Whipple's Problems

Georgyboy · New User Joined: 19 Aug 2008 Posts: 4

I had my Whipple's March 2004. I had a 25mm tumour in pancreas, which indicated that it had all the makings of turning into cancer.

Over the past 12 months I've suffered from intense colic-like pain, and is worse than renal colic. My only remedy to such is grab for a bottle Tonic Water, and expel the wind that collects in my stomach.

When my stomach was replaced, it appears that the surgeon didn't put it in the right place, and it sits up high, pressing onto my diaphram.

The pain is so intense and it surrounds my heart area. But once the Tonic Water releases all the wind, I give a great sigh of relief.

After surgery I was told that I can eat whatever I like. And I my eating habits are the same, but each time I get this colic attack, it comes on at anytime, and have no idea if it's the food that is causing these attacks.

I am led to believe that gas does leak up from the lower bowel.

Oh, by the way, I spent 47 days in hospital, and didn't have my first morsel of food until the 48th day. I had pipes hanging out me up to the last day.

The wound area is still tender, and I feel below the actual cut area as if there is a tear in stomach lining.

Can anyone advise me of eating habits, and not what to eat, because I have not support group in my country. And the continual cramping pain is now continual.

Thanks.
GP

brainman · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 4:27 pm Post subject: Re: Whipple's Problems

Hi Georgyboy. I am very sorry about your cancer. I am also sorry that no one has replied to you so far. I have not done so because honestly I do not have an answer for you. This is the first time I have heard of gas leaking from the lower bowel. I hope someone with more information will reply soon.

You are in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
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Georgyboy · New User Joined: 19 Aug 2008 Posts: 4

[quote="brainman"]Hi Georgyboy. I am very sorry about your cancer. I am also sorry that no one has replied to you so far. I have not done so because honestly I do not have an answer for you. This is the first time I have heard of gas leaking from the lower bowel. I hope someone with more information will reply soon.

You are in my thoughts and prayers.[/quote]

Thanks mate, for you thoughts and prayers, as I need them at times. I am strong, but at times I am weak.

But, sine the op, I've had a multitude of other problems. Four years after the event, I've been told that Whipple patients should be put onto B12 and keep on it, because after the remove that six inches of lower bowel it affects the absorption of B12. Have you heard anything like that?

Regards
George

icecreamjohn · Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 3:23 pm Post subject: Whipple

I had a whipple about 16 months ago. I occasionally have a great deal of gas. One of the things that has reduced that is a prescription fo pancreatic enzymes called Panocaps - try them, you'll like them. Most of what I've figured out has been through trial and error. I think anything I tell you, you'll have to confirm by giving it a go and checking the results.

I take a daily multi vitamin for the first time in my life because I was concerned about vitamins not having time to be absorbed and I figured it couldn't hurt. I stay well away from fatty foods - no ice cream, no cheeseburgers, minimize butter. And minimize meaningless carbohydrates like candy and soda. The pain you describe reminds me of 2 things. The pain I get when I eat fat or drink alcohol. It's high up there but a blood test has 'confirmed' that the pain was due to pancreatitus, an inflamation of wht pancreas I have left, and went away when I returned to being good with my diet. At that time, another blood test (for amylase and lipase, pancreatic enzymes) confirmed that things were back under control. The second thing that come to mind is how I feel if I eat too much at one sitting. I just get miserable, and again the discomfort is right at the top, just below my ribcage. That one goes away without any clear action on my part though going for a walk seems to minimize the time involved. And if I eat more time, less each, I am soooo much happier.

I have never heard of gas leaking back up - but maybe diet and quantity and Panocaps could help minimize your discomfort.

Best of luck to you.

John
_________________
Pancreatic Cancer
Post Whipple

Georgyboy · New User Joined: 19 Aug 2008 Posts: 4

[quote="icecreamjohn"]I had a whipple about 16 months ago. I occasionally have a great deal of gas.
[color=blue][color=blue][u]My gas isn't all the time, it just comes of the blue, and hits me like a ton of bricks, and when I have Indian Tonic or Tonic Water it helps to move the wind. The wind colic is extremely painful if I don't get the fizzy stuff into me gut quick. A big belch and a number of them, the pain goes.[/[/color]color][/u]
One of the things that has reduced that is a prescription fo pancreatic enzymes called Panocaps - try them, you'll like them.
[color=blue]I was prescribed Creon Forte and Colofac, and I tried them, but they appeared to make no difference, but now that it has been a bit more frequent then I might start them again[/color]
Most of what I've figured out has been through trial and error.
[color=blue]Well that is how it has been with me, because my surgeon said the same, and he hasn't been able to really advise me.[/color]
I think anything I tell you, you'll have to confirm by giving it a go and checking the results.
[color=blue]Well that is why it has been so confusing for me, because I eat this and eat that, and the next time I eat this and eat that, I get a colic attack. I honestly believe that when he replaced my stomach, it is much higher than where it was before, and it gets wedged between the lower bowel and the diaphram around my heart.[/color]
I take a daily multi vitamin for the first time in my life because I was concerned about vitamins not having time to be absorbed and I figured it couldn't hurt.
[color=blue]I have always taken vitamins, and I was told the other day, that B12 is extremely important to Whipples people, because of obsorption, and with a lack of B12 it causes a burning mouth syndrome, which I have suffered with since the Whipples. But, my blood test the other confirmed that my B12 level is okay, and that would probably be due to taking multivitaimins.[/color]
I stay well away from fatty foods - no ice cream, no cheeseburgers, minimize butter.
[color=blue]Well, I am guilty of that, because I suffer with reflux and ice cream and milk helps to settle the stomach down. I do take Nexium at night. I have been told that Nexium is also important for Whipples people as the relux causes ulceration of the throat and can cause throat cancer if allowed to continue.[/color]
And minimize meaningless carbohydrates like candy and soda.
[color=blue]I dont study the carbohydrates, so will check that out, and I have candy off and on, and have a couple of bottles of ginger beer during the week, which is non-alcoholic[/color]

The pain you describe reminds me of 2 things. The pain I get when I eat fat or drink alcohol.
[color=blue]Don't drink alcohol, and most meals are stirfry for dinner, and the only fat I would probably have is from milk, and icecream.[/color]
It's high up there but a blood test has 'confirmed' that the pain was due to pancreatitus, an inflamation of wht pancreas I have left, and went away when I returned to being good with my diet.
[color=blue]I always thought it is pancreatitus, but when I have the fizzy drink and expel the wind, it all settles down. I have no gall bladder.[/color]
At that time, another blood test (for amylase and lipase, pancreatic enzymes) confirmed that things were back under control.
[color=blue]My blood tests always come back okay and within limits.[/color]
The second thing that come to mind is how I feel if I eat too much at one sitting. I just get miserable, and again the discomfort is right at the top, just below my ribcage.
[color=blue]I have to avoid eating too much, but when I do, it hasn't had any affect.[/color]
That one goes away without any clear action on my part though going for a walk seems to minimize the time involved. And if I eat more time, less each, I am soooo much happier.
[color=blue]I have a continual buzz around the stomach, like a light cramp, and I still think it's from the stomach location after replacing it. My op was a 8 1/2 hours, and maybe the surgeon hurried things up toward the end. I spent 47 days in hospital and didn't have my first piece of food until the 48th day.[/color]

I have never heard of gas leaking back up - but maybe diet and quantity and Panocaps could help minimize your discomfort.
[color=blue]My surgeon informed me of that, I do find when I have discomfort in the lower bowel at times, then the stomach starts playing up, and when I exple from the lower ends, the discomfort reduces in the stomach.

I might get back onto the Coloface and Creon Forte and see if it does help.

Thanks for your comments.[/color]
Best of luck to you.

John[/quote]

Georgyboy · New User Joined: 19 Aug 2008 Posts: 4

[quote="Georgyboy"][quote="icecreamjohn"]I had a whipple about 16 months ago. I occasionally have a great deal of gas.
[color=blue][color=blue][u]My gas isn't all the time, it just comes of the blue, and hits me like a ton of bricks, and when I have Indian Tonic or Tonic Water it helps to move the wind. The wind colic is extremely painful if I don't get the fizzy stuff into me gut quick. A big belch and a number of them, the pain goes.[/[/color]color][/u]

One of the things that has reduced that is a prescription fo pancreatic enzymes called Panocaps - try them, you'll like them.
[color=blue]I was prescribed Creon Forte and Colofac, and I tried them, but they appeared to make no difference, but now that it has been a bit more frequent then I might start them again[/color]

Most of what I've figured out has been through trial and error.
[color=blue]Well that is how it has been with me, because my surgeon said the same, and he hasn't been able to really advise me.[/color]

I think anything I tell you, you'll have to confirm by giving it a go and checking the results.
[color=blue]Well that is why it has been so confusing for me, because I eat this and eat that, and the next time I eat this and eat that, I get a colic attack. I honestly believe that when he replaced my stomach, it is much higher than where it was before, and it gets wedged between the lower bowel and the diaphram around my heart.[/color]

I take a daily multi vitamin for the first time in my life because I was concerned about vitamins not having time to be absorbed and I figured it couldn't hurt.
[color=blue]I have always taken vitamins, and I was told the other day, that B12 is extremely important to Whipples people, because of obsorption, and with a lack of B12 it causes a burning mouth syndrome, which I have suffered with since the Whipples. But, my blood test the other confirmed that my B12 level is okay, and that would probably be due to taking multivitaimins.[/color]

I stay well away from fatty foods - no ice cream, no cheeseburgers, minimize butter.
[color=blue]Well, I am guilty of that, because I suffer with reflux and ice cream and milk helps to settle the stomach down. I do take Nexium at night. I have been told that Nexium is also important for Whipples people as the relux causes ulceration of the throat and can cause throat cancer if allowed to continue.[/color]

And minimize meaningless carbohydrates like candy and soda.
[color=blue]I dont study the carbohydrates, so will check that out, and I have candy off and on, and have a couple of bottles of ginger beer during the week, which is non-alcoholic[/color]

The pain you describe reminds me of 2 things. The pain I get when I eat fat or drink alcohol.
[color=blue]Don't drink alcohol, and most meals are stirfry for dinner, and the only fat I would probably have is from milk, and icecream.[/color]

It's high up there but a blood test has 'confirmed' that the pain was due to pancreatitus, an inflamation of wht pancreas I have left, and went away when I returned to being good with my diet.
[color=blue]I always thought it is pancreatitus, but when I have the fizzy drink and expel the wind, it all settles down. I have no gall bladder.[/color]

At that time, another blood test (for amylase and lipase, pancreatic enzymes) confirmed that things were back under control.
[color=blue]My blood tests always come back okay and within limits.[/color]

The second thing that come to mind is how I feel if I eat too much at one sitting. I just get miserable, and again the discomfort is right at the top, just below my ribcage.
[color=blue]I have to avoid eating too much, but when I do, it hasn't had any affect.[/color]

That one goes away without any clear action on my part though going for a walk seems to minimize the time involved. And if I eat more time, less each, I am soooo much happier.
[color=blue]I have a continual buzz around the stomach, like a light cramp, and I still think it's from the stomach location after replacing it. My op was a 8 1/2 hours, and maybe the surgeon hurried things up toward the end. I spent 47 days in hospital and didn't have my first piece of food until the 48th day.[/color]

I have never heard of gas leaking back up - but maybe diet and quantity and Panocaps could help minimize your discomfort.
[color=blue]My surgeon informed me of that, I do find when I have discomfort in the lower bowel at times, then the stomach starts playing up, and when I exple from the lower ends, the discomfort reduces in the stomach.

I might get back onto the Coloface and Creon Forte and see if it does help.

Thanks for your comments.[/color]
Best of luck to you.

John[/quote][/quote]
Hi John,

I apologise for the above mess, but it appears the colour didn't work, as my comments was suppose to come out in "blue hightlight", Sorry!

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