Husband's throat cancer

Good evening Nicolasaurus and welcome to the head and neck group, sorry to hear about your husband's diagnoses, i cannot eat solid food and rely on Ensures plus Calogen which is a very concentrated food supplement to help boost /maintain my weight. Personally, i would not get any more protein powder and see how the Ensures, etc go, it's surprising how many calories these bottles have if you find he is not putting on enough weight then you could maybe use the weight gaining powder as well but please check with your Dr or dietician first. I will say that Coffee is my favourite Ensure, im sure he will find his favourite . Please remember there are other supplement liquid feeds like Fortisips if you don't like the Ensures which are on prescription. Any dairy product is good like cream and desserts plus liquidised soups giving him a savoury taste. Cradle snatching is also allowed in this group , im sure you will get some more comments /advice to help you and your husband through this journey, please re-post if you need more help. All the best, take care.

                                                                                         Chris x

Hi Nicola

Sorry to hear about your husband’s diagnosis.

What a good idea to bulk up now as much as possible as there is often quite a bit of weight loss during radiotherapy and chemo.

 I find that Fortisip works well for me in keeping up my weight. I get it through prescription from my Dietician but it may be different in the U.K.

It’s amazing how many calories it has and has helped me keep up my weight over the past year since my treatment as I have a rather limited eating ability since my operation. I couldn’t do without it but as Chris has suggested there are a range of other supplements. I wished I had known about it while I was having radiotherapy as it might have prevented me from losing so much weight.

A dietician may be able to give you more advice.

Best of luck to you and your husband.

P.S.  Nothing wrong with cradle snatching it gives you an edge.

Lyn xx

No idea why I didn't think of soups, I sometimes make a big pan and he demolishes it, so that's a great idea.  He's had some sort of juice prescribed which should be delivered tomorrow, I assume that's like the fortisips.

He likes his milkshakes so I think he should be alright with the ensures.  He's got the banana, chocolate, and a cafe latte one on the way so he'll find one he likes.

Thank you for the advice Chris x x

Hiya Lyn.

He does have a dietician from back when he was diagnosed as diabetic so I'll either try to get another appointment, or ask when I speak to Macmillan later on.

To be completely honest, we're lucky I cared for my mum during chemo, we'd have no idea otherwise.

Thank you a million for your advice too Lyn, I'm sure I'll end up hitting you both up again.

Nic x x

Hi Nic

Not much to add to the others except to say hello and that you sound a brilliant partner to be battling along side your husband.

There's no doubt you will need extra support because of the diabetes but that's what your dieticians are for and they should have a solution in most cases.

There have been a few people on here who have tackled their treatment alongside diabetes and I'm sure they will be along at some stage to pitch in.

There will be questions along the road so come back when you need to. There is masses of help and tips here.

I'm one month off two years post radiotherapy and living well.

I hope all the appointments go well. It will be an easier thing to cope with once a plan is in place.

I had a dietician from the head and neck department I think around the same time I was assigned a Macmillan nurse, I could be wrong with that as it could of been after the operation, talk to the Macmillan nurse or whatever you have assigned about seeing the dietitian

Hi Nicolasaurus. I am Hazel now 28 months post radiotherapy for tonsil cancer with several affected lymph nodes. Hope you’ve got the exemption certificate if hubby under  60 you don’t have to pay for prescriptions for 5 years. On diagnosis ivwas given a Macmillan nurse and also list with all my appointments for dieticians and salt team speech and language therapy. I used ensures and during treatment had a n g tube fitted. 
welcone to the club that none of us want to be in we are a small friendly bunch like Beesuitsaid  few with diabetes have already done the treatment hopefully will pop on. 
The waiting  is the worst part honestly once  treatment plan in place things become clearer. You sounds an excellent other half my hubby was with me every step of the way even if I didn’t treat him very nicely some  days . I have a blog when you are ready give it a read. There’ links  to other sites xx

keep in touch if we can help we will 

Hazel xx