Oesophageal cancer

Hi Juliem

So sorry to hear your news it is a very difficult time whilst waiting for results and ongoing tests, have you spoken to any dieticians yet they are your best support for food intake, alternatively in the interim any type of energy drinks/shakes are full of calories and sugar, that's what I started with when mine was first diagnosed

Also the following group may also help you as a carer/help for your Husband

https://community.macmillan.org.uk/cancer_experiences/carers-only-forum

Hope this helps and I'm sure someone else will come along with further support but just post if you have any questions

Take care and all the best for both of you

Tony

Hello, I’m so sorry you’re in such a horrible place, the shock can seem overwhelming and just getting through each day is draining especially when you are waiting for more tests.  Have you been allocated a specialist nurse yet?  When my husband was diagnosed we got a lot of support and practical help from his Upper GI nurse, starting with Ensure drinks (I think there are others now) that were reasonably palatable and I made calorie laden smoothies so if your husband could manage these they might help a bit with the weight loss.  

I faced the same problem about talking, I felt like I was treading on egg shells sometimes because I didn’t want to say the wrong thing but there was so much I wanted to say (I hope that makes sense). It takes time for the reality of it all to sink in, I hope you have family and friends who can support you, if you have any questions please ask, there are lovely people here to help.

Take care x

It’s such a horrible time waiting for results but things do become clearer eventually and a team will put together a plan of treatment. I couldn’t eat much when I was first diagnosed but I was able to ring a dedicated nurse at the hospital for advice. I was prescribed Ensure drinks which are high in calories and helped to stem the weight loss. They taste better if you bung a scoop of ice cream in!  After the second round of chemo I was able to eat again and I now have a stent which makes the diet monotonous but at least I am eating pretty well. I see a dietician now which helps as well. 
Coping with the news is really hard, especially at first when there is such a lot of uncertainty and I have had some dark times. I found this site really helpful as so many people are going through the same thing and there is a lot of help and advice through MacMillan which may help you to feel that you are not alone.
I try to keep fit-walking each day which definitely helps me mentally and it helps with recovery after treatment. 
Best wishes to both of you. 

Thankyou Tony, all help and advice is appreciated. We haven't seen a dietitian yet, hopefully we can push for that at the meeting with the upper GI team in the morning. I am hoping they will give us a bit more information and hopefully get a treatment plan.

Thanks again

Julie

If you have diet questions, ask to talk to a dietician. I use fortisip drinks when I need them They are a complete diet replacement drink and availaible on prescription.