Gluten free and pancreatic cancer

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This may be a long post. Last summer, before PC diagnosis, I was experiencing greasy, light colour soft stools of a putty consistency. Contacted my GP who after doing various blood tests suggested I may be gluten intolerant/coeliac. I started eating a gluten free diet and it started to improve. I was referred to a GI specialist who carried out a CT scan of my pancreas as according to him, it didn't sound like classic coeliac symptoms. That's when I found out I had a tumour in my pancreas. I stopped the gluten free diet then.

Forward to this week when I've had a break in chemo treatments in order to regain some of the weight I've lost. I've been eating like it's going out of fashion, eating cake, bagels, cereal and biscuits much more than I normally would. By Tuesday night/Wednesday day I've started with the bloatedness and wind and now the same coloured greasy stools. I spoke to my Macmillan nurse, not about the gluten free diet I had last year, and she suggested taking Creon before eating instead of afterwards and to be strict when taking it. But that's not improving it.

Are the symptoms for coeliac and PC similar? Could I also be coeliac/gluten intolerant?

latchbrook over 2 years ago

Hi Christeeniee

I don't have any personal experience with coeliac and PC but noticed that your post hadn't had any replies yet. By responding to you it will 'bump' it back to the top of the discussion list where it'll hopefully be seen by someone with the right experience.

If you don't get any replies you could post your question in the ask a nurse section of the online community and one of the specialist nurses will aim to respond within 3 working days.

"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"

Suesheppey over 2 years ago

Yes, the experience of my husband' suggests so. Not only was he an almost life time undiagnosed coeliac but also had a bout of pancreatitis, probably brought on by alcohol, and I've since read that both are potential signs of future pancreatic cancer I am annoyed that the hospital did not follow up on his hospitalisation for pancreatitis in which case the cancer may have been detected earlier, instead of advanced, as most cases are. It is one of the smaller number of cancers so doesn't seem to get either the publicity, research or funding like the big men and women's ones.

Christeeniee over 2 years ago in reply to latchbrook

Thanks Latchbrook, I didn't know about the ask a nurse section

Christeeniee over 2 years ago in reply to Suesheppey

Thanks suesheppey, that's very interesting and sorry to hear the hospital didn't follow up on your husband's pancreatitis diagnosis.

I agree with you, there's definitely less of everything with PC. I think there should be an automatic offer of a pancreas scan following diagnosis of coeliac or pancreatitis. It's all very well having a wee purple ribbon and a special day but that's not what is needed.

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Gluten free and pancreatic cancer