Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency & Impact on Digestion Complications

Digestive complications are a common part of our daily living. For some individuals, the complications with digestive complications may be associated with a metabolic disorder and, specifically, related to complications involving the pancreas. If you are living with persistent complications involving your digestion, it is important to speak with your doctor about the issues associated with exocrine pancreas insufficiency.

Within the pancreas, specific cells are responsible for the secretion of enzymes that serve to function in the digestive process. When these cells are not present, or when no operating correctly, there is a risk for complications involving your digestion that can lead to a variety of symptoms. Just like the issues of acute pyelonephritis, these types of complications should not be ignored.

When living with complications involving digestive issues, it is important to meet with an internal medicine doctor who can determine if complications involving exocrine pancreas insufficiency may be to blame. With simple testing, your doctor can determine if you have the pancreatic enzymes present and, if not, if the absence of those pancreatic enzymes is related to an insufficiency issue with your metabolic system. In most patients who have this digestive complication, a metabolic disorder, including diabetes, is also present.

While exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is not curable, it can be effectively managed by using a supplement of pancreatic enzymes. Your doctor can order these enzymes for your use at home and, in doing so, this will supply your body with the enzymes you need to improve digestion. With digestive improvement, complications involving malnutrition are typically resolved and your diabetic complications are more effectively managed.

When we suffer from complications involving digestion, we typically do not associate those complications with the issues of the pancreas. If you have complications involving digestion that do not seem easily resolved, be sure to ask about the testing for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

Sources: The Pancreatic Oath, by Candice Rosen