1. < Pancreatic Cancer

What's recovery after distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy like?

Posted by blw77 @blw77, Jun 6, 2022

Can anyone give me information on how their recovery was after distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy? After 2 years of MRIs every 6 months and watching an MNC slowly but steadily grow, my doctor said that I should have this procedure. I'm 45 and typically a fairly healthy and active female. I'm trying to figure out how much time I'll need to be off of work or if I can manage to squeeze in in during the summer yet while I'm off.

Thank you for any information you have!

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Jami Theiler | @jamitheiler | Nov 20 9:30pm
In reply to @dantina777 "@jamilynne is it ok to ask when you had your surgery done at Mayo?" + (show)
@dantina777

@jamilynne is it ok to ask when you had your surgery done at Mayo?

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June 2020! I had a friend who had the same last year. Excellent outcomes.

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Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Nov 21 7:48am
In reply to @csanjurjo "Hello Teresa, Thank you very much for the quick response. The doctors told me that I..." + (show)
@csanjurjo

Hello Teresa,

Thank you very much for the quick response.

The doctors told me that I didn't have to follow any type of diet, but right after I was discharged from the hospital, that's when I started to notice a greater feeling of fullness and lack of appetite. I have some pain but not too much and i feel very tired. I am 37 years old.

It is true that I am not having significant diarrhea (level 5 in Bristol stool scale) and I have not seen any floating or greasy stools, so you are probably right and it may have more to do with the postoperative period than with the lack of ability of my residual pancreas to generate enzymes. I will discuss it at the check-up with the surgeon to see what he thinks.

Thanks, best regards,
Carlos

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Hello @csanjurjo,

It has been a while since you last posted. I was wondering how you are doing. Are your digestive issues better now?

I look forward to hearing from you again.

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1 reply
csanjurjo | @csanjurjo | Nov 21 2:29pm
In reply to @hopeful33250 "Hello @csanjurjo, It has been a while since you last posted. I was wondering how you..." + (show)
@hopeful33250

Hello @csanjurjo,

It has been a while since you last posted. I was wondering how you are doing. Are your digestive issues better now?

I look forward to hearing from you again.

Jump to this post

Hello Teresa,

Luckily after some months I stopped having digestive symptoms and the situation stabilized. They did some tests to check out what is now my pancreas capacity to segregate enzymes and I passed the tests, so at this moment i do not need to take enzymes and my sugar levels are also inside the expected bounds that is also a very good new.

Best regards,
Carlos

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1 reply
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Nov 22 6:26am
In reply to @csanjurjo "Hello Teresa, Luckily after some months I stopped having digestive symptoms and the situation stabilized. They..." + (show)
@csanjurjo

Hello Teresa,

Luckily after some months I stopped having digestive symptoms and the situation stabilized. They did some tests to check out what is now my pancreas capacity to segregate enzymes and I passed the tests, so at this moment i do not need to take enzymes and my sugar levels are also inside the expected bounds that is also a very good new.

Best regards,
Carlos

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That is very good news, @csanjurjo. Is your energy level somewhat back to normal?

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1 reply
csanjurjo | @csanjurjo | Nov 25 4:40am
In reply to @hopeful33250 "That is very good news, @csanjurjo. Is your energy level somewhat back to normal?" + (show)
@hopeful33250

That is very good news, @csanjurjo. Is your energy level somewhat back to normal?

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Yes, after three months everything went back to normal, my energy levels too

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1 reply
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Nov 25 7:56am
In reply to @csanjurjo "Yes, after three months everything went back to normal, my energy levels too" + (show)
@csanjurjo

Yes, after three months everything went back to normal, my energy levels too

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That is very good news, @csanjurjo. Have any follow up tests/scans been scheduled yet?

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1 reply
csanjurjo | @csanjurjo | Nov 25 9:09am
In reply to @hopeful33250 "That is very good news, @csanjurjo. Have any follow up tests/scans been scheduled yet?" + (show)
@hopeful33250

That is very good news, @csanjurjo. Have any follow up tests/scans been scheduled yet?

Jump to this post

Yes i had a MRI last June and the next month i have the next one. My tumor was an insulinoma so is easy to detect the possible appearance of a new nodule just monitoring the sugar blood level

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