Weight loss post treatment

Hi , hello, I’m Nige, my treatment of chemo and radiotherapy finished on the same day as your husband, 10th January. My cancer is on the base of the tongue and lymph nodes.

In the same vein , ‘be lost weight, 3 stones in my case, dropped from over 14 stones to under 11. 

I’m guessing that your husbands taste buds hitched a lift along with mine to god knows where and still awol !

I’m having difficulties in eating due to the taste, extremely dry mouth,  plus soreness and if I’m honest, lost interest in eating - but I persevere. One thing I do is plenty of liquids, the protein drinks which add full fat milk with. I’m also adding cream to any desert like custard and rice puddings. The other things I am trying is not so much meals but to eat littler but more often so the struggle isn’t as bad..

I’m still on my journey as things still going on -BUT still  trying any and anything to see what can stimulate taste coming back , until it improves , plenty of drinks to help it down.

If I may ask, how is your husband feeling in himself ?

sending you positivity and strength - Nige

Hi markmac, I'm sure he will get back to his normal weight, although it could take a good while. I remember after I finished my treatment, eating was a real chore, everything tasted awful, gradually my tastebuds recovered and I could eat most things and as much as I wanted, without putting on much weight. However, after a while I did start to put on weight, once I got back to my normal weight, I went back to eating as normal. So hang in there his appetite and weight should go back to normal, with time.

Ray.

markmac said:

Will he ever get his weight back and is this normal?  His treatment ended Jan 10 th.  

Hi. I could eat like a horse for 18 months and not put weight on. RT does something to the metabolism And it takes a while for things to settle. 

Hi marcmac, my treatment ended at the end of August last year. I’m now under palliative care due to severe weight loss and remain on the prescribed supplement drinks. My body just cannot seem to maintain any weight. I’m sure I’ll get there eventually, as will your hubby.  Recovery takes a while. 
Wishing you all the best on this journey. 

Really?  I wonder why that is?  Ty for your input️

Hi Like the others have said it’s par for the course. Once I could eat I didn’t put weight in for 15 months then gradually the lbs came back on my body shape has altered slightly I don’t seem to out it on in the same places as before like Dani says  treatment seems to alter=our metabolism. Once the weight came back it was bye bye ti the cream cakes p. I used to look at calories in food in supermarket nit too watch weight put to make sure everything  inate was high calories that was a change from checking low calorie s. 
I Found  the high protein yogurts good for getting the calories in mist supermarkets sell them. Also,adding full fat cheese to soups etc and double cream helped me maintain the weight. 
I was eating 2500 calories a day including 85 gram of protein to get my muscle mass back. 
Hazle 

I lost a couple of stone during and after treatment due to mouth/throat ulceration and taste loss, slowly but surely my taste returned I started eating better and my weight started to normalise, 2+years after treatment my weight is stable and my taste is OK.

I lost 10k.g. during radiotherapy treatment and it took me ages to put the weight back on although I have never fully got there. I still drink 3 Fortisip a day to help keep the calories up as eating is still a bit of a struggle. Taste has improved although not quite right and my appetite improved too over time. Your husband will get there but it does take a while. He just has to persevere and keep trying different things in small amounts. Continuing to top up with Fortisips or something similar will help with the calorie intake. It takes a while to get from eating being a struggle to enjoyable again. I listen to music while I am eating as it makes it more enjoyable for me and less of a struggle. 

Lyn