Juicing and throat cancer

My husband was diagnosed about 10 days ago with stage IV to the throat.  We see the Radiologist tomorrow.  I am trying to get him in optimal health prior to treatments.  Any recommendations?  For now I am juicing for him daily and staying away from fatty and sugary foods.

Right now he needs to eat a lot because he will be losing weight during treatment. The docs tell you throughout not to lose weight if you can help it, but it's impossible for most people. I lost 70 lbs between the diagnosis date and 6 months post treatment. Luckily I had it to lose, but if he doesn't have much padding now, he'll need to work hard at not losing too much. When he starts treatment he will increasingly find eating (and drinking and just plain swallowing at all) difficult. If he's Stage IV (as I was) I imagine he'll have both chemo and radiation in various combinations (the specific protocols are similar but different), and they impact the body in different ways. When chemo and rads are given together it boosts the impact of the rads - both the therapeutic effect and the difficult side effects. This is a good time to start putting together a support team for you both (drivers, massagers, visitors, people who make you laugh and who love you and who are willing to hear your troubles) because the road ahead it tough and you will need support. You can also find it here - keep asking, talking, and you'll find a lot of useful help. Keep us posted. Blessings to you both.

Absolutely right with Becky.  When I was told I had tonsil CA 3.5 years ago I was 110 lbs.  I was told to pack it on as much as I could, eat everything I could to gain.  I was not a much of a fried food eater or sweets eater either.  I had a month from surgery date 3/24/06 to 4/24/06 to gain.  I ate cheeseburgers & fries 2 x day, fried chicken even pizza, yuk!!!  Ice cream shakes before & during treatment if I could hold it.  I finally gained up to 124 by the time chemo started.  I went down fast to a 86 lbs by 5/30/06 and was ordered/Demanded by my ENT for a feeding tube that saved me. I finally weight 112 today and it was hard to get there.  It is hard today to get food down because of severe dryness.  I try bread with butter, not a whole lot of sweets, I can not tolerate them today.  During the treatment my husband did the juicer and watching sugar intake.  The swallowing was horrific, with having to take 7-8 cans of nutrition down the tube saved me but even that was hard.  I got so bad with such aggressive treatment, side effects and all I had already registered with Hospice.  But by the grace of God, constant support and strong will I made it!  He will too!  My doc told me eat, eat, eat, you have Cancer now, we will get rid of it for you!  A lot is such a blur today, I went through all what others describe & and more but I made it!  I am so grateful for the things I have today, not what I lost. I adjust to the New Normal!!!   It is a horrible beast, he can do it!!!  Good luck and all posts will here are so wonderful and informative, more than I could ever imagine!

God Bless

Patricia

 

Thanks for the input.  He is "robust" today, but I want to pack him as full as nutrients as I can. I lost my Dad to GBM a little under two years ago, so I have been down this road,.  Tomorrow we get our final consult for the true staging and treatment recommendations.  We need to decide about the G-tube option.  What do you recommend about that?

I would highly advise getting the feeding tube. I had mine put in before treatment. My doctors thought it was better to have it and not need it than need it and not have. I am very glad I did I feel it saved my life.The last month of treatment and a bout a month post treatment I did nothing but sit in my recliner and pump Ross 2 cal in It (the tube) was kinda uncomfortable but well worth it

I also had a ful dental extraction witch didn't help with eating.

Good luck and hang in there. I'm now 7 months out and almost back to normal.

Get a PEG.  I was stubborn and didn't get one.  By mid treatment I was begging for it.  It was amazing how much better I felt after getting one installed.

Juicing is great.........but let him eat everything and anything that he enjoys whenever and wherever he wants!!!  Trust me, he'll never enjoy food the same way again!  I'm one year+ out of treatment (just surgery and radiation).  My taste is mostly back...and I have about 85% saliva....I'm one of the luckier ones.  I did not have a feeding tube........eating became a huge struggle and I survived on breakfast shakes with ice cream.  Could hardly swallow my medications.......this could have become a big issue!!  I lost  about 40 pounds, have gained about 10 back.  I'm not sorry that I did not get a tube.........but it would have made things easier.  I'm an RN and have access to IV stuff and normal saline.........so I got 1000cc's 2x a week at home.......wouldn't have gotten through without it.  Once again, probably not such a great idea for everyone, but it worked for me. (I don't have cardiac or blood pressure issues, and I do realize that there could have been a risk doing what I did.......but it was the easy way to hydrate!)

Just be prepared that food will taste awful to him.........and that it can be aggravating to have people try to make you eat!  He will be able to determine what he can tolerate.  Any kind of juice burned like acid....even bananas!  I did what I could.......Carnation Instant Breakfast shakes have some vitamins and protein.....with whole milk.......and vanilla ice cream.  Amazingly, my normally high cholesterel is now low......and I stopped the meds during treatment.  Only managed to get my thyroid pill down.....and I still ended up with thyroid issues ( it got lower.....getting better now!)

Guess I'll go back to my first statement...........let him eat now!  Good luck to both of you!

Steph

Thanks for all the input. We should know more after today's appointment.  So far all we know is it's stage IV and there will be no surgery due to the size and location. He is such a "foodie" so this will be really hard for him.  Being an NP makes it super scary because I know what he's up against.

A feeding tube is a really good idea.  I was against it at first, but my wife and doctors talked me into it.  I am a very active person, so was worried it would impede me, but it didn't.  I even golfed as long as I felt well enough through treatment.  Even with a feeding tube I lost 42 pounds, I was lucky I had it to lose.  Definately your husband should try to have some extra weight before he gets into treatment, it will help him in the long run.  It has been 2 years and cancer free. Best wishes through the treatments.

get the tube

you can go as long as you want without useing it

But if you are in treatment and need ho have a surgery (it will just add to the pain and suffering)

Healing is so much slower because of what the Tx is doing to your body.

I really liked the tube towards the end and the month after

I put a Gallon of water threw that tube to Flush out all thr dead cells that Rad and Chemo where causeing in my body

really saved my kidneys and made me feel better

john