Pancreatic Cancer Group: Introduce yourself and connect with others

i wish you the best my friend ..the side affects are worse than the disease be strong

My name is Rachel, and I was diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma on April 25 of this year after a hospitalization due to my bile duct being blocked by the cyst in the head of my pancreas. I had a stent placed for proper drainage during ERPC. 3 weeks later I was back to the emergency room and had a larger stent placed, followed by 14 days of antibiotics through my pic line to eliminate all the infection in my body. I then began evaluation at Mayo Rochester the first of June and began folfirinox two weeks later at a local oncology center in Missouri. My CA19-9 number shrunk from 13,500 in June to 1753 after 10 rounds of chemo. I am now at Mayo receiving 15 radiation treatments to prepare me for surgery. I am very thankful for my care here. Though I dread the Whipple, I am thankful that I should be a candidate for that surgery.

I too had a distal pancreatectomy this month. Prior to that, I had chemo with the folfirinox. The side effects were really bad (diarrhea, vomitting,weakess). My heart goes out to you. It is a hard journey. I am waiting to see if I need more chemo after surgery.

I had a distal pancreatectomy last July for a cyst, and pathology found a adenocarcinoma. So I am stage 1b pancreatic cancer. Had four chemo sessions to date, and fatigue has been the most consistent side effect. However, I feel less and less fatigued in the week before the next treatment. I am 66, and I exercised moderately before the disease, and I think that helped so far in tolerating the Folferinox to a degree. But, right after treatment, there's lots of side effects for days until I start to recover some more.

Had a scan about a month ago. Still shrinking. Just finished 15 days of radiation as well. There is still a life to be lived with this disease. So far the effects of the treatment are something I can live with but they are taking a toll. I know I will lose the war but for now, I batte on.

You have to have the strength to continue. We only have one life to live and then it's gone it's precious. We have to make the best with what we have... there's plenty of natural supplements... green tea, mushroom turkey tails, frankincense,cura med, just to name a few alkaline water.. no red meat ever.. and of course no tobacco and alcohol.. yes all these go hand in hand with the chemo or radiation therapy...

I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had the whipple surgery done and I am awaiting the pathologist of which stage I am in...In the meantime my fatigue is so overwhelming that I cannot function is this normal..I am 77 years old and for the most of my life I have been active in triathlons and iron man so why is it so hard for me to recover...

Please continue, keep up the fight ! Stay strong, have you had a PETDcan lately to see how you're progressing

Hi everyone, my husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July of 2022.

We contacted the Mayo in Rochester Minnesota. I can tell you that process took a long time, especially when you want something done yesterday.

My father passed away from pancreatic cancer so my worries and concerns were frightening to say the least.

I wanted his cancer to be removed immediately. But the oncologists shyed away from that old theory. And suggested chemotherapy. He did 4 months of treatments 46 hours for each treatment every other week. At the time of diagnosis his cancer was in the tail of his pancreases and was attached to his spleen. And
It had not mastitized outside of the pancreas.
They did a PET scan 3 weeks ago and found cancer now on his chest wall.

I wish they would have done surgery to begin with. 🥲

I was diagnosed stage IV at 60 years old in Sept, 2021. I've been on chemo since oct 2021. Just finished 15 days of radiation therapy. Feeling defeated presently and having trouble battling in a war I cannot win. Just looking for the strength to continue or the courage to quit.