Nutrition post chemo question for those who have been through recovery.

[Milo01]

Hello,

Two and a half weeks ago I finished chemotherapy.

During chemotherapy I was put on 3  Ensure drinks a day. Also to eat 3 meals and drink water. I was losing too much weight and malnourished.

I found it easier to at least almost achieve that whilst doing chemotherapy.

But now at home recovering, I am just not reaching those targets everyday. I always drink the 3 Ensure drinks, but my real food is dwindling and I can either drink water or eat food. Not both. I have been told that the Ensure drinks make your stomach full by a nurse and then you don’t feel like eating. If I eat then I don’t want to drink because I am full. If I drink water, then I don’t want to eat because my stomach is full. If I do both, I really am not hungry at all for my next meal. Can’t even force myself to do it, I saw my GP yesterday and they told me to snack. And sip water.

But my weight is still dropping. And I feel very much like I don’t know what to do. 

I wake up at 8am and have a Ensure, then I might get a bowl of cereal or a muslie bar in after during the time before lunch. Might.

Then at noon I try to have some lunch like crumpets or a sandwich.

At 3pm it is another Ensure.

By dinner time at 5-7pm I just am not hungry for a meal, even side plate big. And as I have to look after myself, I also don’t feel like standing for a long time cooking. I try to have microwave meals or components to speed up cooking times. But alot of them aren’t appealing to eat.

And then at 9pm is is another Ensure drink.

 I feel like the whole day I am forcing myself to eat food and drink water. I don’t want it. I know I need it,but I am forcing myself to do the motions of chewing and swallowing. And most of the time I want to stop after 2 or 3 bites.

It is worse on hot days as I feel I have to watch out for dehydration. And I know I have to prioritise protein.

I read that any food is better then none, but it worries me that continuing this pattern, I am making recovery harder and longer.

The thing is too, I don’t know if I have had a healthy relationship with food before I was diagnosed and treated. Sometimes I skipped breakfast or just had a muslie bar. Lunch was always a sandwich. I might have a fun size bag of chips for a snack and then at 5pm I’d cook a bigger dinner. I like vegetables but not really fruit. I always had protein at night. So I am not a big eater or a 5 foods pyramid type of person.

And the longer I put off something because I am just not hungry, the more time that passes and then I really fall behind on my schedule.

The Ensure drinks are at least providing nutrients and protein, I guess. But are they enough to sustain a person daily?

Does anyone have any experience in this in their recovery? How did you get back to eating food and drinking normal again?

I have read the “Cancer and Nutrition” booklet from the Cancer Council.

Thank you,

Milo01

[Miranda_ccnsw]

Hi @Milo01 

Thanks for sharing so openly your struggle with food, nutrition and eating enough post treatment. It can be a very real struggle on a daily basis and I can certainly hear your focus and concern on eating enough on a daily basis to prevent too much weight loss and maintain strength. I'm sure you are not alone in this struggle.

It's fantastic that you have read the Cancer Council booklet, Nutrition and Cancer booklet already. Have you been able to speak to your doctor or dietitian to recommend foods to eat for energy and protein recently? They may be able to guide you on additional options you may not have considered yet. Your strong mindset and selfcare is evident - keep going and stay strong. Of course, you are always welcome to call our team of health professionals on 13 11  20 to discuss support options also. 

Perhaps someone else in the community can offer suggestions on what has worked for them also?

Take care

Miranda 

CCNSW

[Milo01]

Dear Miranda_ccnsw,

Sorry for such a late reply. I was waiting to have a consultation with the Dietitian before answering.

I basically tried eating something simple for dinner one night last week, not hungry at all.Plain pasta spirals, with a sprinkling of salt and shredded parmesan cheese on top.A side plate size.  And bam! I smashed that meal. I actually couldn’t believe how quick I ate that. So the next night I tried it again, just a bigger portion and the same thing happened. I cleaned that plate up within minutes. And from there, my appetite has just come back. I listened to what my body wants to eat and I have been eating. I also dropped the nutritional drink in the middle of the day and have been hungry for actual food again. As long as I am not force feeding myself, I am eating. But the change was just instant with that simple pasta meal. I was trying so hard to eat the proper thing all the time, that I lost the enjoyment of eating. Taking away the one nutritional drink, made my stomach emptier towards dinner time and I wanted to have something to eat at this time. But I was a little hesitant to change things up. But feel better for having done it. I thought if it doesn’t work, then I can always go back.

The dietitian was really nice and a new one I have been referred to in my catchment area. They let me know that at my stage of recovery, the nutritional drinks are the supplementary component of my diet now, and that food comes first. Eat solids first and drink the nutritional drinks if I am still hungry in between. I am not where I was before in my treatment and the opportunity is there to change now and transition to getting my nutrients from food now. But that I don’t need to jump straight off the deep end. I can slowly transition. It felt good to be supported like that and not be pressured into doing anything.

My food choices aren’t the 5 foods pyramid yet, but they are food. And eating something right now is better than nothing. And that I can change slowly into more variety with time. That takes the pressure off me and is one less thing I have to try to work out with my mind fog.

My only question now is, what do I do with my leftover drinks? I ordered quite a lot to keep me going for a month. But maybe I will still use them as snacks or breakfast on the go.

Thank you,

Milo01

[Miranda_ccnsw]

Hi @Milo01 

Thanks so much for the update on your progress. It's fantastic news that you have found a new dietician and that are managing to eat more food now. Sometimes it is just a perspective shift that can change things, in this case the switch to food being primary and the nutritional drinks being supplementary at this stage of your journey. Sounds like you are trying different things to see what works and listening to your body. Pasta for now sounds great. It can be such a challenge to think and make decisions through the brain fog - keep taking it one day at a time. I'm sure the extra drinks you have will happily sit in your cupboard as supplementary back up for now as you work through increasing your food intake as a priority.  

Keep going and stay strong,

Miranda 

CCNSW