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Digestive Enzymes

Newbee

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Newbee Contributor
Newbee
Posted

Several months ago my GI doc gave me a couple months worth of samples for prescription strength digestive enzymes to try to see if they helped. I tried them for about 2 months but didn't see any difference. I'm wondering if perhaps I should try them again and for a longer period of time and maybe they would help. For those of you who use them and have had success how long did it take before you could tell a difference? Thanks!

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Newbee Contributor
Newbee
Posted
  • Author

Thought I'd check back on this. Anyone have any success with digestive enzymes?

GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

Are you taking them before each meal?

If you don't notice a difference, perhaps there are foods in your diet that are bothering you.

Have you stopped taking them? If so, did you notice a difference once you stopped.

I don't notice a huge difference, but there is a minor difference.

They also seem to help my son with cross contamination issues when out in the world - me, not so much.

frieze Community Regular
frieze
Posted

Several months ago my GI doc gave me a couple months worth of samples for prescription strength digestive enzymes to try to see if they helped. I tried them for about 2 months but didn't see any difference. I'm wondering if perhaps I should try them again and for a longer period of time and maybe they would help. For those of you who use them and have had success how long did it take before you could tell a difference? Thanks!

If you are taking the right ones, the effect should be fairly quick.

keep a food diary and attempt to identify the "offending" food, then search out the proper enzyme product for that food.

and take per directions.

Newbee Contributor
Newbee
Posted
  • Author

I stopped taking the digestive enzymes as I ran out but I'm thinking of trying again using a different brand. I do think I have issues with food intolerances and have been doing SCD which has helped but I'm so limited on that diet I'd like to try enzymes again and see if they help me so I can eat a wider variety of food.

Bubba's Mom Enthusiast
Bubba's Mom
Posted

I take RX enzymes every time I eat. One with snacks..two with meals. I noticed a difference right away. Instead of my food just sitting there and making me uncomfortable,and bloating, I was able to just digest it and not give it a second thought.

The enzymes help break down your food into smaller particles so your intestine can absorb the nutrients faster and easier. You may not really feel the effects if you are producing some enzymes of your own, but they help keep your system from struggling. They don't cause any harm, and can be helpful.

Some, like me, aren't making the enzymes we need, so artificial ones are like night and day to us. If you feel a strong difference it may be more diagnostic of the condition of your duodenum?

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Digestive enzymes help if you are deficient in them as a result of pancreatic insufficiency.

The pancreas secretes a number of enzymes that help to break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. When the pancreas is not functioning properly, maybe because of disease or injury, malabsorption of nutrients occurs. Using pancreatic enzymes is helpful.

I have used them religiously since DX before meals when eating something fatty, like red meat. I also use them when I accidentally get glutened. :( Not sure if it helps, but others have suggested they might.

If you do not notice anything different after using them, perhaps you do not need them?

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Newbee Contributor
Newbee
Posted
  • Author

I wonder if I do need them though. I discovered recently that I am passing supplements through my body without them breaking down at all. I take a lot of supplements and some I take as liquid caps but I can't find all vitamins this way. Anyway I take this as a sign (as well as the fact that I have a lot of food intolerances) as a sign that perhaps digestive enzymes are the problem. I've read sometimes you just need to find the right enzymes that work for you. At least I'm hoping this is the problem as I'm really getting frustrated as what else to do. Besides not digesting supplements I can see that my food is not being digested when it goes through either (and I'm eating what is considered to be easily digestible food). Blah, not sure what else to do.

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