IS IT GOOD TO EAT EVERYTHING POST TREATMENT?

Hi John. I had no particular advice from my doctor about diet. I found that it was hard to put on weight after finishing radiotherapy so did eat anything and after about a year started to put weight on again although it was a challenge. I now am very conscious of eating a healthy diet and have visited a dietician to discuss this and was given some good tips. You were lucky keeping the weight on as it is often hard to do this. As long as you are eating a healthy balanced diet that should not be an issue. If you are concerned visit your dietician to discuss. Exercise and a healthy diet and maintaining your BMI at the right level is essential when recovering from cancer treatment. There is some info that Macmillan have put out that you can find on this site.

Keep up the good work.

Lyn

Hi John

Like Lyn I had no specific advice and found it difficult to gain the little weight I had lost during and immediately after treatment. I have practically totally avoided eating junk since then and eat as healthily as I can. That includes the odd pint of ale though but no spirits. It makers sense. A poor lifestyle is a driver of cancer after all 

My CNS told me not to worry about eating, if I enjoy it eat it, trying to keep my weight from getting on the low side was an issue during treatment and recovery.

.Took about a year before I was eating anything like normal. 

I don’t wish to be flippant, but wish I had your problem! Mine is completely the opposite.  I lost a shedload of weight during treatment and am still struggling nearly 18 months downstream to put any back on.  I’m stable - ish but still find eating difficult and have no appetite whatsoever.  I try to eat ‘healthy’ stuff….but, frankly, if it’s calorific and I can get it down without too much trouble then that’s good enough for me!  If it works for you, I’d say don’t worry about it.

regards 

Liz

Hi John. I gained 7 pounds and can’t shed it no matter what I do.  I was told to eat whatever took my fancy and I could swallow ok. 

Hi John.  I put on weight before treatment and agreed with my dietitian that I would reduce back to my normal weight post treatment.  I now find that I can eat fat more food than I used to and still maintain my previous weight.  However my diet has changed significantly to reflect what I can more easily swallow.  Lots more fatty and creamy foods.  That said my doctors don't seem worried, inserted happy that I am eating so well, but I do try to look at the health issues from that diet. 

Hi Liz

I am the same as you. I lost 10k.g. during radiotherapy treatment and it took me ages to get it back on although I never fully regained it. I have to keep an eye on my weight as I can lose it very easily still. I still have 3 Fortisips a day to keep up the calories as well as what I can manage to eat. I do try to eat as healthily as possible though to give my body the best chance. Everything I eat is still full fat though.

Lyn

Online Hope said:

basically eat everything you like

The only thing I would add is that RT causes fibrosis and that can affect the lining of your carotid arteries. I avoid animal fat for that reason and keep a close eye on my cholesterol

I don’t know Dani, this is the gift that goes on giving.  I wasn’t aware of the cholesterol thing or the effect of RT on the carotids.  I find fatty meats…eg pork chops with the fat really well rendered much easier to get down than the lean stuff which can be like chewing cotton wool …and my go to are prawns which are supposed to be cholesterol devils.  Devil and the deep blue.  I have such difficulty with quite a few foods that I think I’ll take my chances…but will keep a check on cholesterol.

I find the only meat I really enjoy is haggis and we have that once a week. I’ve mostly gone off meat and your description of cotton wool is spot on. So many meats I used to love I don’t bother with anymore so going more towards vegetarian.  I feel like a rabbit. I’m not a huge fan of veggies. Every day I drink a Huel unflavoured unsweetened drink so I can keep my protein levels up. I’m going to introduce nuts again as all of a sudden they taste good and go down easily.  Day by day things change. I find I also need to double the sugar content to get a smidgeon of what it tasted like.