Discussion forum - Pancreatic Cancer UK

Hi there,

I was hoping for some advice about my mum. She has inoperable pc (diagonsed October last year), had metal stent put in March this year, had gemcitabine chemo december 06-May 07, tumour 'significantly reduced in scan results June 07. She has been getting sharp pain which is worse in morning or when she takes deep breath. Her stools have become lighter again and shes worrying about eating because it hurts. Local GP prescribed Co-codamol and ibuprofen but not really helping. She has scan booked for this Thursday.

Could it be stent and if its permanent one can they unblock it? She had a plastic one before which blocked so I know they do but wasnt sure on metal ones.

Macmillan nurse doesnt seem that helpful, the oncologists have been to be fair - but you know how most medical professionals see this disease. Shes been doing so well and we were so pleased back in June when the result showed the tumour had reduced enough for mum to have a break. Just wandering what to expect next. Maybe I dont want to know........


Thanks for any advice I may get.
Best wishes to all
CF

Hi Claire
Sorry to hear about your mum, I can't be much help about stents as I don't know much about them, did your mum feel the same when the plastic one blocked? As she is having a scan on Thursday that will show whats going on.
If the pain is not being controlled on Codeine etc, why not ask the Doctors for some Fentanyl patches or similar, they are opiates but it doesn't mean that the patient is terminally ill if they have them. They are helping my mum and she is up and about and doing really well.
Sorry I can't be much help but I just wanted you to know that someone is listening and there are people here for you to sound off to.
Angie

thanks for replying. Its a difficult one I know. Mums poo has gone pale again so that might be the stent, shes had 2 lots of bloods done which have come back fine and ' no further action required' - so am taking that as good really. Although she didnt have the 'whipple' (she had an aborted whipple unfortunately) - they did do an op to bypass the tumour, there is a name for the op she had but I cant remember it. So am hoping its more to do with that than the tumour. Keep thinking the bloods would be showing her CA levels rising if it was tumour, but like you say scan will see. Just horrible having to wait until 23rd for results. Shes on Ibuprofen 400mg and Codiene - but shes not taking the full dose of codiene because she feels like a zombie, and she hates that!

Thanks for listening anyhow, I hope we can somehow find comfort on this site or at least a listening ear from someone who knows how hard it is to see a loved one go through this.

Take care, Claire

Hi Claire, so sorry to hear about your mum. My mum was diagnosed with pc in march this year. Since then shes had 4 stents block and about to have the 5th replaced tomorrow. Her faeces always go pale when her stents block but she always seems to have an infection at the same time. My mum had plastic stents up until the last time when they put in a metal stent with a plastic stent inside. Tomorrow they are going to replace the inner plastic stent with a new one, from what i understand i dont think the metal stents are replaced, plastic stents are just placed inside them.

i hope your mum is ok, replacing the stent usually relieves the symptoms greatly.

Your mum is doing really well, wishing her and you all the best.

kim