Creon interactions: Alcohol, medications, and other factors

In some cases, factors or conditions could prevent your doctor from prescribing a drug due to the risk of harm. These are known as contraindications. However, the drug manufacturer has not provided any contraindications in Creon’s prescribing information.

Before you start treatment with Creon, talk with your doctor. They can determine whether Creon has any contraindications that may apply to you.

There are no known interactions between Creon and alcohol.

However, keep in mind that consuming large amounts of alcohol can damage your pancreas. Creon is prescribed when the pancreas doesn’t make enough enzymes (proteins) to help with digestion. So, drinking alcohol while taking Creon can worsen the condition you’re using the drug to treat.

If you have questions about drinking alcohol while taking Creon, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Before you start treatment with Creon, tell your doctor and pharmacist which prescription, over-the-counter, and other medications you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Creon interacts with supplements, herbs, or vitamins, see the “Creon and other interactions” section below.)

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Here’s a table of drugs that can interact with Creon. Keep in mind that this table doesn’t include all drugs that may interact with Creon. These interactions are described in detail just below in “Drug interactions in depth.”

* Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) supplements, which can be used as antacids, may interact with Creon. To learn more, see the “Creon and other interactions” section below.

Here’s a closer look at certain drug interactions of Creon.

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors are prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes.

Interaction result. Taking Creon with an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor can make the alpha-glucosidase inhibitor less effective.

Interaction explained. Creon is used to replace certain enzymes (proteins) that help with digestion. Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors work by slowing the action of certain enzymes that help with digestion. So, taking Creon with an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor may cancel out the effect of the alpha-glucosidase inhibitor.

Examples of alpha-glucosidase inhibitors. Acarbose and miglitol (Glyset) are alpha-glucosidase inhibitors that may interact with Creon.

Steps you or your doctor may take. Doctors typically will not prescribe Creon with alpha-glucosidase inhibitors. Your doctor can suggest other treatment options for your condition.

Antacids

Antacids can help ease symptoms of conditions such as indigestion and heartburn.

Interaction result. Taking Creon with an antacid can make Creon less effective.

Interaction explained. When taken with Creon, the antacid may attach to Creon. This can prevent your body from absorbing Creon. As a result, the level of Creon in your body may be too low for the drug to be effective.

Examples of antacids. Here are some antacids that may interact with Creon:

• calcium carbonate (TUMS)
• aluminum hydroxide/magnesium hydroxide (Maalox)
• calcium carbonate/magnesium hydroxide/simethicone (Rolaids)

Steps you or your doctor may take. Your doctor can advise you on when it’s safe to take antacids during Creon treatment. For example, they’ll likely advise you to take antacids at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after your Creon dosage. Separating these treatments may help prevent antacids from affecting Creon.

Creon may have other interactions, such as with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. You’ll find details below. Keep in mind that the following information does not include all other possible interactions with Creon.

Creon interactions with supplements

Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) supplements, which can be used as antacids, may interact with Creon. Taking Creon with sodium bicarbonate supplements can make Creon less effective.

Your doctor can advise you on when it’s safe to take sodium bicarbonate during Creon treatment. For example, they’ll likely advise you to take sodium bicarbonate at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after taking Creon. Doing so may help prevent these supplements from affecting Creon.

Before you start treatment with Creon, tell your doctor and pharmacist which supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Creon and herbs

There are no specific reports of herbs interacting with Creon. However, that doesn’t mean herbal interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products during Creon treatment.

Creon and vitamins

There are no specific reports of vitamins interacting with Creon. However, that doesn’t mean vitamin interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, you should talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any vitamin product with Creon.

Creon and food

There were no reports of food interactions with Creon. If you’d like to learn more about eating certain foods during treatment with Creon, talk with your doctor. They can tell you about any foods to avoid when taking Creon.

Note: Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) supplements may interact with Creon. However, baking soda found in foods isn’t expected to interact with Creon. This is because the amount of baking soda in foods is typically much less than the amount in a sodium bicarbonate supplement. To learn more about this interaction, see “Creon interactions with supplements” above.

Creon and vaccines

There are no reports of vaccine interactions with Creon. If you’d like to learn more about getting certain vaccines during treatment with Creon, talk with your doctor.

Creon and lab tests

There are no reports of lab tests interacting with Creon. If you’d like to learn more about getting specific lab tests while taking Creon, talk with your doctor.

CREON AND CANNABIS OR CBD

Cannabis (often called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have not been specifically reported to interact with Creon. However, as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis in combination with Creon. The impact of cannabis may affect how well you stick to your Creon treatment plan.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Certain medical conditions and other factors may increase the risk of interactions with Creon. Before you take this drug, be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history. Creon may not be the right treatment option if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.

Health conditions or factors that might interact with Creon include:

• Fibrosing colonopathy. Before taking Creon, tell your doctor if you have fibrosing colonopathy. This condition causes scarring and shortening of the colon in people with cystic fibrosis. Creon may worsen this condition. If your doctor prescribes Creon, they’ll monitor your condition closely and may prescribe a lower dosage of the drug. To learn about the dosage of Creon, see this article.
• Factors that increase your risk of a high uric acid level. Before starting Creon treatment, tell your doctor if you have a kidney problem such as kidney failure. Also tell them if you have gout or a high level of uric acid in your blood. These factors may increase your risk of a high uric acid level as a side effect of Creon. (To learn about the side effects of Creon, see this article.) If your doctor prescribes Creon, they’ll closely monitor the level of uric acid in your blood during treatment.
• Pregnancy. It’s not known for certain whether Creon is safe to take while pregnant. The drug’s clinical trials did not include pregnant people. However, reports of the drug’s use in pregnancy haven’t shown any harm to a fetus. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor before taking Creon.
• Breastfeeding. It isn’t known whether Creon passes into breast milk or if it causes side effects in a child who is breastfed. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor before starting Creon treatment.
• Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Creon or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Creon. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
• Allergy to pork. If you’re allergic to pork, your doctor may not prescribe Creon. The drug is made from the pancreas of pigs. Taking Creon could cause an allergic reaction in people with pork allergies. Your doctor can recommend a different treatment that may be a safer choice for you.

You can take certain steps to help prevent interactions with Creon. Your doctor and pharmacist are key resources, so reach out to them before starting treatment. For example, you should plan to do the following:

• Let them know if you drink alcohol.
• Tell them about any other medications you take, as well as any supplements, herbs, and vitamins.
• Create a medication list, which your doctor and pharmacist can help you fill out.

It’s also important to read the Creon label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. The label may have colored stickers that mention an interaction. And the paperwork, sometimes called the medication guide or patient package insert, may contain details about interactions.

If Creon doesn’t come with paperwork, you can ask your pharmacist to print a copy. If you need help reading or understanding this information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

You can also help prevent interactions with Creon by taking it exactly as your doctor prescribes.

Besides learning about interactions, you may want to find out more about Creon. These resources might help:

• Overview of Creon. For a general overview of Creon, you can see this article.
• Side effects. If you’re interested in the side effects of Creon, see this article. Another option is to refer to the Creon prescribing information.
• Dosage specifics. To learn about the dosage of Creon, see this article.
• Drug comparison. For information about how Creon compares with Zenpep, read this article.
• Cost. If you’d like to learn about Creon and cost, see this article.
• Facts about exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). To learn more about EPI, see our list of gastrointestinal and gastroenterology articles.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.