Pancreatic Cancer Support: maintaining weight, improving digestion and feeling more in control during treatment - Lyn’s story
Pancreatic cancer diagnosis, symptoms and treatment background
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.
“When I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer with liver metastases, one of my biggest fears was weight loss.”
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.
Before 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 period.
Nutrition support priorities during pancreatic cancer treatment
Our work together centred on helping Lyn stay nourished, resilient and supported 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 to help guide recommendations where appropriate
How personalised cancer nutrition support was tailored to Lyn
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 applying 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 ensuring Lyn understood the reasoning behind the recommendations and felt comfortable asking questions at every stage.