Explanation

Pancreatin (also called Creon®, Nutrizym® and Pancrex®) is an enzyme supplement, which helps if your body doesn't make enough enzyme to digest your food. This may happen if you have cystic fibrosis or a problem with your pancreas.

What does pancreatin do?

Pancreatin helps to boost the amount of enzymes in your body that digest your food. It's made up of the three natural enzymes that help digest protein, carbohydrate and fat in the food you eat.

What does pancreatin look like?

Pancreatin comes as a capsule or tablet that you swallow with water, or granules or powder that you can mix with water or milk.

If you have been given the capsules but you are having trouble swallowing them, you can open them and mix the mini-tablets inside with food or drink that you don't have to chew.

How much pancreatin do I have to take?

How much pancreatin you need to take depends on how old you are, how bad your condition is and what you usually eat. Your doctor will tell you exactly how much you should take. He or she may slowly increase your dose to find the exact right dose for you.

When should I take my pancreatin?

You should take your pancreatin with water at meal times or when you are eating a snack. Make sure you drink plenty of water with it. You should also be drinking lots of water every day when you are being treated with pancreatin.

But what if I don't feel like taking pancreatin?

It's important that you take your pancreatin, even if you don't feel like it. It will help you digestion your food so that your body gets thenutrients it needs to grow and develop. You should keep taking your pancreatin for as long as your doctor tells you too. If you don't want to take it for some reason, make sure you talk to your doctor before you stop taking it, and only do so if your doctor says it's okay.

What should I do if I forget to take my pancreatin?

If you forget to take your pancreatin, don't worry. Just take your next dose when you eat as normal. Don't take twice as much to make up for your missed dose. Remember the three D's: Don't Double Dose!

What if I take too much pancreatin?

If you take too much pancreatin, you should tell you doctor or the person who looks after you immediately. You should also make sure that you drink plenty of water. If you have taken too much you might notice the symptoms below:

nausea (feeling sick)

vomiting (being sick)

stomach pain

a sore or itchy bum.

What are the most likely side effects I might get if I take pancreatin?

When you take pancreatin you may get some side effects, although not everybody gets them. It's very unlikely, but you could have an allergic reaction when you take pancreatin. If you do, you should stop taking it and go to the hospital straight away. The signs to look out for are:

trouble swallowing or breathing

swelling of your face, throat, hands, or feet

a bad rash, itching, or hives (bumpy patches of red or pale skin that are itchy).

Some most common side effects pancreatin can cause are:

a sore tummy

diarrhoea (runny poo)

constipation (finding it hard to poo or not going poo very often)

nausea (feeling sick)

vomiting (being sick)

itchy skin or a rash.

If you notice these or any other side effects, you should tell your doctor.

What other side effects might I get from pancreatin?

When you are taking a lot of pancreatin it can cause changes to chemicals in your blood or Urine. These changes will show up in blood or urine tests. Drinking a lot of water will help prevent this.

Is it safe for me to be taking pancreatin?

Before you take pancreatin, you should tell your doctor about any medical problems you know you have or have had in the past, including any allergic reaction. Pancreatin contains protein from pork so if you're allergic reaction to pork or any pig products, don't take it!

If your doctor has told you that you have or are starting to get an inflammed pancreas (acute pancreatitis) you also shouldn't take pancreatin.

Is it ok for me to take pancreatin if I am already taking other medicines?

It should be fine to take pancreatin with other medicines. But, it's still really important to let your doctor know if you are taking, or have recently taken, any other medicines, even herbal medicines or ones you got from the pharmacy without a prescription.

Is there anything else I need to know about pancreatin?

If you are still taking pancreatin when you're older, you should tell your doctor if you think you might be pregnant or plan on getting pregnant.

Don't chew or crush the capsules as this will damage the mini-tablets inside and your pancreatin won't work properly. You should also make sure you don't take the capsules (or mini-tablets inside) without food.

What if I have any more questions about pancreatin?

If you have any other questions, you can ask your doctor, or you can join the Medikidz forums and talk to other people with cystic fibrosis or pancreas problems who are taking pancreatin.