Husband had Whipple surgery and chemo: He's uncomfortable

My husband had the Whipple procedure in February and started 6 months of Chemo in April. He too is uncomfortable, tired and has no appetite. This is so much rougher than I could have imagined for him, and I was imagining the worst to begin with. Trying to take things one treatment at a time, but he never fully bounces back from one treatment and then it starts all over again. I try my best to be the “glass is half full” person for him. Wishing everyone going through this with the people they love the strength to endure🙏

Thanks for the particulars, sunscreen reminder, and well wishes. May your husband be well. Thank you.

Why is radiation needed after chemo & Whipple at Stage 1 ,???My husband is doing all the chemo then Whipple in August but no mention of radiation.Is that something they tell you after surgery??TIA ♥️🙏

The plan I’m on is chemo then radiation and then surgery. The chemotherapy is to kill the cancer cells the radiation is focused on the tumor to shrink it and then the surgery to remove the tumor. It’s the size of a golf ball and is sitting on a blood vessel.

Thanks for the good advice and good reminders. May your husband be well.

I was diagnosed on February 21, 2023 with Pancreatic cancer at stage 1.
They weren’t sure if I would need radiotherapy and chemo before a Whipple surgery.
I just had my 6th round of chemo and as of right now I may only have 8 rounds in total.
If this is all I need I will have the surgery in August at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Rochester Minnesota. I will be having a laparoscopic procedure.

rod54 - Like you, I was recently diagnosed Stage I and just began Folfirinox chemotherapy. It's unclear to me whether I'll be getting a total of 8 rounds or 12 rounds (possible radiation therapy to follow) before the inevitable Whipple procedure. Did your oncologist tell you what determines whether you get 8 or 12 rounds?

I believe the results from the CT and PET scans every 2 months dictate the therapy that is needed as well as the surgeon who will be doing the Whipple surgery.

Thanks for the follow up. My assumption was as you suggest, the number of chemo treatments is based on results of the scans and how the chemo is affecting the size and vascular entanglement with the tumor. My CT-Angiogram of two weeks ago showed a 3.1 cm diameter mass at the head of the pancreas (adenocarcinoma) and some limited involvement with the SMV (superior mesenteric vein). My second round of chemo is next week, so I'm about 6 weeks behind you. Sounds like we are in relatively good shape compared to many who find themselves with an unanticipated pancreatic cancer curve ball late in life. Also like you, I was diagnosed and initially treated at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. This old guy (74) returned home to Alaska last week for the chemo to follow this summer, but I'll return to Rochester for radiation therapy if needed, and the Whipple procedure as well. May you (we) fare well in the months ahead. As for the Mayo Clinic.... I've run out of superlatives to describe the quality of care, teamwork and professionalism by everyone I encountered there.

I feel your husband’s pain. I’ve been treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in October 2022. The recommendation was for eight rounds a Folfirinox. When in fact, they did nine prior to the Whipple surgery and then they would continue the Folfirinox for four sessions. After surgery. I had the Whipple on April 24 and the cancer is stage two because 2 of the 14 lymph nodes were cancerous. I just had my 10th chemo yesterday and I’m sorry to say that it was the absolute hardest of all. The Irinotecan just about killed me. And that was even with two shots of Atropeen at the infusion center. Each of our journeys is so different. We have to be our own advocate, so even though our doctors are busy, we should be asking them for help when needed and I found it. It might take 48 hours to get an answer but most doctors I have found a JHH I’ve been quite empathetic extremely helpful. Good luck. We are all in this together, including those of you that are our wonderful caregivers at home.