CancerCompass message board discussion started by Jeanc on 6/20/2007 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,13645,0.htm Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ my mom has advance lung cancer and been doing treatments for 1 yr. now,   but lately she doesn't feel like eating at all,  we have tried megestrol acet,  and it doesn't help.   has anyone try  Apazin, or have anyother suggestions.  She also taken Benecalorie to help keep some wt. on but she is so weak, and dizzles alot.   Her chemo is Gemzar & Avastin.   Please keep mom Jean in your prayers Daughter  Maureen Jeanc Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT Hi, The supplement zinc sulphate (or sulfate in US!) has been shown to maintain and improve appetite and/or slow weight loss. Also, it may be worth looking into Hydrazine sulphate which could really help with cachexia. If you type Unconventional therapies for cancer Hydrazine sulfate into goo gle, and click on the first link, it will tell you more. Hope this helpsmrs hopexxx  cj Hope Thu, 21 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT  Jean C., There's a product by New Jersey company www.controlledlabs.com (that is worth sharing what I know about it), that stimulates the appetite and avoids controversy as far as I know, enjoying a favorable reputation. It has an odd name... which is a cosmic euphemism for the empty stomach dynamically drawing-forth-a-new surging-appetite, for it is called "Black Hole".   Just the way a black hole sucks objects into itself at a huge rate of speed. It has all natural ingredients and therefore is available without a prescription. However it is not cheap, so for those who favor insurance to cover costs, I doubt any insurance company would cover "Black Hole" yet; it is purely for the out-of-pocket & it's OTC as it is classified as a nutritional supplement, aimed at body-builders who want to increase their appetite, to increase their caloric intake, to build larger muscle mass. It is, therefore, non-risky and this is why I am suggesting it without reservation to try at least once. The designers / chemists correctly identified (and mimicked) the hunger-producing alkaloids in Marijuana and found that the old natural antibiotic herbal (the Native Indians used) to boost the immune system in the USA called Echinasia contained almost chemically identical hunger-producing alkaloids (but of course, without producing the forgetfulness and without producing the noted Marijuana euphoria!).  They then extracted these from Echinasia and standardized them so that they are stable and each pill's value are consistent.  This is why it is somewhat pricey; but what isn't that is extracted and standardized in a laboratory?   There is no side-effects supposedly save for the hunger producing state.  You can read about it more through Google or go to Contolled Labs website and then find "Black Hole".  I recommend you do both.  You can find it at high end vitamin and sports nutrition stores (Vitamin World, Vitamin Shoppe, two national chains that carry it).  90 capsules are about $50. There is a discounter online.. I found today for 90 capsules for $25 plus shipping: http://www.discountanabolics.com/p/CL09  Hope this helps, Maureen and Jean.  [I often have a low appetite; I usually feel as though I was born without an appetite; so naturally this subject interested me.] Franklin E. On 6/20/2007 Jeanc wrote:my mom has advance lung cancer and been doing treatments for 1 yr. now,   but lately she doesn't feel like eating at all,  we have tried megestrol acet,  and it doesn't help.   has anyone try  Apazin, or have anyother suggestions.  She also taken Benecalorie to help keep some wt. on but she is so weak, and dizzles alot.   Her chemo is Gemzar & Avastin.   Please keep mom Jean in your prayers Daughter  Maureen  No Franklin Nyu Tisch Thu, 21 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT Seriously...why not have her get a medical marijuana card? There are places in our county that haven't been stupidly shut down. I know a couple of folks that use this service and it's not all about 'smoking pot'. They have it in baked goods and candies and in a honey that you can put into your coffee. I asked my doc about this and he said they would get me a card should I ever have problems eating. Thing is when I was younger and smoked pot I didn't necessesarily get 'the munchies' so it may not work for everyone. I think though it's better to do this than taking another 'man-made' chemical just to get you to eat. Lauri Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT There is a legal derivative of the marijauana (sp) plant that is available to cancer patients with lack of appetite.  I forget the name but you can find it on the internet by searching "appetite stimulant and cancer" or something similar.  Jen Jenniferc Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT Maureen,I don't really have any good advice for your mother's appetite issue, but would like to comment that since my chemo I went from 200 pounds to 150 pounds and now that I am eating better I still cannot regain any weight. I eat ice cream, cinnamon rolls, etc., but can't seem to gain back any of my weight. Of course, I am enjoying eating more until my next round of chemo starts next week. May God bless you and your family during these difficult times. I always say that I don't know what tomorrow may bring, but my Lord does. Richard  ProudGrandpa Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT The derivative of marijuana is Marinol. My husband is currently taking it. He has been on it for about a week. He will only take one a day, though it is prescribed at two a day. I believe this is more because of the price $82 (with insurance) for 60 liquid-gels. He is complaining of stomach pain with this, but I'm not sure if it is indeed the medicine or the fact that he has not finished a full meal in about 3 weeks and his stomach has gotten smaller. I feel so helpless and frustrated for him! MrsAl Tue, 06 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT my mom is one year out also. stage 4 non small cell adenocarcenoma spread to bone and brain.  She is on Gemzar now as 4th line of defense.  Can not do Avastin because she has had a brain tumor.  She has been on several other chemos as well as radiation and the Tarceva pill.  Have her take acedopholis (sp?) kept in cold sect. at health food store.  The chemo kills the good bacteria in stomach that takes the nutrients out of the food you eat.  When you are eating little amounts of food and you do not have this bacteria in you to assit then you get even less of the nutrients you would other wise.  Drinking lots of boost helps.  you can add it to ice cream.  Also add to food or drink a powder high in protien.  at health food store it is called WHEY.  mom did that also... she also kept ice in her mouth the entire time she gets the chemo to freeze the mouth cells so that they do not get burned as bad by the chemo.  when  your mouth hurts you really dont feel like eating or drinking... do not know if you are open to this but her primary dr. perscribed a legal pill form of hemp.  do not know the name of it but it is essential marajuana in a pill that does not make you high... what it does do is stop nausea and makes your appetite increase. hope that helps.  May God Bless her! wewillbeatthis Sun, 25 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT