Hi, welcome to the ehealth forum and I am glad to help you.
Your concern is probably regarding the surgery for chronic pancreatitis i.e. Whipple's procedure.
There is acceptable alteration of lifestyle after the Whipple operation. Most patients are able to go back to their normal functional levels.Many studies show that there is no statistical difference looking at physical abilities, psychological issues, social issues, functional capabilities and disabilities when comparing Whipple with the other surgeries like laparoscopic gall bladder removal.
Some of the long-term consequences of the Whipple operation include the following:
1. Mal-absorption: The pancreas produces enzymes required for digestion of food. In some patients removal of part of the pancreas during the Whipple operation can lead to a diminished production of these enzymes. Patients complain of bulky diarrhea type of stool that is very oily. Long-term treatment with oral pancreatic enzyme supplementation usually provides relief from this problem.
2. Alteration in diet: After the Whipple operation it is generally recommended that the patients ingest smaller meals and snack between meals to allow better absorption of the food and to minimize symptoms of feeling of being bloated or getting too full.
3. Loss of weight: It is common for patients to lose up to 5 to 10% of their body weight compared to their weight prior to their illness. The weight loss usually stabilizes very rapidly and most patients after a small amount of initial weight loss are able to maintain their weight and do well.
Hope this helps. Take care.
Note: This post is not to emphasise final diagnosis as the same cannot be made online and is aimed just to provide medical information and no treatment suggested above be taken without face to face consultation with health care professional.