Guest guest Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 The next step in my journey with CP is to have a Whipple. I have already chosen the surgeon, but have not picked a date. I have had a 2nd and 3rd opinion, they all agree that I need to have this surgery. At this point, I have stayed out of the hospital for one month and 1 week (that is pretty momentous for me)! When I was in the hospital was ready to just go ahead and have the surgery. Right now, I am out of the cycle of going in and out of the hospital. I can tolerate the level of pain that I am at (with the help of pain meds). The point of this summary is to say that I am not all that sick, so I don't want to have the surgery right now. But, do I wait until I have bad attacks again that put me right back into the hospital? Or do it now while I am stable? I am very scared, because I know that this is a major surgery that is going to have a big impact on my life. I have some questions and concerns that I'd love to have feedback on from anyone that has had a Whipple. 1. When and where did you have your Whipple? 2. Who performed your operation? 3. How long was your hospital stay? 4. How long did it take you to fully recover? 5. Did the surgery cure your pain and nausea? 6. What were the side effects of your Whipple? 7. Did you have any other side affects that the doctor did not tell you about? 8. Did you develop IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)? Alopecia? GERD? Ulcers? Numbness in any body parts? 9. Did your surgeon perform the Pylorus Preserving Whipple? If so, has that caused you any problems? 10. Did you get diabetes after the surgery? 11. Do you still have major attacks of Pancreatitis? Minor attacks? 12. Do you have remnant pain? If so, can you describe what it is like and how severe it is? On a scale of 1-10, what # is the remnant pain at its lowest? Highest? 13. Is there anything you know now that you'd wish you'd know before the surgery? 14. If you had " motility " problems before the surgery, do you still have that now? (B/C of my Pancreatitis my stomach will delay when emptying and things don't get absorbed like they should). 15. Did you have any " Dumping " problems? If so, please describe how it happened(s) and what it is like. 16. Would you say your Quality of Life is better, worse, or same as it was before the operation? 17. Has your treatment of CP changed? 18. Anything else I should know? 19. Knowing what you know now, would you still have had the Whipple? 20. Any regrets? I think that is it for right now. Thank you very much for helping me with any of these questions! Hope everyone is feeling great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 Hi Again sarah, So many questions, so little time. Let me preface this by saying I had a modified Whipple that was my major surgery in 1986. The reason was to remove a cancerous tumor from my small intestine located at the juncture of my small intestine and main bile duct. It was not for pancreatitis at that time. And I'm sure surgical improvements have been made over the past 19 years. You asked so here are the answers. I have some questions and concerns that I'd love to have feedback on from anyone that has had a Whipple. 1. When and where did you have your Whipple? 1986 at St Joes Hosp. Atlanta GA 2. Who performed your operation? Dr Sawyer (since deceased) Assisting was a young Dr. and his name began with an " A " and ended with a vowel 3. How long was your hospital stay? 15 days, 3 days prior to surgery and 12 days post surgery. Days before surgery were for blood transfusion and bowel cleansing (an interesting experience). 4. How long did it take you to fully recover? Returned to work in 5 months but should have waited another couple of weeks 5. Did the surgery cure your pain and nausea? Was not an issue 6. What were the side effects of your Whipple? Incisional hernia due to an infection. It was repaired about 18 months after the Whipple 7. Did you have any other side affects that the doctor did not tell you about? No, but there was postoperative pain, sometimes sever, may have been associated with the incisional herina 8. Did you develop IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)? Alopecia? GERD? Ulcers? Numbness in any body parts? No 9. Did your surgeon perform the Pylorus Preserving Whipple? If so, has that caused you any problems? I have no idea 10. Did you get diabetes after the surgery? No, my " modified Whipple " saved my Pancreaus but did rearrange the duct work. No diabetic problems this far. Was suspicious about a year ago but it cleared up. 11. Do you still have major attacks of Pancreatitis? Minor attacks? Pancreatitis developed 12 years post surgery and was firmly diagnosised a year later 12. Do you have remnant pain? If so, can you describe what it is like and how severe it is? On a scale of 1-10, what # is the remnant pain at its lowest? Highest? No remnant pain after the incisional hernia was repaired. But that was again 18 months post Whipple. At times during that 18 months the pain was a 10. But, who knows what it cause was? But on a Whipple I stated at that time it was like being cut in two and then put back together with really bad glue. I had an excellent surgeon but I do hope and think the technique is better now. 13. Is there anything you know now that you'd wish you'd know before the surgery? No 14. If you had " motility " problems before the surgery, do you still have that now? (B/C of my Pancreatitis my stomach will delay when emptying and things don't get absorbed like they should). Didn't have that problem 15. Did you have any " Dumping " problems? If so, please describe how it happened(s) and what it is like. Not then but this was a symptom of the Pancreatitis when it developed in 1998 16. Would you say your Quality of Life is better, worse, or same as it was before the operation? In my case the quality of life was excellent, and it sure beat the alturnative I was looking at at the time, stage three cancer. 17. Has your treatment of CP changed? Developed into panc. enzymes, and Hydrocodin, still have about 3 episodes per month but I can live with that. However, I know I'm lucky to be in a situation where I can live with that. 18. Anything else I should know? No Covered all the bases with me. But I am thinking of a number between one and twenty . . What is it? 19. Knowing what you know now, would you still have had the Whipple? Yes You can bet my life on that. 20. Any regrets? No, except the death of my surgeon Dr. Sawyer. He was a hellva nice guy, and for me he set the mark to judge all other gut cutters by. BTW he did my hernia repair too. I hope this helps , and Good Luck and my Very Best Wishes, Poncho - GA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 , If you type " Whipple " into the archives box at the top of the webpage, you'll be able to pick up and posts where this was discussed in all the previous posts. This might answer some of those questions you've asked, in case other's don't repond with enough information for you. With love, hope and prayers, Heidi Heidi H. Griffeth SC Rep SE Regional Rep PAI Note: All comments or advice are based on personal experience or opinion only, and should not be substituted for consultation with your medical professional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 In a message dated 8/9/2005 1:08:47 PM Eastern Standard Time, specialedugator@... writes: Hmm, I am thinking the number 3... No, the number was 18 as it was the 18th question and answer. Oh well Best wishes, Poncho - GA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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