Hello Rosie61,

Had the Whipple's on the eve of my 80th birthday. Demanding on the body, but life-saving! Half my pancreas taken away, but with the all clear have been leading a near normal life. So, the pain was worth it! Watch the Creon: it takes time to get the right balance. It's definitely not a case of "one dose suits all". Took me ages to arrive at a workable dose: around 15-18 capsules of 25000 units per day. Supply from pharmacists not always guaranteed - smaller unit capsules may be offered as alternative, but then you need to take more capsules per meal. I have mild dysphagia so the fewer I can "get away with" the easier it is for me.

The huge incision has healed well although my shape does seem to have been permanently altered.. Fortunately, I'm the only one who generally sees that!

Hello Rosie61,

Had the Whipple's on the eve of my 80th birthday. Demanding on the body, but life-saving! Half my pancreas taken away, but with the all clear have been leading a near normal life. So, the pain was worth it! Watch the Creon: it takes time to get the right balance. It's definitely not a case of "one dose suits all". Took me ages to arrive at a workable dose: around 15-18 capsules of 25000 units per day. Supply from pharmacists not always guaranteed - smaller unit capsules may be offered as alternative, but then you need to take more capsules per meal. I have mild dysphagia so the fewer I can "get away with" the easier it is for me.

The huge incision has healed well although my shape does seem to have been permanently altered.. Fortunately, I'm the only one who generally sees that!

my husband of 53 had some stomach pains early June, and here we now are, he will have the whipple procedure on Wed 26th August next week.  He has Ampullary cancer at head of pancreas, but his PET scan has not shown any metastasis in any other major organs or blood vessels.  The hospital have been amazing.  16 days from receiving his case file to operation.  Couldn't ask for more from them.  So now we are getting our ducks in a row as we know this is a massive procedure.  

Any advice or suggestions gladly received.  

soyabean

Hi

I had whipple op for ampullary cancer in March this year, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy for 6 months as they found cancer cells in one of the lymph glands that were removed during the op. I am now living my life as normal (Covid permitting), need to take Creon with most meals, but soft fruits are fine without, as is icecream! Can't eat baked beans anymore, even with Creon. Am starting to wonder if coconut might also be a problem - don't eat it often, but made coconut cake the other day, and have had a few issues. Maybe just need to eat less cake!

Hi Nearlyman, 

So glad the surgury went well! Do you mind me asking where you got the procedure done? 

Hello ikaur,

I can advise the procedure was undertaken in a Liverpool Hospital and I was there for 10 days.

Kind Regards

Nearlyman

What stage of cancer did they say you was when diognosed if you don't mind me asking? Also, how long after you was diognosed did you have the surgery? 
My dad has just been diognosed with pancreatic cancer but they are focusing on getting rid of the jawndice first so quite similar to yourself. The cancer hasn't spread much from the pancreas so hopefully he will be able to go ahead with the surgery. 

Hello ikaur.

Cancer was stage one, but the jaundice delayed the procedure by about three weeks or so, of necessity, as that's how long it took to deal with the jaundice. Required a stent to be fitted to my liver bile duct (my gall bladder had long before been removed). This was effected via an ERPC procedure (an endoscopic procedure), which requires a full anaesthetic. This was followed by Laparoscopy in my abdomen to check for stray cancer cells. Once the wounds had more or less healed I was booked for the Whipple's procedure. My duodenum was removed along with approximately half my pancreas. Some 17 Lymph nodes were also removed and cancer cells found in three of them.

I am presently waiting on a CAT scan as a follow up, three years post operative, but otherwise, apart from having rather less energy, I am leading as near normal a life as I can expect. Hope this has been of help.

 I did find the chemo rather demanding, but your father may well be less severely affected. Good luck.

Nearlyman