Lack of Appetite

Hi Chickadee

Finished chemoradio in June 2023....now eating well... taste about 75-80%.... appetite still comes and goes ....eating to maintain a healthy BMI....but some things do really when my appetite.... chippy food...we go out for a chippy every week....bacon butties....mild Indian and Chinese curries.... things are still improving....

Best of luck 

Peter 

Hi Denise. Mine was back by six months. Up till then although I could taste pretty well I really couldn’t be bothered with food. 
We are all different though 

Maybe try aromatic( rather than hot) spices in food. That was a tip I picked up from Hazel. 

Hi Denise, I finished my treatment in Nov 2017, I had no taste or appetite, and was relying on my RIG. I did start to eat small amounts of food, after a few weeks, although I didn't want or taste it. However, I gradually ate more as time went by, still not wanting to eat, then around August 2018 I started to taste food more, and my appetite started to come back. From then it got better, and it wasn't long before I was enjoying food again. Tell him not to despair, his appetite will come back in time. We are all different and recover in different ways. He will get there.

Ray.

Hi Denise, your question has really made me stop and think.  I am 7 months post treatment and eat pretty well now. But actually, not entirely sure my appetite is fully back. I just don't really think about it as what and when I eat is more of a routine I've established rather than desire (maybe?). I'll pay more attention to my eating habits/appetite! I do watch a lot of foodie TikToks (which I did throughout my treatment) which has perhaps helped pique my interest in eating. Great that your husband's taste it back. I am still struggling with fruit and sweet things generally, but I keep trying... 

Thats good to hear...many thanks Peter

Thanks Dani, will do!

Many thanks Ray, that gives me hope!

It seems we are all different in our healing habits!  Its my husbands terribly dry mouth that bothers him most.

Ugh, the dreaded dry mouth. Mine is much improved. My dentist gave me Oralieve (gel) and Dr prescribed Salivix (spray). Got some great advice on here and got some Xylimelts which really helped. Don't use any of them now and tend to only have a bit of dry mouth first thing in the morning (guess I'm a mouth breather in my sleep!). It takes a while but it can get better/easier to manage... 

Hi Chicadee

Yes the dry mouth issue is hard to manage sometimes. Good suggestions from Liesle re dry mouth products and they should make a difference. I use Xylimelts at night and they really help keep my mouth moist while I sleep. Also short term relief from Biotene spray or gel during the day. In relation to food I found the moister the food the better to manage. Lots of gravy, sauces, moist casseroles otherwise I found the food just rolled around in my mouth and didn't want to go down. Not enough saliva to make it moist enough to swallow. Also a swig of water to help it go down. I still top up on Fortisips to make sure I have enough calories.

Lyn