Newbie with Bile duct/ pancreases head cancer

Hi atwilson and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.

I’m Anne, one of the Community Champions here on the Online Community and, although I'm not a member of this group, I noticed that your post hadn't had any replies yet. Responding to you will 'bump' it back to the top of the discussion list again.

While you're waiting for replies, it would be great if you could put something about your diagnosis and proposed treatment into your profile as it really helps others when replying to you and also when looking for someone on a similar pathway. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. To do this click on your username and then select 'Profile'. You can amend it at any time and if you're not sure what to write you can take a look at mine by clicking on my username.

I hope by now you are recovering from surgery?

whipple. For me it’s been just over a year & although I am feeling well & my tumour was removed .I feel very lucky to be alive.

I am now 56 & i

was told twice in the UK that I could not be operated on.

i went abroad to obtain second opinions and ended up

having surgery . 

enough about me, I hope you are recovering and feeling well.

last year was a tough year . 

I am wishing the best for you.

take care. 

jo. 

Hi

i had my Whipple surgery on 27/3/25 then admitted again on 4/4/25 as my internal stitches had come apart and my bowel had moved.
Not having a great time of it with then my wound leaking. I am very slowly recovering. Finding eating difficult and getting the balance of feeling sick and constipation overwhelming.
My mental health is at an all time low. Any advice most welcome. 

I’m a 68 yr old woman. Who was diagnosed with ampullary cancer and had the whipple 7 months ago. It’s not an easy surgery but I’m sure you will be fine.  I lost about 30 pounds had no appetite for about 4months but from research it seems pretty common. The first 2 months I had depression at times but it gets a lot better as you heal. If I could go back a few months I would exercise more walking helps heal quicker I think . Just listen to your drs and give yourself time to heal because you will.

So sorry you’re having a bad time after the whipple, it is a complicated and very invasive

procedure as your know. I remember thinking after the first few weeks that l would never be the same or better for that matter as far as eating goes I forced every bite for about 4 months but slowly getting better don’t lose heart you will get better it just takes longer than we thought sending you well wishes 

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. Your comments are very helpful and give me hope that I will get better. Yes I certainly need to exercise more and I will start to do this after reading your comments. Thank you. 

Thank you so much for your reply. It gives me great hope knowing that there is light at the end of the tunnel and my experience is not uncommon. Thank you.

You’re very welcome, I can look back before the whipple and my surgeon explained to me what the procedure would entail I don’t think I grasped how serious the surgery was. I had no idea what I was walking into as far as recovery goes and I thought I would bounce back like when I was younger, boy was I wrong I have always been a wide open person lots of energy but this is a whole different ballgame. Give yourself time. I’m also on chemotherapy 10 treatments 2 left and I’ll be through I’ve done well with chemotherapy no real problems so far. Wishing you all the best in this journey 

You sound like you have done amazingly well.

i don’t think i gave myself the credit of how major this surgery was.

Just know it’s going to take time it is very invasive surgery my surgeon said it’s a very complicated surgery with a long recovery every thing had to be rerouted and working properly with time for all areas to heal and that takes time. I have never been a patient person so it seems to take forever to me but I’m alive and making progress and I know that you will too. Best wishes to you.