jsmoore's Journey with Ampullary Cancer

I had a Whipple procedure done by a fanastic surgeon at Kaiser, Oakland, named Dr. Kazanstev. Everything to do with the surgery and recovery went as anticipated.

After my 1st round of chemo with gemcitabine, the CT scan showed metastases to the liver. Between the effects of the Whipple procedure and starting gemcitabine I felt nauseated, fatigued and had diarrhea for 3 months. Then the side effects resolved.

Gemcitabine lowered my blood count, but was immensely immproved by a pint of blood.

Gemcitabine caused anemia that was immensly improved, as was my fatigue and outlook, by a pint of blood. Folfox (oxycisplatin+leucovorin+5FU) has only caused mild, transient, neuropathy in my fingers and tongue if I eat or touch something too cold.

First I had gemcitabine, but after 6 months of treatment 3 times a month, the CT showed metastaces to the liver. I've had 3 treatments of 5FU+leukovorin+oxaloplatin) 2 weeks apart and will see what the CT scan shows at the end of September, 2012.

I chose FOLFOX, thinking that the 5FU targets the whole body rather than get Xeloda, which targets the liver.

AFter a Whipple procedure and 6 monthe of gemcitabine, the CT scan showed metastases to the liver.