CancerCompass message board discussion started by Rembrandt on 7/8/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25830,0.htm Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ I had whipple surgery Jan 23, 08 and am still having difficulty gaining wt.  I lost 25 lbs rapidly prior to surgery and am still 20 lbs below what I need to be to feel better.  Just when I think I'm gaining wt, I have diarrhea and all I've eaten last couple days will be gone.  I've noticed that sugar goes right thru me so try to curb my sweets.  I love applesauce but it seems to not love me.  How should I be feeling after 4 months from surgery?  I rest a lot but feel better when I'm up and doing something very physical, like mowing my yard, trimming my hedges, and such but then I feel like it takes my weight off..I would love to hear from anyone who has had this surgery and what's good to help with weight gain.  My tumor was in the bile duct at the head of the pancreas.  Hope to hear Rembrandt Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT It is hard to gain weight after a Whipple. Your entire digestive system has been rearranged. You may want to add supplements such as Prosure or Ensure to your diet. Check on this board for some suggestions others have posted regarding supplements. A friend who was treated for ovarian cancer with chemo ported directly into her abdomen has has some success gaining weight with protein shakes she makes herself with soy milk, fruit and protein powder. She has great trouble with diarhea but pureeing the fruit in the shake works for her. You may want to consult with a registered dietition/nutritionist. Your cancer center can probably help you with a referral. Good luck! The Wife Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hello Rembrandt,Since you had the Whipple, you have had at least part or perhaps all of your pancreas surgically removed which means you aren't producing digestive enzymes.  You probably need to take enzymes such as Pangestyme or Creon prior to any food intake, the number adjusted to the amount and type of food you ingest.  I also suggest you visit the Johns Hopkins support board which is much more active than this one with both survivors and caregivers who are all very knowledgeable and happy to answer questions.  Hope this helps you.  Peace and prayers are sent to you.JL   Joan l Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 7/8/2008 Rembrandt wrote:I had whipple surgery Jan 23, 08 and am still having difficulty gaining wt.  I lost 25 lbs rapidly prior to surgery and am still 20 lbs below what I need to be to feel better.  Just when I think I'm gaining wt, I have diarrhea and all I've eaten last couple days will be gone.  I've noticed that sugar goes right thru me so try to curb my sweets.  I love applesauce but it seems to not love me.  How should I be feeling after 4 months from surgery?  I rest a lot but feel better when I'm up and doing something very physical, like mowing my yard, trimming my hedges, and such but then I feel like it takes my weight off..I would love to hear from anyone who has had this surgery and what's good to help with weight gain.  My tumor was in the bile duct at the head of the pancreas.  Hope to hearHello Rembrandt, I'm post whipple 10/29/07. Definitely agree about the Rx enzymes- Get some if you are not taking- they will help with diarrhea.  I'm on Pancrease MT 20- One 20min before I eat. I average about 3-4 /day. I'm 119lbs 5ft 7" and holding after losing about 25lbs. Do you drink lots of water with your meals or wait until after you eat? Are you on Chemo?  This will also speed up your metobolism and cause GI irritation. I just finished chemo, but have found the following to keep the weight on and digest well.  Add whipping cream to milk shakes, gravies, sauces, scrambled eggs etc, also Cheese! esp in omlets, Custards, rice puddings,Pasta's, poptarts, chicken pot pies, Chicken-n-dumplins, Twice baked potatoes, I have developed a fondness for "Sunshine brand- "Cheese IT" crackers and nibble on them all thru out the day. I freeze my Chocolate Hi protein Boost/Ensure and add it to Carnation instant breakfast and Icecream, and try to drink with some kind of carbohydrate like toast or biscuits if you tolerate bread. Oscar Myer snackables pack about 400 calories and are quick and easy.  I have followed the John Hopkins Pancreatic discussion board frequently and there has been several posts reporting that Coconut macaroon cookies cure their diarrhea, some say that frying foods in coconut oil makes a great difference.  Good luck! whipplechick Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi Rembrandt,To gain weight following Whipple surgery (Nov .2002), I needed prescription strength pancreatic enzymes. I take Creon.  These helped control diarrhea, gas and symptoms of malabsorption.  Weight loss is one of the symptoms of malabsorption and related to insufficient digestive enzymes.  I started taking enzymes six months following surgery, but probably should have started earlier.I was advised to follow a low fat/low sugar diet, and since I was not vegetarian, I was advised to eat animal protein every day because I had low protein numbers pre-surgery as a result of the tumour (in my case in head of pancreas, causing blockage of the common bile system). Some foods will likely cause you trouble post Whipple that you had no problem with before surgery. I was warned high sugar foods could cause dumping syndrome.  Maybe this is what's happening with the apple sauce??  It was trial and error for me to find what worked and what didn't.After getting the malabsorption issues under control, it was still difficult for me to maintain weight.  A little over a year after surgery, I found I was diabetic. This can happen to people who have Whipple surgery.   It is probably too soon for this to be an issue for you. I'm mentioning this to encourage you to keep a close watch on your blood sugar. Constant high blood glucose reading can cause weight loss and muscle wasting. That is what happened to me.  First round weight loss was result of surgery and malabsorption. Enzymes helped with that.   Maintaining and gaining weight was affected by diabetes.  When I got my blood glucose to normal range and kept it there, my weight stabilized. I was able to recover muscle loss and then strength.  Now I eat  three meals a day totalling around 2000 calories a day.  I sometimes have a snack between meals if needed, but not every day.  If you aren't on prescription enzymes, you probably should be.  Exercise and physical activity are good for you, so don't worry about avoiding them.  Being active is good for your mental wellbeing as well as physical.     Best wishes for a quick recovery. On 7/8/2008 Rembrandt wrote:I had whipple surgery Jan 23, 08 and am still having difficulty gaining wt.  I lost 25 lbs rapidly prior to surgery and am still 20 lbs below what I need to be to feel better.  Just when I think I'm gaining wt, I have diarrhea and all I've eaten last couple days will be gone.  I've noticed that sugar goes right thru me so try to curb my sweets.  I love applesauce but it seems to not love me.  How should I be feeling after 4 months from surgery?  I rest a lot but feel better when I'm up and doing something very physical, like mowing my yard, trimming my hedges, and such but then I feel like it takes my weight off..I would love to hear from anyone who has had this surgery and what's good to help with weight gain.  My tumor was in the bile duct at the head of the pancreas.  Hope to hear  AliveInOldeTown Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT