The Balancing Act

By the way — all my doctors and other medical professionals I deal with say, “Don’t read that stuff.” Seriously. Every one. Now comes the balancing act. I want Creon’s effects, though not quite as strong as they are now. I’m checking with my oncologist today if it’s OK to self dose?

24,000 U Creon capsules.  It take one with meals and snacks up to 3-4 times a day.It’s been six days since I began taking Creon, a drug to replace enzymes my pancreas no longer makes. It has been, so far, a pretty big success.

CREON and other pancreatic enzyme products are made from the pancreas of pigs, the same pigs people eat as pork. These pigs may carry viruses. Although it has never been reported, it may be possible for a person to get a viral infection from taking pancreatic enzyme products that come from pigs.

Hooray for me!

I’ve stopped taking Imodium and cut way back on Zofran and Compazine, all prescribed “as needed.” At one point I was dosing for my stomach five or six times a day.

That’s the good news. The bad news is my blood sugar has spiked.

Because of my Whipple surgery and cancer treatment half my pancreas is gone. The rest is sort of functioning a little. I’m diabetic and inject insulin and ingest Invokana every day. Until now they had effectively zeroed my diabetes out.

What’s happening isn’t unexpected. Blood sugar is the number one concern on Creon’s list.

The most common side effects include: increased (hyperglycemia) or decreased (hypoglycemia) blood sugars, pain in your stomach area (abdominal area), frequent or abnormal bowel movements, gas, vomiting, dizziness, or sore throat and cough.

By the way — all my doctors and other medical professionals I deal with say, “Don’t read that stuff.” Seriously. Every one.

Now comes the balancing act. I want Creon’s effects, though not quite as strong as they are now. I’m checking with my oncologist today if it’s OK to self dose?

As for the blood sugar, my endocrinologist (I’m collecting a full set of specialists) is having me feel my way to a slightly higher dose of insulin. The pen I inject with has a very easy method for controlling the amount I get.

In so many ways this reminds me of setting the chroma key this weekend with Larry. Every control affects other controls. It’s all just a balancing act.

Even with the cancer gone, this cancer stuff takes a lot of work.

2 thoughts on “The Balancing Act”

  1. What is your take on Metformin? I’m diabetic level 2 although there’s thinking today once diagnosed as diabetic no difference between level 1 or 2. Bottom line, when started on Metformin only once a day basically no problem with bowel movement – now with endocrinology doctor at 4 tabs before bed time – probs. Yet when I don’t take Metformin no prob. Is this like Asthma it comes and goes?

  2. Those medfical professionals are right and wrong. If you are going to let that information scare you, don’t read it. If you want to be able to recognize sideeffects as normal or otherwise, then you probably should be moderately familiar with the “prescribing information” However, the best is to have doctors whom you trust to give you the information you actually need. Ask questions, and avoid the panic
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