Not eating during chemo

It is so tough when they are on chemo. Something positive is that his tumour is shrinking. Is he on tablet form of chemo ? My husband was on 800mg, which made it hard for him to swallow. We are now down to 400mg. We are seeing the dietician on Wednesday,I hope he hasn’t lost a lot more weight. Feeling apprehensive, as I think he has. The worse thing coming up is the scan of his liver. 

No he is on liquid chemo, two bags for 5 hours in hospital and then two days drip at home. So total three days every two/three weeks. He is also having liver scan soon, MRI as PET did not show much.

Let me know what dietician suggests please. It must be hard with food to keep weight on, especialy for men. As much as nutrition drinks are good, I know how hard is to maintain weight. 

Before diagnosis my husband lost so much weight, ,I can't even look at photos of that time. Dreading that it can happen again.

Can I ask about the terminal prognosis? Did doctors actualy said that? Our doctor was very interesting with his words.said paliative care, but did not say terminal, but we never asked either.

When we first got the diagnosis back in March. we started to go to St Barnabas for support. We saw a specialist nurse there, to help manage symptoms. At that stage, we still had another 6 weeks to wait for the consultants appointment. We had sold our house, and had offered on a house in the West Country. We were half-way through the legal side.I got upset because my husband was so ill, and we couldn’t’ make an informed decision on his prognosis.She managed to get an earlier appointment with the consultant, and he said that if my husband didn’t start treatment he wouldn’t see the summer out. We were due to complete on the 24th June. His currently prognosis is from now to two years, as it has metastasised.The term they use is life limiting, but in our case it means the same thing. I had to make the very hard decision not to move, as it was not possible at that time. 

Oh Kate, so hard when you have to change life plans ... very similar situation for us, bet we actually bought a house, moved in and found out after two months of the diagnosis. We spent life savings on deposit so it hit hard. Thankfully we had critical illness cover so been paid out which sustained us for a while and allowed him to stay at home and go through multiple surgeries.

We have never asked prognosis though. I know it in my heart, I read a lot of scientific research. 5 year survival rate is very low, however going strong at the monent, stepping into 4th year.  But it was prolonged due to surgeries. Which now is not an option any more, too many metastasis in multiple places too. 

We just need to try and enjoy whatever is left for all of us. 

Thank you for your kindness and understanding. That is why this website is so comforting, as there are people going through their own version of hell. On a positive note, we had a lovely day yesterday at Goring beach. We took our border collie, and my husband’s scooter. He can go along on a path, and I can exercise the dog. We then meet further along for a coffee, and enjoy the moment. 

By the way, you should push for an appointment with a dietician via your GP asap. 

Glad you had a nice day. Going together to a beach sounds amazing! Fresh air is always uplifting. 

I am upset on my husband as he is refusing to call doctors or hospital. He can only sleep upright now due to being so sick. He does not realise or does not want to accept he is poorly. I said when you are so sick they can put you on anti sickness drip and not pill which he of course brings back up... he said he does not want drips. I don't know how to cope when someone is being childish about receiving help really. 

That is so difficult, as we are trying to love and support them. Is there anyone else that could talk to him ? My husband wouldn’t listen to me for about three months, when I was trying to get him to go the GP’s. He insisted he had Long Covid !!! I got so angry with him. Sometimes, they will listen to someone else, but not us. 

You might have been right here! Friend visited today and he woke up heard us talking. She told him off in a nice way that doctors have plenty of ways to support you during low periods of sickness and not eating.. so he kind of accepted that and agreed that tomorrow morning we will talk and if still feels very sick we will call hospital.

He asked for coca cola and once he had it he said that his stomach feels so mich better as he managed to burp. Felt like stomach is waking up so fingers crossed.

Oh such a man thing..long covid, and it was cancer? We blamed diabetes for good two years till another obvious symptom appeared and it was clear that its not diabetes. We tend to have excuses and men in particular good at those! 

That sounds like progress. Don”t let him off the hook. 

I will not. Thank you Insanity Kate  for your messages, really appreciate that x best of luck x