Creon Capsule: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Creon Capsule contains pancrelipase (pancreatin), a mixture of digestive enzymes made from pig pancreas, including lipase, protease, and amylase. It is a prescription medicine used to treat exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), a condition in which the pancreas does not make enough enzymes to digest food. Creon replaces these missing enzymes to help the body break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates during digestion.

What is Creon Capsule

Creon is a prescription medicine used to treat exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), a condition where the pancreas does not make enough enzymes to digest food. It contains a mixture of digestive enzymes called pancrelipase, made from the pancreas of pigs, including lipase, protease, and amylase. These enzymes replace those the body cannot make in sufficient amounts and help break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates during digestion.

Creon Capsule uses

• Treats exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) caused by cystic fibrosis
• Treats EPI caused by chronic pancreatitis (long-term inflammation of the pancreas)
• Treats EPI caused by a pancreatectomy (surgical removal of part or all of the pancreas)
• Treats EPI caused by blockage of the pancreatic ducts
• Treats EPI caused by certain other conditions that damage the pancreas, such as type 2 diabetes

Benefits of Creon Capsule

• Helps the body absorb nutrients more effectively from food
• Reduces symptoms of EPI such as weight loss, diarrhea, greasy or oily stools, bloating, and vitamin deficiencies
• Supports normal digestion of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates

How Creon Capsule works

In people with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, the pancreas does not release enough digestive enzymes, so food is not properly digested. Creon capsules pass through the stomach and then open to release their enzymes in the small intestine, where they help break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates into smaller parts the body can absorb and use for energy and nutrition.

Creon Capsule dosage

Take Creon with every meal and snack, usually with three meals a day and two or three snacks, at the start of the meal or snack. Swallow capsules whole with a full glass of water; do not crush, chew, or hold them in the mouth, as this can irritate the mouth.

If you cannot swallow capsules, you may open them and sprinkle the contents onto a small amount of soft, acidic food (such as applesauce) and swallow right away without chewing; do not save the mixture for later. Do not mix the medicine with infant formula or breast milk; give before each feeding instead.

Do not inhale the powder or let it touch your skin, as it may cause irritation, especially to the nose and lungs. Avoid taking with hot beverages like tea or coffee, as this may stop the medicine from working properly. If you take antacids, take them at least one hour before your dose, as antacids may affect how well the medicine works. Drink plenty of water every day while taking this medicine.

If you skip a meal or snack, skip that dose too; take the next dose with your next meal or snack; do not double up. Tell your doctor about any changes in weight, since children's and teenagers' doses are often based on weight.

Available forms and strengths

• Delayed-release capsules

Side effects of Creon Capsule

Common

• Stomach pain, gas, vomiting
• Diarrhea or other changes in bowel movements
• Rectal itching
• Headache, dizziness
• Runny or stuffy nose, cough, sore throat
• Changes in blood sugar
• Abnormal stools (unusual color, form, or smell)
• Nausea
• Constipation

Serious

• Signs of an allergic reaction: hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
• Joint pain or swelling, or signs of high uric acid such as painful or swollen joints, pain in the big toe, or kidney stones
• Symptoms of a rare but serious bowel disorder (fibrosing colonopathy): severe or unusual stomach pain, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation
• A child not growing at a normal rate while using this medicine
• Mouth irritation such as sores, ulcers, or burning/stinging in the mouth
• Irritation or inflammation in the anal region if too much medicine is taken

Warnings and precautions

• Call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of a rare but serious bowel disorder, including severe or unusual stomach pain, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation.
• Do not chew the capsules or hold them in your mouth, as this can irritate the inside of the mouth.
• If you have a pork allergy, you may also be allergic to this medicine because it is made from pig pancreas.
• This medicine should be used with caution in people with a bowel-narrowing condition called fibrosing colonopathy, and their dose and colon health should be closely monitored.
• Several children with cystic fibrosis taking high doses of pancreatic enzyme supplements have had narrowing of the bowel that required surgery.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. This medicine has not been well studied in pregnancy, but it is not expected to expose the baby to the drug since it mostly stays in the digestive tract.
• Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if this medicine passes into breast milk, but only a tiny amount is absorbed into the body, so it is not expected to affect a breastfed child.
• This medicine can increase uric acid levels in the blood, which may be worse in people with reduced kidney function. Tell your doctor if you have kidney disease.
• This medicine does not directly interact with alcohol, but alcohol can damage the pancreas and worsen the condition this medicine is used to treat. Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol.
• This medicine does not affect your ability to drive or use machines.

Storage

• Store at room temperature between 59°F to 77°F (15°C to 25°C)
• Avoid heat
• You may store at a temperature between 77°F to 104°F (25°C to 40°C) for up to 30 days; throw away any medicine stored at these temperatures for more than 30 days
• Keep in a dry place and in the original container
• After opening the bottle, keep it closed tightly between uses to protect it from moisture
• If there is a moisture-absorbing packet (desiccant) in the bottle, keep it in the bottle; do not eat it or throw it away
• Keep capsules in the bottle until it is time to take them
• Keep in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C; in warmer climates it may be necessary to store in the refrigerator
• After opening, use within 6 months
• Store away from moisture, heat, or sunlight; do not store in the bathroom, near a sink, in the car, or on window sills
• Keep out of reach of children; a locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good storage place
• If you no longer need the medicine or it is out of date, take it to a pharmacy for safe disposal

When to see a doctor

• Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction, such as hives, trouble breathing, or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Call your doctor right away, or go to the emergency department, if you have severe or prolonged stomach pain.
• Call your doctor at once if you have joint pain or swelling, or symptoms of a serious bowel disorder such as severe or unusual stomach pain, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation.
• Call your doctor straight away if you are still having problems with fatty stools or stomach pain while taking this medicine.
• If you think you have taken too much of this medicine, drink plenty of water and get urgent medical help, even if you feel fine.

Alternatives

• Pancreatin preparations
• Viokace
• Pertzye
• Pancreaze
• Zenpep