Diet and Eating after Whipple's

Your ability to eat and drink may be affected both by the type of cancer and by the treatment given. Therefore, it is important to provide nutrition in a form that you are able to take, and which provides the best amounts of nutrients. Ensure that you are taking in enough calories and protein in a form that you can cope with, either as liquids, soft diet or normal foods. Try to have a good variety of protein foods such as meat, chicken, fish, eggs, milk and cheese as well as foods which provide energy such as bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and cereals. Small frequent meals with snacks such as crackers and cheese, full fat yogurts, cakes and biscuits, are often easier to take when your appetite is poor. Foods such as fruit and vegetables provide vitamins and minerals and should be included daily. Your dietitian can advise you on ways to ensure your intake is providing the best amounts of nutrition, in a form which you can manage.

Your surgeon will advise when you can have liquids and then progress onto soft foods. The dietitian will continue to review you and advise on ways to improve your intake and nutrition in a form which you are able to manage. You will begin with liquids and move onto soft foods such as soup and puddings. Gradually you will be able to include normal foods in smaller quantities, and regular snacks are important to provide an adequate intake of nutrients. After surgery, you will find that you have lost weight and it may take some months to regain this weight. The dietitian will monitor this and will help adjust your diet to improve your weight and well being. Supplement drinks and products which provide extra calories and protein may have to be taken for a while after any treatment. Your GP can prescribe these for you.

It is important after any surgery to maintain an adequate intake of nutrients to promote healing. Because the pancreas is an organ which provides enzymes to aid the digestion and absorption of food and nutrients, any kind of surgery which removes part or all of the pancreas will affect the ability to digest and absorb food and nutrients. It is important after any surgery to try and have as nutritious a diet as possible , and after pancreatic surgery this is best done by using small frequent meals and snacks. Your dietitian will advise you on the most appropriate foods to provide adequate nutrition in a quantity and type which you can cope with. A wide variety of foods are important for health and these should be taken in small quantities frequently. It may be necessary to adjust the intake of fat or sugary foods after surgery depending on tolerance but your Dietitian will advise on the best way top do this to maintain a healthy intake of nutrients. There are no foods that should be avoided. It is also very common to find that favourite foods simply don’t taste the same after surgery. Often citrus flavours such as grapefruit or pineapple, or perhaps strong flavoured crisps or snacks can stimulate taste buds. Taste can take some weeks to return to normal after surgery.

Lack of appetite and feeling full quickly are also common problems after Whipple’s resection. This generally occurs for a few weeks after surgery and should gradually subside. Experimenting with different foods can increase variety and range of tastes. Cold foods or food with little smell can be easier to eat. Small frequent meals and snacks will ensure a reasonable intake of energy and protein without overloading the digestive system.