CancerCompass message board discussion started by Samy11 on 3/19/2006 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,4849,0.htm Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ I had whipple surgery in 2002. Unfortunately I had a lot of complications and stayed in the hospital for one year to recover. I had multiple organ failures and almost died three times. I started rehab after that for another year. Now I feel much better , I am very lucky to be alive. My wife had to leave her job for three years to take care of me, until I went back to work. It is a mircale that I am doing better now. Everyone thinks that I am a mircale person, and I belive it too. I am diabetic of course and I take insulin with evry meal. I eat normal with enzime bills and check my blood sugar 4 times a day. I use insulin pump to deliver insulin based on my carb intake. I found it very easy to use the pump and less hastle than injections. My main problem now is that I am always tired and short of breath and energy. My right lung has a scare from the surgery which affect my breathing, but otherwise the Doctor said it is ok. Following this bad experience I had major depression which took some time to get better. I just wonder if there is any thing to help with my energy and the tirdeness. Appreciate any comments or tips that might help. Samy11 Sun, 19 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT thats a great story ! Id say God has a plan for your life. As far as your energy I have a couple of thoughts. Its ironic that the best thing for increasing your energy is exercise. Try and get on a regular schedule of aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Get a trainer if need be. Give it some time, but I think you will notice a difference. I would also take a good multiple vitamin including iron. Be sure and eat a healthy, well balanced diet. Do you drink alcohol? You may have to cut it out completly. Its an energy zapper. I would also take an antidepressant like Zoloft or Paxil (SSRI's). In addition I would work on my spiritual life. Pray for God to give you what you lack. These things assume you have no medical reason for your energy problems like a low H/H. I would assume this is being tested on a regular basis, but find out for sure. In addition blood sugar problems can cause energy problems. You need to make sure your BS isnt too low. Oncrx Tue, 21 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT THANKS MICHAEL FOR YOUR REPLY. MY h/h IS OK. I TAKE RIDLEN FOR ENERGY WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM ANTIDEPRESENT WHICH I TRIED BEFORE AND GAVE ME SIDE EFFECTS SUCH AS HEADECH. I KNOW EXCERCISE IS GOOD AND PRYING TOO. BY THE WAY I DON'T DRINK AT ALL. I ALSO TAKE MULTIVITAMINES AND VITAMINE B INJECTION. IDO BLOOD TEST ON REGULAR BASIS AND I CHECK MY BS 4 TIMES A DAY. iS JUST THE FATIGUE AND THE LACK OF ENERGY THAT UPSET ME ALL DAY,AND PREVENT ME FROM DOING STUFF AROUND THE HOUSE LIKE BEFORE....nO STAMINA ALMOST TO DO ANYTHING.. Samy11 Sat, 25 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT You are one lucky guy, to survive all this and be able to almost have your life back. When I was reading your story in many ways I thought I was reading my own experience, except I think mine was more dramatic and longer. I had every thing you had, in addition to multiple organ failures, hart attack, loss of hearing in one ear, scar in the right lung which affected my breathing til now. I am also very much diabatic and take insulin with every meal. All started from the ERCP that cracked my bile duct and damaged my pancreas. And what follows was exactely like you. Add to it the hospital infection that almost killed me 3 times. I can't say how much the family and friends support was important for me to survive this horrible experience. My strong wife who slept every night on the chair and the floor next to my bed, and the way she ran the whole staff in the hospital to make sure I am been looked after properly was what kept me alive. My family and friends everyday in my room praying for me also inspired the whole hospital to work around the clock to keep me alive. And the miracle happened , after almost one year in the hospital I left and went home for rehab. It took few more month until I was able to walk and do my own things myself. Back with my family and working again was unimaginable... I know that GOD was there for me and I am glad I am with my beloved family and friends insppite of all other problems I am still sufferening from. My low energy and my depression along with my hard breathing are my main problems. I hope and pray to GOD that one day I will be able to overcome these issues and help others. ........ By the way I am an aerospace engineer from Toronto Canada, and I have people in Banglore working for me, the high tech city of India.... Samy11 Sun, 16 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT Great to know that there is someone else like me. It's also interesting - you are from the engineering industry, as I was once-my company manufatured Furnaces for melting, heat teratment and other processes, Foundry Equipment, Materails Handling Equipment, Air Handling Equipment- Since I was over all in charge, my job responsiblities coverd a wide spectrum - right from product idea conception and design to sales to erection and startup to after sales service to administration including HRM, Accounts etc. Of ourse most of the job functions were delegated to others, but the buck stopped with me. I loved design and you'll be surprised hearing this from a person from the engineering side- I loved accounts too (well this knowledge told me how much money I was making). My current businesses - managing my money and that of others are also exciting and I find that I had skills that I did not know I possessed- I am good at training people about the various financial products that I have studied - and I do offer free training to some of my lesser informed fellow advisors, generally on a one on one basis, though sometimes I do take impropmtu classes when asked to and have once even had a class of about 60 adults over a wide age group spannig from about 20 years to 68 years of age. Writing is another skill set that I've started exploiting recently, and have earned a decent amount of money through it. I keep my mind busy, I read a lot and the background pain due to surgery is always there, but I've got used to it. My biggest worry is making enough money so that in case I die too soon, I want to leave more than enough for my family, and especially for my wife so that she does not ever have to depend upon anyone (including our children) for money. As I mentioned earler, she stayed in the hospital all through my stay, and being reigious woman, had only one meal a day while I was in hospital-beleiving that her fasting would avert daath and bring me back to normalacy. Though she wasn't allowed into the ICUs' she spent the days and nights oustide on a bench, God, I love this woman more than anybody and anything else! I later learnt that a lot of people I barely knew had also been praying for my well-being and recovery, and my faith in and respect for fellow humans has gone up multifold! Ajaygaba Mon, 17 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT Hi, I'm new here.  I had my whipple Jan. 10th 07.  It's almost been 20 months and I'm not getting better.  I'm still on pain meds and within the last few weeks my pain is getting worse.   I also have dumping sydrome, short bowel, ileostomy.  Cramping, pressure, bloating.  My docs tried me on enzymes which for me made it all worse.  Fatigue!!!    I'm so frustrated anymore.  I was told within a year I'd be better feeling like better than before.  I am far from this.  I don't understand why I'm feeling worse not better.  Within the last 2 weeks I've almost ended up in the ER for gut pain, I just don't understand what is happening.  Wondering if anyone else is having this problem.  I think my GI doc is getting just as frustrated as I am if that's possible.xanshope    xanshope Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT My companion of 20 plus years has been diagnosed with tumors (mass) at the top of his pancreas.  The doctors at University of Va. are pushing the whipple surgery.  I am concerned - especially after readiing the dismal results of this surgery.  His statistics are:  80 years old, has pace maker, is diabetic, & has rheumatoid arthritis.  He was diagnosed over a year ago.  He has some stomach pain.  They wanted to do surgery then, but he wanted to wait to see progression.  This past year has been good for him -- we took a trip to Mexico, he cuts his grass & also mine.  Drives daily, plays cards weekly with friends.  Right now he is having a good life & at his age, I feel he shouldn't do this surgery.  The medical doctor (this is a research, teaching hospital) & he is also director of pancreatic services, tells me now to ask him questions, about the surgery & he is going to set up appt. with us to talk to surgeon & he can answer questions.  I am so confused.  I can't advise him what to do & I'm so sad to know his outcome with surgery could be worse than just doing nothing --knowing he will probably die from this.  They can't say if it's malignant until they operate, but all of the doctors say it is almost always malignantAny Advice would be so appreciated..  lynchburg Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT I'm new to this site but after reading your story it sounds if the Lord was watching over you.   I also had a whipple surgery in 1994, thankfully my was not cancer.  After 14 years past the surgery I still have had a few hospital stays, what was left of my pancreous is very scared, so it sometimes it doesn't take much to set it off.   Concerning you lack of energy,  I was told by a oncologist that I work with that after doing a whipple procedure your insides are rerouted and you can't get iron into your system.  I get to where I don't have any energy, headaches, and just can't go.   I have had 4 iron infusions due to being anemic, and getting ready to most likely do another one.   I hope that you find out whats going on and it will get better Whipple Survivor Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT