Hello Willy, sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I had the same diagnosis just over a year ago and was absolutely stunned to say the least. I didn't know any thing about this type of cancer and presumed the worst straight away. Whilst I cannot wave a magic wand and tell you everything is fine , what I can try and do is offer some advice. Firstly you kneed to know what stage the tumour is, IE 1,2 3 or 4. This has a huge influence on the type of treatment that will be available, Secondly you need to know if the tumour has spread anywhere else. I was diagnosed with stage 2b and luckily it had not spread. This enabled me to have Whipple surgery to remove the tumour, followed by 6 months of back up Chemotherapy. At the present time I am 14 months post surgery and 6 months post Chemo. I won't lie to you and tell you its been easy because it has not, far from it, but what I am trying to explain is there are treatments available. Speak to as many members of your surgical team as possible, don't be afraid to ask questions. Please, please, do not GOOGLE Pancreatic cancer or you will send you self mad, I did it and was the worst thing I ever did. Also remember that treatments are continually improving and that you are an individual, so that you will respond to treatment in a manner that suits you. IT is going to be a long journey and you have just taken the first steps, try to stay as focused an positive as you can, not always easy I know but here are other people on this site at varying degrees along the same path and will help and advise any time. I am here for you if you need any moral support any time. Best of luck and keep fighting.

Hi Teege, Thanks so much for your reply and sharing your own experience with me, so glad that you are doing fine 14 months on. It's very very helpful! I have the CT and MRI scans report from the Dr yesterday, on the report it says it's localised, from what I see the size is not small, it's over 4cm. It also says it has not spread to other parts and organ. They are going to meet on Tuesday and most likely to send me for a biopsy to make 100% sure. I had further blood tests yesterday, very very unsettling indeed. I think once they confirm from the result of the biopsy they will then discuss with me what options/ stage etc. At the mo, I don't have a lot of too unpleasent symptoms, just loose bowel moments in the morning and a little bit of pain on my back, but nothing major, thank God.

And, I have committed the eternal sin by going on Google straight away which I really shouldn't have done! It drive me completely mad. Fill me up with full negativities and thoughts. I just hope I still have treatments available for me, again that waiting to hear is killing me.

thanks for again for sharing, I really appreciate it.

Willy.

Hello Willy, nice to hear from you. Your MRI/CT scans appear quite positive if they have shown no spread to anywhere else, that is very encouraging. I had to have have three biopsies done to finally determine what exactly was present. The first two biopsies were called ERCP they involve a tube down your throat into your stomach with a camera, it is done under local anaesthetic and its quite invasive and not very comfortable.the third one is called an EUS and is much more comfortable.My tumour was found to be 2.8 cm. I didn't have any back pain, but became very Jaundiced over one weekend, However, I had had a lot of previous problems with my Gall Bladder prior to my cancer diagnosis. When you next see your surgical team ask as many questions as you want, and ask them to explain in detail any thing you don't understand. Another thing you might consider is going a support group, I am in a group on Facebook  called Pancreatic Cancer Support. Remember, little steps, ALWAYS take the positives no matter how small. 

Keep me up dated Willy, wishing you all the best.

Hi Teege, Thanks again for your message. Your messages are so positive and that give me lots of mental support! my emotions are still going like a mad roller coaster, sometime I am fine but next min I feel extremely sad, trapped and helpless. I am so worried that there is no hope for me as my tumour is over 4cm and it also contacts 2 veins, even tho from the CT and MRI report it says it has not spread. Last night I had developed some thoughts of harming myself and taking myself out of this nightmare, so this morning I called Macmillan support line and had a long chat with them which was very helpful.

The medical team is going to meet on Tuesday to discuss the next step – most like biopsy, they haven't told me more details yet, I won't know until after Tuesday I guess. I am also going to meet with a private PC specialist in London next week, I just want to be able to speak to a Dr face to face. not just a hurried 5 min call.

By the way, I have joined the Pancreatic Cancer Support on FB, it feels quite international there.

And, I will remember – little steps, always take the positive no matter how small. This is a brilliant strapline that I need to remind myself all the time! So, thank you again.

Willy.

Hello Willy, nice to hear from you. I have been in those very dark places, especially when I was going through Chemo. The day I got diagnosed I thought OMG, I will be dead in three weeks, and started to think about my funeral, for a long long time all I could think of was that the cancer had returned but slowly over time The feelings started to subside. When I had my surgery my surgeon told me it was only 1mm from the main Vein but it didn't present any issues. One of the options that might be available is for you to chemo prior to surgery to shrink the tumour away from the surrounding veins. NEVER EVER GIVE IN WILLY. 

Hey Teege,  Thanks for your message. That's why I am scared to death of my options left! in a very dark place indeed. NEVER GIVE IN!!!! I will do my best! Thanks

W ;-)

Hello Willy, me again. I still worry a lot about reoccurrence, every ache and pain makes me think the cancer has come back again. I am nowhere near back the health I had before my diagnosis, but very day, becomes a week, very week becomes a month and hopefully every month becomes a year, I have learned to really appreciate the important things in life, its surprising how an event like what we are going through makes you realise how much baggage we are carrying that we don't need. I hope you have a good support network around you Willy, ie, wife, family and friends, these are just as important as the treatment. Put one foot in front of the other, keep looking forward and NEVER look back NEVER GIVE IN......