Coping with symptoms

Hi Lucy Locket I am sorry to hear you are struggling to eat. I know when I was diagnosed I lost my appetite completely, and I felt sick all of the time. This was more to do with my anxiety rather than the symptoms of my cancer, so I wonder if you too are feeling like this due to anxiety?  Waiting for results and treatment options is the most scary of times. Have you thought about having counselling to help you through this difficult time? Your GP can arrange this for you, or you can call the Macmillan support line on 0808 808 00 00.

I would suggest trying go eat little and often. You need to keep your strength up ready for your treatment. I will also pop a link to a booklet below which may help. 

booklets/the-building-up-diet

Your gp can prescribe ensure drinks, full of nourishment and calories, have soup if nothing else, and put cream in it, very good to help keep weight on.

You can get over the counter medication for a dry mouth (replacement saliva).  Lots of people find it helps, but not for me.  

(a) Salivix lozenges (£5 for 50)

(b) Glandosane (on prescription) mouth spray.  Lemon flavour. 

(c) Oralieve moisturising mouth gel (£8 for 50ml).  Too sweet  for me.

(d) Xylimelts (OraCoat) 25+p each but you can only buy them in bulk in £10 increments.  Natural flavour.  

(e) BioXtra Mild Mouthwash for dry mouth (£7.85 for 250ml, special order from my local pharmacy)

I felt lethargic and rubbish at your stage and it didn't improve until I started treatment.  At that point I realised how rubbish I really felt previously.  I'd suggest talking to the nurses in the oncology unit and asking for medicines to relieve symptoms. 

Thank you all. This feels like a hard road to travel. I know it's early days for me, I only got the Incurable diagnosis 5 days ago. I wish the media etc didn't frame this as a battle I have to fight. I think it is counterproductive as I feel a failure already, fearful and anxious. 

Lucy, 

Positive attitude really does help.

II swear at mine and call it all the names under the sun, do not get me wrong i have my done days, then back up i get.

Fearful of what might be, only natural,

I got diagnosed, then my husband did, then my daughter last year, i was devasted, my daughter is doing really well, though i did lose my husband, so now i feel stronger in one way, i will show the B no more, xxx

Oh Ellie, you have been through such a lot.

Hi Sarah, what are you doing with my counciling dog.

That's brilliant 

Is he a Jack Russell too?