Reduced appetite while having chemo.

Hi Bernadett. 
It is much harder to manage than I ever anticipated. A couple of things we found helpful . Taking fluids in when you feel rubbish is very hard on people . We found a water bottle was the best solution and rather than drinking it quickly with the risk of bringing it back up she took very small sips often and we were able to monitor volume . My mum got into trouble a few times with dehydration . 
We also used the same approach to boost her calories . A milk shake we made ourselves and also added chocolate bars with the ice cream and milk . If that’s not an option Macdonald is full of calories . Again she just sipped it over a few hours . She also had the build up drinks so we knew other nutritional needs were addressed .

We used calorie loaded desserts or added cream to mashed potatoes and grated cheese .

I can absolutely assure you this is not her standard diet . She is normally very healthy but dropped three stones . She had a metallic taste all the time with chemo . It was more a case of any port in a storm . However it quickly went away after chemo stopped and she could start back on her normal healthy diet .

Send her our very best and I totally understand how difficult it is to watch .

Take care ,

Court 

Thank you Court for your positive & encouraging reply, my daughter is eating small bits & been given the build up drinks to boost her calorie intake although they would prefer her to eat a little & often if possible.

She has a. yogurt periodically, small rice puddings, funnily enough she fancied a Macdonalds the other day but by the time she as it in front of her she couldn’t eat it. She’s had to go in again today for fluids as she had palpitations which was a sign of her dehydration last time.

I take onboard all your advice & thank you for confirming it’s a thing that happens with these strong doses of chemo…Kindest wishes xx 

Hello Bernadett,

I’m sorry your daughter is struggling and you and her husband are finding it difficult.

I felt similar to your daughter while having chemo, I also had injections for low white blood cell count.

I made myself drink a Dioralyte every morning although it was sometimes hard to get down (it replaces essential salts in your body), and I believe it really helped me. I also found it hard to drink enough water to keep hydrated and used Courts approach with a water bottle. I found I could drink homemade banana milkshakes (boosted with ice cream) relatively easily.

I hated the thought of food, but I did find if small amounts of food were put in front of me, I could eat it. My husband stopped asking me what I wanted to eat and just presented small amounts to me. I’ve just looked back at my food diary and I ate a lot of fish with cheese sauce, fish pie, homemade soups, rice pudding & gelato.

Once chemo finished my appetite came back fairly quickly.

Hope that's of some help.

Take Care. Net77

Thanks so much Net77,  I really appreciate your message. 

My daughter went to our local A&E for a few hours yesterday to have IV fluids as was dehydrated again, although she’s trying to drink as much as possible, she has a glass that holds 300mils, she tries to drink 4 or 5 of these a day as she’s been asked to measure her daily intake.

After a conversation with the doctor it seems she ( the doctor ) has suggested Dioralyte, which we had also suggested but the Dr confirming she can take it shes now happy to do.. 

Her hubby has also started putting small bites by the side of her,  we’ve thought she could just nibble as & when able, the problem is everything she eats seems to go straight through her hence the dehydration…it’s a catch 22 right now.

She’s tried ice cream, sadly milky things caused more diarrhoea, she manages porridge, bananas, a boiled egg, a breakfast bar ( not all in the same day, we wish she could ) plus any other bits she can get down also the odd build up drinks she’s been given. 

If your happy I’ll forward your message to her, as I’m at  home tonight. It may give her some comfort knowing others have had the same problems, knowing there’s a light at the end of this chemo treatment will also help I’m sure.

She has just two more treatments to go, the good news is her bloods show her immunity has improved..Hooray!! 

I'm really appreciative for you & Courts messages, as it shows what she’s experiencing is no different that others have suffer which is good for us all to know.

Many thanks again, stay well.

Bernadett.

xxx

If she is having such a rough time I would definitely flag it up to her team . My mum had a small dose reduction which helped considerably.

My mum had a few emergency admissions and just needed that additional help intravenously.

She will get there and it does get better but it’s tough .

Take care ,

Court 

Thanks Court,

Her team are aware & she’s had her dosages dropped by 10%, we’ll see what they say in her clinic appointment on Wednesday. Her penultimate dose is this Thursday, they are doing all they can to help but as she only has 1 more treatment left to endure after this Thursdays she has to hang in there. 

She’s due her last planned chemo on 8th March then a scan on the 9th…God willing there’ll be no more chemo after this, although she is booked for radiotherapy treatment for a period of time before surgery.

It’s a long hard road for her poor love, 

xxxx

She is nearly there . She has done incredibly well enduring all that . She has her eyes on the goal and it thankfully  it levels off .

Send her our best wishes .

Court 

Hello Bernadett,

Of course it’s alright to forward my message to your daughter. I hope it helps her to know others have had similar problems although be understanding if she’s not interested in other people only herself at the moment. Great news that her bloods have improved, it is stressful when you have to postpone a session due to your bloods not recovering (it happened to me a few times) but got there in the end. She’s 2/3 through the chemotherapy now and she’s done so well getting this far - I hope she can see the light at the end of the tunnel now.

Sending her and you and her husband my very best wishes, it must be very difficult and distressing time for you all.

Stay strong one day at a time.

Net77 xx

Hi Court & Nett 77. 

Hi Court & Nett77…. thought I’d update you on my daughters progress after you taking the time to assure me about her lack of eating. Well she’s finished her Chemo thank god, she lost nearly 3 stone & at times I wondered if she’d every feel well again. Good news is she had her scans & the tumour has reduced significantly ( Thank the good lord ) she’s put 10lb back on & finally felt well enough to get her wig….she’s looking a different person & like our girl again.