How common is it with breast cancer chemo treatments is loosing your appetite & how can I make mom eat more?
Julia asked:
Mom hardly eats and I don’t know what to do. Any others with this same problem?
Mom hardly eats and I don’t know what to do. Any others with this same problem?
Ive heard that pot helps relieve the nausea and increases appetite .
yeah ive heard that too
The chemo is meant to kill “fast breaking cells” like cancerous ones. The problem is that other cells in the body are fast breaking too. Like hair producing cells, thus the hair loss. And unfortunately so are the cells that line your mouth and stomach. My mom didn’t want to eat either. Just keep asking her if anything sounds good. Try to supply her with that. The other thing is that metal utensils cause a really bad taste in combination with the chemo. We switched to plastic and that helped a lot. Best wishes to both of you. I know what you’re going through.
Julia, the best thing you can do for your mother is what you are: showing concern but with applying practical action to help her. Chemo often causes poor appetite, nausea is a profound problem for some patients, worry/depression–even if not admitted to or perhaps not even consciously, all can account for lack of interest in food. If you are able, try preparing for her small frequent ‘meals’ of simple foods that are nutritious and attractive, not using any with chemical preservatives. Adequate protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, anything that she can tolerate. If necessary supplement with nutrituous drinks (homemade versus commercially canned) such as egg nog (made from sterile eggs such as eggbeaters or make your ‘custard’ and cook so that it’s sterilized, NO raw eggs). There should be a support group at the facility where she is given the chemo or if she receives it at home via a home health nurse, the nurse should have the contact info for a support group where you can get help with this. Your mom’s tastes may be changed right now and things might make her feel ill quite easily, so fresh and light, hi protein in the morning (avoid later in the day), and adequate filtered/pure water, too.
n.kateus
I was perscribed Megace for prostate cancer, which is an off label use for that med since the primary use is to increase appetite. I did not need the weight gain side effect but that was the effect. For a while I gained a pound a day before I cut back the dosage and went on a diet.
I would suggest asking the doctor about managing side effects of nausia and appetite loss. I can only share my experience with that med. It does not mean that somebody else should take that med. Proper meds for side effects that go with cancer treatments can only be advised by a doctor.
Usually there are steroids prescribed when one is on chemo to help with the appetite, these meds may need to be adjusted if she is on them. She needs to keep up her nutrition, if she can’t eat.. she must drink it thru juicing or nutritional shakes. You can buy ready made shakes, but find a good brand without sweetener in it. Make sure she drinks plenty of water to flush the chemicals thru her body so they don’t accumulate in the kidneys.
when my dad was being treated for lung cancer we would just make up little plates of bite sized snacks, milkshakes, fattening foods and snack with him… it usually got him eating something. (of course, my sister and i gained about 10 lbs … well worth it).
marijuana helps a lot of people, and can be baked into cookies or brownies if they don’t want to or can’t smoke it…
best of luck to you and your mom.
The chemo did that to me. I can tell you it was very hard. It has to be bland, pretty much tasteless. I had a hard time with meat (I thought I would become a vegetarian). I could handle it better just before the next chemo session. Dried toast. I think cereal. I seemed to be able to handle sweets the best. She really needs to drink a lot of water. That is necessary to get the chemo out of her body.