Ampullary cancer

I'm sorry you haven't had a reply to date but perhaps  it is rare cancer that no-one else has experienced. It might help to talk to one of our nurses here on this site? They operate Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm on FREEPHONE 0808 808 0000.

Best wishes

KateG

I  thought i had the start of flu and other symptoms you mentioned but then had jaundice in mid feb 2012. i was admitted to my local hospital and a stent was fitted to relieve the jaundice, i was told that i had a growth/tumour in the Ampulla. various tests and biopsies could not tell if it was benign or not. i had a a CT scan, endoscopy, EUS and ERCP all those endoscopies took biopsies. I was offered a Whipple op (it turned out that I had a PPPD) but with all the usual cautions explained. I had the PPPD operation at the QE in Birmingham at the end of May 2012. i'm now 57 and still go for 6 monthly check ups. as I had no lymph node affected, although the tumour had spread to the duodenum, I did not have chemo therapy. I've steadily improved (tiredness being the worst) and about 18 months after the op I felt back to normal.  Histology after the op showed that it was Ampullary cancer.  from your original post, you have already had surgery and I suspect that the Whipple/PPPD surgery will be the same pain wise, but with the epidural I did not experience any post op pain and I don't know if i'm the exception but I didn't suffer any pain once the epidural was taken out....but I know that I didn't like the tramadol I was given when the epidural was removed. today, with the good weather, I have been moving soil and laying slabs. best wishes to you.

why can't you edit the first line!....anyway, found out that VATS is Laparoscopic surgery (hope that's correct, the site won't allow me to lick and stick (copy and paste, but I know it upsets IT people when it's called lick and stick!)) but as far as I know that in this country Whipple/PPPD is full open up surgery, although I know that some people in the USA have had a laparoscopic Whipple/PPPD. as you have probably found out the NHS is keen on pain relief, so no need for worry about pain; I was fortunate (as I said earlier) that I didn't have any pain after the epidural was removed. noted that you are a retired teacher, if you taught English Grammar; I will give more info for any punctuation tips you can give!...hope my attempts at punctuation have not given you too much grief! ;-)

Hi bobs2 I am in the same position I think just in the process of getting all the tests. I was good to hear you had a successful outcome