Living with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) symptoms can feel uncertain

EPI Eatery’ neon sign
EPI Eatery’ neon sign
EPI Eatery’ neon sign
EPI Eatery’ neon sign
EPI Eatery’ neon sign
EPI Eatery’ neon sign
EPI Eatery’ neon sign

Depending on what you eat,
uncomfortable symptoms can be hard to
navigate

When you have EPI, your body can’t digest food normally because your
pancreas isn’t making enough enzymes. This can lead to a number of
uncomfortable symptoms which may vary based on what you eat.

Signs and symptoms of EPI may include:

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Steatorrhea

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Weight loss

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Bloating

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Diarrhea

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Gas

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Stomach 
Pain/Cramps

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Malaise

Experiencing one or more of these symptoms?

EPI often happens because of these conditions:

Pancreatic cancer

Chronic pancreatitis

Cystic fibrosis

Diabetes (types 1 and 2)

EPI is often diagnosed based on your medical history and symptoms,
but your doctor may also use these tests to help diagnose EPI:

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Fecal Elastase Test

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Fecal Fat Test

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Pancreatic Function Test

Your doctor may also consider blood tests and/or pancreas imaging tests to help determine if you have EPI.

Managing EPI includes:

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Pancreatic enzyme replacement
therapy (PERT)

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Maintaining adequate nutritional
status with vitamin/nutrient
supplements

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Lifestyle and dietary modifications

EPI is a chronic condition requiring treatment with enzymes for
every meal or snack.

Different strength capsules are available, so it's important to talk to your doctor about your treatment options. For many patients who need a high dose, lower-strength options may require you to start with more capsules.