Hello, lump of coal in my throat!
I'm thinking about just switching to a high-calorie liquid diet now because trying to eat is bumming me out. I've been keeping high spirits for the past few weeks, and I think I would feel better if I just said, "Food is medicine for a while, so stop dwelling on it."
I figure as long as I keep swallowing throughout and I maintain calories, it's fine to switch now, right?
Comments
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Laralyn....I keep following your updates
because you are one week ahead of me...I'm sorry I can't help you, but want you to know that you DO help me...I just keep putting my feet into your imprints, and tagging along (tho I didn't follow you into the fungus party..............yet....LOL).
YES YES YES....food is fuel now...and your belly is the tank...it has to be viewed that way. If we were going to wait for eating to be fun, we'd all starve to death. I plan to eat till I can't, then switch to the liquid fuel...I'm sure you can simply switch over when that time comes. Use your swallower till you can't, then move to the tube...and I plan on doing peaches like John did, to keep the swallower swallowing. A little torture to make my day complete...right!
Now......go open up a Boost
.
p0 -
Thanks, Frannie!phrannie51 said:Laralyn....I keep following your updates
because you are one week ahead of me...I'm sorry I can't help you, but want you to know that you DO help me...I just keep putting my feet into your imprints, and tagging along (tho I didn't follow you into the fungus party..............yet....LOL).
YES YES YES....food is fuel now...and your belly is the tank...it has to be viewed that way. If we were going to wait for eating to be fun, we'd all starve to death. I plan to eat till I can't, then switch to the liquid fuel...I'm sure you can simply switch over when that time comes. Use your swallower till you can't, then move to the tube...and I plan on doing peaches like John did, to keep the swallower swallowing. A little torture to make my day complete...right!
Now......go open up a Boost.
p
You just cheered me up, and I needed it. :-)
I'm actually using Carnation Instant Breakfast VHC, which packs 560 calories into one little can! I'm also stopping after radiation today to get some shake supplies. I'm about 100 pounds overweight, which is why maintaining my weight is going to be pretty tough! But that doesn't mean I can't do my best, right?0 -
You just helped me..........again!Laralyn said:Thanks, Frannie!
You just cheered me up, and I needed it. :-)
I'm actually using Carnation Instant Breakfast VHC, which packs 560 calories into one little can! I'm also stopping after radiation today to get some shake supplies. I'm about 100 pounds overweight, which is why maintaining my weight is going to be pretty tough! But that doesn't mean I can't do my best, right?
Instant Breakfast VHC, huh? I've never heard of it, but damn, that's almost 600 calories without having to take in a bunch of volume......just the way I want to do this. Where do you get it, or did you have to order it? Are you drinking it with whole milk or Half and Half? Which flavors are best (I usually hate the chocolate from any phoney source)
If you have weight to lose, then I guess this is the time to lose it...but I have a feeling it will drop, even while pumping in tons of calories. Cancer must burn calories faster than regular cells...so that's why the HIGH HIGH intake, and still weight loss happens.
p0 -
Actually, my doctors are lecturing me...phrannie51 said:You just helped me..........again!
Instant Breakfast VHC, huh? I've never heard of it, but damn, that's almost 600 calories without having to take in a bunch of volume......just the way I want to do this. Where do you get it, or did you have to order it? Are you drinking it with whole milk or Half and Half? Which flavors are best (I usually hate the chocolate from any phoney source)
If you have weight to lose, then I guess this is the time to lose it...but I have a feeling it will drop, even while pumping in tons of calories. Cancer must burn calories faster than regular cells...so that's why the HIGH HIGH intake, and still weight loss happens.
p
... that this is NOT the time to lose weight. They really want me to maintain. Apparently a normal person needs to consume as many as 2000 calories per day to cope with (and heal from) radiation and chemo... so it's even higher for me!
It only comes in one flavor, I think: vanilla. I got it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001W6RH52/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER. It's pre-mixed and I'm allergic to milk, so I just drink it straight.
The milk allergy isn't severe but it's a true allergy rather than just being lactose intolerant. It's going to make this interesting because I don't want to increase inflammation and mucus... but it's hard to find shake ideas without dairy that sound at all appealing. And I refuse to stop eating yogurt with live cultures to keep the thrush at bay!0 -
Right on Time....
Like you, around this time I switched over to mainly all liquid forms. Mainly Ensure Plus at 350 calories per can (and tons of vitamnins/minerals).
Usually consuming between 4-6 cans per day....
I also like P51 mentioned would add a few sliced peaches to the routine. I like the DelMonte lightly sweetned. They came in jars similar to the old fashioned Mason Jars I think.
Plenty of water with that also....
My routine was to setup and follow a sequence around three times a day.
Two big glasses of water, peaches, Ensure, liquid mds (usually oxi or the hydro), and a ground up percocet in just a little water.
First the liquid meds to numb numb...
Then Ensure, peaches, water, Ensure, percocet, and the other glass of water....
The run to a nice hot shower...LOL, not sure why, but the hot running water over my face neck and the rest felt great.
By the time I was finished wit hthe shower, the percocet would kick in to take the edge off of any resdiual pain.
Best,
John0 -
I was just thinking, after reading so many other'sLaralyn said:Actually, my doctors are lecturing me...
... that this is NOT the time to lose weight. They really want me to maintain. Apparently a normal person needs to consume as many as 2000 calories per day to cope with (and heal from) radiation and chemo... so it's even higher for me!
It only comes in one flavor, I think: vanilla. I got it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001W6RH52/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER. It's pre-mixed and I'm allergic to milk, so I just drink it straight.
The milk allergy isn't severe but it's a true allergy rather than just being lactose intolerant. It's going to make this interesting because I don't want to increase inflammation and mucus... but it's hard to find shake ideas without dairy that sound at all appealing. And I refuse to stop eating yogurt with live cultures to keep the thrush at bay!
stories, that losing weight would be hard to avoid....tho I know the Dr.'s keep a close eye on weight loss for everybody...nutrician comes first no matter what...fuel promotes healing.
It won't be long before what sounds good isn't going to matter, anyway....we won't be able to taste anything....we can throw anything we want into the blender with wanton delight, cuz it won't matter what it tastes like...LOL.
p0 -
catabolicLaralyn said:Thanks, Frannie!
You just cheered me up, and I needed it. :-)
I'm actually using Carnation Instant Breakfast VHC, which packs 560 calories into one little can! I'm also stopping after radiation today to get some shake supplies. I'm about 100 pounds overweight, which is why maintaining my weight is going to be pretty tough! But that doesn't mean I can't do my best, right?
states are to be avoided, because nothing good happens to your health while involuntarily losing weight. I hit the ensure on week three of rads. I just calculated the required calories, made a plan for ingestion of same, and went to a liquid diet. 2000 cal/day was enough until the end of rads. Then calorie requirements went way up for about 2 months and I compensated for that with increased consumption. I'm still on a liquid diet, just starting back to some solids. Ensure is still a way of life for me, and I too consider it medicinal. This will pass for you, and for me both. BTW, the transition to liquids is pretty easy and you get used to it pretty fast.
Pat0 -
Thanks for all the quick responses!Skiffin16 said:Right on Time....
Like you, around this time I switched over to mainly all liquid forms. Mainly Ensure Plus at 350 calories per can (and tons of vitamnins/minerals).
Usually consuming between 4-6 cans per day....
I also like P51 mentioned would add a few sliced peaches to the routine. I like the DelMonte lightly sweetned. They came in jars similar to the old fashioned Mason Jars I think.
Plenty of water with that also....
My routine was to setup and follow a sequence around three times a day.
Two big glasses of water, peaches, Ensure, liquid mds (usually oxi or the hydro), and a ground up percocet in just a little water.
First the liquid meds to numb numb...
Then Ensure, peaches, water, Ensure, percocet, and the other glass of water....
The run to a nice hot shower...LOL, not sure why, but the hot running water over my face neck and the rest felt great.
By the time I was finished wit hthe shower, the percocet would kick in to take the edge off of any resdiual pain.
Best,
John
You guys are awesome. It's great to know that I'm actually around the same place you folks were, and that as much as it goes uphill a bit from here, I'll crest that hill and start going down the other side. :-)0 -
you are doing great !Laralyn said:Thanks for all the quick responses!
You guys are awesome. It's great to know that I'm actually around the same place you folks were, and that as much as it goes uphill a bit from here, I'll crest that hill and start going down the other side. :-)
Laralyn, as everyone has said, this is not the time to diet.... I also was a bit overweight before my diagnosis. I lost about 70 pounds before I even had my surgery because my tongue was swollen so badly that I couldn't eat. Once I started rads, they really wanted me to maintain my (new) weight and for the first time ever in my life, I had to try to GAIN weight. You have to have enough calories to counteract all the bad stuff they are doing to your body ! so keep hydrated, get the calories in any form you can and stay on top of your meds as scheduled. It sounds like you are right on schedule and will soon see the other side of the hill (actually it's more like a mountain)0 -
lump of coal in the throat and fire on the chest
Hi All:
Looks like we're all in the same stages here -- I have finished 3 1/2 weeks of radiation and 4 chemo treaments -- it should have been 5 as of today, but my chest is flaming and has blisters (I am on cetuximab/aka erbitux) . Just turned the corner into lidocaine and liquid food myself today. Taste is almost completely gone.Right now my tongue burns even drinking water, sort of like acid.
Seems like the radiation will go on no matter what - doctor saw the blisters today and seemed concerned, but not overly worried, just said that these symptoms are all showing up a little early. I suspect that the erbitux and radiation are both interacting in some complicated ways.
So, I'll drink a toast to all of you with my Ensure. Carnation breakfast sounds like a good idea, unless it unleashes too much mucuous? What's been your experience?0 -
lump of coal in the throat and fire on the chest
Hi All:
Looks like we're all in the same stages here -- I have finished 3 1/2 weeks of radiation and 4 chemo treaments -- it should have been 5 as of today, but my chest is flaming and has blisters (I am on cetuximab/aka erbitux) . Just turned the corner into lidocaine and liquid food myself today. Taste is almost completely gone.Right now my tongue burns even drinking water, sort of like acid.
Seems like the radiation will go on no matter what - doctor saw the blisters today and seemed concerned, but not overly worried, just said that these symptoms are all showing up a little early. I suspect that the erbitux and radiation are both interacting in some complicated ways.
So, I'll drink a toast to all of you with my Ensure. Carnation breakfast sounds like a good idea, unless it unleashes too much mucuous? What's been your experience?0 -
lump of coal in the throat and fire on the chest
Hi All:
Looks like we're all in the same stages here -- I have finished 3 1/2 weeks of radiation and 4 chemo treaments -- it should have been 5 as of today, but my chest is flaming and has blisters (I am on cetuximab/aka erbitux) . Just turned the corner into lidocaine and liquid food myself today. Taste is almost completely gone.Right now my tongue burns even drinking water, sort of like acid.
Seems like the radiation will go on no matter what - doctor saw the blisters today and seemed concerned, but not overly worried, just said that these symptoms are all showing up a little early. I suspect that the erbitux and radiation are both interacting in some complicated ways.
So, I'll drink a toast to all of you with my Ensure. Carnation breakfast sounds like a good idea, unless it unleashes too much mucuous? What's been your experience?0 -
Hi sunshine!!sunshine_64 said:lump of coal in the throat and fire on the chest
Hi All:
Looks like we're all in the same stages here -- I have finished 3 1/2 weeks of radiation and 4 chemo treaments -- it should have been 5 as of today, but my chest is flaming and has blisters (I am on cetuximab/aka erbitux) . Just turned the corner into lidocaine and liquid food myself today. Taste is almost completely gone.Right now my tongue burns even drinking water, sort of like acid.
Seems like the radiation will go on no matter what - doctor saw the blisters today and seemed concerned, but not overly worried, just said that these symptoms are all showing up a little early. I suspect that the erbitux and radiation are both interacting in some complicated ways.
So, I'll drink a toast to all of you with my Ensure. Carnation breakfast sounds like a good idea, unless it unleashes too much mucuous? What's been your experience?
I haven't turned corners yet, as I'm 10 days behind you, and a week behind Laralyn...tho in talking to the dietcian today, she wants me to sincerely start thinking of supplimenting my diet with my tube (oh, so soon? said I)....I'm having so much trouble with nausea from the amifostine....one day I'm feeling good and hungry, and then the next, like today...I feel like crap and nothing sounds good and there's the slight problem of getting it past the "gagger" half way down my throat. So tonight I'm musing on that.
Sounds like the Erbitux did a number on you....owie in a big way.
I'm thinking the Carnation stuff might be a way to avoid mucous a little because there is no milk product in it......just a thought, don't know it for a fact, tho.
p0 -
experimentsunshine_64 said:lump of coal in the throat and fire on the chest
Hi All:
Looks like we're all in the same stages here -- I have finished 3 1/2 weeks of radiation and 4 chemo treaments -- it should have been 5 as of today, but my chest is flaming and has blisters (I am on cetuximab/aka erbitux) . Just turned the corner into lidocaine and liquid food myself today. Taste is almost completely gone.Right now my tongue burns even drinking water, sort of like acid.
Seems like the radiation will go on no matter what - doctor saw the blisters today and seemed concerned, but not overly worried, just said that these symptoms are all showing up a little early. I suspect that the erbitux and radiation are both interacting in some complicated ways.
So, I'll drink a toast to all of you with my Ensure. Carnation breakfast sounds like a good idea, unless it unleashes too much mucuous? What's been your experience?
and see what works best for you. Milk products were worse for me in the mucus department, and for awhile plain watercwas pretty uncomfortanle. but just on the underside of my tongue, so I swallowed carefully to avoid exposure. And i rinsed immediately with salt/soda solution. That helped a lot. I spent weeks only drinking right over the sink where I was totally organizes.0 -
Palate is affectedlongtermsurvivor said:experiment
and see what works best for you. Milk products were worse for me in the mucus department, and for awhile plain watercwas pretty uncomfortanle. but just on the underside of my tongue, so I swallowed carefully to avoid exposure. And i rinsed immediately with salt/soda solution. That helped a lot. I spent weeks only drinking right over the sink where I was totally organizes.
I just realized why the burning made eating so challenging right off: my tonsil cancer had actually spread into my soft palate a bit, so the burning starts exactly where swallowing also starts.
I ordered another batch of the VHC breakfast drink to use as the basis for my shakes and in between meals. I ended up a little over 2000 calories last night, so here's to staying on track this time!
It doesn't seem to affect mucus much (it's lactose free, and I don't have much mucus yet anyway). I'm allergic to milk, but trying to keep things like yogurt and whey protein in my diet. If the mucus gets bad, though, I guess I'll have to let that stuff go too!0 -
The other "C" word
Liquid diets will keep you alive and help maintain weight but in many cases diets of Ensure (or generic brands) cause severe constipation (I know-trust me). To solve this I would take a dose of Miralax (or generic) every day; usually at night.
I lived on Ensure for two years before I switched to pureed (sp?) food through my tube.
Denny0 -
I ordered some of the Carnation yesterday....Laralyn said:Actually, my doctors are lecturing me...
... that this is NOT the time to lose weight. They really want me to maintain. Apparently a normal person needs to consume as many as 2000 calories per day to cope with (and heal from) radiation and chemo... so it's even higher for me!
It only comes in one flavor, I think: vanilla. I got it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001W6RH52/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER. It's pre-mixed and I'm allergic to milk, so I just drink it straight.
The milk allergy isn't severe but it's a true allergy rather than just being lactose intolerant. It's going to make this interesting because I don't want to increase inflammation and mucus... but it's hard to find shake ideas without dairy that sound at all appealing. And I refuse to stop eating yogurt with live cultures to keep the thrush at bay!
I thought that so many calories in such a small package can't be beat.
We met with the dietician, yesterday....and she wants me to start piling in the calories ...Having spent a lifetime of eating small, but eating many times a day, this stuff is priceless...
Thanks for the link!!
p0 -
Antiboticsunshine_64 said:lump of coal in the throat and fire on the chest
Hi All:
Looks like we're all in the same stages here -- I have finished 3 1/2 weeks of radiation and 4 chemo treaments -- it should have been 5 as of today, but my chest is flaming and has blisters (I am on cetuximab/aka erbitux) . Just turned the corner into lidocaine and liquid food myself today. Taste is almost completely gone.Right now my tongue burns even drinking water, sort of like acid.
Seems like the radiation will go on no matter what - doctor saw the blisters today and seemed concerned, but not overly worried, just said that these symptoms are all showing up a little early. I suspect that the erbitux and radiation are both interacting in some complicated ways.
So, I'll drink a toast to all of you with my Ensure. Carnation breakfast sounds like a good idea, unless it unleashes too much mucuous? What's been your experience?
If you haven't already done this get a Rx for the dreaded Erbitux rash it really helped me. Just remember some research people believe the rash is a sign the drug is working.
John0 -
hi laralyn... my name is lumpy in this site.. eileen
i wrote a few weeks back about that lump in my throat. I am 2 weeks post radiation for my throat. i am not a big pain medication person but with my lump it helped for me to take it. It just helped me to not think about it as much. I was told 2 weeks prior to radiation to eat lots and lots of fatty foods. I am over weight so that was music to my ears..i was told i would loose 40 lbs or more..I am as i said post radiation and havent lost a pound. but guess what? i am aliveeeee..i was able to eat pretty much all the way through radiaition as long as i chewed it for 2 or 3 hours..(just kidding) i did have to chew it real good. my drink of choice was high protien boost...It is sooo good I wish I could have it now. when i was at where you are I ate alotttt of italian ices..chocolate my favorite.
this is your time to do whatever you want with the food.. i needed to keep checking my swallower thats another reason i stayed with solid food..by the way i still have a tiny lump in my throat..my ent said its irritated and its suppose to be..stick with the site ill be watching for your posts..0
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