TMC Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Hello all, My husband is trying hard to recover from a right pneumonectomy (June 1st) but its been tough. Our toughest battle right now is getting him to eat. He has no appetite. I have tried to do what the doctor told...small snacks or meals 6 times a day. They said loss of appetite is normal and the only way to get it back is for him to force himself to eat. But he's not a very good at following drs orders Lately when he eats something he says it makes his stomach hurt and then he vomits it back up and then doesn't want to try to eat again. Its becoming a vicious circle. I've talked to the doctor and they tell me everything is good with him and he just needs to keep trying. Im desperate...does any one have suggestions that might help him? thank you t Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BridgetO Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 It must be discouraging to him if he actually throws up everything he eaIs. Is there anything that he likes and can keep down? Ice cream? Has he tried Ensure or any other nutritional drink? Plain rice will sometimes stay down when nothing else will. Has he asked the doctor for something to combat nausea and vomiting? Anything that will get calories in is good. Good luck to you both. Bridget O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieE Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 I've been struggling with similar issues with my husband. We met (virtually) with an oncology nutritionist and she gave us some ideas for high protein/high calorie smoothies. That seems to be easier than regular food that requires a lot of chewing. Also, his taste has been impacted from the drugs and radiation so a lot of foods he'd normally like are no longer appetizing. I've started tracking what he eats (or drinks) and try to aim for 100 g of protein in a 2000 calorie diet. It's definitely a challenge! My husband lost a significant amount of weight after his surgery and initial chemo and really can't afford to keep dropping more. We tried Boost Plus but he's not crazy about them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryG Posted July 16, 2020 Share Posted July 16, 2020 MarieE : I am very sorry for what you and your husband are going through. I lost 40 pounds since I was diagnosed and I was not overweight when I started. What made things worse is that I did not like sweets to begin with. We were given a lot of good advise that helped but when it comes to food it is still very personal. Here are some hints that worked (most of the time for me) and they center around more calories and protein while eating less. 1- Whole milk 2- Gator aid 3- Banana, 4- Hemp hearts you can purchase at Costco. they are easy to add(disguise) to any meal and contain a lot calories and protein. 4- Protein bars. 5- Protein drinks like ensure and boost. I find the smell when drinking out of the bottle hard to take so I pour the drink in a glass and let it sit for few minutes. 6- Walnuts (9 nuts = 100 calories). 7 The most important one is soup. You can turn any solid meal to soup in the grinder and add plenty of calories like Hemp. Soups are a lot easier to consume than sold food . I quit drinking sugary drinks at 3 PM because they affect my sleeping. Good luck and I hope this helps. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieE Posted July 16, 2020 Share Posted July 16, 2020 Thank you so much for the tips, Gary. Much appreciated. P.S. I found the hemp hearts online at Costco. Thanks for the tip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieE Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 My husband's oncology nutritionist gave us samples of Boost Soothe and it's been a life saver for us. It was developed especially for cancer patients. Just wanted to pass it along .... (BOOST Soothe Clear Nutritional Drink, Hint of Peach-Mint). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryG Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 320 calories in a little container are easy to swallow especially if you can take 3 of them/day. I took Ensure at the beginning but did not like the taste and smell. Besides, it's only 220 calories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieE Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 Just now, GaryG said: 320 calories in a little container are easy to swallow especially if you can take 3 of them/day. I took Ensure at the beginning but did not like the taste and smell. Besides, it's only 220 calories. Yep! He was trying to drink chocolate Boost Plus but it made him gag. These little containers are terrific!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.