https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/118#M48 Hi Mollie,I think Margro will be able to give you good advice, but I do know that eating can become a bit of a chore after a whipple operation. Your sense of taste can change and foods can begin to taste metallic or just different and unpleasant. Try adding flavours to food like salt, garlic, cheese, spices, chutneys, pickles, sugar ... experiment till you find something your Dad likes. Lots of smaller meals are probably the go too. Has your Dad tried nutrition supplement powders like sustagen? These don't replace meals but can sometimes help people regain weight. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT mikey 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/110#M40 I am pleased to find this forum but wondering why there are no messages. I am caring for my dad who has pancreatic cancer. I would like to hear from anyone who has something positive to say about this nasty cancer. Dad is recovering from his Whipple slowly, eating is still a problem. I am feeling so overwhelmed by all the negativity around this cancer and we are all tryiong to be positive with Dad. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:11 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/110#M40 mollie 2009-01-07T01:21:11Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/111#M41 Feeling a bit lonely. Dad is going to stgart chemo soon. I am a bit worried about what to expect. I would like to hear from someone who is having chemo- Gemsar? Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/111#M41 mollie 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/112#M42 hi mollie,i was diagnosed 2 years ago and had a whipples on 14 sept o5.It takes a while to get over the op.Is your dad taking enzyme tablets because they were a God send to me (and still are).As far as the chemo goes ,gemc. has very few side affects.I found I got tired a bit more and felt slightly achey but that was it! Good luck and know that there is hope.I get better everyday and it does get easier. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/112#M42 margro 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/113#M43 Hi Mollie,Welcome to the forums. This site was only launched on Tuesday this week so that's why there aren't so many posts. There are a few in the general forum from when we were testing but that's about it so far.Stay positive - there is hope and you're not alone. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/113#M43 mikey 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/114#M44 Thankyou Margro, Dad and I feel more positive knowing that it does get better. Today we are enjoying the sunshine and yesterday, a milestone dad's 75th birthday which we celebrates with family and friends. Each day a gift. Sharing certainly helps. Thanbks. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/114#M44 mollie 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/115#M45 Ok, this is a new forum and I am new to forums but it is a help to be able to go somewhere and share. Let us share together Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/115#M45 mollie 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/116#M46 Congrats on Dad's birthday.I'm looking forward to my 75th(only 23 to go!!!).The best thing about this,is that I now celebrate 2 birthdays every year!I celebrate the day I was operated on as my second birthday because every year after that is a major milestone!Also an excuse for more presents! Just know that by being there for your dad,you are doing as much in his recovery as any dr or medication!Keep positive and remember to take time for youself as well.Life does get back to "normal"eventually. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/116#M46 margro 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/117#M47 Home now after a long day at hospital. Dad was admitted again with a bit of a set back. He doesnt feel like eating and when he does he is vomiting a lot. They said this sometimes happens after a Whipples and will settle. Dad has lost a lot of weight. He has never been a smoker or a drinker and this just seemed to come out of the blue. HAs this been other peoples experiences? Anybody got some tips about eating after Whipples. The doctor showed me today what he did in the Whipples and now I can see why dad will need a bit of time to settle. Two steps forward, one back at the moment. we too will be celebrating two birthdays now, all smiles to you margro. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/117#M47 mollie 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/118#M48 Hi Mollie,I think Margro will be able to give you good advice, but I do know that eating can become a bit of a chore after a whipple operation. Your sense of taste can change and foods can begin to taste metallic or just different and unpleasant. Try adding flavours to food like salt, garlic, cheese, spices, chutneys, pickles, sugar ... experiment till you find something your Dad likes. Lots of smaller meals are probably the go too. Has your Dad tried nutrition supplement powders like sustagen? These don't replace meals but can sometimes help people regain weight. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/118#M48 mikey 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/119#M49 It hasn't been that long since dad's op but take heart,soon it will be 3steps forward and 1 back.Try to keep up the encouragement with him but let him be a miserable old so and so when he wants to.It is very overwhelming,especially for someone your dad's age....he should be enjoying the rest of his life,not putting up with this.Maybe this is a wake up call for his kids to keep a check on things with their bodies!Make sure you remember each birthday requires a present!!!! Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/119#M49 margro 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/120#M50 Hi! Mollie. Congratulations one being there for your Dad, big surgery long recovery time. I am approaching my 2nd anniversary, two years ago I never believed I would be this good today. Two years down the track, small meals are the go. I never used to have breakfast, the sustagen I sprinkle on breakfast cereal, I cannot drink it as recommended on the can. Since my hospital visit in January I have changed to soy milk, body toleration improved. I have black coffee though, cannot handle the taste in coffee, only have one or two a day. When I left Hospital I was told, stringy vegetables and red meat could upset and I cannot have any form of peanuts not even peanut butter, could cause bowel blockage. Pancreatic duct goes straight into bowel. There could be a few hospital trips for your Dad and there may not, either from chemo or body not tolerating food. Everyone is different so it is trial and error. But the smaller meals work. My January Hospital trip a bit of a mystery (medically) I think it was Christmas catch up, too much over indulgence of meat. Don't expect weight gain too soon. Takes awhile, I have come to terms I will not weigh the same. I am approx. 10 kilos lighter and I have gained the 10 kilos I lost while in Hospital. Good luck Mollie and Congratulations. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/120#M50 mazza 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/121#M51 Yes the sunnies are because I had some time out at the beach. My brother came up  from Melbourne to be with Dad. Wow, it is great to see new friends and I want to change the name of this to "Not Feeling so Overwhelmed Now". Until I found this forum, I couldnt find anyone to talk to about this. Just to tell Dad, hey we can live with this (Thanks Mazza) made us both feel so strong. Dad has started chemo and it is going OK. He has a continuous thing on and a community nurse comes in to check him, which he finds easier. He gets tired but not too bad with nausea. Just taking baby steps with food. Hey margro, frozen chocolate Up an Go's are a hit. A big Hi to new friends and are there any other carers out there? Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/121#M51 mollie 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/122#M52 Hi Mollie, I am so happy to see you had a holiday!You deserve it.I was a bit worried when you disappeaared without a note but that's ok. How's dad? Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/122#M52 margro 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/123#M53 Hi. I hope you have had some luck with foods and what works. It is a matter of trial and error it seems. I still have problems with food sensitivities 9 years on. Processed foods seem to be a culprit with me. We had a different type of biscuit when camping and next day I was so weak I could not put the sleeping bag back into it's sack, a tricky job at the best of times. I have been fortunate to speak to others with a whipples and sometimes the line is as fine as fresh organic chicken compared to frozen supermarket chicken. Some common culprits seem to are eggs, bread, nuts. I know putting regaining weight can be a real issue, but it does happen slowly. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/123#M53 Jan 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/124#M54 Jan,welcome!So great to see a long term survivor. I know this is an indelicate subject,but I find since my op I can go anything up to 10 days without going to the toilet and then I will spend the next coupla days living in the bathroom.I classify this as my 'new normal'.Is that common to anyone else or is it just my weird body? Well done on your life,Margro Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/124#M54 margro 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/125#M55 Dear Margo From what I have heard others comment on, you are pretty unique! Everyone I have spoken to is pretty loose in that area, everyday. I don't know if your doctor could give an explanation. I imagine that it can be inconvienent some days if you have things to do. Maybe it will settle with time?I  was very low on iron after my op and started on iron tablets. This normally has a binding effect but in my case it took 3 months! Even now I still have bad days so I just put it down to "some foods". Keep smiling Jan   Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/125#M55 Jan 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/126#M56 Jan,have to admit that I'm unique!Not sure if that's a good or bad thing but what the hell......at least I'm still here!!!!!Doesn't bother me that much unless it's one of my bathroom days and I have to use a public loo cause I'm out!Think 3 Maccas close their doors when they see me coming now!!!!!! Way I figure it,better that than something else! Margro Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/126#M56 margro 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/127#M57 Hi Margro,This website might be o f use to you if you need to plan a trip on your bathroom days http://www.toiletmap.gov.au/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/127#M57 mikey 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/128#M58 Thanks Mikey!!!!I'll download and print off a location map!!! I appreciate the fact that you just made me laugh,thankyou!!!! Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/128#M58 margro 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/129#M59 Well, I agree. That gave me the biggest belly-laugh and hey, I looked it up and it is great. Anywhere in Australia that you want to go... Good on you Mikey. Dad having week off chemo, so I said to him, pick your destination and I'll find the loo! we are going OK at the moment, except Mum had a turn when we were out the other night and it was Mum that went off in the ambulance. It seems it was just a combination of her tablets and not eating. Roll with the punches, I say.Cheers and Hi to new friends,MolliePage 2...wooHoo!! Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Coping-with-a-loved-one-s-cancer/Feeling-overwhelmed/m-p/129#M59 mollie 2009-01-07T01:21:00Z