Post-Whipple Nutrition

I am a 42-year-old woman who is about to have the Whipple procedure and I am seeking advice/info about what sorts of things I will be able to eat during my recovery period. Any detailed information/websites, etc. would be most helpful. Also, I don't hear too much about young, otherwise healthy people having this surgery, but I would love to chat with someone close to my age who has undergone the procedure. Thanks! Chris

Hi Chris,

I was 50 at time of Whipple surgery.  On Johns Hopkins discussion board, there are several patients in the 40's who have had the surgery.  You may want to check that board out as well as this one.

Your surgical team should give you advice for post operative diet.  Most likely you will be referred to a Nutritionist for advice as well.  

For the first few weeks following surgery, I ate frequent small meals, low fat, low sugar.  Had to make myself do it because I didn't have much of an appetite.  I believe this is common following Whipple surgery.  But the good news is, your appetite will return with time.  You may find you cannot tolerate food post surgery that you enjoyed with no problem before surgery.  It really is trial and error for the most part.  The key is to get those calories in you to prevent weight loss, which is also common post surgery. Eat even if you don't want it.

I was a l sensitive to spices (even black pepper) for a while and high sugar foods caused what I found out were blood sugar spikes. 

If your Doctor doesn't bring it up, be sure to ask about Pancreatic Enzymes.  Depending on how much and what part of the pancreas is removed, will determine whether you need them to help digest food.  The Doctors didn't think I would need them.  I struggled for six months trying to find the right combination of foods to control symptoms before enzymes were prescribed.  Once I started taking enzymes, I could eat pretty much anything I wanted and stopped losing weight.

The PANCAN (www.pancan.org)site has good information on diet for pancreatic cancer patients as well as other information you may find useful.  

Best wishes for a good outcome from your surgery and a quick recovery.

 

On 2/23/2008 ccasama wrote:

I am a 42-year-old woman who is about to have the Whipple procedure and I am seeking advice/info about what sorts of things I will be able to eat during my recovery period. Any detailed information/websites, etc. would be most helpful. Also, I don't hear too much about young, otherwise healthy people having this surgery, but I would love to chat with someone close to my age who has undergone the procedure. Thanks! Chris

My mother had her whipple in January. She was not given any food restrictions upon her release from the hospital. The doctors told her to eat as she normally would and she would have to learn the foods that she could tolerate initially, then she would be able to add more to her diet as she continued to heal. They did prescribe her meds to stimulate her appetite. She stuck to bland foods that were easy to digest. You will probably have a visit from the dietian while in the hospital and your diet will be similar to a diabetic diet due to the fact that they are messing around with your pancrease. They did check Mom's sugar each day and even in the begining when she wasn't able to eat at all (for the first few days) her sugar was good. I haven't been able to find a whole lot of information specifically geared toward pancreatic cancer, but I have hit all the usual ones like, Pancan.org and cancer.org. Just keep searching and know that your body will change after you have the surgery. You have to work to be as healthy as you can be before the surgery and your doctor will be able to work with you afterwards. Also, my mother has terrible fatigue...just another side affect..................good luck and God speed on your recovery! Karen 

I am 44 and had my whipple May of 2007. I can eat anything now but still have occasional bouts with stomach pain. Also my bowels are nothing to write about! I take Murolax prescription strength every day and still have occasional problems that put me in severe stomach pain. It is just a matter of not eating large meals and not a lot of carbs. I also don't eat pork chops anymore, other porks I do but not chops. I don't know if it is in my head but they always made me sick.

I live in Rockland County, NY if you need to talk. Hope it all works out for you. I think the younger you are the easier the operation is and the recovery. I still can't believe that it was only 9 months ago that the whole nightmare started.

Hi and good luck with the surgery and the recovery. You can also check out cholangiocarcinoma.org. It's a good website for people with that sort of cancer and lots of great posts for people who did whipples. Here's hoping and praying for good things.

I too had Whipple surgery in Dec. 2005. I was 51 yrs old at the time. At first I had turned jauntice from my bile ducts being clogged. They went in to put a stint. After a cat scan, I was told I had a mass that needed to be removed immed. Most masses are cancer. They explained the Whipple to us.  We prepared for the worse. It was right before Xmas. Needless to say,  I cried alot.. along with my 4 children and husband. The  operation took 10 hours. On Xmas eve the doctor told me that it was begign.... Thank God... I came home after 6 days, I have since became a diabetic ( pills) no insulin yet.. I have a terrible time digesting foods. I take enzymes before every meal.  Sometimes I take two. Immed. after surgery I had no appetite. You have to make yourself eat. Now I can eat almost anything.  I can't digest salads like I used to. I only eat them on occassionaly. Greasy foods seem to go right through me. I went to a nutritionist for a while, but it is ultimitely trial and error to see what works for you. I also have IBS, and Hyper Thyroid disease. I can no longer work outside the home because I use the bathroom very frequently.. alot of oily bowels. I have gained weight ( I feel hungry alot)  and continue to be awaken during the night to go to the bathroom. I see my gastronologist bi-monthly. I am extremely fortunate that it was not cancer, but I worry all the time for what is in the near future with this disease. The doctor says I should be able to live a relatively normal life, but I think Chronic Autoimmune Pancreatitis is still in the research stages. Twenty years ago, they wouldn't even touch the pancreas, now they're removing it. I would like to talk to someone else who is experiencing the same issues as myself.  Good luck with your surgery and recovery. Looking forward to reply. Thank You, Kathy