Post Whipple... Need Enzymes?

My grandmother is 3 months post whipple and skin and bones. As far as I have been told she does not have loose bowells or anything. Her energy level is zilch and that was before she started 12 rounds of chemo a month ago. Everything I have read about taking Creon seems to be in relation to stopping diarrehah. She has been losing so much wieght, but eating normally and she has no energy (since the chemo started it has only gotten worse) Could enzymes help her or since she doesnt have loose BMs then that isnt the answer??

My mother had the whipple procedure done in January.  She has been on Creon since the surgery.  She takes two with every meal and one with a snack.  According to the doctors she will be on Creon for the rest of her life. 

My husband has been on enzymes ever since his Whipple.  He lost a lot of weight in the beginning but his doctor then prescribed Pancrease for him.  He takes one with every meal and snack and he immediately began putting weight back on. Please check with your grandmother's doctor about this.

Cindy

If you and your grandmother are up to it, you might consider finding a nutritionist who specializes in cancer.  Our nutritionist (I truely believe) saved my husband who was wasting away post-whipple.  They have much more knowledge than the oncologist or gi doctors have in metabolizing foods in your "new" system.

Pam

the chemo gemzar was very binding for my wife ,she practicly needed a crowbar to go,so I would not be using diarrehah as a measure ---creon replaces the amalyse and lipase -needed to break down food ---they are actualy pig enzymes or some others from plants -if you grand mother is losing weight she may need them -she needs all the weight and strengh she can get ,gastroenteroligist -or a nutritionist that deals with pc patients can advise best ,many drs and oncoligists are not aware of it -since pc is so rare and patients only 10 % that have a whipple surgury  rarer as you can see if a dr is advising -the purpose of enzymes is to stop a loose bowel only he is not a specialist in pc  -              Tom

On Jun 01, 2012 2:31 PM tomco727 wrote:

the chemo gemzar was very binding for my wife ,she practicly needed a crowbar to go,so I would not be using diarrehah as a measure ---creon replaces the amalyse and lipase -needed to break down food ---they are actualy pig enzymes or some others from plants -if you grand mother is losing weight she may need them -she needs all the weight and strengh she can get ,gastroenteroligist -or a nutritionist that deals with pc patients can advise best ,many drs and oncoligists are not aware of it -since pc is so rare and patients only 10 % that have a whipple surgury  rarer as you can see if a dr is advising -the purpose of enzymes is to stop a loose bowel only he is not a specialist in pc  -              Tom

Thank you. I called the Gastroentirologist earlier and was then referred to the oncologist and I was then told he was on vacation until next week. The Gastroenterologist office gave me the name of the Dr who did her Pre-op and I scheduled an appt for tomorrow. I am hoping that they can help her. Her sugar has also been crazy and her depression is bad. Maybe we can get advice on them all. I told the Drs office of my maloabsorbtion issues and I hope they they have an answer.