I know exactly how you feel. Not a heavy drinker myself, but was diagnosed with the same thing and was given the creon pills. I actually suffered from anxiety from taking the pills versus the actual pancreatitis. So, I ended up taking anti-anxiety pills and it was much better.

While on creon (not on it any more), I would by accident miss a dose and it didn't make much of a difference. My dose was small from what others have taken (from my research). But yes, it would be wise to stay away from fatty foods and alcohol. What worked well for me was taking Ensure, making an Ensure shake for a meal replacement with fruits, etc.

Again, it's easy to get scared with such a serious illness. But hopefully you know you're not alone in this and there is a real possibility that you will heal in time with the right diet. Good luck!

Did the Creon leave you constipated, Terry? I.m thinking about getting off for that reason, assuming stool looks okay afterwards. These enzymes are over-prescribed in my opinion and can do more harm than good if not really needed.

Creon is a enzyme that goes into your stomach so your body recognizes that you have enzymes already, making your pancreas produce less. If you miss a dose nothing serious happens. It just makes your pancreas work harder. My wife takes much higher amounts depending on meals, it can be 2-5 with each meal. If you take too much, nothing happens, you pee it out :) Constipation could be from pain medication if this was recent......AND....DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL! If you do, then you risk an attack. And, if you get an attack from drinking, you will set back all sufferers who do not drink. The first question ANYONE with pancreatitis is asked is....Do you drink or smoke? Can't piss us off enough being asked that question EVERY time. No! She does not drink or smoke!

Louisville, I do recall being slightly constipated while on Creon, but I was on a rather small dose. Frankly, I don't think I needed to be on it and I think it was given to me as a knee jerk reaction. A second opinion took me off the Creon and I did't have a negative reaction. Although I did adjust my diet and cut back on drinking. It was difficult and took a lot of time to make changes to my daily routine. Alcohol is such a social part of our society and I think my struggle is partly rooted in this. People say, just stop drinking, but it is easier said than done.

I have been on Creon since early 2014 along with following a low-fat diet. Forgetting to take Creon before eating means your pancreas will release digestive enzymes. Not only is that painful but is damaging to the pancreas. My GI explained that Creon puts the pancreas "to sleep" and provides the enzymes that the pancreas would have produced. Maybe he meant that the pancreas can tell there are sufficient enzymes for digestion so they don't secrete them. In any case, he also said that Creon works for about 1 hour. Taking Creon doesn't mean you can eat high fat food. I thought I could take 2 and have a small order of French toast. Big mistake. Within minutes, my pancreas were hurting badly. Follow your doctor's recommendations. Since alcohol irritates the pancreas, avoid that, too. When faced with the alternative, taking Creon before a meal is not a big deal.