Whipple procedure and follow up chemo

I had the whipple at Mayo April 30, 2018. I first did the floforinox, but could only do 5 treatments. Then the whipple. After healing for 8 weeks I did radiation. They wanted me to do oral chemo with it, but I could not tolerate it. I had five weeks of radiation. After healing, they wanted me t o double dose on chemo, but I could only do single doses. My blood counts were low and I only did five of nine. But my scans hav all been clear since then. List 70 pounds total. Putting weight back on us a struggle, but it’s getting there. I still do medicinal marijuana and this helps. Moving and exercise is also very helpful. I eat lots of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. I try to get as much organic as possible. Good luck! Also try the shanti protein bars for snacks! Not much sugar and like add with antioxidants. I also do acupuncturist nature, which many medical facilities have found to be useful. And creon is taken many times during the day....

Hi @dianamiracle, How are you doing with gaining back the weight? What helps?

@dakotarunner I had my Whipple on June 5 of 2014. The surgeon removed most of my pancreas, 1/3 of my stomach and my duodenum. What was left of my pancreas was so bad that the surgeon did not reattach it to my digestive system. I was diagnosed as Stage 2b. Cancer was found in the tumor on my pancreas and in 1 lymph node. I was released from the hospital on June 11 and started chemo on July 22. It was 5 years ago, but if I remember correctly, I was given Tylenol, an antihistamine, a steroid, anti-nausea medicine and finally gemzar (gemcitabine). I usually took more anti-nausea medicine at night on the day of my chemo. I did this for 3 weeks and then had one week off. The treatment lasted for 6 cycles. After my first chemo, I went to work. That only happened once. After every other chemo treatment, I went home and slept. It was the antihistamine that made me tired. The chemo never made me feel very sick. After every 3 chemo treatments, I was given neulasta. For me, that was worse than the chemo. My legs just above the knees just ached from the neulasta. As far as fatigue, there were days that I felt good so I got ready for work. That effort wore me out and instead of going to work, I sat down in my recliner and slept until noon. Your local oncologist will be able to tell you about your options for treatment. I hope things go as well for you as it did for me.

My husband and I are at Mayo currently for evaluation of his pancreatic cysts. Although we don’t have a cancer diagnosis the appearance of the cysts is worrisome. Diagnosis wouldn’t actually be able to be determined until surgery. We will be meeting with a surgeon and expect to be discussing the Whipple procedure. What questions did you ask your surgeon and what do you wish you had asked? What do you wish you had known about the surgery and recovery? Any tips on being prepared for diet and cares upon return home? If you had surgery at Mayo, where did your companion stay while you were hospitalized, how did you handle reservations when you don’t know how long the stay will be? Many thanks to anyone who can advise me.

@susan2018, you're so wise to ask fellow Connect members questions to prepare you for surgery, what questions to ask the surgeon, post-surgical diet and even where to stay at Mayo. I'd like to bring in @marvinjsturing @dianamiracle and @dakotarunner to help answer your questions. They had the whipple procedure done at Mayo Clinic.

Susan, here are some other discussions to explore on Connect.
- Pancreatic cyst https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/pancreatic-cyst/ where you can read about @bonitav's experiences
– Visiting Mayo Clinic https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/traveling-to-mayo-clinic/
– What are your accommodation recommendations when coming to Mayo? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/what-are-your-accommodation-recommendations-when-coming-to-mayo/

You can also contact the Mayo Clinic Concierge Services – it is a free service that you can use prior and during your visit to help you find services, such as accommodations, transportation and things to do. You can contact them by email, phone, chat or in person during business hours:

* Phone: 507-538-8438
* Live Chat: https://www.mayoclinic.org/patient-visitor-guide
* Email: concierge@mayo.edu
* Web form: https://www.mayoclinic.org/patient-visitor-guide/minnesota/becoming-a-patient/concierge-travel-services

They can also talk to you about how to make reservations when you don't know how long you'll be there.
Susan, Are you at Mayo Clinic Rochester?

My husband and I are at Mayo currently for evaluation of his pancreatic cysts. Although we don’t have a cancer diagnosis the appearance of the cysts is worrisome. Diagnosis wouldn’t actually be able to be determined until surgery. We will be meeting with a surgeon and expect to be discussing the Whipple procedure. What questions did you ask your surgeon and what do you wish you had asked? What do you wish you had known about the surgery and recovery? Any tips on being prepared for diet and cares upon return home? If you had surgery at Mayo, where did your companion stay while you were hospitalized, how did you handle reservations when you don’t know how long the stay will be? Many thanks to anyone who can advise me.

Yes, we are at Rochester.

Good morning. My pc was stage 1b - they caught it early. This is a long procedure, but they never know how extensive until they get into the patient. The duration of the surgery is based on the location and size of the tumor. Mine was pressed heavily on a bile duct and did some damage to the juncture of where the stomach meets the pancreas and where the pancreas meets the small intestine. They had to repair these junctures. As my gall bladder was diseased they opted to remove it. They were able to do this laparoscopically/robotically. Doing the surgery this way versus opening the patient up takes a bit longer under the anesthesia, but recovery time is quicker. I was in the hospital for five days after the surgery. The surgery was at st. Mary’s, so my husband stayed across the street at aspen suites. I lost quite a bit of blood and did require two transfusions during the surgery. They did give me a third transfusion day one out of surgery. As with any surgery they will monitor all vitals and pain. They gave me lots of shots every day alternating between arms and legs. They do monitor your pain level. Personally I do not like oxy products, and I requested dalotil (sp?). After two days when all it did was constipate me I switched to Tylenol and ibuprofen. I was in a little bit of pain, but tolerable, but better than being constipated. Getting up and about after is very important. They will allow your spouse to stay with you on a reclining chair or perhaps a cot if the need arises. The way one digests food does change and it will depend on how extensive the surgery is as to what one is comfortable eating. He may be on creon for every meal he eats, and we can discuss this at another time. I hope this helps you. It’s a long, hard journey, and I wish the two of you well and only good news! Feel free to ask any additional questions you may have.

For a nutritious breakfast, a new restaurant just opened near Chester’s called jerk king, where they may fresh fruit smoothies with almond milk, fresh fruit and chai seeds. Also good for a snack!

I walked by this place yesterday and wondered about it. Good to know.