Can’t gain weight after gastrectomy

My mother had a total gastrectomy nearly a year ago and there has been no sign of the cancer since. Her biggest problem is that she just can't gain wait, which is now falling dangerously low and she is often too weak to move.

My mother has been given supplements and powders by the hospital nutritionist but finds that anything man made or heavily processed gets rejected and goes straight through her causing terrible diarrhea. The only things she can eat are simple foods like boiled vegetables and roast chicken or beef, but eating any kind of volume is very difficult and she just can’t take on enough calories. Prior to the cancer she did suffer from IBS which may be linked to the reason why her body is rejecting processed foods.

Has anybody been in this situation and can they make any useful suggestions please?

Thanks

Richard

 

On 4/5/2009 Richard On Thames wrote:

My mother had a total gastrectomy nearly a year ago and there has been no sign of the cancer since. Her biggest problem is that she just can't gain wait, which is now falling dangerously low and she is often too weak to move.

My mother has been given supplements and powders by the hospital nutritionist but finds that anything man made or heavily processed gets rejected and goes straight through her causing terrible diarrhea. The only things she can eat are simple foods like boiled vegetables and roast chicken or beef, but eating any kind of volume is very difficult and she just can’t take on enough calories. Prior to the cancer she did suffer from IBS which may be linked to the reason why her body is rejecting processed foods.

Has anybody been in this situation and can they make any useful suggestions please?

Thanks

Richard

RIchard, I had a distal gastrectomy and also continue to lose weight. A dietician suggested something called benecalorie, made by the same makers of benefiber, it is sold online at Walgreens. 

Good luck, Teresa

My husband also had a total gastrectomy 11 mos. ago.  We had the same problems with all the Ensures, Boosts, etc because they have too many sugars.  He can only eat stuff with no more than 20 grams of sugar (checking nutritional boxes has become a way of life).  Tolerance seems to increase with time but our nutritionist said to go back to eating the "wrong way",ie lots of bacon, potatoes, etc because for the short term, it would be more beneficial than cholesterol concerns.  He's now gained 2 pounds.  Good luck!

I know this may sound obvious, but since she can eat chicken, potatoes, meat, continue to prepare those, but make sure she eats multiple small meals throughout the day. Keep trying to add foods and see how she tolerates them. Keep in close touch with the hospital dietician and let her assist you. Good luck.

We are having very good luck with a medical quality protein supplement we get on line, called UNJURY. www.unjury.com.