Whipple

To Dennise.T.
Had a couple of thoughts about your father. Firstly, the dueodenum is the second stage of digestion and absorbtion. Losing it and part of the pancreas or all of it means the system is no longer working any where near normal. The small intestine is learning how to work with out the missing parts. Enzymes produced by the pancreas may be non existant or not enough produced. Enzymes help break down food for absorbtion, so they may not absorb medication very well untill enzimes are there insufficient amount. May mean creatine supplements. Its very early days yet, consult surgeon. Give as much support and love as possible. I hope this might help.

My cousin's husband had the Whipple procedure about three weeks ago. He had a malignant cancer in the head of his pancrease. They did the full Whipple. Her main concern now besides weight loss and depression (due mainly to the need for the terrible diet), is that his hands and feet are swelling. She is worried about his heart.


He is 78 and was otherwise healthy. He is still somewhat jaundiced, his urine is still dark (which is an additional concern because he has a preexisting enlarged prostate, but has just started taking his prostate medication again), but his itching has abated. He is still also very weak.

Should she be so concerned about the foot and hand swelling? She worried this might be conjestive heart failure (which her mother has) or is this just one of the normal post-surgical symptoms?

The disease had been referred to the surgeon who is about three hours away, and the local family Doctor seems to have stopped being involved. She needs some answers.

Thanks,