Whipple surgery

peggy4sue

My husband (64) has had symptoms of pancreatic cancer for several months. After having 2 endoscopies with negative biopsy results, his dr has him scheduled for Whipple surgery on Tuesday. He is an experienced surgeon using the DaVinci robotic, and tells us that even though it doesn't look like pancreatic cancer now....it will eventually turn into cancer.  I have read so much about the post surgery experiences, and I'm now scared to death for him.   Can anyone offer some words of advise or encouragement?  Thanks in advance.

Kaleena

Whipple

Hi Peggy Sue:

My husband had a blockage last October.   They did a biopsy it came back inconclusive, then they did another biopsy - same thing.   He had a stent placed to hellp with the blockage then they did a 3 biopsy (extensive) which came back pancreatic cancer.   After seeking another doctor and getting good advice, my husband was started on chemo and he just had his Whipple surgery on October 12th.   He came through the chemo (which was a 48 hour treatment).  He had to go get hooked up and then he brought the pump home and a nurse came and unhooked him.   He went on a Friday and it was removed on a Sunday.  He continued to work throught his treatments.   His haired thinned but he kept most on his head although he lost body hair.   His Whipple surgery was done by robotic.  The surgery takes longer but the recovery is quicker.   His surgery went well.  The surgery was on a Tuesday and he was released on a Saturday.   He is still in recovery and still has some pain where the main incision was.  But all in all he is doing great.   He is tired of being in pain but he hates being a patient.   He has been doing some work from home.   

Also, just so you know, after his 7 hours surgery and 3 hour recovery when they brought him to his room they made him walk from the hallway to his bed.   It was in the instructions that he had to do that!   Also while he was in the hospital they made him walk the halls and do a flight of steps.    He can drive as long as he is off the heavy pain meds which he has already started to drive.

He does have to eat small soft meals until he gets used to eating or he will get some indigestion.   

CStan

My husband, age 74, had Whipple Surgery in late Sept. 2016 at Mayo in Rochester Mn.  The cyst on his pancreas was discovered in preparing for prostate surgery in June.  It was pre-cancerous but we were told it should come out, so did the Whipple thing.  Two weeks in the hospital and then home to Kansas.  Has had blow back from the surgery ever since.  Gas Pain, bloating, but the worst has been an intense itching which apparently comes from a blocked bile duct.  Going back to Mayo this week to get that fixed, hopefully.  Preferable to having cancer but such a long recovery, up and down.  They always say that he is very lucky to have had the cyst spotted before it became cancerous.  I'm just hoping he can start to feel better soon.  He has kept working through all of this except about a month after the surgery.

 

Kaleena

Blocked duct

Prior to my husband's whipple surgery, they had placed a stent in because he had a blocked bile duct.   Prior to the stent, he was itchy too and also jaundice.   After the stent, he felt so much better.   I'm surprised that they didn't clear the duct when they did the whipple surgery.

hopeful in tally

Whipple surgery

My brother was just diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  Like many posts I have read, e did have a sting last week to unblock bile duct and relieve symtoms of jaundice and itching.  Just had biopsy on Tuesday where they found cyst.  Next step is to see if he is candidate for whipple.  We live in  Tallahassee and know we will have to go out of town.  Can anyone make some recommendations?  Robotic?  Chemo/Radiation first?  Best location for surgery?  Any advice you can lend would be greatly appreciated ... still in shock.

Kaleena

Hopeful:

Hopeful:

The newest treatment course for pancreatic cancer is a round of chemo first and also maybe radiation too.  With my husband, they did the chemo (which really didn't shrink the tumor) and then decided on radiation only to form a cutting line between the tumor and the vein.   It was questionable whether or not he could be operated on.   We found a doctor who indicated that the tumor was on a vein and that if he would remove it they may have to graft the vein.   However, this proceedure needs to be done by a very experienced doctor.  Therefore, you must ask the doctor how many of the whipple surgeries he has done in a year and previous years.   They did my husbands surgery robotically.  Doing it roboticallyl though does take longer and to our relief the tumor was only sitting on the vein so it lifted right off.   He then did a round of chemo several months afterwards.   They do say, though, that the end chemo should be done within the first two months after surgery, but my husband waited because he did get a little infection at one of the incision sites.

The operation alone took 7 hours but when we got to his room they made him walk from the hallway to his bed.  Amazing.

My best to your brother.

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