Having a whipple op

[Daver68]

Hello saw the oncoligist on Friday and she has recommended 6 months of chemotherapy will let eveyone know how I get on . Take care all

David

[laura]

hi david, glad you have a plan of action, at least you have something to work towards, your message "sounded quiet" you ok? perhaps not what you expected! things will settle down, always someone on here to chat to, you know that, chin up and onwards eh?

love laura x

[Daver68]

Hello all been a while since I posted had my first cycle of 5 Fu chemotherapy last Tuesday and came home with the baby bottle for another 2 days before returning to have it disconnected no side effects as of yet keeping fingers crossed feeling nearly back to normal nowadays after the whipple on 29/08/2012 got another 11cycles to go and I will keep everyone up to date on how it goes ,off to Cyprus next week for half term for one week but finding it costly and difficult to get travel insurance tempted to just take a chance and go without any one with any experience of this problem would be helpful.

Thanks David

[susikus]

I am delighted to hear how it has all gone so far David, well done you! Not the same situation I realise but about three years ago my father was ill with widespread metastatic prostate cancer. He was a great traveller and wanted one last trip. So my husband and I took him on the Hurtigruten - the ships that sail up and down the Norwegian coastline. We tried very hard to get travel insurance for him, and even the specialist cancer insurance company would not insure him, so eventually we decided to go without any insurance. The Hurtigruten required us to sign a document in which we essentially agreed to pay all medical costs incurred. We went, had a wonderful holiday, incurred no costs at all, came home and less than three months later he died. I know that many would say 'do not go without insurance' and I cannot recommend that you do, but I did want to let you know that we have done it, and faced with the same situation, I would do it again! Do let us know how you get on and have a lovely time, Sue, xxx

[DRAD3]

I absolutely hate, in principle, all insurances and only have ones that are required by law. They prey on our insecurities and our deep seated fears of "what if" and make a great deal of money out of it in the process. No-one can tell you what to do, Dave - I would just say trust your instinct and don't let "what if's" stop you doing what you want to do - we all know first hand that life is too short. xx

[Daver68]

I had my whipples operation 29/08/12 followed by six months of folfox chemotherapy ,the last year or so has been a whirlwind and would just like to say that the care and support I received from the xx hospital in London has been great . The operation went well and was home 7 days later absolutely shattered for the next 3 months all I did was sleep ,chemo started in October and lost my appetite every week that I had it and then ate non stop on my week off they had to stop one part of the chemo after 4 cycles due to unbearable tingling in my fingers I was unable to dress myself felt like electric shocks coursing through my fingers .Felt like the chemo dragged on forever I just started to feel better then it started again but should not complain really as I had no sickness just a little bit of nausea and exhaustion finally finished chemo in April this year and have just spent a month in Cyprus and am feeling a lot more normal these days I can pretty much eat as before and have finally put some weight on and this was a big deal for me as I looked very gaunt so can I just say that it is a long road after the whipples procedure and chemotherapy but to stay positive and make sure you get out and about ( if possible) as much as possible if I felt myself getting down thinking about things too much I found that going out for a walk helped tremendously . Thanks for listening .

[Slewis7313]

Thanks very much for the useful update Dave. Whilst I am still inoperable, it is something I have given a lot of thought and though I hope maybe at some point to become operable, the procedure is still quite daunting. It sounds to have been quite a struggle, but from your experience turning into a success story. Hope it continues well.

Thanks again

Steve