack worse. But when you have chronic pancreatitis, the enzymes not only help with digestion, but if use in specific manner, can even lower the pain levels. I know this does it for me. To get this, you have to take a non-enteric coated enzyme (Viokase, Cotazym, etc.) and an acid reducer and then it can lower pain levels when you eat. I still have pain, but it is not as bad as it is when I don't take the enzymes. Makes a big difference. I tried not taking them once and I'll never do that again. Admittedly, this doesn't work for ever one. It tends to work best on women between ages of 20-45 (I think, I'm not sure of the cut off age on the older side, I just know I fit the profile). Kimber -- Kimber hominid2@... Southwest Representative Pancreatitis Association, International Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 8, 2002 Report Share Posted June 8, 2002 Oh goody, once again I get to break a mold. Taking my (non-enteric coated) generic Viokase, abdominal pain is tremendously reduced when I eat. If I don't take these, along with my Prilosec to reduce acid, I have stomach pain, whether I'm having an attack or not. So I just take them all the time, and it seems to do the trick. I've been very fortunate, in that it's been a little while since I've had any abdominal pain - since my PM doctor changed my medications, in fact, and got me pretty squared away and stabilized in that department. And while I am between the ages of 20-45 (at 38), my parts most definitely do NOT resemble the parts of a woman. (Unless she is a most unfortunate woman, of course.) Peace and Hormones, Terry in KC << ReeAn, thanks for bringing this to others attention. I was going to after I read the original announcement but waited to see if any cleared this up. Anything taken by mouth when you are having an acute attack, will make the pancreas worse. Like, duh. So of course it was listed that way. My doctors always told me to stop eating or drinking anything (juice, water, etc) when I think I'm having an acute attack because they'll make the attack worse. But when you have chronic pancreatitis, the enzymes not only help with digestion, but if use in specific manner, can even lower the pain levels. I know this does it for me. To get this, you have to take a non-enteric coated enzyme (Viokase, Cotazym, etc.) and an acid reducer and then it can lower pain levels when you eat. I still have pain, but it is not as bad as it is when I don't take the enzymes. Makes a big difference. I tried not taking them once and I'll never do that again. Admittedly, this doesn't work for ever one. It tends to work best on women between ages of 20-45 (I think, I'm not sure of the cut off age on the older side, I just know I fit the profile). Kimber >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 8, 2002 Report Share Posted June 8, 2002 Oh goody, once again I get to break a mold. Taking my (non-enteric coated) generic Viokase, abdominal pain is tremendously reduced when I eat. If I don't take these, along with my Prilosec to reduce acid, I have stomach pain, whether I'm having an attack or not. So I just take them all the time, and it seems to do the trick. I've been very fortunate, in that it's been a little while since I've had any abdominal pain - since my PM doctor changed my medications, in fact, and got me pretty squared away and stabilized in that department. And while I am between the ages of 20-45 (at 38), my parts most definitely do NOT resemble the parts of a woman. (Unless she is a most unfortunate woman, of course.) Peace and Hormones, Terry in KC << ReeAn, thanks for bringing this to others attention. I was going to after I read the original announcement but waited to see if any cleared this up. Anything taken by mouth when you are having an acute attack, will make the pancreas worse. Like, duh. So of course it was listed that way. My doctors always told me to stop eating or drinking anything (juice, water, etc) when I think I'm having an acute attack because they'll make the attack worse. But when you have chronic pancreatitis, the enzymes not only help with digestion, but if use in specific manner, can even lower the pain levels. I know this does it for me. To get this, you have to take a non-enteric coated enzyme (Viokase, Cotazym, etc.) and an acid reducer and then it can lower pain levels when you eat. I still have pain, but it is not as bad as it is when I don't take the enzymes. Makes a big difference. I tried not taking them once and I'll never do that again. Admittedly, this doesn't work for ever one. It tends to work best on women between ages of 20-45 (I think, I'm not sure of the cut off age on the older side, I just know I fit the profile). Kimber >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 8, 2002 Report Share Posted June 8, 2002 > ReeAn, > thanks for bringing this to others attention. I was going to > after I read the original announcement but waited to see if > any cleared this up. Anything taken by mouth when you are > having an acute attack, will make the pancreas worse. Like, > duh. > So of course it was listed that way. My doctors always told > me to stop eating or drinking anything (juice, water, etc) > when I think I'm having an acute attack because they'll make > the attack worse. > > But when you have chronic pancreatitis, the enzymes not only > help with digestion, but if use in specific manner, can even > lower the pain levels. I know this does it for me. To get > this, you have to take a non-enteric coated enzyme (Viokase, > Cotazym, etc.) and an acid reducer and then it can lower > pain levels when you eat. I still have pain, but it is not > as bad as it is when I don't take the enzymes. Makes a big > difference. I tried not taking them once and I'll never do > that again. Admittedly, this doesn't work for ever one. It > tends to work best on women between ages of 20-45 (I think, > I'm not sure of the cut off age on the older side, I just > know I fit the profile). > Kimber > > -- > Kimber > hominid2@c... > Southwest Representative > Pancreatitis Association, International As they say, we're damned if we do and we're damned if we don't. Stomach acid breaks down the uncoated enzymes. So we take a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) like Prilosec. Well, as I've recently learned, long-term PPI use can cause iron deficiency. That's because iron needs acid to work. I've had to discontinue Prilosec and switch to an enteric coated enzyme. So far...so good. We just can't win!!! -Ellen Grove Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 9, 2002 Report Share Posted June 9, 2002 << Terry, Don't you just love being medically unique? Kimber >> Hahahahaha... So many strange things have flown across my screen lately Kimber, I can't even tell WHAT'S going on. First I fit the profile of a 30-year-old female then my (gasp!) " winr " turns red. And NOW I'm on the lookout for purple doodee. What in the world will happen next?? I'm locking myself in my room, turning off the $#@*! computer and hiding under the covers for the next 24 hours. It's got to be a curse, I just hope it's temporary. Lily, did you do this??! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 9, 2002 Report Share Posted June 9, 2002 Terry, Don't you just love being medically unique? Kimber -- Kimber hominid2@... Southwest Representative Pancreatitis Association, International Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 9, 2002 Report Share Posted June 9, 2002 Thanks,Ellen, I'll keep a look out on my iron levels from now on. Kimber -- Kimber hominid2@... Southwest Representative Pancreatitis Association, International Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 9, 2002 Report Share Posted June 9, 2002 Terry, thanks for the laugh, be careful under those covers, don't want any bed-bugs biting. heh, heh, Kimber -- Kimber hominid2@... Southwest Representative Pancreatitis Association, International Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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