What is Pancreatic Insufficiency and Can it be Completely Cured?
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Chronic constipation and diarrhea can be symptoms of many conditions, ranging from IBS to inflammatory bowel diseases. But when coupled with unintended weight loss and abdominal pain, you need to schedule an appointment with one of our gastroenterologists in Raleigh to determine if you may have pancreatic insufficiency.
In this blog, we’ll take you through the signs, symptoms and causes of this condition, as well as the innovative ways we help you manage it. We’ll also take a closer look at the question ‘What is pancreatic insufficiency?’
What Is Pancreatic Insufficiency?
Pancreatic insufficiency, also known as EPI/Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency, is a condition that occurs when your pancreas doesn’t make enough digestive enzymes to process the food you consume. As a result, your body isn’t able to get the nutrients it needs because your small intestine isn’t able to completely digest food.
Typically this condition develops slowly, taking years to finally manifest. It’s more common in those with cystic fibrosis and chronic pancreatitis.
What Are the Symptoms of Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI)?
We touched base on a few of the symptoms earlier, but to recap, they include:
- Abdominal pain
- Gas
- Bloating
- Fatty poop that floats
- Unintended weight loss
- Diarrhea
- Excess gas
Can EPI Be Completely Cured?
Unfortunately, there is no cure for pancreatic insufficiency. However, we have several innovative approaches that will help you manage it and reduce the troublesome symptoms listed above.
It’s important to get enough nutrients and vitamins because your pancreas can’t properly process food to absorb these essential elements. We’ll work closely with you to ensure your body gets what it needs, and we’ll closely monitor your progress and make any adjustments needed to your health care plan.
How Is Pancreatic Insufficiency Managed?
As we mentioned earlier, it’s critical to ensure your body gets enough nutrition. We do this through pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT). In addition, some lifestyle changes can make a positive impact.
During PERT, we’ll prescribe some medication that contains pancreatic enzymes. These will aid your digestion and prevent malnutrition. It will also provide relief from some of your symptoms.
If your pancreatic insufficiency is caused by another disease or condition – such as cystic fibrosis, pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer–treatments to control and manage these illnesses can also improve your pancreatic sufficiency.
Remember, if you have any questions, we encourage you to reach out to our board-certified gastroenterologists in Raleigh. For decades, we’ve served the Triangle and surrounding areas, offering care for everything from advanced liver disease to routine colonoscopies.
RMG Gastroenterology: Where Convenience Meets State-of-the-Art, Compassionate Medicine
For us, it’s about much more than offering the latest procedures. It’s about enhancing the lives of residents throughout the Raleigh area. We have five primary office locations throughout Wake and Johnston counties in addition to three endoscopy centers.
We believe that convenience and cost-effective screenings can prevent many major illnesses and give our patients a new lease on life.
If you’ve experienced any of the symptoms above, we encourage you to contact us to schedule an appointment. We would consider it a privilege to be a partner in your health care.
Key Takeaways
- Chronic constipation or diarrhea, especially when combined with weight loss and abdominal pain, may indicate pancreatic insufficiency (EPI).
- Pancreatic insufficiency occurs when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough digestive enzymes, leading to poor nutrient absorption.
- Common symptoms of EPI include abdominal pain, bloating, gas, fatty stools that float, unintended weight loss, and diarrhea.
- While EPI cannot be cured, it can be effectively managed through pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) and lifestyle changes.
- PERT involves taking medications that contain digestive enzymes to improve nutrient absorption and reduce symptoms.
- Treating underlying conditions like chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, or pancreatic cancer can also help manage EPI.
- Ensuring proper nutrition is critical, and ongoing monitoring is essential to adjust your care plan as needed.
- RMG Gastroenterology offers compassionate, state-of-the-art care across multiple locations in the Raleigh area.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of EPI, scheduling an appointment with a board-certified gastroenterologist is the next best step.
The information in this article and in the other articles on this site is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. If you have questions or concerns, please contact your healthcare provider.
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Sources:
Cleveland Clinic, “Exocrene Pancreatic Insufficiency,” https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21577-exocrine-pancreatic-insufficiency-epi
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, “Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency,” https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/exocrine-pancreatic-insufficiency
