Wednesday, November 24

Switch.

Ok. Switch.

Switch? Switch what?

Switch clothes? Switch friends? Switch movies?

No. No. No

Switch enzymes? Seriously?!

Yes. It's really not that easy. It's not like switching clothes, movies, even friends....it is more difficult. It is more difficult emotionally, physically, etc. Could this be a better time too? Right before Thanksgiving?

So, Madeline has a handful of digestive enzymes left that she has to take with every bite she eats. If she doesn't? She will poop continuously, develop horrible gas, and never absorb any food she eats. Basically, she will not gain weight at all or get any nutrients from the food without these enzymes. Which would lead to a hospitalization and the possibility of lung infections...

So switching ....IS a big deal.

Pancrecarb, the enzyme brand that Madeline has been on was told (as like like all digestive enzyme makers) that they must ALL begin to be FDA approved. They never had to be in the past. Pancrecarb must have decided that they didn't want to get their crap together because here we are 7 months later and still no approval. It's been 7 months since the deadline that they had to meet to make the approval. They also were asked to apply for approval after date...nada.

Our "use to be perfect" enzymes


Lucky or not so lucky for Madeline. We had a TON of pancrecarb left over to last months after the deadline. Suddenly our world has changed a little and it is time to...

SWITCH!

Let me just tell you that Pancrecarb has been our "angel enzyme". Unlike some Cf'ers we know that not every enyzme works for everyone. But pancrecarb was the first one we tried when M was diagnosed at 3 weeks, and continued to be the ONLY enzyme we had to try because....it worked so well.

So there is a little bit of the unknown as we slip into the "switch." Some say the transition is no problem others talk about having issues and them not working. There is some anxiety about all of this since the Cf clinic will be closed over the holiday and enzymes are one of the secrets to healthy weight gain. Let's work, Zenpep...


our "new" enzyme: Zenpep

We have our upcoming quarterly clinic visit in the next week and a half and I find myself glaring at these new enzymes. I am just a little skeptical about the powers they may have over Madeline and keeping on the weight that she has so well maintained. 

If I could could give ZenPep an ultimatem I would totally tell them: "Do not screw it up or...." Or I dunno.
Just work, please.

So, as the three of us jump in the car to celebrate Thanksgiving with my parents and Jack's family... we are hoping to be thankful for enzymes that not only work but maybe ones that might work better? Is that even possible?


Zenpep on left, Pancrecarb on right.
They even look TOTALLY different!
 Here's hoping we all have a smooth holiday ....enzymes, Behave!!

Happy Thanksgiving where ever you are!

3 comments:

  1. I think when Pancreacarb knew they were not going to be approved they shipped out all of the their stuff. I still have like 3 or 4 boxes of it, then we will have to switch too. Pancreacarb was our second enzyme, the first one did not work for Zoey very well. It was not Zen Pep

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  2. Good luck with the Zenpep! It's been working WONDERS for Lucy, and so much easier to swallow because they are smaller. In three years, she has been on three different enzyme brands and not because of the FDA. Her first was Creon, her second was Pancrecarb, and now Zenpep. We've had to switch because they had just stop working after about a year. The Zenpep in combination with Prilosec is working so well. I hope you guys find the same results with it! Happy Thanksgiving to you! :)

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  3. Good luck with the switch. I'm sure everything will go smoothly...and I hope it will work even better!! Bryce is on Creon 6. It's the only enzyme we have been on and has worked for him so we keep with it. I half expected them to up him to the next dosage this past clinic, but they said since things are working so well to just leave it for now. I love the new picture of you and M. So cute!! Hugs.

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