What is it like for patients after the Whipple procedure?
ANSWER
At first, patients can eat only small amounts of easily digestible food after a Whipple procedure. They may need to take pancreatic enzymes -- either short-term or long-term -- to assist with digestion. Diarrhea is a common problem during the two or three months it usually takes for the rearranged digestive tract to fully recover.
From: Whipple Procedure WebMD Medical Reference
Reviewed by Jennifer Robinson on March 13, 2019
SOURCES:
American Cancer Society: "Pancreatic Cancer Surgery."
Mayoclinic.org: "Pancreatic Cancer Treatment."
Pancreatica.org: "What Is the Surgical Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer?"
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: "The Whipple Procedure."
Pri-med Patient Education Center: "The Whipple Procedure."
University of Southern California Department of Surgery - Center for Pancreatic and Biliary Diseases.
Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.
SOURCES:
American Cancer Society: "Pancreatic Cancer Surgery."
Mayoclinic.org: "Pancreatic Cancer Treatment."
Pancreatica.org: "What Is the Surgical Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer?"
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: "The Whipple Procedure."
Pri-med Patient Education Center: "The Whipple Procedure."
University of Southern California Department of Surgery - Center for Pancreatic and Biliary Diseases.
Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.
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