Recovery after Chemo

I don't know what has happened in the past year.
At the time.... In March 2025, the FDA approved compassionate use treatment with the anti-cancer drug Namodenoson for a pancreatic cancer patient, highlighting a potential new avenue for treatment in a disease with limited options, despite the drug not yet being fully approved.
Dan's oncologist had to basically apply to have a trial of one person. I'm thinking it may have been from Egypt? He got it all approved, and the drug was delivered to his office but by then Dan was in rough shape in the hospital and the doctor felt he had to wait on the drug as he wouldn't know what reactions would be caused by the drug or what reactions were from what else was going on with the cancer. Unfortunately Dan didn't make it home from the hospital so we'll never know if it would have helped.

@cwilliams34 reply is in separate comment.

@djfone
Good morning!
My husband completed his final dose of chemo the end of April, 2026. It took about six weeks for him to recover. He suffered from a lack of energy and stamina during this time, but continued to push through and walked most days. He is now feeling very good and seems to be almost back to where he was before the six months of chemo and Whipple surgery in January. Yesterday he played six games of pickleball!

@dpaynebhs123
Wow! That's great! Congrats to both of you that you! BTW during chemo did he have much weight loss? My husband has lost 70lbs since April when he started chemo after Whipple. He's lost a lot of muscle mass as well.I appreciate your kindness in in replying to my inquiry.

My husband lost weight starting with the first time he got chemo. He lost a total of 35 pounds and seemed unable to put on weight even after he stopped chemo. He ate a lot and yet still seemed to drop weight. It was discouraging to go for an appointment and see that he had lost more weight in spite of an increase in his food intake. His oncologist changed the Creon dosage to 36,000 units which definitely seemed to help. We also focused on the three meals and two snacks a day and being certain he didn't skip meals or snacks even if he didn't feel like eating. When he went to his appointment the end of May, he weighed 151. Last Friday he weighed 158. I think exercise is also very important. Don't know if your husband is exercising, but if not, I would definitely suggest he start. I think walking helps with appetite as well as making you feel better. Hope your husband will show imprevement soon. My husband was quite discouraged with the loss of weight, but persevered and now is making great progress.

@dpaynebhs123
Thanks so much! That is encouraging!

Thank you.

@djfone Was your husband evaluated for Exocrine Pancreas Insufficiency by taking the Fecal Elastase-1 test. This test determines if the pancreas is producing sufficient digestive enzymes. There is often impairment due to the primary tumor interfering with the production and secretion of digestive enzymes. An insufficiency results in malabsorption and weight loss despite increasing the consumption of calories and this promotes loss of muscle mass.

EPI is treated by Pancreatic Enzymes Replacement Therapy (PERT) using Rx Creon, Zenpep or other brand. Unless a pancrealipase is prescribed to address EPI, one can consume an inordinate amount of protein shakes and carbohydrates and barely keep up in trying to maintain weight. Enzymes supplementation is the key in resolving the weight loss.