Help with any advice on eating and tasting of foods.

Hi Lucia04 

I'm sorry to read that your mum is struggling to eat and finding food tasteless.

Although I'm not a member of this forum I noticed that your post hadn't had any replies yet. Responding to you will 'bump' it back to the top of the discussion list again.

Hi 

thanks!
 did find it strange on a huge forum going through similar that no one can give me any feedback, help it advice. 

Hi Lucia,

Sorry to hear of your mum's struggles. Eating/swallowing seems to be the main issues with this type off cancer. I didn't have radiotherapy, just chemo an op and more chemo. I didn't really have an issue before starting treatment but as soon as I started chemo I lost my sense of taste and appetite. Because I couldn't taste much, eating became a chore and unpleasant. You have to eat and drink though so you just push on. It's important to keep positive and keep strong.

Just so you know, I am through the other side of ten months of investigations, scans and treatment. My cancer has gone and I am slowly learning to live without the majority of my stomach. Eating is still difficult as my taste hasn't fully returned yet and I have to graze my way through the day as I can't eat much before feeling full and a little nauseous.

Good luck on your journey. If you click on my name it will take you to my profile. I have recorded the majority of my experiences there to hopefully help others.

Best regards

Geo.

I’m a long way past the initial recovery stage- I’ve been cancer free for ten years. Finding food that you can enjoy again is a struggle. And I found that my tastes changed after chemo. Things I really enjoyed, I couldn’t tolerate, but I could new things.

ice cream, cream buns, sausage rolls and strangely enough, toast! Soft foods like lasagne were a favourite. I’d stay clear of white bread, which just didn’t go down! And it was a while before I could eat apples! 
it’s a very individual journey. I hope your Mum finds her way soon.

Hi Lucia04. Sorry to hear about your Mum. I began to read this forum last May after I was diagnosed with Oesophageal Cancer. The one thing I would say is we’re all so different in our response to treatment. I had Chemotherapy for 11 weeks including five weeks of Radiotherapy. My taste didn’t change as such, but after the radiotherapy treatments (25) eating became more difficult and I used to be careful with chewing and swallowing foods. However things did improve once Radiotherapy had finished (about two weeks after). I found that foods with crunch to them, e.g. breadsticks, crisps, cereals easier to swallow. The main thing is to keep eating and get nourishment in, even if it feels like a chore. Best wishes to you both, Julie

Hi Lucia04,

We found anything soft was the best way to go forward. Avoid foods that are circular in shape especially peas as these lodge so I always advise to stay clear of those. 

We have been feeding my dad on cottage pies, fish pies, mince beef and onion and mash, soups (not chunky soups), cheese spread and crackers, porridge, rice pudding, custards, soft sponge cakes, wotsits etc. It is alot of trial and error really to see what you can and can't have. It is very frustrating as we want to build his strength up ready for chemotherapy but depending on the time of day depends if he struggles to swallow more which means foods that he can usually eat get lodged. 

I would recommend having fortisips on hand as they full of vitamins. 

I wish your mom all the best on her recovery and everyone on here will try and advise as much as possible on this horrible journey.

Take care

Kayleigh 

Thank you this is positive news to hear so soon after you  could have those foods. 

Ten months later and still feeling sick must be awful. My mum only has 2 chemo sessions, 1 hour a time. 
thankyou x 

Thanks for the advice.

Ten years clear is amazing to hear. I have given my mum all the info given about foods but still nothing tastes and getting worse. 
She has cancer in two areas so I’m hoping treatment works too. 

Thanks 

my mum has had most of these foods now and can’t taste anything which is getting her down. 
she is having the Fortsips through the RIG tube now as still trying the odd bits of other foods but most is going in the bin saying everything tastes of salt.