Advanced pancreatic cancer
A forum for advanced pancreatic cancer issues.
398 topics in this forum
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Travel Insurance
by peter2901- 4 replies
- 19.3k views
Hi - We are wanting to travel as a family to Greece for a well deserved holiday for my brother who has advanced pancreatic cancer. I have looked at the Cancer Research UK website and contacted a couple of insurance companies for a quote. It looks like its likely to cost more than a thousand pounds to insure my brother for 1 week (if they will insure him at all)! Has anyone used any particular company who may be cheaper? Any ideas please?
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My Mum - stage IV 1 2
by Mymum68- 49 replies
- 76.5k views
Hi all, I'm new to the site, that no one would ever want to join. My mum was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer end March 2016. CT did not show any disease progression, so surgery was scheduled. Unfortunatelly during the surgery mets were discovered and surgery was stopped. As of end May she has been first on Gemcetabin alone, and as of end July abraxane was added. I should add that we do not live in UK (I saw some posts about insurance issues with abraxane in UK). Here oncologist believed that Folfirinox would be too toxic for my mum (68 at time of diagnosis, just turned 69). For the piece I would be happy to try out Folfirinox, as the only remission posts I have…
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Pain relief
by Deirdes- 9 replies
- 21.8k views
Brother in law age 47 newly diagnosed with pc that has spread to liver and lung. Absolutely devasted. He is very nervous about starting chemo but is currently in constant pain despite slow release zomorph 80ml morn and night and oromorph 70ml hourly. Drugs just changed to oxymoron 10ml as and when. We are hoping that this helps pain? He is also on gregabolin 100ml twice daily . Chemo is folfirinox. We just hope and pray this will ease pain and he will start having a better quality of life . This really is torture for all
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My beautiful Mum
by Sjo2007- 7 replies
- 20.4k views
Hi , Im pretty new here, I Joined a while ago, when my mum was diagnosed, but it's taken a long time to pluck the courage to read any of the threads and even more to write my own, so here goes My Mum, 73, woke up in March this year just burping! ( like drunken man!!) She's done it ever since, every second of every minute, she cannot control it, so knew something was wrong, they diagnosed diabetes, and then in June diagnosed early stages of Pancreatic Cancer, they said it was in the head of the pancreas, but was inoperable because it was too close to the arteries, she had 1 dose of chemo and had a horrific allergic reaction, so that had to stop, and was then told that t…
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Weight loss
by Daisydog- 14 replies
- 27.2k views
My wife was diagnosed with PC in july but it took 3 biopsies to confirm the worst news ever, my wife was a healthy 8 stone 4lbs when she was diagnosed 4 months later and only 2 courses of folfirinox her weight has dropped to 6 stone 11lbs, at her last consultant appointment the Dr wasn't too concerned by her weight loss, she has stage 3 t4 pancreatic cancer which is inoperable and has spread locally to her stomach and some veins, any advice would be great fully received
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Brown vomiting
by Mymum68- 8 replies
- 33k views
So my mum has not been well last week or 10 days. After doing great from May on, things I'm affraid started to take a turn. She developed jaundice and bile duct stent was inserted. After comming home she has troubles with feeling full and constant burping. Due to that she started to eat much less. In fact she has something small for breakfast and small lunch. Than in the afternoon constant burping and she only finds some relief after she vomits. She says that she only vomits liquid and that it is of brownish colour. I'm going to tak to her GP again tomorrow, but would like to check if anyone has experience to share? I'm soo affraid that this is the start od the end.
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Dad Advanced T4N1 help?
by staceystarr- 17 replies
- 34.1k views
Hi everyone. After being in pain for 11 months the hospital finally did a CT scan for my dad. We got told on Friday 25th Nov 2016 my dad has inoperable stage 4 pancreatic cancer . . We are now waiting 2 weeks for a biopsy and a further 2 weeks for an oncologist. Is it worth finding a private oncologist or use the NHS one? It's looking chemo won't even start till end of December. This I feel is a long time to wait with little time on our hands. Has anyone gone down private route and if so who did you contact and where do I start. I looked at the nanoknife however they need notes from the NHS and I'm unsure how I go about getting these sent over to them and will it…
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Struggling with it all 1 2 3
by Judith16- 59 replies
- 88.5k views
I pop on this forum quite a lot and today, with tears rolling down my face it seems it is time to share my husbands journey with you all. Just two weeks before Christmas 2015 my husband was diagnosed with Stage 4 PC at the age of 54. To say we were shocked stunned, is a bit of an understatement. As you can imagine we went through disbelief, shock. Having to tell our children, 28, 30 and 25 plus his parents and other family members was pretty traumatic. Having done that we got on with enjoying Christmas, a big one as we did not know whether he would make another one and we still don't know!! 31st January 2016 he started Gem/Abrax, which he tolerated pretty well u…
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Hello all I am new to the place where no-one wants to be but I am very much looking forward to chatting to you all and hopefully benefiting from your experiences. In the meantime, I just wanted to share my husband's Pancreatic Cancer story with you which started back in March 2015, to give a little hope to those who may just have been diagnosed. I myself have my own healthcare problems; I was "the ill one" and my husband was ferrying me backwards and forwards to various different hospital appointments whilst trying to get a diagnosis. I'd noticed that my husband was taking more and more painkillers,( this is someone who was very anti taking medication) complain…
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My Mum, My World, Stage 4 PC
by Julie1982- 16 replies
- 36.5k views
Nearly 3 weeks ago we received the devastating news that my beautiful mum has inoperative PC. Our world is shattered, I started googling lots then I came across this site, I though it may be helpful to share how I'm feeling and mums storey. Mum is 58, was fit and healthy and never ill, she experienced a couple of bouts of upset stomach and decided to go to the dr as it was very unusual for her. They run full bloods and said that her red blood cells were very high, they did a re run and they came back the same. That afternoon mum had a call from the hospital asking her to go in for a Ultra sound scan the next day. Mum had started to show signs of jaundice, in partic…
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New Chemo regime for PC?
by Proud Wife- 13 replies
- 27.1k views
I will update my hubby's story when I get a chance but he had a visit from his oncologist this morning before being discharged from hospital. Folfirinox worked well for him. We are not impressed with Gem/Abraxane, don't know if it was responsible for his sudden deterioration but we don't think it's working. Oncologist has suggested one further treatment to see how he goes but I'm afraid it could cause further problems. Oncologist suggested Liposomal Irinotecan, see link which I've found. I have such brain fuzz at the moment I'm not really up to researching and when I do, nothing sinks in. Has anyone heard of this regmine and if so, what do you know? Thank y…
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Constipation / nausea
by Zulu- 10 replies
- 19.1k views
Apologies for the long post and also if I have gone into too much detail that is not appropriate for the forum. I am posting on behalf of my mother who has delegated most of the responsibility for medical information and decision taking to myself and my siblings. It’s a big responsibility and I’ve had such help from the nurses at PCUK but I did not actually realise there was a forum here so I am venturing on for the first time. Mum was admitted to hospital on May 9th with an intestinal obstruction and diagnosed with PC that has spread to her liver and lungs. The obstruction was as a result of a tumour on her pancreas blocking her duodenum and on June 3rd mum had a…
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How much time?
by louisej- 15 replies
- 28.5k views
I am new to the forum and after nursing my own mother with stage 4 cancer I am aware of the fact that knowledge is quite often power. I am now in a situation where my mother in law (who i care for so much) has just been tole she has stage 4 Pancreatic cancer with no option of an operation due it also being in the liver. I want to support my other half as best i can but feel unequipped to do this as I very little knowledge of this type of cancer. The first doctor (a surgeon as opposed to an oncologist) has mentioned a time of 8 -12 months but i do wonder if this is optimistic. I would rather know the truth so i can prepare. They have suggested chemo and although I know …
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How much longer?
by Dandan375- 3 replies
- 12.8k views
Hi everyone I am new to this site and just looking for some guidance. I am currently caring for my Nan. She was diagnosed in August 2014 with inoperable Pancreatic cancer was given u months with no treatment 9 with treatment she chose the treatment path. For 12 months it was as if she had wrongly been diagnosed. She Finished her Cemo June last year the doctors wanted her to have a break then in October we lost my Grandfather which seen to have taken it's Toll on my Nan she was scheduled to restart chemo In January this year she has one session and was taken Ill her tumor had grew which was causing a blockage and she had a stent put in the first one failed but the seco…
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5 years on....
by JEG74- 5 replies
- 14.3k views
I have been reading everyones stories on here for quite a while now and take great comfort in how everyone understands how each other feels when even their close friends don't. My story starts 5 years ago this month actually, when my own dear mum was diagnosed with PC at the age of 60. She came back from her holiday weighing alot less than she went and very jaundice. They intially thought gallstones but in days confirmed it was PC. Devastated is an understatement, fortunately she was eligble for the whipple operation which she had in Aug 2011. A long recovery but all looking good she continued to have check ups and even went back to work. 3 years later niggling pain in…
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Mum recently diagnosed
by Tinlady- 14 replies
- 18.4k views
Hi, I'm new to this site but on reading some posts, everyone seems very supportive and well informed on this forum. My mum was diagnosed last week following CT scan, with pancreatic cancer and liver mets. This was a devistating blow, despite her being in her 80's. Although she looks thin at present she is good for her age. She is however, on warfarin, which could be problematic. She is under the care of the surgical team at present, who are not keen on further treatment. We have asked for her case to go to the MDT meeting but my knowledge of treatments is limited, we know there is no cure but she wants to fight! Can anyone give any help/advise re treatments …
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I havd lost my father in law John
by Scoobysnack- 6 replies
- 14.5k views
Hi all, unfortunately I have lost my lovely father in law John, he past away on good Friday in the hospice. He was very peaceful and although we always knew it was a fight he was never going to win it was actually an infection that killed him and not the cancer. We are still in shock and devastated but we know it's a blessing for him X we will love and miss him always. Thanks for all your help and advice, thinking of all of you and wishing you well . I hope one day soon there will be a cure for this awful cancer . God bless.
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- 15 replies
- 24.6k views
Hi all, New to the group. My mum was diagnosed with Advanced Pancreatic Cancer a month ago, she went to the GP with a bad cough and they did a scan and found some secondary parts on her lungs when she went for the CT scan they said it was Pancreatic. She saw Oncologist and they started her on Folfirinox last week, she had her first treatment on Tuesday. I spoke to her yesterday as she had to go into hospital Saturday night as she had been vomiting, non-stop diarrhea, they have given her some fluids and antibiotics as her temp was just slightly up. Last I spoke to her this morning she was waiting for Consultant to come over from {Place name removed - moderator} t…
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John panicking
by Scoobysnack- 9 replies
- 16.2k views
Hi all my father in law has come home from hospital today , but when we got home ( he is staying at my house for a few days) he was shaking sweating and really scared . He was eventually OK and calmed down but this isn't the first time . As anyone else experienced this panic and would it be wise letting gp know x
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Worried newbie
by Scoobysnack- 18 replies
- 29.2k views
Hi all, I am sorry if this is a bit long but it's my first post and I thought I would get it all out in one go. My father in law John aged 68 was diagnosed with PC in Oct 2015 he also has prostate cancer and a small tumor on his lung. They were going to operate on 21st Dec but he failed the heart stress test and they refused to do it. Since then john has been going down hill and two week ago was rushed in hospital with sepsis and a blood clot on his lung. He was re CT scaned which has show a tumor on his liver and a couple of nodes with nodules.He was OK for a few days but has since been rushed back in with sepsis again. Now been told by specialist nurse she dosnt think t…
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From inoperable to Whipple
by WifeampMum- 12 replies
- 18.7k views
This week, after a roller-coaster 9 months following diagnosis and failed Whipple, my husband had a successful Whipple operation. Thanks (we assume) to his treatment with Folfirinox and chemo-radiotherapy, his inoperable tumour became operable. The mass, previously found to be clinging resolutely to a major blood vessel, simply peeled away. As you can imagine, we are beyond happy! Wishing all locally advanced/borderline resectable patients a similarly positive outcome, Wife & Mum x
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Poorly differentiated tumours
by WifeampMum- 0 replies
- 10.7k views
Hello Just want to chip in on a something recently said in another thread in this forum: that poorly differentiated tumours are more aggressive than well-defined tumours. My husband's tests identified a locally advanced poorly differentiated tumour yet (thankfully) so far he is doing very well, with good tumour shrinkage after chemo and chemoradiation and no spread since diagnosis 9 months ago. As is so often said, PC is a very individual disease and my husband's case demonstrates that you can have a poorly differentiated tumour that is not on the aggressive side. Best wishes Wife & Mum
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Unsuccessful whipple attempt
by Blue-Eyes- 23 replies
- 33.2k views
Hi there everyone, I have been reading all your posts and I'm so glad to have found you all, July 15th our life was turned upside down when we found out my lovely dad,my hero had pancreas cancer, after weeks of tests, waiting, stents fitted, block stents,scans more waiting ... They decided he was a candidate for the whipple, we headed of to xx in xx as we live in Cornwall, we were told before the op that if the cancer had spread once they opened him up that they could not do it, they went ahead to operate but unfortunatley couldn't proceed not because of it spreading but because the tumour which is in the head of the pancreas had attached to the main vein,as you can imagi…
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Newly diagnosed 45 yr old mum of 4 1 2 3 4
by Marieb- 87 replies
- 92.9k views
Hi all, just wanted to say hi and introduce my self. Newly diagnosed on 18th June after 4 months of thinking it was severe constipation...that's a rant for another day! Just hoping to find new friends that I can talk openly to. Waiting on next set of tests at Specialist a centre to determine type of tumour so the Oncologist can provide what options I have. I am 45 and a fighter!,, hoping you can help keep me strong and maybe I can do the same for you. Marie x
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- 2 replies
- 11.9k views
Hi everyone, This is very new to me. I had absolutely no idea about how common pancreatic cancer is until I found out this week that my aunt has been diagnosed with advanced pancreatic caner, which has spread to her liver, spine and lungs. This is devastating news for me and my family, especially my father as she is his only sibling. She is starting radiotherapy on her spine today, but has been told by the consultant that she has less than a year to live. She is in her 50s. I am just reaching out for any advice, as none of us are quite sure what to expect. My other main concern is that she might be carrying a familial pancreatic cancer gene, so I am concerned fo…