Eating

Hi Hisjem, i first went to the doctors because i had an uncomfortable feeling when eating. I was eventually sent for an examination by camera to the oesophagus which showed my cancer. 

Before treatment my eating ability got worse and i,  like you,  took to eating sloppy food or chopping food up small and chewing it a lot more.

I went through 8 cycles of flot chemo followed by ivory Lewis surgery then 8 more chemo cycles. 

Fooling my recovery and the news it was all out and had not spread was great news indeed. But the eating for me has been a major life change. I never feel hungry or have an appetite for food. My whole life seems to be about eating several times a day which takes is toll mentally. I have lost a tremendous admit of weight but i was a big lad at the beginning.  I have gone from nearly 140kg to 74 kg.

18 months after my initial diagnosis and following a ct scan, i was told they had found a secondary cancer of the same type high up in my chest and that it was inoperable but treatable. A subsequent scan has shown the secondary cancer had grown despit chemo and radiotherapy.

I am currently waiting the results of my latest scan. I Will have some serious questions for them this time.  Living scan to scan without any sort of ongoing treatment plan is awful. 

Anyway I've ranted enough and not really answered your question. Good luck with your journey. It's not an easy one. Keep strong and positive. I wrote a diary of my journey.  Click on my profile to read it.  Hope it might help you a little. 

A few ideas that work for me (veggie) - I eat about 6 times a day small amounts 

you like beans (good protein) try ‘bold bean co’ Queen white beans really soft. - sometimes I just have a spoonful on their own (may not agree with you !) 
paneer cheese with very chopped cooked red pepper and broccoli or peeled cooked courgettes and cooked in air fryer with water and olive oil adding herbs/spices or shwarmer mix
Macaroni cooked very well with pesto sauce
tinned spaghetti 
rice
greek yoghurt with honey
mashed potato mashed with olive oil

i also have other cereals like cornflakes with milk and warmed in microwave to soften

porridge with defrosted frozen blueberries 

I grate cheese Parmesan on a lot of things

nairns chicolate chip cookies / Jaffa cakes / good quality ice cream / gelato

not started treatment yet and trying to keep weight on!

Hi GeoFerret,

So sorry to hear that your cancer is back. It’s the news that we all fear the most. 

The first few days for me were awful when i was diagnosed last Aug as all i was allowed was soup and plain yoghurt. Then after that i was allowed things such as mashed potato, eggs, pasta so not too bad, although it does get a bit boring sometimes. It is what it is i guess.

Sorry to read this ! It's very sad that your nightmare has become a  reality.

Take care and stay strong 

Vonn 

Xx

I guess you will have chemo first if you are suitable for  surgery ! Before my chemo I was unable to eat anything I had a jej tube but after my second cycle of chemo I could eat normally ! So fingers crossed for you xx

HI GeoFerret, im now in a similar position, had the op Jan 2025, pushed for a pet very recently after delayed CT scan showed 2 nodes readily active, and it seems a hot spot was i have a single lymph node that has showed as deffo cancerous.  I was told the CT scans wouldnt have shown this result, so like you say, all that anxiety, tears everytime these bloody scans were done, only now to find its back.  In limbo, trying to be brave, and telling myself that it cant be worse than the oesophagus cancer/treatment/op.  Had my endoscopy monday, which initially showed some inflammation in the new stomach area, so they took biopsies, but wasnt cocerned, just prelimanary, apparantley i should have been taking anti acid tablets daily, so now back on those.

Just hate this feeling of helplessness waiting for it all to start again, having been through this sht show twice, doesnt make me feel any better. Cant even put the big girl pants on today, just dont have the energy, stupidly its making me feel weak and tearful.  Think the MDT meeting they have is on a monday, so maybe we will get a call/letter next week to go back in and discuss what they are going to do next.

Let us know how they are going to sort yours out, all the best, jules

Thank you for taking the time to reply, I appreciate it.  The waiting is the worse thing ever. Im sorry you've been through all you have and still are struggling.  I will have a look at your diary, thank you for putting it out there. All the best x

Thanks for the ideas! Im trying to keep some weight,  hard as I was a member of slimming world!

Best wishes for good progress x

Bless you.  I keep telling my self that this my new reality for now! It's my birthday tomorrow and my hubby and I used to go out for a steak dinner...oh my! All the best to you x