? about Whipple Procedure

[feenie]

My Co-worker has chronic pancreatitis (not from cancer)
and is planning on having a whipple procedure at the beginning of February.

Does anyone have experience with this surgery? She has been getting some horror stories from some of the nurses we work with, and is looking to hear from people who have had this done or know someone who did and what their experience was and what (if any) issues came with it.

She has been on Pancreatic enzymes for 4 years, but in the past two years she has had some very bad, very long flare ups of the disease and she has had enough.

Thanks so much!

 

[mickeyboat]

No experience with the Whipple, but I hear it is a difficult surgery. Good luck to your friend.

My FIL had an acute and terrible case of pancreatitis 13 years ago, had multiple surgeries, was in the ICU for 3 months and in the hospital for 6 months. He has had trouble ever since, too, and was just recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (pancreatitis is a risk factor). It's been a long, tough battle for him with his pancreas.

Denae

 

[Disney Doll]

That's a tough surgery to go through for pancreatitis without a related cancer.

Please tell her to make certain she understands all the ramifications....

 

[sbell111]

Given that she doesn't have cancer, one wonders why they are doing a whipple instead of the Traverso-Longmire procedure.

 

[antmaril]

My late husband had a Whipple for pancreatic cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital in December, 2007. First of all, the Whipple is considered the granddaddy of surgeries. I was told that this is the most difficult surgery a person can have. This procedure needs to be done by a surgeon and in a hospital that has done this hundreds of times. It is not to taken lightly. My husband's surgeon had done more Whipples than any other doctor on the planet. In spite of the expertise of the doctor and the hospital, when we got home from Baltimore, my husband had complications and spent the whole month of January, 2008 hospitalized.

I'm not sure I would ever consider this surgery for any reason other than pancreatic cancer. The Whipple was the only hope we were given. Unfortunately, my husband's cancer spread to his liver and he passed away in July, 2008.

 

[cc1013]

I also suffer from chronic pancreatitis. My pancreatitis is due to pancreatic divisum (basically a birth defect). In 2002, I had a stent inserted into the common bile duct to open it up. The stent was later removed and until this year, I did not experience any further issues. Both the stent insertion and removal were done by ERCP, so the recovery wasn't bad. My recent pancreatitis was due to some exploratory procedures (which included another ERCP) to diagnose abdominal pain. This bout of pancreatitis was a side effect from the manipulation of my pancreas and my duct is still open. It kept me in the hospital for 6 full days. Turns out the pain they were trying to diagnose had nothing to do with my pancreas.

So I guess my question is....has your friend had his/her ducts fully examined? My doctor is a specialist in pancreatic defects. He flat out told me that a whipple is NOT something that should be taken lightly and should only be seen as a last resort. He was adamant and actually frightened me with the procedure description. I hope your friend has explored many other options.

 

[DVC-Don]

Two of my brother in laws had this surgery. First was in 1994 and he had it for stomach, colon & pancreatic cancer here in a local hospital. He died 4 months after the surgery. Second was in 1998 for pancreatic cancer at UMass Medical. He died 18 months after the surgery.

I also have an aunt who had this surgery in 2002 at Mass General. She died a year after the surgery.

 

[3DisneyBuggs]

My father had the Whipple done 4 years ago for bile duct cancer. His surgery was done at Sloan Kettering. It is very important that a highly experienced surgeon performs this.Recovery was slow and he has digestive issues today from it. He takes enzymes now but has problems with malabsorbtion. The operation was a success and he considers himself very lucky. Good luck.

 

[feenie]

Thanks for all your replys.
From what the surgeons have told her, the whipple is her only option because of where the affected part of the pancreas is.

She has had pancreatitis since 1999.
She spent from May to November with her last flare up and lost probably 30 pounds, and was admitted twice during that time. She still has days where things act up. She has a feeding tube now to get some nutrition in her, but she really has not put any real weight back on.

She has had MRI's and CT scans, and both the surgeon here as well as the one at Mass General said that the whipple is her only option.

 

[kors]

My Mom had a whipple done in 1997 for pancreatic cancer. She had it done at a wonderful hospital in Chicago - we were told Johns Hopkins and this hospital were the best. She lived 13 years after the surgery and died from a heart attack last Sept. After the Whipple, she was NEVER the same - nausea, vomitting, stomach issues after the enzymes - etc. We were blessed to have her 13 years after the diagnosis, but she was never the same.

 

[lsyorke]

A whipple is a very drastic step to take. We had a surgeon who told his whipple patients that "this surgery will give you time, but it will take your life in 5 years maximum".
She's going to have to decide if the symptoms pre whipple are bad enough to take the risk of the inevitable post whipple problems. Tough choice.

 

[krcit]

I have a friend who had the Whipple procedure. She did not have cancer but pancreatitis flare-ups and some sort of tumor(benign) I do not really know the specifics but she had her entire pancreas removed a few years ago which made her an instant diabetic. She ends up in the hospital every couple of months for a few days because of uncontrollable vomiting She is remarkable though and never complains-lives a very full life with 2 young children. Good luck to your friend.

 

[cc1013]

Thanks for all your replys.
From what the surgeons have told her, the whipple is her only option because of where the affected part of the pancreas is.

She has had pancreatitis since 1999.
She spent from May to November with her last flare up and lost probably 30 pounds, and was admitted twice during that time. She still has days where things act up. She has a feeding tube now to get some nutrition in her, but she really has not put any real weight back on.

She has had MRI's and CT scans, and both the surgeon here as well as the one at Mass General said that the whipple is her only option.

Have the doctors determined what the cause of her pancreatitis might be?

 

[crz4mm2]

My late husband had a Whipple for pancreatic cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital in December, 2007. First of all, the Whipple is considered the granddaddy of surgeries. I was told that this is the most difficult surgery a person can have. This procedure needs to be done by a surgeon and in a hospital that has done this hundreds of times. It is not to taken lightly. My husband's surgeon had done more Whipples than any other doctor on the planet. In spite of the expertise of the doctor and the hospital, when we got home from Baltimore, my husband had complications and spent the whole month of January, 2008 hospitalized.

I'm not sure I would ever consider this surgery for any reason other than pancreatic cancer. The Whipple was the only hope we were given. Unfortunately, my husband's cancer spread to his liver and he passed away in July, 2008.

First, I am sorry for your loss.

I agree completely with everything you said.

 

[redsy]

i am comming up on my one year anniversary of my successful Whipple procedure. they found a Gastro Intestinal Stromal Tumor--GIST--on my duodeum. it was supposed to be non-cancerous but???? i am still fighting the fight. i am still taking Gleevec, a proscription for lukermia patients and food absorbtion is not that great. but i am alive and doing much better than most people.
the best suggestions i have:
exercise; get in the best shape possible before surgery.
breathe; take deep breaths every; hour every day; before surgery. it will be very clear why after the surgery.
have a possitive attitude; pray to the great architect of the universe; believe that all will be well.
remember the names of the nurses and be nice to them. they are the one that "take care of you".
all the best.