Creon for Pancreatic Exocrine Dysfunction User Reviews

• Will
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 27, 2020

"After Whipple surgery, my GI doc and my oncologist both recommended that I take 75,000 IU of Creon per major meal and 25,000 per snack. It works to control diarrhea, though it's very expensive. But, if I take it with the meal, it causes gas bloating. So, now I'm experimenting with taking it before meals, 30-60 minutes, which seems to work, except that I always have to know exactly when I'll eat next, so I can take pills at the right time in advance. Does anyone else have this bloating problem and if so, how do you deal with it?"

• Diano
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 10, 2020

"I have pancreatic cancer and have been dealing with digestive problems since the diagnosis. I've lost 45# and I haven't been able to eliminate diarrhea in the 2 months of chemo. My potassium has dropped to a point where the drs are considering stopping treatments until I can get blood counts under control. I've been taking the Creon enzymes for 3 days. Total difference. I have an appetite, slept 7 hours straight, less gassiness, no pain and I've gained 2#. I feel great. Absolutely a miracle drug for me as I watched myself waste away."

• Peggy...
• August 19, 2019

"When I first started using this medication, after one day of use my next bowel movement was a long, fully formed with no appearance of undigested food. Extreme urgency gone after about five years of very disruptive diarrhea."

• Luis
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 10, 2020

"After I got my diagnosis (Adenocarcinoma In the head of the pancreas) by the end of December 2019. My Oncologist recommend me Creon starting in January 2020. Two capsules with meals and 1 capsule with a snack. That’s really help me with my digestion and I’m able to eat again fat and proteins (only Chicken and fish) I don’t eat red meat!!! I had a Wipple surgery in the middle of April 2020. I continued taking my Creon Till now. (August 2020). And it works great. Giving me the chance to enjoy my favorite food at any time every day. My oncologist told me that I have to use Creon for the rest of my life because my Pancreas is not producing enough digestive enzymes due to my health condition and after my Wipple surgery. Now a week ago the Oncologist sent me for another control CTScan and thankful everything in Clear. I Have to continue with my Chemotherapy and with my Creon."

• tacti...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 5, 2019

"This medication did absolutely nothing to resolve my EPI disorder (exocrine pancreatic insufficiency) even with a recommended increase in dosage. I continued to have frequent explosive diarrhea problems. I have had many medical problems during my 76 yrs of life and recovered but, EPI is the worst medical problem I have ever had. It will not go away."

• Litae
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 11, 2020

"I've been taking 36,000 units Creon per meal for almost five months now after having the Whipple procedure. Just two weeks ago I started vomiting occasionally and, sorry this sounds so gross, the food upchucked was undigested. Has anyone experienced this problem? I have an appointment scheduled with my doctor, and will find out more then. Just wondering if anyone else experienced delayed side effects, or is it possible I have developed a sensitivity to it. Worked great at first."

• J R
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 23, 2020

"I was diagnosed with Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) after about 3 months of diarrhea. At first the Creon didn't do anything, but eventually the diarrhea slowed and stomach pain decreased. Watching my diet to avoid fatty foods as best I can has also helped. Still have completely loose stool, but not as often as before. I have developed a cough and sore throat along with a raspiness in my voice that continues to get worse. (not good for a singer). I have found no remedies for that and have not been advised of any help. I don't know what I'll do if the pain continues to increase. I can live without singing (not a professional), but the throat pain is really getting bad."

• giras...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 8, 2016

"I was prescribed Creon for EPI. While on this medication I experienced very little, if any, relief from my symptoms. The side effect were horrendous - headache, hot flashes, coughing, memory issues (straining to remember words) and joint pain in my upper leg and tail bone. Within 24 hours of stopping the medication ALL side effects disappeared."

• crabt...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 29, 2020

"I take Creon 25000 (2 with meals, 1 with snacks) because I take Somatulin for NET tumors and it upsets pancreatic function. Originally wasn't impressed, so after 4 months, with my Dr's OK, I suspended it... but the symptoms came back in spades. I'm now more religious about dosage and timing and find it helps immensely (back on it 8 months). Helps with gas, bloating, diarrhea, greasy stools, smell. Not always totally effective, but I haven't restricted what I eat or drink and suppose if I were better at that, I'd have more success. Good luck to others!"

• Grizz
• April 3, 2021

"I am 56 years old with pancreatic cancer. After 3 days of taking Creon I thought I was going to die. Except diarrhea I experienced every side effect on the list. Excruciating abdominal pain, constipation, bloating, headache etc on a scale of 10 my pain was at 10. My husband who is nurse was puzzled and I realized that the only thing I had changed was that medication. I stopped taking it immediately and it took me a week to recover. Not blaming anybody but if it happens to you, stop taking it immediately and talk to your doctor."

• Dano
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 13, 2020

"within 2 days I of taking Creon felt horrible doc told me to keep taking them, I went into the worst annaphalactic shock. I'm suprise I didn't die. Now taken OTC not enough lipase my LDL is climbing with BP Im a woman under 100 lbs my BP went tp 196/164"

• NigelCO
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 27, 2016

"Side effect's kicked in were worse than my condition. Already take zofran for nausea & vomiting. This drug actually started me vomiting again. If you have depression & anxiety issues & pain issues in joint's, etc... can make it worse & over ride medication. Thank goodness my doctor gave me samples because extremely expensive even with insurance. Do not take if you are allergic or don't take/eat pork ingredient's...I'm not - but is warning I wasn't told about."

• Dik...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 20, 2018

"Creon is great for my Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), taken almost three years. Without Creon have explosive diarrhea. But my dosage is tiny compared to many, one 3,000 liapase capsule with all meals or snacks."

• FlorA
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 18, 2023

"I've taken Creon 36,000 units per meal for almost 2 years. It's overall good, but like all meds, there are side effects (headache, blurred vision, sore throat). I have an autoimmune condition, and my sore throat and dry mouth worsened (so not sure if caused by Creon or the AI condition). For me, it works best to take it in the middle of the meal. If I take it before eating, it causes irritation on my throat. I also think it works best to get the lower dose and use it according to the size of the meal; so a single one for snacks, and can double if full meal. I hope my review helps someone. Wishing good health to everyone here!"

• Edwardv
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 15, 2023

"I've been on Creon 3 x 36,000 lipase units every meal for three years without any issues until recently. About 5 months ago I started having explosive diarrhea, up to 6 times a day. I stopped taking it for a few weeks and got better. I started back slowly with 1 x 36,000 lipase units and over the course of 2 weeks I increased back to 3 pills with meals. Everything was fine for about 3 weeks now my diarrhea is back. Yesterday I scheduled an appt. with my doctor and I am going to stop again."

• Penny
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 3, 2024

"Was advised to start with 1 capsule for a snack and 2 for a meal and to increase until stools were normal. I am now up to 8 x 2500 for a meal, 6 for a sandwich (not cheese). When I expressed my concern to my surgeon, he said to take as many as I need. Things are fairly normal now, although flatulence is still a problem. My advice is to keep increasing the dose until you get it right. Also, keep a diary so that when your stools are not properly formed, look back a couple of days to see where you should have taken more."

• Lorra...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 29, 2020

"“I have been persevering with Creon on and off for three years now after Whipples surgery. Every time I started it back on me diarrhea was actually worse. This medication did absolutely nothing to help even with increasing in dosage. I continued to have frequent explosive diarrhea problems. I am told to keep taking it and worry that by not taking it it will do more harm."

• motguy
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 5, 2019

"Whether it was the medicine or not, I had abdominal pain after taking Creon for 2 months. I cut the dosage back, had more tests run on abdomen, which showed nothing. Have been taking a dosing capsule of 24,000 units with each meal since February and have had no side effects. No more runny stools or frequent trips to the rest room. Have an appointment and lab work later this month."

• lg06
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 13, 2023

"I was told to take this as lipase was not enough (was discovered through diarrhea/loose stool, greasy.) This has made me feel worse! Abdominal cramps, sometimes bad, and inability to empty bowels enough to safely leave the house for 3 hours. Huge all-over body bloat. I quit it and in 2 days a friend asked me if I had lost weight, even my face looked slimmer, and I thought bam! Water retention, oh! The pain from this is not worth it. Are the others on here mentioning anxiety? Yes!! So bizarre this could cause it but I've had some pretty bad days, had to even take Benzo, no reason why...but perhaps this! What a shame So many bad reviews here, what can help us??"

• Sick...
• March 15, 2016

"I had immediate problems when I started taking this medication. Honestly, I thought it was a placebo, because I had all of the symptoms that caused me to take the med in the first place. Definitely did not work for me."

• wayner
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 13, 2023

"Creon has done nothing to relieve my symptoms. I am still suffering from bloating, feeling like vomiting all day headache, and I have lost 30 lbs in three months. I am going to ask the doctor to switch me to Zenpep. Creon has a 50% approval whereas Zenpep is 74% so I'm hoping it will work for me."

• Christi
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 24, 2021

"I was diagnosed with inoperable Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. They started me on 12000 mg Creon, did nothing but make me feel worse. Then the oncologist upped the dosage to 36000 mg, 2 with meal, 1 with snack. Still explosive diarrhea and I had already lost 30 lbs. then the oncologist tripled my dosage and I spent 8 hours on the toilet every day (no exaggeration). I stopped taking it and I’m actually doing better. It’s not worth the sacrifice of my quality of life. Never will I take it again."

• Cheers
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 12, 2021

"I'm on day 3. I feel very foggy on this. A little dizzy, unable to focus, it's like I have a bit of tunnel vision. I'm assuming it's the fillers used (In the ingredient list on the professional information for Creon says one of them is PEG, which I avoid). I will not continue taking this. It's likely I'll go back to OTC pancreatic enzymes, I didn't feel like this on them at all but only accepted the script because my copay was less than OTC."

• Bee
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 19, 2021

"I’ve been using Creon on and off for two years and right now I’m up to three 24,000 capsules before each meal but I still have horrible, horrible, horrible cramps and diarrhea. I’m going to my third gastroenterologist tomorrow and hope fully he will have some answers! This is no way to live."

• 422
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 19, 2021

"I had whipple surgery 8 months ago. I was doing fairly well and then started having bouts of diarrhea. Diagnosed with Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). Just started creon. Stool is loose but not diarrhea. I am lethargic after taking for a couple of days. Anyone else experience lethargy? I'll update as I proceed with using."