Pancreatic cancer support: Lyn’s story of maintaining weight, improving digestion and feeling more in control during treatment
Lyn’s story shows how personalised nutrition and lifestyle support helped her maintain her weight, improve digestion and feel more in control during pancreatic cancer treatment.
Lyn’s story at a glance:
When Lyn first came to My Cancer Nutritionist
Recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer with liver metastases
Felt frightened, overwhelmed and out of control
Very worried about weight loss and becoming frail during chemotherapy
Struggling with severe fatigue, low appetite, diarrhoea, constipation, upper abdominal pain and brain fog
Long-standing acid reflux and IBS
Blood sugar in the pre-diabetic range
Wanted personalised support to help her stay as well as possible during treatment
What changed with support from My Cancer Nutritionist
Weight remained stable throughout treatment
Long term Irritable Bowel Syndrome and acid reflux resolved
No longer needed PPI medication
Bowel symptoms improved significantly
Fatigue improved and activity levels recovered
Felt healthier, more positive and empowered
HbA1c improved from 6.23% to 5.44%
Vitamin D improved from 32.7 nmol/L to 53.6 nmol/L
Repeat testing showed improvements in several nutritional, inflammatory and metabolic markers
Felt supported, informed and empowered every step of the way
Feeling frightened, overwhelmed and worried about weight loss
Lyn, a retired nurse in her 70s, came to me shortly after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer with liver metastases. She was looking for personalised nutrition and lifestyle support to help her stay as well as possible throughout treatment. We initially worked together on my Warrior 3 programme, meeting online every two weeks over six months.
When Lyn first reached out, one of her biggest fears was weight loss. She was anxious about how physically depleting pancreatic cancer can be and was understandably worried about becoming thin, frail and less able to cope with chemotherapy. Alongside this, she felt as though her illness had taken over every part of her life.
A diagnosis like this can leave people feeling frightened, overwhelmed and out of control. That was very much Lyn’s experience at the start. Despite this, what stood out from our first conversation was her determination to be proactive and do everything she could to support her health and quality of life.
Lyn’s symptoms and challenges at the start of treatment
Before we started working together, Lyn had already begun chemotherapy and was dealing with a number of difficult symptoms, including severe fatigue, low appetite, diarrhoea, constipation, upper abdominal pain and brain fog. She also had a longer health history that included acid reflux, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), high blood pressure, high cholesterol and blood sugar in the pre-diabetic range.
She had been enjoying a busy retirement, with family commitments, regular activities and an active social life, and wanted support that would help her maintain as much strength, independence and normality as possible during treatment.
“I felt despairing and out of control, as though my illness had taken over every part of my life.”
From the very first consultation, Lyn felt a shift. She began to feel more hopeful and more supported. That mattered, because our work together was not simply about food. It was about helping her feel informed, empowered and actively involved in supporting her body during a very challenging time.
What we worked on together during chemotherapy
Our work together centred on helping Lyn stay nourished, supported and as resilient as possible throughout chemotherapy. This included:
maintaining weight and supporting appetite
improving digestion and bowel regularity
reducing reflux and other long-standing gut symptoms
supporting energy levels and day-to-day functioning
tailoring nutrition and lifestyle advice around treatment demands
using personalised testing where appropriate to guide recommendationsHow personalised cancer nutrition support was tailored to Lyn
How I personalised Lyn’s nutrition and lifestyle support
Lyn’s plan was tailored not only to her diagnosis, but also to her symptoms, treatment stage, appetite, digestive tolerance, blood sugar balance and wider health picture. Rather than following a generic “anti-cancer diet”, we focused on practical strategies that would help her tolerate food better, maintain nourishment, reduce symptom burden and feel more confident in her day-to-day choices.
Recommendations were introduced gradually and adapted over time. This included support around meal structure, food choices that were easier to tolerate, digestive support, blood sugar awareness and lifestyle strategies to help protect energy and maintain quality of life during treatment.
A key part of the process was helping Lyn understand the reasoning behind the recommendations and giving her space to ask questions along the way.
“I love being able to ask questions, learn about the reasons behind her recommendations, and understand how nutrition can directly support my health and well-being.”
How private testing helped guide Lyn’s plan
A key part of my approach, where appropriate, is using targeted testing to help guide personalised recommendations rather than relying on guesswork. Over time, we used private testing to build a clearer picture of Lyn’s health and prioritise support.
This included comprehensive blood testing, essential fatty acid analysis, genetics testing related to detoxification, methylation and metabolic function, continuous glucose monitoring, and later gut health testing during a break in treatment.
These assessments helped guide recommendations around nutrient status, blood sugar regulation, digestive function, inflammatory balance and broader physiological resilience. This meant support could remain responsive and tailored as Lyn moved through different stages of treatment.
How Lyn’s weight, digestion and energy improved
Over the course of our work together, Lyn experienced a number of significant improvements.
Her weight remained healthy and stable throughout treatment, which had been one of her biggest concerns from the outset. Her IBS and acid reflux resolved, she no longer needed PPI medication, and the digestive issues that had troubled her for years improved considerably. Her fatigue also improved dramatically, allowing her to return to regular walks and maintain more of the routine and independence that mattered to her.
Alongside the physical changes, Lyn also said she felt “healthier, more positive and much more in control” of her situation. That emotional shift is often just as important as the practical improvements, especially during a difficult period of treatment.
Repeat testing also showed measurable improvements in several areas of Lyn’s nutritional and metabolic health, reinforcing that the changes she was making were having a meaningful impact both objectively and in how she felt day to day.
Lyn described the support as “both practical and emotional”, adding that I offered “clear, evidence-based advice while motivating me to make the best choices for myself” and that she had “never felt pressured, just supported and encouraged every step of the way.”
Her oncology team were pleased with how well she was coping with treatment, and she was able to continue with more rounds of chemotherapy than had initially been anticipated.
“Each meeting leaves me feeling more confident and empowered.”
Key improvements after several months of personalised support
After several months of working together, we repeated aspects of Lyn’s testing to assess her progress and refine her plan where needed. Improvements included:
weight remained stable during treatment
IBS and acid reflux resolved
PPI medication no longer needed
bowel symptoms improved significantly
fatigue improved and activity levels recovered
confidence, positivity and sense of control increased
selected nutritional and metabolic markers improved on repeat testing
On repeat blood testing, Lyn’s HbA1c improved from 6.23%, which was in the pre-diabetic range, to 5.44%, which is within a healthier range. Her vitamin D also improved from 32.7 nmol/L to 53.6 nmol/L. Several inflammatory markers improved too, along with markers linked to cardiovascular risk.
But for Lyn, this was about much more than numbers on a test result.
What Lyn’s story shows about personalised cancer nutrition support
At the time of writing, she had been on a break from treatment for several months and her latest scan showed stable disease. Her oncologist encouraged her to continue with what she was doing ahead of her next review.
More importantly, Lyn felt stronger, more confident and more able to enjoy life again. She was able to go away for a weekend with family, stay active, and walk more than 20,000 steps a day — something she never imagined would feel possible when we first started working together.
What makes Lyn’s story so powerful is not only that her symptoms improved, but that she was able to regain a sense of hope, strength and normality during an incredibly challenging time. Instead of feeling that cancer had taken over every part of her life, she felt more informed, more supported and much more in control.
“Working with Jenny has been truly transformational. I’m certain that I wouldn’t be as well as I am now without her guidance. She’s given me the tools, confidence, and knowledge to manage my health proactively and positively.”
A final reflection
Every client’s situation is different, and support is always tailored to the individual, their diagnosis, treatment plan, symptoms and goals. For Lyn, this work was about maintaining strength, improving quality of life, supporting digestion and helping her feel more informed and empowered during a very challenging time.
If you are going through cancer treatment and feeling overwhelmed by conflicting advice, side effects, weight loss, digestive symptoms or uncertainty around what to eat, personalised support can help you feel more clear, more confident and more supported. You do not have to navigate it all on your own.