Petra, diet after whipples

Operable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

I had a Whipple's procedure carried out in January 2000 following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Following my return home I found my appetite severely lacking. As well as a strange taste in my mouth, I found the thought of food nauseating, though I knew I had to 'build myself up'.

Trips to the supermarket became a nightmare for several months: my husband was trying to tempt me by suggesting food I might like, and I could only feel sick at the thought of food.

I was prescribed build up supplements which I tried to take, but found unappetising because of the strange taste in my mouth, and also because they left me feeling strangely tired rather than energised.

A dietician who called me anorexic suggested keeping cream cakes in the fridge, which I found unhelpful, but happily it appears she was the last of a previous breed of dieticians who did not fully appreciate what had happened to me.

A breakthrough came firstly through my husband's own efforts when he bought smaller plates to serve meals on, which made it much easier to think about eating at least a small portion- it is surprising how much value this simple trick had to begin me on the road to recovery.

Secondly my GP recommended Creon, a pancreatic enzyme to aid digestion of fats. It was much easier to eat knowing that this would not be followed by what is medically known as 'floaters' in the loo afterwards!

Thirdly I was given a glucose tolerance test which showed that rather than developing diabetes, which is more common, I had something called 'dumping syndrome'. What this means is that whatever I eat my residual pancreas thinks I have had 20 bars of chocolate and produces enough insulin to deal with them. This insulin then takes away any sugar I may have floating around and devours it, which is why I get tired and light-headed after meals (hypoglycamic). 

The simple answer to this is to eat low glycaemic index foods, such as oats, lentils, apricots, which take longer to release sugar, so keep on producing benefits without the insulin destroying them. I certainly don't eat cream cakes!

Certainly nowadays dieticians are much more aware, and I would recommend asking to see one if you haven't been offered it.

Meanwhile I manage to maintain weight, albeit low, and to continue to enjoy life to the full.

July 2011