So frustrated over not eating and vomiting

My partner was admitted to the hospital a week and a half ago.  She hasn't eaten anything substantial for an additional 3 or 4 days before that.  So, essentially she hasn't eaten in two/ two and a half weeks due to nausea and vomitting.

 They keep giving her meds to help with the nausea but they don't help.  They took her off of the oxycodone and switched her to morphine and now to something else to see if it is the pain medication that is causing her the nausea.

 They admitted her Sunday before last (week and 1/2 ago) because her stage IV cancer in her head and neck caused cellulitis on her neck that needed to be treated with antibiotics. 

They decided to keep her inpatient to do chemotherapy, so after 5 days (this Sat) she will be able to come home.  I am concerned about her coming home, not eating anything.  This is her first round of chemo, and if she is not eating before she even started chemo then I worry about what is going to happen when the nausea from the chemo kicks in.

She has been able to periodically tolerate a little yogurt without bringing it back up.  I think I am going to pick up some carnations instant breakfast today for her to try, but I feel like I am the only one really concerned about how she is doing and the fact that she is not eating, and not able to hold it down if she does.  Yesterday she had one pretzel and that's it. 

 AGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH.....I don't know what to do and I don't want her to die :(.

Hello

I know how hard this is, really the doctors are doing their best usually. They do not have the enotional connection with the patient we have, they can not feel that as we can.

Smaller portions of food in smaller dishes seems to help . I am talking tiny dishes, I got condiment bowls , clear ones. Also offer less aromic foods, some foods will smell less served cooler. I know it seems smelling it will trigger interest but it repulses them instead. I served drinks even in small cup with a straw cut in half. Straws seem to make more go down before they realize they drank so much . The carnation drink is great one.

Also try softer foods , blander foods, low colored foods such as tiny soft bread sticks made with a canned dough ( is fine) make them small and place a bit of white cheese on them before baking ( adds calories) teh colored cheese seems to send off " I do not want that" , make them soft and finger small, shakes made with eggs, pulverized fruit, a plop of icecream and a bit of fiber powder, down it goes...after all it is " just a a few sips,please" offered over and over. :) a entire apple with skin, bananna, egg, icecream, and it all went down! ( Blender) you can even hide a scoop of infant formula in it for more health.

TINY bits of raman noodle, crush it before making it, add milk to it to make a broth, I added white cheese to add more portein. Not the healiest of foods but certainly calories! 

Make scrambled eggs in muffin tin in oven, stir up egg with a spoon of milk , you can add crumbled bacon bits to this, butter bottom of tins, pour a bit of egg mix in to just cover bottom, bake 350 until done, 5- 8 min they were tiny enough to serve and frige well for later, cut a circle out of lightly taosted bread to serve with it. Best to you. Keep it small.

Well, I am at the hospital now.  She called me to leave work and come help her.  They told her that if she does not start eating, pooping, and walking she can't come home on Saturday.

 Thanks for those suggestions - even cutting the straw.  I was able to get a little bit of milk in her this AM and about three little (very little) pieces of bread and butter.  I've heard a lot about no sugar and no dairy but right now SOMETHING has to go down. 

 I'll definately try some of those suggestions when I get home.  I don't understand why they don't have her on sugar water or something since she is getting some fluids through IV.  Unfortunately, I just confirmed with the nurse that it is plain water...nothing added.  I can't believe they would let her sit in the hospital for a week and a half without consuming anything or throwing up what she does eat...without giving her something through the IV.

 Anyways - off to make her walk.

Thanks again!

I can help you with why they rarely give water with sucrose in an IV.  Cancer actually is highly metabolic and it actually 'grows' or at least becomes even more active when there are high doses of sugar in one's body.  When we're fighting the clock, we don't want to 'help feed the cancer cells' basically so avoiding anything with sugar is best.

My cancer actually went into remission with a few lifestyle changes (before I knew I even had the cancer so I was darn lucky).  I added Boost Xtra Protein drinks (chocolate is way better than vanilla) every morning.  At first they don't taste grand, but you do get used to the taste. There is sugar in these but the protein addition far outbalances the sugar content.

  Then I eliminated anything made with white flour or white sugar.  As odd as that it, you'd be surprised how many things are really made with white refined flour and sugar.  I then increased my vegetable intake and had a salad for lunch every day with 4 slices of low-fat cheese and or low fat cottage cheese.  I was doing all this to lose weight but found out during the course of doing this, I also managed to STOP feeding my cancer and it stopped growing.  It was melanoma that I didn't know at the time but could see the mole changes and then they stopped once I went on this food change.  I also managed to lose 30 lbs in 12 weeks and now I don't even crave sugar anymore.

Keep in mind that anything protein will help a cancer patient keep up their strength, give them a full stomach feeling and increase their weight potentially if they've lost weight.  But it also backs one up and with added narcotics, keeping the bowels working is really important.  Green tea is really expensive so I make my own.  Recipe below;

Water
2 liters water (about 8 ½ cups)
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (from ginger root in produce dept)
1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium lemon, thinly sliced
12 small spearmint leaves.

Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and let flavors blend overnight. Drink the entire pitcher by the end of each day.

This is a great detox and helps eliminate that bloated feeling.  Flax seed oil is great to add to the shakes as well but I'd recommend you seek out a protein shake rather than the carnation ones.  Buy some metamucil and add a tablespoon of this in the shake for the fibre need. 

I have even started drinking the Boost Shake with All Bran Cereal, the granuals only, not flakes.  It actually reminds me of a Crunch choco bar now :)

Good Look...sometimes being a caregiver is just as hard if not worse than being the patient yourself.

God Bless,

Donna