No Appetite at All is this normal

Someone else was just asking about this as well in another email.  I'm three months out from treatment and could go days without eating if it was up to me...but during the treatment my wife made me at least 2 milk shakes a day with Carnation Instant Breakfast (vanilla 2 packets).  It did the trick because I had minimal weight loss.  Now that the treatment is over I'll look for something to eat out of habit, not because I want something to eat.  But, like many others, I have found some food that I liked but that I don't like now..it just tastes different.  I was a smoker too so in addition to the treatment issues anyone who has smoked and then quit knows what happens...everything tastes different due to the tastebuds coming back to life after nicotine withdrawel.  Heck, I think my insides were really at war taste wise...everything to me at first tasted like day old chewing gum.

Try the shake and instant breakfast.  You can use no fat milk, sugar free ice cream and sugar free instant breakfast.  It literally was a life saver for me and I must admit I'm still drinking them daily.

Good luck and God bless.

 Mike

On 5/27/2008 mtkjohn1 wrote:

Hi Guys, I have been out of treatment for 10 days now and feel a little better today thank God for small favors.

Might also be that I have started Lexapro and hopeing that it helps as well.

40 treatments of IMTR radiation ans 3 treatments of cysplatian.

I have no taste,saliva, or appetite.

any good tricks out there that worked for anyone>

I have read that Zinc supplements will help with the taste any Idea of how much to take?

do other people have the appetite problem I am forcing myself to eat and using the peg  on the clock, but I think I could go all day and not eat because of total lack of hunger< does this get better, has anyone else had this?

john 

John -

My husband has been in chemo since January '08.  Three weeks ago, the treatments were changed to include Cisplatin.  He's now had two of the treatments with Cisplatin.  This drug completely destroyed his appetite - so much worse than all the other combined.  Doctor prescribed Emend for extra help with the nausea and vomiting (worked like a charm too!) and he also prescribed Megase for appetite loss.  This was a miracle drug.  Within three days, his appetite began to slowly return and within a week, he was eating normal again and gained 8 lbs. in one week.  Of course, when he received the Cisplatin again, the appetite loss was back but nowhere as severe as the first time.  I found that when he couldn't eat anything else - oatmeal and a little toast worked along with Carnation Instant Breakfast made into milkshakes.  Hope this helps.