Would LOVE to eat. Any chance?

  I am nearly 6 months beyond radiation and chemo. I can swallow but have a peg tube for ALL nutrition. ( 6 cans of Jevity per day.) I have tried various foods but they are all repulsive to me. I have no physical desire for food. (But plenty of mental desire.) Has anyone had a similar experience? I have a small amount of saliva but must keep water very nearby. Help!!!

I am 14 months out of intensive radiation for base of tongue cancer.

For the first 6 months post I could not eat well. I had a tube for the first 3 months and was on 5 or 6 cans of nutrin/day. all I did was feed. I too had no desire to eat. I still don't. But I am able to eat some foods - mostly soft, moist and warm or fairly hot. I have very little sense of taste and some saliva - not much but it has improved.

I lost about 25 lbs on treatment and have gained about almost 10. I feel OK but have no appetite. I remember the taste of food but I cannot taste so eating is a disappointment in that regard. I do like the feel of foods like pasta, eggs, some salad, soft meat - like meat balls.Lately cereal has become tolerable and I can do some bread. Fruit is difficult as it tastes either tinny or like nothing. One fruit that i like is avocado. And yogurt is a good supplement for the nutrin - best to eat it after it's out of the fridge for a bit.  I can't do chicken or most meat as it is too dry tasting. I characterize is as not being able to do anything with it in my mouth. It like most food jsut ball up because I don't have the saliva to break it down.

I tried acupuncture with a very experienced hospital based practicioner lately. I did 6 sessions and found a reasonable improvement in the saliva.

Take heart - it can get better and it did for me. I am on 1 can of boost a day and sometimes I don't need it. It is a chore though to put 2000 calories into me daily as I have no appetite.

 

Stay strong. Make a list of people you know or know of who've improved.

Put me on your list and let me know how you do. I don't want to be Ppolyannish but there is hope.

Luarence

 

On 3/19/2009 laurence wrote:

I am 14 months out of intensive radiation for base of tongue cancer.

For the first 6 months post I could not eat well. I had a tube for the first 3 months and was on 5 or 6 cans of nutrin/day. all I did was feed. I too had no desire to eat. I still don't. But I am able to eat some foods - mostly soft, moist and warm or fairly hot. I have very little sense of taste and some saliva - not much but it has improved.

I lost about 25 lbs on treatment and have gained about almost 10. I feel OK but have no appetite. I remember the taste of food but I cannot taste so eating is a disappointment in that regard. I do like the feel of foods like pasta, eggs, some salad, soft meat - like meat balls.Lately cereal has become tolerable and I can do some bread. Fruit is difficult as it tastes either tinny or like nothing. One fruit that i like is avocado. And yogurt is a good supplement for the nutrin - best to eat it after it's out of the fridge for a bit.  I can't do chicken or most meat as it is too dry tasting. I characterize is as not being able to do anything with it in my mouth. It like most food jsut ball up because I don't have the saliva to break it down.

I tried acupuncture with a very experienced hospital based practicioner lately. I did 6 sessions and found a reasonable improvement in the saliva.

Take heart - it can get better and it did for me. I am on 1 can of boost a day and sometimes I don't need it. It is a chore though to put 2000 calories into me daily as I have no appetite.

 

Stay strong. Make a list of people you know or know of who've improved.

Put me on your list and let me know how you do. I don't want to be Ppolyannish but there is hope.

Luarence

  Thanks a MILLION!!!  Your reply is encouraging.  I get very discouuraged not seeing much improvement after six months. Maybe I'm just too impatient and there is still hope.  Again, thanks so much.

It should get better.  It just takes time.  My husband is 15 years out from Radiation therapy for treatment of Nasal Pharngeal cancer.  He did not have a tube with his treatment so had to force himself to eat, even though he hated doing it.  Everything tasted terrible and he had no appetite. In fact, he said ice cream was nothing but salt.  He too had to get used to lack of saliva--over time he did adjust to this as well.

What we found worked best was lots of sauces and avoiding foods that could get stuck in the throat--foods such as rice, hamburger, and etc.  In addition, he was able to use milk to help coat his throat and wash food down.

In the end he did get used to the new types of tastes and over time began enjoying eating again--as long as it had a sauce and it looked appealing on the plate.

I hope this helps.  Hang in there. 

 

 

 

 

On 3/16/2009 trumpetman wrote:

  I am nearly 6 months beyond radiation and chemo. I can swallow but have a peg tube for ALL nutrition. ( 6 cans of Jevity per day.) I have tried various foods but they are all repulsive to me. I have no physical desire for food. (But plenty of mental desire.) Has anyone had a similar experience? I have a small amount of saliva but must keep water very nearby. Help!!!

I am almost five years out from treatment and yes you will eat again it took me about a year to eat by mouth again but idid and now i eat to much i lost 75 pounds during treatment and now it is coming back hang in there it seems like for ever but it does come back,