Anyone Have Pancreatic Enzyme Deficiencies?

[jasonD2]

My GI who is a celiac specialist game me some enzyme pills called Ultrase and feels that im not getting better because i am not digesting my food properly. She also thinks its why one of my liver enzymes is a bit elevated. Does anyone have similar problems?

[Wolicki]

My GI who is a celiac specialist game me some enzyme pills called Ultrase and feels that im not getting better because i am not digesting my food properly. She also thinks its why one of my liver enzymes is a bit elevated. Does anyone have similar problems?

Yes, Jason it is common. I have the same issue. I take enzymes with any remotely hard to digest foods, otherwise, they tend to come out looking exactly as they went in Take enzymes with every meal (I would think 3 caps each meal would be fine, that's what I took). Now I am down to only with harder to digest foods, 2 caps.

[jasonD2]

Thanks!

Can you ween off eventually or should we take them indefinitely? is there any long-term adverse effects associated with enzyme supplementation?

[jasonD2]

Also....can insufficient enzyme production prevent healing of leaky gut?

[ravenwoodglass]

Thanks!

Can you ween off eventually or should we take them indefinitely? is there any long-term adverse effects associated with enzyme supplementation?

I had to take them after a bout with pancreatitis. They helped a lot. I only needed to use them for a couple of months. A couple weeks with every meal, then I took them just when I ate something heavy in fat or hard to digest and then was able to stop them. Talk to your doctor but you should be able to stop them after you have healed enough for your body to produce the enzymes again.

[jasonD2]

Thanks- that was very helpful!

[jasonD2]

Do the supplements cause constipation? My colon is quite sensitive and whenever i start taking new things it goes into a spasm and my stools get really thin

[mushroom]

I go on and off digestive enzymes. I'm back on them right now, with lactaid, as I'm trying out lactose again. They don't give me constipation; I take them because I'm having the big D and gas. I was diagnosed with insufficient pancreatic enzymes and took them for almost a year, consistently. Then was able to wean from them, but now I'm taking them consistently, at least with the evening meal. I am going to retest when I return to Nevada this summer and see where I'm at. Constipation has never been my problem

I too would urge you to have the lyme test with a LLMD. I even thought of doing it myself because I had had a tick bite but no rash.

[jackay]

I tested as having abnormally low pancreatic enzymes. My doctor put me on them and they made my stomach churn like crazy. Also, got worse D. My doctor told me to go off them for the time being. The D is now controlled. I do not know if my enzyme level is up. What I'm eliminating is looking more normal so I hope that is a good sign. I had blood work done for nutrients so once I get those results I should have an indication if my pancreatic enzyme level has come up. Sure hope so!

[BlueTaelon]

My GI who is a celiac specialist game me some enzyme pills called Ultrase and feels that im not getting better because i am not digesting my food properly. She also thinks its why one of my liver enzymes is a bit elevated. Does anyone have similar problems?

Yes, I have the same issue and have been on Pancrease MT 20 (same thing as Ultrase just different brand name) for 3 years now. They actually did studies on it that you can Open Original Shared Link or google "celiac pancreatic exocrine insufficiency" it took about 2 weeks on the enzymes before I started feeling better but man, they really messed with my stomach the first couple weeks. They eat all the garbage thats been siting in your GI tract (I lost I think it was 3 lbs the 1st week) which may expose ulcers that can begin healing but it will get better.

[BlueTaelon]

Yes, Jason it is common. I have the same issue. I take enzymes with any remotely hard to digest foods, otherwise, they tend to come out looking exactly as they went in Take enzymes with every meal (I would think 3 caps each meal would be fine, that's what I took). Now I am down to only with harder to digest foods, 2 caps.

I think your talking about the OTC ones which are not nearly as powerful as the prescription ones the OP is talking about.