I have a question for those of you who follow my blog! As some of you know, Ultrase Digestive Enzymes are not being manufactured anymore and most pharmacy's are out of stock. I had a couple of extra months, but I'm on my last bottle. For those of you that have taken Ultrase MT, what have you switched to? Or have you switched yet? or what are your thoughts? I have been on Ultrase my entire life and hate to introduce something new to my tummy :) I have a supply of Creon. I've heard different stories of Creon....of it working, and of it not working very well. I read on the directions that you have to take Creon enzymes 1 hour before you eat something. Well....that doesn't really work in my fast-paced world. With school, etc., there is no way possible for me to remember or have the time to take them 1 hour before I eat. Half the time i don't even know when i'm eating. The great thing about Ultrase was you had a 2 hour time-frame. You could take it within 2 hours before or after you ate.
I know the other choice of Enzymes is ZenPep...which is fairly new. Are there any other choices? Having had a transplant, I don't see a CF doctor, although some of our transplant doctors are CF doctors. I haven't had the chance to ask 1 of the docs.
So i have no clue what to do. Advice? Suggestions?
Thanks!
Best Day
4 years ago
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13 comments:
We have some Ultrase MT18 (unopened bottles) left - do you want them? I can send them tomorrow if so. Mackenzie went ahead and made the switch to Zenpep, we haven't had any issues.
Interesting about the Creon. There is no way we could ever do an enzyme that requires you to take them one hour before eating. Also, I never knew that about Ultrase having a 2 hour window! And, in either direction!
I took Viokase, and switched to Zenpep. Neither Creon nor Zenpep has the same proportion of enzymes as the Viokase, and I am not liking them at all. I'm not sure if I would get any better results if I switched to Creon, but if I have to take it an hour before...pfftt! No help here, I'm afraid, just commiserating... :(
~Andee
the closest to ultrase is pancrease, which is still being made (now the brand name is pancreaze). pancreaze 21000 or whatever is exactly the same as pancrease mt-20s were. they look the same, work the same, etc. if you aren't willing to try anything new, i'd go for those.
i've been on pancrease/pancreaze ever since i stopped creon in like 5th grade. i tried creon again when they made all the changes this year b/c that's what my hospital stocks on formula, but it didn't work. back to old standard for me!
I take Creon...but I never knew I was to take it that far in advance!
I was able to order a few months extra Ultrase right after they stopped making them, so I am just making the switch now (well, about three weeks ago). I chose Creon and have been pretty pleased with the results. I was told my dosage would most likely have to change, but have found that I am very comfortable still taking the same amount -- 5 capsules with meals. I am a little gassier than usual (because I knew you were just dying to know) but other than that, things seem to be working out okay. I, too, was really nervous to make a change since Ultrase was all my tummy and I had ever known. Best of luck!
Oh, and I NEVER take them an hour in advance. EVER.
I couldn't find where the Creon says take them an hour ahead. Do you have a link?
~Andee
I was on Ultrase for years and my doc switched me to Zenpep this past year. I take the higher dosage (20,000 USP units). I took about 10 Ultrase per meal and with Zenpep I only have to take about 5 per meal which is nice. Good Luck
I never take Creon on hour before either! On the bottle it says to take it during eating.
I try to spread it out, take one before, one during and 1 or more (depending on what I eat) right after.
But usually end up taking them all right after.
I have always been on Pancrease. Tried lots but as Creon really doesn't work as good it does work better than everything else I can get. I do have to juggle around a lot more with Creon than I had to with Pancrease.
But now that Piper wrote on the forum a few weeks ago that Pancreaze really is the same I am going to try contact the CF nurse at my tx center and ask her if I can get that too.
It's all very irritating, that's what I think. You've found something you like and agrees with you, and there it goes...
My son is on Creon and does well with it. He takes his right as he's eating and we have a 45 minute window to shove everything we can find in him!! Never heard the hours before hand thing?!
I switched to Creon and it took a little adjusting, but I love it.
I take Creon 24 now. . .switched from Pancrease MT16 (which I really liked). My Creon seem to be working quite well for me with only the occasional digestive CF upset. I take them after I eat. Usually right after/during, but I have taken them after wards with no noticeable ill effects.
Hope that helps! I haven't noticed the "take an hour before eating" rule. Honestly. But Emzymes vary about as much as CF does :)
The Creon bottles are impossible to open. Seriously. Yesterday ... my sister and were about ready to try a hammer and nail. So ... if you go with those then be prepared! haha! Also, Lo takes enzymes in the morning and night and then with each meal ... she never takes them an hour before!
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