Pancreatic Cancer Group: Introduce yourself and connect with others

Welcome to the Pancreatic Cancer group on Mayo Clinic Connect.
This is a welcoming, safe place where you can meet people living with pancreatic cancer or caring for someone with pancreatic cancer. Let’s learn from each other and share stories about living well with cancer, coping with the challenges and offering tips.

I’m Colleen, and I’m the moderator of this group, and Community Director of Connect. Chances are you’ll to be greeted by fellow members and volunteer patient Mentors, when you post to this group. Learn more about Moderators and Volunteer Mentors on Connect.

We look forward to welcoming you and introducing you to other members. Feel free to browse the topics or start a new one.

Pull up a chair. Let's start with introductions.

When were you diagnosed with pancreatic cancer? What treatments have you had? How are you doing?

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

@ggst

Thank you, Pmerrill54. I still don’t have a team at Mayo and my biopsy is at Park Nicollet on Friday. After the results, Mayo will assign a team. I also called The U cancer center so will see what they have to say. Meanwhile, I am up most of the night every night with pain. Gummies and Tylenol are not handling it anymore. I do have some oxy left over from recent knee surgery so I may try that. But I will ask about the patch when I get a team. Much appreciate your reply.

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Friday is a long way off if you’re in pain and not sleeping! Can your primary care physician help?

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@pmerrill54

I put this in as a new post rather than as a reply…
——
When I was first diagnosed I was given morphine for pain. It worked, but it is slow acting and that meant a lot of ups and downs, including at night. My insurance got some reason didn’t cover an oxycodone product so my palliative care team member put me on a low dose fentanyl patch. That was extremely effective and when the time came, I had no trouble getting off by taking one step with even litter dose.

I would ask your PCP or Mayo team for help with pain management. Don’t suffer in silence! And good luck!

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Thank you, Pmerrill54. I still don’t have a team at Mayo and my biopsy is at Park Nicollet on Friday. After the results, Mayo will assign a team. I also called The U cancer center so will see what they have to say. Meanwhile, I am up most of the night every night with pain. Gummies and Tylenol are not handling it anymore. I do have some oxy left over from recent knee surgery so I may try that. But I will ask about the patch when I get a team. Much appreciate your reply.

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@ggst

I’ve been diagnosed on Aug 18- through My Chart and have a liver biopsy scheduled for Friday. Called Mayo and they will take me as soon as my results are in. In the meantime, I am having so much pain at night and trouble eating. And high anxiety. Any help is appreciated.

Jump to this post

I put this in as a new post rather than as a reply…
——
When I was first diagnosed I was given morphine for pain. It worked, but it is slow acting and that meant a lot of ups and downs, including at night. My insurance got some reason didn’t cover an oxycodone product so my palliative care team member put me on a low dose fentanyl patch. That was extremely effective and when the time came, I had no trouble getting off by taking one step with even litter dose.

I would ask your PCP or Mayo team for help with pain management. Don’t suffer in silence! And good luck!

REPLY

When I was first diagnosed I was given morphine for pain. It worked, but it is slow acting and that meant a lot of ups and downs, including at night. My insurance got some reason didn’t cover an oxycodone product so my palliative care team member put me on a low dose fentanyl patch. That was extremely effective and when the time came, I had no trouble getting off by taking one step with even litter dose.

I would ask your PCP or Mayo team for help with pain management. Don’t suffer in silence! And good luck!

REPLY

I’ve been diagnosed on Aug 18- through My Chart and have a liver biopsy scheduled for Friday. Called Mayo and they will take me as soon as my results are in. In the meantime, I am having so much pain at night and trouble eating. And high anxiety. Any help is appreciated.

REPLY

Just diagnosed by MYChart on Thursday, Aug. 18. Had a brief discussion with PA who ordered the scan and have a liver biopsy scheduled for Friday Aug. 26. I feel my clinic, Park Nicollet has left me flying in the wind. I have questions and no answers. I was a previous patient for knee arthritis at Mayo so I called them. They want the biopsy results as soon a I get them and will slot me in for an exam. I’m exhausted as the pain wakes me up at night. Tylenol mostly helps. Think the pain is related to what I eat and right now nothing is appealing. I need some guidance.

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@iinvesnu

Has anyone heard of or tried Enterade? The chemo drink?

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Hi Debbie, you were asking about enterade? My understanding is that enterade helps alleviate gastrointestinal side effects like diarrhea. Has it helped you?

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@iinvesnu

Has anyone heard of or tried Enterade? The chemo drink?

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@iinvesnu We started using Enterade for my wife after discovering it ourselves. She's been taking it 2x per day for 3 weeks so far. It seems to be helping. Won't know for sure until she gets weighed. We weren't expecting overnight results because her system has been destroyed by 3 years of chemo and bile dumping.

She doesn't like either of the flavors but finds the orange a little easier to take.

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@beachdog

My wife is also small and lost weight rapidly after surgery. She couldn't tolerate any of the recommended protein drinks because the folfirinox had altered her sense of taste and smell and just putting those products near her made her sick. We just discovered a product called Enterade which is designed to heal the digestive system and hopefully allow better absorption and nutrition. I'd suggest getting your wife on this quickly to see if you can avert further weight loss. My wife has been in treatment, chemo and surgery for 3 years and her digestive system has started to respond to the Enterade now in the 3rd week taking it 2x per day. You want her weight up before the surgery. Good luck.

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We have placed an order for these. I will update on how well she does and if she can drink them. Thank you.

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@jqleck

She is being seen at Oncology / Hematology Fredericksburg VA. The Surgical team is lead by a Dr that has been doing these procedures for 20 years, he has taught as well. The Oncologist did order a CT early based on her pain being completely gone, thinking the tumor has reduced and no longer large enough to press on the plexus. Also influencing the scan being ordered now is the marker number dropping so fast. Initial finding found the tumor did not invade any veins or arteries. My hope is for the surgical determination to prevail at 5 or 6 rounds of chemo. My wife is a small woman and she is loosing so much weight and quickly. She no longer can tolerate Kate Farms meal replacement drinks or much of any food at all. As I stated my biggest concern is she simply gives up and refuses any further treatment. She has another round (5th) next Monday. Then the CT the following week. Based upon the rate / speed in the reduction of CA 19-9 seeing it near the single digits is possible. Thank you for your interest and time to comment.

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My wife is also small and lost weight rapidly after surgery. She couldn't tolerate any of the recommended protein drinks because the folfirinox had altered her sense of taste and smell and just putting those products near her made her sick. We just discovered a product called Enterade which is designed to heal the digestive system and hopefully allow better absorption and nutrition. I'd suggest getting your wife on this quickly to see if you can avert further weight loss. My wife has been in treatment, chemo and surgery for 3 years and her digestive system has started to respond to the Enterade now in the 3rd week taking it 2x per day. You want her weight up before the surgery. Good luck.

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