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My dad has lung cancer, he is having chemo, which is going well but he literally cannot eat. He has been getting by on soup but has lost nearly 3 stone . I fear weigh loss will kill him before cancer. He says it fills like the tube to his stomach is blocked. Have u heard of this before? Any help or advice appreciated
Hello Papa smurf,
Thank you for getting in touch and welcome to our Online Community.
I’m Elise , one of the cancer information nurses on the Macmillan Support Line.
It’s understandable to be worried about your dad’s weight loss during chemotherapy and we’re wondering if the chemotherapy nurses have offered him any advice?
Has he been reviewed by a dietician recently? If not, then we would suggest that an urgent referral is made so that he can be reviewed..
It’s important that the amount of weight as well as the rate at which your dad is losing weight is assessed as soon as possible.
The nurses in the chemotherapy unit should be able to do that for you.
It would be a good idea to let the oncologist know about your dad having a sensation of a blockage as they may want to carry out further tests.
You mention that your dad is only managing soup and while that may have some nutritional value it may be worth considering the following:
Can you add any additional calories to the soup such as full fat milk, cream or cheese or additional blended vegetables?
Fortifying what he can eat can be a way to focus on adding calories and protein to a limited diet.
Macmillan have a booklet called “The building up diet” which you can order or download free of charge from our website.
This booklet is for people who may be finding it difficult to maintain their weight during and after cancer treatment. It explains the different food types and has suggestions on how to get more energy and protein in your diet.
We’d also suggest asking your dad’s GP to prescribe supplement drinks to provide another source of calories and energy. This is called supplementary nutrition. It can come as milkshakes, yoghurts, juices, powders and soups. The supplements sometimes have extra vitamins and minerals added to them. Dietitians call these supplements oral nutrition support, or sip-feeds.
Remember, our Lung Cancer community is here to offer support and share experiences with you if you think that might be helpful too.
With best wishes,
Elise
Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email..
Ref: ED/SMcM
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