Whipple procedure

jawsjr51
jawsjr51 Member Posts: 5
edited March 2014 in Rare and Other Cancers #1
I am about to undergo the Whipple Procedure. I am attempting to gather feddback from individuals that have undergone this procedure. Can anyone tell me from their experience what I will face? I have a 3 cm muscinuos cyst in the head of my pancreas. PET scan shows potential for caner around the outer rim of this cyst. I am a 56 year type 2 diabetic in outerwise good health.

Comments

  • RichardRS
    RichardRS Member Posts: 44
    #2
    If you go to the bottom of the discussion page to the "search" box, and enter "whipple procedure" and/or "pancreatic cancer" and select "all discussion groups, you will find several entries on both topics. Best of wishes on your forthcoming procedure. Richard
  • jawsjr51
    jawsjr51 Member Posts: 5
    #3
    RichardRS said:

    If you go to the bottom of the discussion page to the "search" box, and enter "whipple procedure" and/or "pancreatic cancer" and select "all discussion groups, you will find several entries on both topics. Best of wishes on your forthcoming procedure. Richard

    Thank you for responding to my request. Your response has started ne on my journey for recovery before my procedure. Thank you, Richard
  • AuthorUnknown
    AuthorUnknown Member Posts: 1,537 Member
    #4
    Take a look at this:

    http://tinyurl.com/36wcxg
  • aksteve
    aksteve Member Posts: 3
    #5
    Hey Jaws,

    looks like we both were about to have our whipples at the same time! i had mine on Jan. 4th. and it went well! it was tough especially the first 6 weeks, but i am back full time working and getting better. the hardest part for me is learning how to eat again. fatty foods and bread give me the most trouble. are you having a pylorus preserving? also, my biggest recomendation is to get it done by someone who does a TON of whipples. it is one of the most major surgeries done! good luck. keep us posted!
  • SATTERMAN1
    SATTERMAN1 Member Posts: 5
    #6
    aksteve said:

    Hey Jaws,

    looks like we both were about to have our whipples at the same time! i had mine on Jan. 4th. and it went well! it was tough especially the first 6 weeks, but i am back full time working and getting better. the hardest part for me is learning how to eat again. fatty foods and bread give me the most trouble. are you having a pylorus preserving? also, my biggest recomendation is to get it done by someone who does a TON of whipples. it is one of the most major surgeries done! good luck. keep us posted!

    food
    i had my whipple done on 07-08-08 by a doc who does alot of whipples. my probelm is food. i was 280 before surgery i am now 235. i find it hard not to stuff myself. i am always taking lax or stool softs. after i eat (small meal) i feel like i ate a turkey dinner at thanks giving. how about you ?????...thanks john
  • chrisxman
    chrisxman Member Posts: 4
    #7
    aksteve said:

    Hey Jaws,

    looks like we both were about to have our whipples at the same time! i had mine on Jan. 4th. and it went well! it was tough especially the first 6 weeks, but i am back full time working and getting better. the hardest part for me is learning how to eat again. fatty foods and bread give me the most trouble. are you having a pylorus preserving? also, my biggest recomendation is to get it done by someone who does a TON of whipples. it is one of the most major surgeries done! good luck. keep us posted!

    whipple
    I had my Whipple done on 01-30-02 and here I am almost seven years later alive and doing pretty well. I was 71 years old when I was diagnosed and had other issues such as COPD. It has been a long and at times tough journey but a successful one. My tumors were in my Bile Ducts so the Whipple was extensive and very successful; so much so that I didn’t require Chemo. My surgery was done at the Loma Linda VA Hospital (CA) and the care there was perfect in every respect. I came home after four days in Intensive Care and two weeks on the Surgery Ward. I was released from the Oncology Clinic in 07 and at this point still free of cancer. I am able to live alone and can care for myself. I believe I have a record going for survival. I am incredibly lucky and at the same time having a positive attitude is wonderful medine.
  • FannieAnnie
    FannieAnnie Member Posts: 1
    #8
    chrisxman said:

    whipple
    I had my Whipple done on 01-30-02 and here I am almost seven years later alive and doing pretty well. I was 71 years old when I was diagnosed and had other issues such as COPD. It has been a long and at times tough journey but a successful one. My tumors were in my Bile Ducts so the Whipple was extensive and very successful; so much so that I didn’t require Chemo. My surgery was done at the Loma Linda VA Hospital (CA) and the care there was perfect in every respect. I came home after four days in Intensive Care and two weeks on the Surgery Ward. I was released from the Oncology Clinic in 07 and at this point still free of cancer. I am able to live alone and can care for myself. I believe I have a record going for survival. I am incredibly lucky and at the same time having a positive attitude is wonderful medine.

    7 years post whipple too
    Hello,
    I am post whipple 7 years also. I have found it is hard to find good care for post whipple patients. I STILL have lots of pain, nausea, slow and fast bowels. I have been told it is IBS??

    I am happy for you that you are so healthy and cancer free. I did not have cancer to begin with. The tumors were benign... surgery was a must however.
    Take care Andrea
  • rahrah
    rahrah Member Posts: 1
    #9
    FannieAnnie said:

    7 years post whipple too
    Hello,
    I am post whipple 7 years also. I have found it is hard to find good care for post whipple patients. I STILL have lots of pain, nausea, slow and fast bowels. I have been told it is IBS??

    I am happy for you that you are so healthy and cancer free. I did not have cancer to begin with. The tumors were benign... surgery was a must however.
    Take care Andrea

    non cancer post whipple 4 years ago
    Hi FannieAnnie, I, too, had a precancerous condition that required a Whipple. I still get some stomach pain and some nausea, at least 2 to 3 bowel move a day. I have GERD and have been taking Omeprozole for that. Just found out today that along with my pancreatic enzyme at each meal I need to take the omeprozole every morning WITHOUT ANY OTHER MEDS 30 MINUTES BEFORE EATING. I hope this makes a difference in the amount of fullness that I feel after I eat. I have been able to put on about 4 pounds and keep it on and that is good (I guess).
    I feel grateful that I never developed pancreatic cancer and at the same time recognize that this surgery does alter my diet and that I have to be very conscious of the amount and composition of the food I eat. The CREON enzyme and the omeprozole, I have been told, I need to be on for the rest of my life. (I am 75). CREON is very expensive and I do not take the full dose but it does seem to help anyway as I am 111 lbs. If I weighed more I would probably require the recommended dosage.
  • gastro1
    gastro1 Member Posts: 3
    #10
    rahrah said:

    non cancer post whipple 4 years ago
    Hi FannieAnnie, I, too, had a precancerous condition that required a Whipple. I still get some stomach pain and some nausea, at least 2 to 3 bowel move a day. I have GERD and have been taking Omeprozole for that. Just found out today that along with my pancreatic enzyme at each meal I need to take the omeprozole every morning WITHOUT ANY OTHER MEDS 30 MINUTES BEFORE EATING. I hope this makes a difference in the amount of fullness that I feel after I eat. I have been able to put on about 4 pounds and keep it on and that is good (I guess).
    I feel grateful that I never developed pancreatic cancer and at the same time recognize that this surgery does alter my diet and that I have to be very conscious of the amount and composition of the food I eat. The CREON enzyme and the omeprozole, I have been told, I need to be on for the rest of my life. (I am 75). CREON is very expensive and I do not take the full dose but it does seem to help anyway as I am 111 lbs. If I weighed more I would probably require the recommended dosage.

    Precancerous as well
    Thank you for posting your stories. I may be headed for a Whipple myself next year. I had a precancerous tumor removed from my Ampulla of Vater in 2008 and all looked well since then, but this year the cells are changing again. The doctors think it is safe to monitor for now, but I think the next step is Whipple. The surgery in 2008 was very nearly a Whipple, but the surgeon was able to take just the tumor and reroute the bile and pancreatic ducts.

    I have gastroparesis (slow stomach), which I am not sure if it was a result of the surgery or not, so I already have one of the known complications.

    How is your energy? Can you do your normal activities? I've been getting lots of info from different websites and forums, but feel like I can never have enough.

    Some of the things I'm trying to do now just in case surgery is necessary is to increase my walking and fitness level a bit. I figure that can't hurt. I'm also trying to get better nutrition--it's hard with the gastroparesis though, but I'm trying. Do you have any other suggestions on how to "prepare"?
  • jimmydee
    jimmydee Member Posts: 1
    #11
    FannieAnnie said:

    7 years post whipple too
    Hello,
    I am post whipple 7 years also. I have found it is hard to find good care for post whipple patients. I STILL have lots of pain, nausea, slow and fast bowels. I have been told it is IBS??

    I am happy for you that you are so healthy and cancer free. I did not have cancer to begin with. The tumors were benign... surgery was a must however.
    Take care Andrea

    Post whipple pain

    Hiya, I had Whipple surgery in March 2007 , for a Pancreatic Neuroendoncrine Tumor glad to be a alive but still struggle with alot pains in my stomach and I monitor my diet very well.  I am an Insulin dependent diabetic since June 2011. My tests show that everything is functioning OK. The doctors and dieticeans are all very happy with me but I feel a bit lost. Did you manage to sort your pain problems ?

     

    Best regards

     

    Jim

  • John21
    John21 Member Posts: 4
    #12
    Whipple procedure

    I had my Whipple procedure on Dec 3 last year. I was back to work on Jan 7, however, I do work at home for a high tech company. Currently I am jogging 3xs a week on my treadmill for 20 mins. The most critical part of my reentry...my daily menu was the biggest stuggle and had trouble keeping thing down a couple of times. My strong recommendation is that you create a daily menu that is primarily 'liquid' for the first 2 weeks (soups, protien drinks, etc). I tried to eat solids too quickly and digestion was painful. Also, your doctor, depending on how much your pancreas is effected by the surgery, should provide you with some enzimes to help you digest food.  Get someone to help you create a daily menu of 6 meals and change the liquids to solids as the weeks progress. Currently I have as much solids as liquids...but I do use a daily weight gain drink which helps me maintain my weight during my chemo treatment. 

    I hope this helps.....you will recover faster than you thought possible!

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