Whipple Surgery ..Please Help!

Hi Folks,

My close friend's mother had a growth(tumour) in the region surrounding the intestine, pancreas, duodenum. Later it was diagnosed that it was cancerous. The doctor suggested Whipple Surgery. He also told that only after starting the surgery one could tell whether going ahead with the surgery is possible. The Cancer is at the starting - mid stage.

The scheduled surgery had to take place today. After the surgery he told us that he could not go ahead as some blood vessels were very close to the tumour to be removed.

So I wanted to ask a few questions:

- What would be our options now?

- Is the blood Vessels being too close really an hindrance to the procedure?

- How effective is Chemotherapy in this case.

Please respond as soon as possible.

Thanks a lot,

Abhi 

 

is this tumor located in the pancreas?  Its location can make surgery impossible but this does depend to some extent on the skill and experience of the surgeon.  Get a second opinion with a surgeon who does a lot of Whipples.  In the absence of surgery, Gemzar can increase survival by a few months.

 

On 3/12/2008 AbhiT wrote:

Hi Folks,

My close friend's mother had a growth(tumour) in the region surrounding the intestine, pancreas, duodenum. Later it was diagnosed that it was cancerous. The doctor suggested Whipple Surgery. He also told that only after starting the surgery one could tell whether going ahead with the surgery is possible. The Cancer is at the starting - mid stage.

The scheduled surgery had to take place today. After the surgery he told us that he could not go ahead as some blood vessels were very close to the tumour to be removed.

So I wanted to ask a few questions:

- What would be our options now?

- Is the blood Vessels being too close really an hindrance to the procedure?

- How effective is Chemotherapy in this case.

Please respond as soon as possible.

Thanks a lot,

Abhi 

 

 

my husband merrell was told he had the same pancreatic cancer. He had the whipple surgery last Dec.2006. he has had chemo and radition too. we so far are lucky.It is long road to follow. A week after his surgery, he was sitting in the living room and all of a sudden he started shaking and saying he was cold, but he was running a fever. called 911, our local hospital said he had a kidney infection they thought. He was dying, the doctors from where had his surgery(vanderbiult hospital) in Nashville, Tn. flew their helicopter to Crossville where we live and flew him back to Nashville.  He was critical for over a week. He had a liver infection. The drs. say this is sometimes happens. So tell the person you know to watch out for anything that hurts . write everything down. don't be afraid of asking questions for your dr.it is a long hard road, even after a year.  My husband has lost over a hundred pounds. He still can't eat. His insides hurt all the time. Has hurt every day since the surgery. Food makes him sick.Liquids make him sick. He is always cold, no matter how hot it is. He uses heating pads, blanklets and most of all he uses a hair dyer. When we tell the drs. some of the things that bother him. Get used to this from the doctors saying (ITS PART OF THE SURGERY). after the surgery everything was salty tasting,smells of anything, grease comes out of him no matter what he eats. if there is any grease in any food it comes out of him thru his bowels. He still is so weak that he can barely get around the house. THis is some of the things that go on. so the surgery is one thing but it doesn't stop there.We are thankful that the cancer is gone  (we Hope) but he has been sick since the surgery. It never ends. I get so tired of seeing him hurt that i  would trade him bodies. He had been thru so much. If you or anyone else wants to talk, me or him would gladly talk . its nice to have a friend, it certainly helps. Charlotte

thanks charlotte and oncryx for the information.

charlotte- am hoping merells troubles are over and he gets better.

As i had specified earlier my friends mother could not undergo whipple surgery as the doctor told us that the cancer had "Locally advanced".

It is diagnoised as "mildly differentiated adeno carcinoma". It is in grade 2.

The growth and cancer is located near the diodenum.

It would be really helpful if you could provide any information regarding chemotherapy in this case. Do let me know if there are any other medical procedures that would help us to keep the cancer in check.

Thanks a lot,

Abhi

this is Charlotte again. I wish that had knew something to help. Don't give up hope. There are some new deluxe surgeries being done every day. I read every day for answers. I have discovered one thing in the past few days that has helped Merrell so much. He is beginning to eat some foods and not get sick. It is called charcocaps, an over the counter medicine for anyone who is suffering from (fletus) or gas. People who had have the Whipple often have this problem so bad that they are afraid to eat because it hurts so bad. Gas -x and most anti-gas pills worlk on fiber and sugars(they break them down) but CHARCOCAPS break down in the intestions. It had really made a difference for Merrell. Inever thought I would be talking afbout gas on the computer but if this can help anyone I will. I will keep looking for answers for everyone because I now know how hard sickness can be on the patient and the caregiver.

I'm very sorry to hear your mom's surgery was aborted. Often times treatments can be given to skrink the tumor away from the veins and then surgery may be possible.  John Hopkins has a pancreatic message board. Mary G is one who posts regularly there and has her bio on the site. She was told surgery wouldn't be possible, she did treatments and had a successful surgery. Go to Johns Hopkin's Home Page and click on pancreatic cancer message board. There is no registration and it's simple.

 Those of you who are experiencing pain and gastro issues post surgery should be taking pancreatic enzymes. There are a prescription capsules that you take with your meals and they help with digestion since the pancreas is compromised it often needs help especially digesting fats.

Good luck and God bless.

 

Linda C

 

 

 

On 3/13/2008 Choochoo wrote:

my husband merrell was told he had the same pancreatic cancer. He had the whipple surgery last Dec.2006. he has had chemo and radition too. we so far are lucky.It is long road to follow. A week after his surgery, he was sitting in the living room and all of a sudden he started shaking and saying he was cold, but he was running a fever. called 911, our local hospital said he had a kidney infection they thought. He was dying, the doctors from where had his surgery(vanderbiult hospital) in Nashville, Tn. flew their helicopter to Crossville where we live and flew him back to Nashville.  He was critical for over a week. He had a liver infection. The drs. say this is sometimes happens. So tell the person you know to watch out for anything that hurts . write everything down. don't be afraid of asking questions for your dr.it is a long hard road, even after a year.  My husband has lost over a hundred pounds. He still can't eat. His insides hurt all the time. Has hurt every day since the surgery. Food makes him sick.Liquids make him sick. He is always cold, no matter how hot it is. He uses heating pads, blanklets and most of all he uses a hair dyer. When we tell the drs. some of the things that bother him. Get used to this from the doctors saying (ITS PART OF THE SURGERY). after the surgery everything was salty tasting,smells of anything, grease comes out of him no matter what he eats. if there is any grease in any food it comes out of him thru his bowels. He still is so weak that he can barely get around the house. THis is some of the things that go on. so the surgery is one thing but it doesn't stop there.We are thankful that the cancer is gone  (we Hope) but he has been sick since the surgery. It never ends. I get so tired of seeing him hurt that i  would trade him bodies. He had been thru so much. If you or anyone else wants to talk, me or him would gladly talk . its nice to have a friend, it certainly helps. Charlotte

Charlotte, I didn't see any mention that your husband is taking pancreatic enzymes.  Some of the symptoms you describe, oily stool and excessive gas for example, should be improved by taking adequate amounts of prescription strength pancreatic enzymes.  The oily stool you mention could possibly even be eliminated with them. Post Whipple, certain foods are going to cause some gas, even with enzymes, especially if they did before Whipple as well (after surgery, the gas can be more intense and painful).    Please discuss this with your doctors.  If he is taking enzymes already, perhaps changing brand or strength/quantity will help.  There are several different brands available. 

Doctors who prescribe them start with lowest possible dosage.  If he is already taking them, try taking more until symptoms are controlled.  Also, make sure to discuss with doctor how to take them.  What I found works is take one at beginning of meal with first bite of food, then one at middle of meal and one toward end of meal (I typically take three Creon with dinner).  Some people have to take more pills than I do to control symptoms.

Sorry for long message.  I just hate to read about people suffering, and hope this offers some help.  It's based on my personal experience, I'm not involved in the medical profession.  Hope your husband feels better soon. 

Thank you your info, he does take enzyems. He takes six of the  lipram 4,500 capsule ec glo.every time he eats. He has not tried taking them, a few before, in the middle and at the end. He was told to take them in the beginning. We will try that. You do not know how much we appreicate any info. He suffers so much.  I did not think of that. I will ask one of his drs. About maybe a new kind of enzyem.