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Pancreatic Insufficiency Symptoms

According to Lab Tests Online, pancreatic insufficiency occurs when the pancreas is no longer able to produce or move the enzymes your body needs to digest food or take in the nutrients from the food. It can have a number of causes including cystic fibrosis, pancreatic cancer or chronic pancreatitis. Knowing the symptoms of pancreatic insufficiency can help you determine if you should seek medical attention.

  1. Abdominal Discomfort

    • Pancreatic insufficiency can cause a number of abdominal problems. A general abdominal discomfort is one example. You may also notice that you are nauseous. Excessive gas and the pains associated with it are also common, resulting in frequent flatulence. You may also notice that your stomach is bloated or even distended depending on the amount of gas built up.

    Weight Loss

    • Another common symptom is weight loss. Despite a healthy appetite, you may find that you are losing weight or in the case of children, they may not be able to gain weight. This is because the missing enzymes in your digestive tract are preventing vitamins and nutrients from being absorbed by your intestines. This can lead to malnutrition or vitamin deficiencies.

    Unusual Bowel Movements

    • If you are suffering from pancreatic insufficiency, you may notice changes in your bowel movements. It is common for you to find you have more frequent bowel movements. They also tend to be fairly loose and larger than you are used to. Bowl movements tend to be pale in color and contain mucus or oil or that the oil is floating in the toilet water. You may notice that your stool remains stuck to the side of the toilet bowl or is hard to flush in general. Another common symptom is foul-smelling stools.

    Other Symptoms

    • Other symptoms may impact you that may seem unrelated to pancreatic insufficiency. For example, you may find that you experience night blindness, which is a condition where you can see normally with adequate light but your eyes cannot see properly in dim light, making tasks like driving difficult. Muscle cramps and bone pain is another common symptom. Or you may find that you bruise more easily than normal. Also, some adults develop diabetes due to pancreatic insufficiency.

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