Melissa:

Being able to properly manage EPI starts with really great communication between patients and providers and encouraging patients to open up about what's really going on. One of my favorite approaches is saying, you know what, everybody poops, everybody passes gas. And if I have kind of that blank stare from my patients, and I try to make it, like, a little bit more approachable.

Melissa:

I'm like, you know, like, farting. And that usually gets, like, a giggle out of people. And so now you feel a little bit more relaxed. That's the point. I want to make my patients feel comfortable and open up about these what could be very uncomfortable symptoms.

Melissa:

I think it’s so important for patients to be their own advocates.

Camille:

Right, right.

Melissa:

You know your body better than we do. If you know there’s something not quite right it’s worth investigating.

Camille:

I agree. There’s so many people that want to give up when they’re sick and can’t find a diagnosis; and they go, “it’s gonna be like this the rest of my life.” And I wanna say it doesn’t have to be. Keep advocating for yourself.

Melissa:

When talking to my patients, I'll start by asking questions like, what have you heard about EPI? Or what is your understanding of what the pancreas does?

Melissa:

And then from there, I can continue building on that understanding and assess how things are going with their treatment plan, as well as how well they understand their condition.

Camille:

Sounds like your patients are very fortunate. My care team is great. The best thing they taught me was to watch the floating stools, what looked like oily stools, which could be signs of malabsorption and may mean my pancreas isn't producing enough enzymes to break down food.

Melissa:

That's a great example of how we as healthcare professionals need to be there for our patients. I believe it’s more important to understand the function, rather than the label, like saying “look for oily or floating stools” instead of saying “look for or be aware of malabsorption.” You know, and this can help us better educate our patients so we can diagnose them faster.

Melissa:

Communication is so important, and not just between patients and providers, but even within the provider and the care team itself, right? I find that using our practice's healthcare portal and following up seven days after starting treatment can help create an open and honest communication.

Melissa:

I might not always be the one seeing my patients appointment after appointment, but making sure that everyone's on the same page and knows what the treatment plan is, is so helpful.

Camille:

Right.

Melissa:

And so I do tell my patients, and I lovingly call it, to keep a food and poop log. I want to know what they're eating and how that relates to their bowel movements.

Camille:

Almost like a snapshot of what they've eaten.

Melissa:

Yeah. Exactly. Then they bring that back a week after or so and as a care team we look at that and we are able to decide, you know what, I think we need to make some adjustments.

Melissa:

I know starting a new medication can be a little bit daunting, especially when it's brand new and, and it's a lifestyle change to have to take it. The key is to not overwhelm patients with too much information at once, though. When setting treatment expectations with my patients after they've been diagnosed with EPI and prescribed CREON, the top three things I want them to remember are, number one, you must take CREON with food. Number two, communicate with your providers. And finally, keep track of what you're eating to be able to identify whether you're on the right dose.

Camille:

I agree. Over time, I worked with my doctor to get the right dose with CREON. And it's been managing my EPI ever since.

SAFETY VOICE OVER:

USE

CREON^® (pancrelipase) is a prescription medicine used to treat people who cannot digest food normally because their pancreas does not make enough enzymes.

Important Safety Information

What is the most important information I should know about CREON?
CREON may increase your chance of having a rare bowel disorder called fibrosing colonopathy. The risk of having this condition may be reduced by following the dosing instructions that your healthcare professional (HCP) gave you. Call your HCP right away if you have any unusual or severe: stomach area (abdominal) pain, bloating, trouble passing stool, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

What should I tell my HCP before taking CREON?
Before taking CREON, tell your HCP about all the medicines you take and all your medical conditions, including if you are allergic to pork (pig) products; have a history of intestinal blockage or scarring or thickening of your bowel wall (fibrosing colonopathy), gout, kidney disease, or high blood uric acid (hyperuricemia); or are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, are breastfeeding, or plan to breastfeed.

How should I take CREON?
Take CREON exactly as your HCP tells you. Always take CREON with a meal or snack and enough liquid to swallow CREON completely. Do not crush or chew the CREON capsule or its contents, as this may cause irritation in your mouth or change the way CREON works in your body. Talk to your HCP or consult the CREON Medication Guide for how to take CREON if you have trouble swallowing capsules.

What are the possible side effects of CREON?

CREON may cause additional serious side effects, including:

• Increase in blood uric acid levels (hyperuricemia), including pain, stiffness, redness or swelling of your joints.
• Allergic reactions, including trouble with breathing, skin rashes, swollen lips, or itching.

Call your HCP right away if you have any of these symptoms.

The most common side effects of CREON include blood sugar increase (hyperglycemia) or decrease (hypoglycemia), pain in your stomach, frequent or abnormal bowel movements, gas, vomiting, dizziness, sore throat, and cough.

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.

These are not all the possible side effects of CREON. For more information, ask your HCP or pharmacist.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

If you are having difficulty paying for your medicine, AbbVie may be able to help. Visit AbbVie.com/PatientAccessSupport to learn more.