Diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer: How to deal with anxiety of surgery?

Posted by ayeo @ayeo, Jan 20 8:35pm

Diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer Adenocarcinoma

My oncologist advised me to go for the Whipple operation as my cancer did not spread to other areas/organs.
After discussing with my family, I decided to go for this surgery. However, I am scared, anxious and worried after hearing the risks and complications of this operation.

Can anyone share your experience and advice on how to deal with all these overwhelming feelings?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Pancreatic Cancer Support Group.

joiedevivre | @joiedevivre | 3 days ago

Your first consult should not be your first chemo session. Oncologist will have to run through with you the chemo available to you - administered intravenously or orally. If it is a month after surgery, I am not sure if the biopsy report is ready - if that is, he will also run through that with you. Oncologist may also outline what devices to be put in to facilitate chemo administered intravenously - a Port-a-Cath or a Hickman line. You can Google these. The devices have to be inserted about a week before chemo - usually done under LA, relatively painless and it is a day-surgery. I do know of people starting chemo about 4 days after the Port-a-Cath was put in.
Hope that helps.