Pancreatic Cancer Group: Introduce yourself and connect with others

I have Pancreatic cancer stage 3 unresectable. Diagnosed last June did chemo an radation finished in November 2025. I’ve been without treatment since. They say it’s contained and no spread. My question is, is it normal to be in constant pain? The mornings are the hardest I have to take pp before I even get out of bed, pain so bad. Getting a nerve block in 5 days. Will this help with this pain? Cause I can’t live like this everyday. Thxs

@gamaryanne Thank you so much. I have had genetic testing and don’t have any known genes associated with pancreatic cancer. I wish I was more aware of the family history of pancreatic cancer before my mom died of it, but I was more focused on her breast cancer in her 30s. Even then, although I did genetic testing for breast cancer then, I didn’t think to ask my mom to get tested. I’m sure she would have done it. I am registered with a study that will inform me if more knowledge of pancreatic cancer genes results in identifying a gene that I have. Because of my family history, I was able to be admitted as a patient of the Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology Dept and they order abdominal MRIs with contrast annually. I have one this Sunday. I am going to research molecular testing—I have not heard of it. Previous MRIs have identified small pancreatic cysts but they have been stable. I am a bit of a health researcher so I am glad to see that your note confirms what I have been doing. I am 80 years old so I think my parents’ and grandparents’ generations probably had lots of environmental exposures that may have played a big role, especially since I know many or most smoked, which I have never done. Thank you again for your helpful advice.

@jerryc131 luv those memories you captured in your photos. I've been in a nightmare it seems for 18 months. The nightmare can switch to a butterfly & unicorns dream at times. Then back to a nightmare. Actually it's just a fuzzy day by day reality of doctors appointments, Scans, blood labs, scares ..laughs..family times ... silly jokes ..tears...and yes even arguments . Arguments because we're scared...scared together. Scared alone. Confusion about medical terms, what's next, calendar full of scribbled must do dates. Family stressed by how things are going...what each other is feeling. Tears alone...tears together. Looking at a surgical update screen in a family surgical waiting room scanning it for your loved ones #. Seeing all of the #s & looking at the faces of others in what they are going through. Flash backs of the years past. Making positive thoughts of what's the future. Going to chapels in whatever hospital your at at the time. Saying we've got this & then saying I can't do this. In all for me...it's day by day. As I sit in a recliner at the hospital. Day # 4 post opp. Room is dark for it's how he likes it. No TV for it bothers him. Watching him with these unforgiving hiccups. DOCTORS with good news...doctors voicing things are troublesome due to this & that. Feeling we will get through this one day. Then feeling how can we get through this. I don't mean to frighten you nor burden you with so much to think about. Yet it's reality. So many here going through something similar, or different. Yet still ( going through it) I have notes scribbled everywhere in my home. Some I pick up & read some realizing they are from a year ago...or 4 months ago. I keep them all. So take notes ..write notes to each other. Do research...ask questions. Cry , laugh, feel sad , feel joy, just FEEL, cause sometimes there is no feeling. Just numbness. Prey & have hope. Make a plan & stick with it. Ok I'm rambling. Most of all...take care! Keep strong.

@colleenyoung Hello,
Thank you for checking in on me.. Its been a whirlwind since receiving my pancreatic cancer diagnosis on April 1, 2026. I had the port placement done and on yesterday, 4/15, I completed my first round of chemotherapy with a total of 8 rounds planned. I am feeling out of sorts is the only way I can put it. My brain is telling me I can still do the things I enjoy doing such as yard work, house work, go to the grocery store. I tried doing a couple of those things today but my body movement is not keeping up. The fatigue is something indescribable. I just hope as time passes that it will be better. Again, thanks for your concern.

@jerryc131 My husband had lost a ton of weight and not much of any appetite. We went through 6 months of testing and " Let's wait and see" only to be finally told by the Oncologist that she did not think this was Cancer. We switched hospitals ( Both of these are well known
Hospitals in Phila. ) and went to see a Doctor that specializes in Pancreatic Surgery. He did a Distal Pancreatectomy on my Husband. Tumor was in both body and tail of the Pancreas and in 14 of the 20 Lymph Nodes they removed. There were also masses in his lungs but they could not biopsy for 6 Months because he was too weak from the Surgery. Biopsy finally was done and confirmed for Pancreatic Cancer in the Lungs. He was already Stage 4 .

@jerryc131
I kept our life at home as normal and calm as possible. I was seeing a counselor already, as the cancer diagnosis was sudden and without symptoms (found it on a CT for an unrelated issue), and I needed help with coping to better support him. We were blindsided by the initial diagnosis. While he was in the hospital, I was there all of the first day. I took walks periodically, found the hospital coffee shop and cafeteria for my meals and breaks. I took my Kindle to read when my husband was napping, etc. We were not at home when he had the surgery, so I had a place to stay nearby so I could get good sleep and have a private place to unwind after each day at the hospital.

Thanks for reaching out. How is your husband now? How long has it been?
What you went through at the hospital is what I am expecting. We will be 2 hrs from home, so I will be staying over as well. People said thud come stay with
Me, but I’ll be bedside most of the time, I'm sure. I’ll probably be teaching out to this community a lot then.
I hope you both are doing better.
Jerry

@tomrennie we never forget these little things. Makes the tough big things a bit easier to get through. We've had many nurses these last 5days here in the Critical care Step Down unit. Something about that certain nurse one gets care from that just makes things breathable. Can't explain it. Good night everyone. Rest easy.

@suelannon I felt my husband's diagnosis took so long. 9 months. Failed biopsy after biopsy. It's so difficult to watch this illness do what it does to our loved ones. At times I'm just speechless. I feel for you both.

@suelannon
Damn, woman! That’s awful!! How are you two managing? Is he doing chemo? My husband is having his surgery at UVA. It’s supposed to be pretty good.
I’ll be praying for you two.
🤗