Frequency of bowel movements very seldom, since taking Kreon

Question

Dear Dr. Posselt,

many thanks for your answer. Our sons bowel movements are since the beginning of taking Kreon nor frequent neither smooth. They had been like this before.
Since we started on Kreon, he almost has obstipation, his stool is now due to the Kreon very volumious, stinky and mucous. As said before, he is completely brest fed. I can not give suppositories all the time to my baby that it can have bowel movements?!
He is also above the average with his height and weight. In 3 days he is 7 months old, has 68 cm and weighs 8750g.
At diagnosis, when he was 6 weeks old, we were told to bring a stool sample and there the enzymes were missing responsible for digestion of fat.
Could it be that the pancreas restarted working on its own? And he does not need the Kreon anymore? And why does he not taste salty anymore?
Many thanks in advance,

Answer

Hello,
As your child is homozygous for DeltaF508 and primary an insufficiency of the pancreas seems to have been documented, it is not to expect that the function of the pancreas restores. In case your child tends to obstipation now, this can be possibly tracable to an insufficient intake of fluid in the first line. Here you should get the advice of a dietitian.
That the stools smells more intense under Kreon is reported frequently. This is for sure connected with a better utilization of the food. However, the doctors in charge together with a dietitian should check, if you give the right dosage of Kreon. Too much Kreon can influence the stool negatively.
That your child does not taste so salty at the moment is connected with the lower tendency to transpirate at this time of the year. The salt content of the sweat of a CF patient does stay at a high level the whole life.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. H.-G. Posselt

26.05.2009