Six Months Post Treatment

Hi Brian

It took me months to have any interest in food. I just forced myself. Food is fuel to recover. I had six little meals a day but I did linger over my porridge in the morning. 
Jumbo oats cooked in a porringer for at least an hour with full cream milk. Add liberal amounts of honey ( proper honey) lovely. 
It’s still my favourite meal of the day but now made with skimmed milk and less honey. 
Try adding aromatic ( not hot) spices. That really wakes up your sense of smell which after all is a huge part of the taste experience. 
You’ll get there. Just plod on. 

Hi Brian Has Dani has said food is fuel was my mantra I forced 2500 calories most days by eating small meals in small plates . I found a dinner size plate overwhelming so ate little snd often soup fortified with cream poached eggs pots of custard trifles jellies deeet potatoes easier than bitmap potatoes. Slow cooked lamb it was a case if forgetting 3 square meals a day. Porridge is still my favourite breakfast of the day

. White bread toasted lashings if butter. Cream cakes it wasn’t always healthy eating but the calories worked I didn’t put weight on neither  did I loose any. I was a good 15 months before weight came back on I often had an ensued or 2 to boost my intake. I learnt eat to live rather than live to eat helped my head. I now derive pleasure from food a fact I never thought would reach. 

this  might help 

https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/66263025/cookbook-by-andrew-gaylor-head-and-neck-cancer-survivor-2022
Hazel x

Hi Brian, I’m 4 months post treatment. Same as you, no pain as such just the dreaded dry mouth & lack of taste. I really have no desire to eat but know I have to as I’m only 7 stone so can’t afford to drop lower. I started taking multivitamins a couple of months ago just to boost really. I have porridge or Weetabix for breakfast, soup for lunch, chicken super noodles or a pot noodle at dinner & if I can manage a bit of fish or chicken & I have several cups of ovaltine & Horlicks throughout the day, made with milk they are 200 cals a cup. I have found my energy levels have increased. Still annoying that I can’t enjoy food but I see light at the end of the tunnel & hope saliva & taste will come back very soon. Good luck.

maureen

Hi there.  I was the same as you. I felt really sick, struggled with food, bit anaemic, tired, deaf and fed up plus plenty of pain.  But.  I am nearly back to normal now.  Keep going.  Things will definitely improve.  I ate loads of double cream.  I liked it and high calorie.  Sending all best wishes.  Lizzie x

BakedBrian said:

This does not help with the overall mental state

This might

https://www.workingwithcancer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/After-the-treatment-finishes-then-what.pdf

Have a read

Thanks Maureen!

Thanks Lizzie!

Thanks!  I needed to lose the weight, so that has been ok. Trying to get the energy, red blood cells back! 

Thanks Dani!

Thanks Maureen! Best of luck with your continued recovery!