Loss of appetite

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Hi everyone,

I’m reaching out to see if anyone has experienced something similar or has any thoughts.

My mum has oesophageal cancer and has been having chemo and immunotherapy, mostly every 3 weeks since December. She also has a stent in place. We’ve noticed her appetite and general wellbeing are usually quite low for the first two weeks after treatment, but by the third week, things tend to improve a bit.

However, this time, we’re in that third week and her appetite seems worse than usual, and she’s noticeably more tired. It’s particularly in the evenings that she struggles to eat. We’re wondering if the stent might have moved or dropped slightly and could be causing this change, but we’re not sure.

It’s hard not knowing what’s behind it, and we’re feeling a bit unsure of what to do next. Has anyone had a similar experience, or have any advice?

Thanks so much for reading.

  • Dear Gingercat

    I do not have direct experience of your Mum’s treatment regimen or a stent but I do have some thoughts.

    My understanding is that any adverse or side effects of chemotherapy are cumulative and that could possibly explain why the latest treatment appears to have been less tolerated.  Also, this terrible disease causes us mental anguish (to say the least) and loss of appetite and tiredness are signs of this too.

    With respect to the stent I think that is reasonable question to pose to your MDT.