Eating with stent.

Hello, 

Firstly I'm sorry for you seemingly being on the same journey as a lot of us.

Let me tell you what I know from very recently, it might not be a lot but you never know.

My Dad has his first stent fitted following a prognosis of no further treatment being available. He too was losing and still is, a considerable amount of weight. His dietician at the hospital had told.him within 2 to 3 days he could eat. It's actually taken about 20 days to be able to manage anything other than liquid, barely, and rice pudding. He has since seen his oncologist who has explained his swallowing will always have issues and will not get better than it is. At least we know this has given my Dad some peace of mind. Hopefully that's not the same for Stephen and his increases. 

What I know is, Dad is reluctant to try much due to his pain and worry. Mashed potato loaded with butter and double cream a long with mince beef is proving a winner, albeit in extremely small amounts.

I know he found it very frustrating, or he seemed to anyway, as he had been disillusioned at the hospital. Finding people's stories on here really helped me and in turn helped him through it as there is nothing better than experience in my mind. 

I hope things turn around for him asap.

Take care, Danielle

Hi Danielle thanks so much for your reply we now know it takes time and even with stent will not be back to normal. I hope also that your Dad continues to be able to eat. This site is so helpful everyone is so kind and supportive Claire

Hi again hazardous journey 

Yes it did get easier with dad. For the first three days dad had only soup or his milk shakes.  He seems to like cold things the most.  He had cold stilton and brocolli soup with added cream and cold gazpacho soup.  They both went down well.  No lumps allowed.  After three days we progressed to scrambled egg with added cream and butter but this was still well mashed.

Even now after 4 months he will only eat a half a shepherds pie and I add a nice gravy.  I serve this on a saucer or he says it is too much. I am happy if I can get a scrambled egg for breakfast down him, followed by soup for lunch and shepherds pie followed by ice cream for evening meal.

Ambrosia custards are good but I always get the high calorie versions and everything is fortified with double cream if at all possible.  Little and often is best and loaded with calories is even better. You just have to try to build on it.

In dads case I think that the tumour is taking up room so he feels full and this is a problem but he is doing well and keeping the weight on.

Wishing you and Stephen well.

I'm so sorry to hear your news, My husband had his stent fitted last Thursday and came out that evening, he is eating only soup and Energy drinks, and a little ice cream, he is so ill just now and seems to be giving up, I am trying to get him to eat more even if it is only soups and soft food but he says he just isn't hungry, I'm at my wits end, and feel he's  getting weaker, we see the Oncologist  on the 14th so I'm hoping he will have improved by then,, he has said that he won't have anything else done as its not curable anyway, so i understand your distress,  

yes it does husband eats quite well like skinless sausages apple pie tin pi using only the op of it even mc no but not chip as struggles with them ice cream custard  we had r beef with mash lots gravy very thin beef brussels as u mash them 3 days do me favour it does take time we 6 chemo with stent in so far so slowely add small mounts husband has snacks ie mars bar choc quares as suck them so its soft 

It will get easier I promise you , my husband had his 3 weeks ago and is just now having omelette and small chicken dinners , I do the chicken cooked in gravy for softness , mini fillets & well cooked veg .

M&s eves puddings with extra custard is another fav .

It's so very hard this 

Hi this is encouraging to read. So nice to hear your husband is eating well.

My mum is due to have a stent placed on Monday and I'm so worried about it.

Currently only on liquid diet, but has no pain or discomfort.

She does want to eat once more.

I just hope she does not have to much discomfort with it.

They say she will come home with oramorph .

I am not sure what to expect in terms of discomfort and what and when she may eat 

X

I hope it goes well for your mum , little and often but someday for us it's too little x I got fortisip drinks off doctor which are 300 calories each so I put 1 in a nutri bullet with a banana and a little ice or water and blitze it , maybe mum could manage 1 after a few days of receiving her stent , it's a good way to get her calories in without being overfaced with a meal  you know .

We begin chemotherapy soon , my aim is to build my husband to face this , someday are easier than others .

Good luck and any tips I can give please just message. 

It's amazing to talk to someone who understands. 

My mum can tolerate liquids soups fortisips ect Today she is now unsure whether she should go ahead with stent. So very hard as she has no pain or discomfort and can get fluids down .I am concerned if that were to  change but I guess at that point she would then need too. So difficult to know what to do for the best really. Today she says that not having food does not worry her and she can continue with what she is doing. Very stressful all round but obviously respect her decision.

You have to respect her wishes of course , at the point of my husbands stent he was even having difficulty by that point with simple water so it was a necessity, the hole was so narrow it would have become an emergency which we obviously didn't want x 

Today has been his best day actually ,and we have a start date now for treatment x Hope tomorrow's a good day too , day by day x my warmest of wishes for mum xx