Pancreatic Insufficiency: The hidden epidemic!

Professor Andrew Hopper, Consultant Gastroenterologist, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield
Second National Dietetic Gastroenterology Symposium, Sheffield, May 2019

[@kalkeikuu]

My pancreatic enzyme deficiency causes high blood pressure, which landed me in the ER many times. MDs just run basic tests, say they see nothing abnormal, tell me to follow up with my personal MD, then send me home. What makes things worse, my health insurance won’t cover holistic doctors that can truly help me. Very scared.

[@TheFrozenOne802]

How long have you had this? I just got diagnosed with it, do you have another platform to reach and discuss how you manage, I always feel better if I talk to somebody that actually has this

[@dukecityminibikes7701]

Email me [e-mail] my husband has it

[@kalkeikuu]

@@TheFrozenOne802 - Try to see a good holistic doctor such as Naturopath, chiropractor, Acupuncturist, or ayurvedic doctor.

[@gingerhunny]

My blood pressure is out of control. Wow, it is connected to my pancreas!

[@heatherestradamoonlit6990]

​@@TheFrozenOne802I was just diagnosed w this as well. Not must information out there!😢

[@MarcusGlenister-qd3nn]

Ive chronic pancreatitis and I would not wish the horrific pain I have I was told by top gastroenterology consultants it's worse than child birth and is like having a big cancerous tumor but you don't die I would rather have my limbs cut off slowly with a blunt knife than have a hour of the pain especially when I have what are called flare ups I have been driven to run full speed at a wall in hospital to make myself unconscious the pain can get so bad I have even thought very seriously about taking my life I have a high opiate tolerance and UK NHS don't do nerve blocks or remove the pancreas just low amounts of analgesia my life is a living hell the pain imagine 10 big rats eating your insides and chewing the most sensitive nerve's.

[@matticusminot8086]

That's the way I felt the first month, think my gut was eating itself. Now I have too wake up 2 hours before work just to crap 5 times. But learning now, from comments eat less meals, just more frequently. Don't do a big meal, Thanksgiving is out.

[@carolwheeler9979]

Thank you for your description. You are describing my daughters pain and it helps me to understand a bit better

[@rogerscottcathey]

Thanks for reading my thesis.

[@johnapple784]

Good to see this! Dr. Freedman is another of the few doctors that understands. He has an in depth article on EPI written with Dr. Struyvenberg that anyone with EPI should read. Another really helpful resource on EPI is the book Primal Pancreas.

[@marionmeister4268]

Where can I find this article?

[@johnapple784]

@@marionmeister4268 It looks like my reply did not stick, perhaps it did not like a URL in the comment? Let me try again.

[@johnapple784]

@@marionmeister4268 Looks like my reply did not stick, perhaps it did not like a URL in the comment? Let me try again.

[@HarpreetKaur-ti2xp]

Thanks ❤ Dr for such a great informational video Dr what does loss of normal pancreatic lobulations means

[@delinquense]

Lots of great information... if only I'd understood what he said.

[@pumpkin1772]

Speak too fast and not loud enough.

[@almavivi1000]

It is his accent...I have the same issue, my native language "Spanish" is fast paced. English needs clear pronunciation of each word and specific pauses between them.

[@heeganbuuxa-tx1te]

thank you

[@MrApplewine]

What makes you think that measuring elastase is a good way to test for lipase? Wouldn't it make more sense to just prescribe lipase as a trial?

[@matticusminot8086]

Every medication over time leads too more serious damage on the body. So your smart.

[@MrApplewine]

@@matticusminot8086I think in my case it is dybiosis and sequencing shows a very pathogenic microbiota. Pancreatin did not do anything.

[@sherlyr.]

Can barely hear anything with my volume extremely high.

[@SUGAR_XYLER]

He's boring anyway... Cut him off after 5 minutes!

[@modesta6411]

He is absolutely not a good public speaker! His volume in his voice goes up & down so much as he drones on & on. I bet half the audience tuned him out after 5 min. I stuck it out b/c I needed to know the material but geez, I’m glad he is not my teacher… 🥱

[@streetfighter2sega322]

I got pancreatic deficiency after I had a colonoscopy and endoscopy done it started about 2 months after I had the check which came up as negative for any issues

[@richiep3520]

Does chronic pancreatitis show on any scans? If there is no sign of scarring or atrophy on a Scan does that mean you never had chronic pancreatitis? I have no signs of scarring but severe epi. I had campylobacter and h pylori, could these bacteria gave damaged my pancreas? I do drink and I wonder if that caused it.

[@luckykatz14]

It shows up every time I have an MRI- seems like they like reminding me I have fibrosis changes in my pancreas. Knew that already, been on Creon for over a year, yes it has helped me. Primary care poo- pooed it but lucky my bariatric surgeon had seen it in his practice, he knew how to help.

[@richiep3520]

@@luckykatz14 CT with contrast showed nothing. On way home from EUS and showed divisium and tail of pancreas atrophy. In a bit of shock. CT DIDN'T SHOW A THING

[@chennforajido]

@@richiep3520 how are you doing now brother?

[@frankfromupstateny3796]

So what to do...based on logic,...and faith? Find a very, very good supplement when eating ANY fat at all...and give your pancrease a break. Also...learn about intermittent fasting to give your whole body/digestive tract a break as well!

[@robin0540]

What would be a very, very good supplement?

[@isabeldiaz9717]

@@robin0540 there's one called CREON pancrealipase. But your dr needs to tell you how much of it you should take.

[@matticusminot8086]

Do you think doctors will try to heal someone, it's a business'. I'm hear to find someone who has healed it.

[@johnapple784]

@marionmeister4268 Looks like my reply did not stick, perhaps it did not like a URL in the comment? Let me try again. The article can be found here: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5301368 and the book I found on Amazon but it has the following site as well. primalpancreas.com/pancreas-damage-treatment/

[@kalkeikuu]

Is it possible that low pancreatic enzyme deficiency is caused from insulin shots? I ask because when I was pregnant, my obgyn put me on it for gestational diabetes. Then after I gave birth, they took me off the insulin shots and my digestion was not the same.

[@DrSchaerInstitute]

These webinars are intended as continuing professional development for healthcare professionals. Unfortunately, we are not able to respond to questions regarding an individual’s medical condition. If you have any medical concerns or questions, we would recommend that you consult with your own doctor for specific advice.

[@SUGAR_XYLER]

You should have used contraception....would have saved you many problems!

[@theresageiger584]

I HAVE NO STOMACH ACID ANYMORE

[@luckykatz14]

Me neither, a casualty of having a gastric bypass, when they shorten your functional small intestine weird and unplanned things happen. The best part, if there is any, I am 1/2 the weight I once was but it does take a toll to achieve that.

[@jennym2826]

I have EPI as a result of misdiagnosed bouts of pancreatitis that damaged my pancreas. I've never been a drinker, however, before EPI, I enjoyed having a glass of wine at social events. I've noticed after EPI, I cannot tolerate any alcohol whatsoever. After one glass of wine, hours later when I've gone to bed, I'll wake up extremely violently ill. Symptoms include shaking/trembling/rapid heart rate, headache. I feel as though I'm going to collapse. This has happened the last 2 times I ever drank.. on both occasions, went to dinner with friends, had one glass of white wine. As a result I have not had a drink since 2015. I'm too afraid I'm going to die. I have no idea if it's related to EPI, but I wonder if I'm lacking an enzyme needed to process alcohol. Anyone have this issue????

[@briannathomasprotopia7048]

Omg ma’am I have the same problem I’m only 25

[@briannathomasprotopia7048]

The exact Issue I also had to stop smoking because I couldn’t tolerate any smoking or anything leisure activity which is cause great depression

[@ambilaevus7607]

I have the similiar issue. Still figuring out what to do.

[@matticusminot8086]

Did you take Opioids? I took Vicodin for 10 years, now I have this EPI , crapping for 2 hours every morning.

[@matticusminot8086]

After 2 years of this, your heatrate, or panic attack is your body about to crap out stuff. I get blasted and heated up also.

[@johnbuck9701]

Covid. Covid. Covid. Sars cov2. Covid -19. Long covid.

[@Ashish..300]

All is long covid yes thanks.

[@isabeldiaz9717]

It's very possible

[@theresageiger584]

WHAT ABOUT PROBIOTICS

[@matticusminot8086]

? tried it didn't work. I heard fasting for 4 days than eat just fruits will heal you. I can't do that.

[@johnapple784]

@@matticusminot8086 That is nonsense. If you have EPI you need pancrelipase (pancreatic enzymes) with each meal. It is of course important to dial in your diet. But, just eating fruit will not only spike your blood sugar (the other side of the pancreas) but also cause you to miss out on important calories and nutrients. @theresageiger584 Probiotics and pre-biotics are all part of gut health but will not heal EPI.

[@jean-pierredalles8743]

QUETIAPINE !