Hi! New on here. My partner is on #4 Chemo for Stomach Cancer.

Hi Swimfin and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.

Although I haven't had this problem myself, I see lots of posts in the various groups where eating is a problem. Does your husband have access to a hospital dietician who could give you both some hints and tips on what to eat? If not, could his CNS refer him to one?

Macmillan also have a section on tips for managing eating problems, which you might find helpful, along with another on eating problems.

x

Thanks, Latchbrook. He has a dietician than he can talk to and is planning to do so tomorrow.  Just was looking for any thing - hints and tips- that others in the same boat might have found personally that might help him get something down. I am worried he will end up being dehydrated too.

Hi Swimfin,

I'm so sorry that your partner has been diagnosed with cancer. However, it sounds like he has a treatment plan and I am happy to hear he will be getting immunotherapy as well - is it nivolumab? Hopefully there will be some great results!

My Mum struggled a lot with food and sadly still does. She had a lot of smoothies and fruit in the summer and now as its colder has a lot of soups, with veg or pasta to bulk it up, and those shakes that the NHS provides. Maybe some soft foods like mashed potatoes with gravy or sauces, really well cooked pasta, and things like that would help?

If he is going through FLOT or a similar chemo regimen, he may struggle with cold foods such as ice cream - I just thought I'd mention. My Mum definitely can't have super cold foods out of the fridge anymore, especially right after chemo. She has said that right after chemo, taste is affected too so maybe your partner should avoid his usual favourite foods right after chemo in case it puts him off them longterm. 

If your partner is still struggling keeping food down though, I'd really recommend bringing it up urgently to the nurses and his oncology team in case there is a blockage or something else going on in his body that is making it hard to keep food down. He needs to keep his weight at least stable because chemo is tough to get through. Worst comes to the worst, you could push for him to be on an IV for fluids or a J-Tube to get some nutrients in him.

All my best to you and to him, stomach cancer is a terrible, terrible cancer to deal with xxx

EnjoysBagels said:

immunotherapy

Thank you for all that useful info, Enjoysbagels.

Yes he is having nivolumab. I understand that the effect is an initial worsening of the swelling as the white blood cells swarm into it, but hopefully that will improve as they get to work. This is probably what is blocking his Cardiac sphincter where his cancer is.

He was quite overweight to start with so has a bit of reserve. We will have to see how that goes - 4 Chemos down, 8 to go!

Yes he has found icecream can cause pain, but if not hurting is a useful staple.

I have been making soups and also acquired a Nutribullet which helps to whizz them up.

Hopefully he will soon get more soft foods down.

Will keep you posted.

All the best to you and your mum.