Whipple Surgery

 My dad had the whipple 6 years ago and was in the hospital for 47 days.  He has never been the same since.  He is weak, tired, quiet, moody, food tastes terrible....etc. We have been trying to find someone to help our situation for years.  Finally today my parents met with the surgen who preformed the surgery.  He seems to be the last hope.  My dad goes to the VA hospital in Sturgis, SD and it seems like nobody gives us any help.  It's just like we are treated as though we are needlessly complaining.  Until you or a family member goes through the whipple you have NO IDEA how horrible it can be.  My dad went into the hospital a vibrant, happy, 280 lb., dark haired man and 47 days later was 180 lbs., gray haired and basically an old man.  He was only 59 at the time.  I have watched him and my mom suffer for years.  There is no way my dad could have ever went back to work.  His day is basically consumed with sleeping on the couch.  He eats but complains about nothing tasting good.  He has had loose stools for 6 years.  Not to be gross by they are very oily and usually his soiled undies get thrown away.  His surgen is sending him to Minneapolis to see the VA surgen there, hoping that he will receive better care there.  It's not that the doctors here haven't tried to help...I just don't think they have a clue what the whipple does to a person and the on going care they need.  I feel so horrible for my mom...bless her, she has been right there with him.  My dad did not have cancer but it was suspected.  There was a growth on the pancreas and the surgen said his pancreas looked like a shriveled piece of bacon.  He also mentioned that this was not a typical Whipple...musch worse.  Has anyone been through this or have any advice for us.  Thank you.

I wasn't able to copy and paste my dads history to post on the message board like I wanted to. Do you know how we can do that.  I sent it to you and that is the only one I had.

I knew I would forget something.  He did not have cancer.  He did not have chemo or radiation.  His pancreas was diseased.  The surgen was once a MASH dr. in the military.  He has preformed several Whipples. His name is Dr. Blum (I think thats the spelling) We were told that we couldn't  have wished for a better surgen at the VA that day.  Zana

Hi I had the whipple at 60 years old (had cancer). As for the oily stools, it's because his body is not breaking down the fats. Get the Dr tpo prescribe some enzymes. You take them each time you eat. How many depends on what you eat. I had the same problem and the enzymes do the trick.

Also, coconut/macaroon cookies help with the diarreah.

God bless 

 

 

On 5/7/2008 zanam wrote:

 My dad had the whipple 6 years ago and was in the hospital for 47 days.  He has never been the same since.  He is weak, tired, quiet, moody, food tastes terrible....etc. We have been trying to find someone to help our situation for years.  Finally today my parents met with the surgen who preformed the surgery.  He seems to be the last hope.  My dad goes to the VA hospital in Sturgis, SD and it seems like nobody gives us any help.  It's just like we are treated as though we are needlessly complaining.  Until you or a family member goes through the whipple you have NO IDEA how horrible it can be.  My dad went into the hospital a vibrant, happy, 280 lb., dark haired man and 47 days later was 180 lbs., gray haired and basically an old man.  He was only 59 at the time.  I have watched him and my mom suffer for years.  There is no way my dad could have ever went back to work.  His day is basically consumed with sleeping on the couch.  He eats but complains about nothing tasting good.  He has had loose stools for 6 years.  Not to be gross by they are very oily and usually his soiled undies get thrown away.  His surgen is sending him to Minneapolis to see the VA surgen there, hoping that he will receive better care there.  It's not that the doctors here haven't tried to help...I just don't think they have a clue what the whipple does to a person and the on going care they need.  I feel so horrible for my mom...bless her, she has been right there with him.  My dad did not have cancer but it was suspected.  There was a growth on the pancreas and the surgen said his pancreas looked like a shriveled piece of bacon.  He also mentioned that this was not a typical Whipple...musch worse.  Has anyone been through this or have any advice for us.  Thank you.

I have not had whipple surgery yet, but I expect that it will happen.  I have familial polyposis and polyps in my duodenum, which are looking rather threatening for cancer.  I have been to the U. of M., Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center a couple of weeks ago.  MDACC is the number 1 cancer center in the country and they do several whipple procedures.  Their doctors are very specialized and even though I didn't trust the U. of M.; and Mayo was reluctant to do this surgery on me due to my lengthy medical history, I would trust MDACC because they are very experienced, their doctors do hundreds of these surgeries and they have doctors that specialize in whipple surgery.  I would be happy to discuss this with you further if you wish.  Good luck to you and your Dad!  Gerry

 

 

On 5/10/2008 gerose71 wrote:

 

On 5/7/2008 zanam wrote:

 My dad had the whipple 6 years ago and was in the hospital for 47 days.  He has never been the same since.  He is weak, tired, quiet, moody, food tastes terrible....etc. We have been trying to find someone to help our situation for years.  Finally today my parents met with the surgen who preformed the surgery.  He seems to be the last hope.  My dad goes to the VA hospital in Sturgis, SD and it seems like nobody gives us any help.  It's just like we are treated as though we are needlessly complaining.  Until you or a family member goes through the whipple you have NO IDEA how horrible it can be.  My dad went into the hospital a vibrant, happy, 280 lb., dark haired man and 47 days later was 180 lbs., gray haired and basically an old man.  He was only 59 at the time.  I have watched him and my mom suffer for years.  There is no way my dad could have ever went back to work.  His day is basically consumed with sleeping on the couch.  He eats but complains about nothing tasting good.  He has had loose stools for 6 years.  Not to be gross by they are very oily and usually his soiled undies get thrown away.  His surgen is sending him to Minneapolis to see the VA surgen there, hoping that he will receive better care there.  It's not that the doctors here haven't tried to help...I just don't think they have a clue what the whipple does to a person and the on going care they need.  I feel so horrible for my mom...bless her, she has been right there with him.  My dad did not have cancer but it was suspected.  There was a growth on the pancreas and the surgen said his pancreas looked like a shriveled piece of bacon.  He also mentioned that this was not a typical Whipple...musch worse.  Has anyone been through this or have any advice for us.  Thank you.

I have not had whipple surgery yet, but I expect that it will happen.  I have familial polyposis and polyps in my duodenum, which are looking rather threatening for cancer.  I have been to the U. of M., Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center a couple of weeks ago.  MDACC is the number 1 cancer center in the country and they do several whipple procedures.  Their doctors are very specialized and even though I didn't trust the U. of M.; and Mayo was reluctant to do this surgery on me due to my lengthy medical history, I would trust MDACC because they are very experienced, their doctors do hundreds of these surgeries and they have doctors that specialize in whipple surgery.  I would be happy to discuss this with you further if you wish.  Good luck to you and your Dad!  Gerry

 

 

Thank you very much for your support.  My dad has not been well since his Whipple. It is always nice to have people to talk to that are in the same boat. It seems like people either come out from whipple with little recovery or are sick for years.  We had no choices where, when or who my dad's whipple would happen.  It was a very sudden and unexpected thing for us.  Again, thank you. Zana

Hi,

 

Mu husband had the Whipple Procedure done at Mass. General, Boston in July 07.  this was done by a Dr,. Fernandez.  We recommend him very, very highly.   My husbands operation went well, part of his stomach taken out the tumor on top of the pancreas and 40% of the pancreas, all the gall bladder and 31 lymph nodes.  Two months later my husband went throu chemo. and radiation.  Just finished with everything the end of Feb. 

My husbands recovery period after the Whipple did go OK.  He did develop an infection at one part of the incision  BUT he has been doing OK.  Really not too drastic problems. Has been really doing well with what he went through.We owe everything to Dr. Fernandes.  If you want I can send you his number.   

 Please take care and your family.