Can't eat

I'm trying, but after Sundays fiasco with some funky herby chicken, I can;t seem to eat anything.  Nothing tastes good, bordering on getting sick after two bites.  Tonight I tried 5 different things, only to throw them all away.  The only thing that tasted good was an irish coffee from the local irish pub.  I'm giving up for tonight, but I just wish I could eat something.  I've tried all my favorite things, things that have worked in the past, but I'drather not eat, then get sick.  I know there's nothing anyone can do for me, but I'm sad, and slightly depresed.  Sorry, I don't have anything left tonight, maybe tomorrow.  Hugs Nancy

Comments

  • Lou Ann M
    Lou Ann M Member Posts: 996 Member
    Nancy

    i am so sorry that you  having this problem.  I have  had this problem and it can certainly be discouraging.  I had several times when I just couldn't eat or drink hardly anything.  Sometimes it is the things you joyed the most that gave the biggest dislike.  If all else fails you can got hydration at the ER or the infusion center.  That will make you feel a lot better.. Has hard as it is , don't stress, rest and sleep and try again tomorrow.  I did have some luck ith popcycles. Smoothies and very oddly, pizza.  Now pizza is on my list of things my stomach doesn't want to.  Hugs and prayers, Lou Ann

  • Lou Ann M
    Lou Ann M Member Posts: 996 Member
    Nancy

    i am so sorry that you  having this problem.  I have  had this problem and it can certainly be discouraging.  I had several times when I just couldn't eat or drink hardly anything.  Sometimes it is the things you joyed the most that gave the biggest dislike.  If all else fails you can got hydration at the ER or the infusion center.  That will make you feel a lot better.. Has hard as it is , don't stress, rest and sleep and try again tomorrow.  I did have some luck ith popcycles. Smoothies and very oddly, pizza.  Now pizza is on my list of things my stomach doesn't want to.  Hugs and prayers, Lou Ann

  • bluehyacinth
    bluehyacinth Member Posts: 52 Member
    Hello Donswife, I am sorry

    Hello Donswife, I am sorry you are having to go through this too. I love food and had that problem with my first chemo regiment and it got worse and worse and I also had the problem with something that tasted soso tasted like crap the next time so I had to constantly find new things to eat and  most of it went out either from the top or the bottom which made me dehydrated as well and this makes the chemo even harder to tolerate. Just writing about makes me remember how awful it was. I sure feel for you and it certainly is depressing. The only thing I could get down the whole time was a small amount of outmeal with banana but only before noon.

    I got my appetite back pretty quick after chemo though, oddly enough one would have thought it would take longer, but perhaps being done with it got my whole immunesystem so happy that the appetite returned quicker.

     

    I hope your appetite returns quickly if not soon then once you are done. I know that day cannot come soon enough. 

     

  • EZLiving66
    EZLiving66 Member Posts: 1,482 Member
    I'm so sorry, Nancy.  My

    I'm so sorry, Nancy.  My tongue is still partially numb from the chemo and I'm sure that really affects how things taste if that's what's happened to you.  I also think the chemo kills a lot of cells in the stomach lining which makes it so hard to properly digest food.  I swear I will never eat grapes again after barfing them up all night long.  I sucked ice chips and those freezy pop things all the time - the cold felt good.  You have been through so much trying to get through this d*mn chemo!!  

    Love,

    Eldri 

  • molimoli
    molimoli Member Posts: 514
    Very sorry to hear this

    Very sorry to hear this Nancy,but hang in there ,that too shall pass. Do you get young jelly coconut in your supermarket? if so try it ,first drink the coconut water directly from coconut with a straw then open in half and eat the soft jel, it's very nutritious and easy to tolerate.It's worth a try for all you sisters on Chemo or not.I hope something works quickly ahead of  dehydration.

    Moli--hugging you back, Nuff Love

  • TeddyandBears_Mom
    TeddyandBears_Mom Member Posts: 1,811 Member
    molimoli said:

    Very sorry to hear this

    Very sorry to hear this Nancy,but hang in there ,that too shall pass. Do you get young jelly coconut in your supermarket? if so try it ,first drink the coconut water directly from coconut with a straw then open in half and eat the soft jel, it's very nutritious and easy to tolerate.It's worth a try for all you sisters on Chemo or not.I hope something works quickly ahead of  dehydration.

    Moli--hugging you back, Nuff Love

    Nancy

    I hope today brings you some relief. I had days where I didn't feel like eating but never to the extent you and others have had.

    Milkshakes always worked well for me. I used lowfat milk and lowfat ice cream and made them fairly thin.

    As others have said - popsicles may be the best thing for you to help with dehydration.

    Take Care and get some rest if you can.

    Love and Hugs,

    Cindi

  • Soup52
    Soup52 Member Posts: 908 Member
    Eating

    im sorry to hear of your eating problems. Usually I can't eat for the first few days after chemo and then my appetite improves. Of course I can get sassy and think I can eat anything. Well of course not true! A full week after chemo this week I endured a night of pain and diarrhea. Yuck you just never know what will set it off. I'm being more careful now after of a day of eating very little . Best of luck! I hope the effects will subside for you!

  • Gardena
    Gardena Member Posts: 102
    water, water, water

    Hi Nancy, I'm sorry you're going thru this. I found drinking as much water as I could tolerate (4 quarts a day was my average) helped get my system back in order after chemo and made food more palatable.  It also helps make you feel less hungry when you are hungry but your stomach is on strike. I added a squeeze of lemon or orange in the water and it helped wake up my taste buds. 

    I really hope you start feeling better soon, chemo is so hard. Wishing you well~

  • ncg007
    ncg007 Member Posts: 138 Member
    Appetite

    Sorry I know the feeling.  It may be best to avoid anything with strong seasons and stick to bland foods.  I could not eat much the first few days following chemo and after that stuck to cereal, yogurt, eggs and toast until my appetite recovered.  I can not stand water, I gag drinking it!  Hope your appetite recovers soon.

    Nancy

  • Editgrl
    Editgrl Member Posts: 903 Member
    Just checking on you

    Nancy, has it gotten any better?  I'm so sorry you are having to endure this.

    Chris

  • Editgrl said:

    Just checking on you

    Nancy, has it gotten any better?  I'm so sorry you are having to endure this.

    Chris

    Yes, somewhat

    I guess I'm just rushing my taste, yesterday I had 1/2 salad with balsamic dressing and it tasted great, then last night I couldn't eat anything.  Today I tried a bagel with plain cream cheese, and the cream cheese had a unpleasant mouth feel and not real tasty.  The bagel wasn't great either, but now I'm enjoying a cappicino.  It's only been 8 days since last chemo (only carbo) so I guess I'm doing OK.  I am drinking water and some coffee so at least I'm staying hydrated.  I'm sure there are better days ahead, until the next round (the last!).  Hugs Nancy

  • EZLiving66
    EZLiving66 Member Posts: 1,482 Member
    unknown said:

    Yes, somewhat

    I guess I'm just rushing my taste, yesterday I had 1/2 salad with balsamic dressing and it tasted great, then last night I couldn't eat anything.  Today I tried a bagel with plain cream cheese, and the cream cheese had a unpleasant mouth feel and not real tasty.  The bagel wasn't great either, but now I'm enjoying a cappicino.  It's only been 8 days since last chemo (only carbo) so I guess I'm doing OK.  I am drinking water and some coffee so at least I'm staying hydrated.  I'm sure there are better days ahead, until the next round (the last!).  Hugs Nancy

    I'm glad to hear you're

    I'm glad to hear you're "tasting" better and at least able to eat something.  It's been 14 weeks since my last chemo and my tongue still has a numb feel to it.  Sweet things do not taste good at all and I am a sweet-aholic.  Spicy things taste better to me now and I was never a spicy food person.  Strange, huh?  

    I wonder if anybody else's taste buds have changed from chemo??

    Love,

    Eldri

  • TeddyandBears_Mom
    TeddyandBears_Mom Member Posts: 1,811 Member

    I'm glad to hear you're

    I'm glad to hear you're "tasting" better and at least able to eat something.  It's been 14 weeks since my last chemo and my tongue still has a numb feel to it.  Sweet things do not taste good at all and I am a sweet-aholic.  Spicy things taste better to me now and I was never a spicy food person.  Strange, huh?  

    I wonder if anybody else's taste buds have changed from chemo??

    Love,

    Eldri

    Taste Buds

    Eldri - Mine changed during chemo. Could not eat sweets at all. Hated the way walnuts and grapes tasted too. Along with other things... Now, I'm back to my  normal self. Still enjoy sugar too much. I can eat walnuts now but I still can't eat grapes. The thought of eating grapes makes me nauseas.

    I also have developed a taste for things with a little bit more spice. Not much but more than I used to.

    Nancy - glad you are starting to feel better. Build up so that you can sail through your LAST ONE!

    Love and Hugs,

    Cindi

  • It happened to Me
    It happened to Me Member Posts: 206 Member
    Tastes changing

    I survived on cold watermelon, cold kiwi, some applesauce.  I had nausea pretty bad so I ended up getting stronger nausea pills.  Once I started throwing up, I ended up in the ER to get the puking stopped and get rehydrated.  Hot tea also soothed me.  I tried ginger tea for nausea.  Real ginger, and I don't think we did it right because it didn't taste well at all.  Gatorade helped with keeping electrolytes in balance on the days I couldn't eat.  I ate little bits at a time.  By the time I got to 2 weeks past chemo., I was eating better and more things.  

    My encouragement is to keep trying things until you find the thing that makes your mouth feel good.  Eat small even if it is a bite every hour or whatever works for you.  I think canned pears also tasted good in my mouth.

    Don't give up.  Remember, this too shall pass.

    Jeanette

  • debrajo
    debrajo Member Posts: 1,095 Member
    Sorry!

    Bless your Heart!  No advice here!  I had the exact opposit reaction to chemo...I couldn't STOP eatinng!  I gained 30 pounds...and the cravings were worse that when pregnant!  The only thing they told me not to eat was hotdogs, and guess what I craved the most?  Yeah, hotdogs!  I am not the sweet-eater I use to be, but my tast is still off since I crave salt.  I use never to use salt, now it goes on everything!  I would love to help you, but sweet tea and the watermelon are really good choises!  Best, DebraJo

  • Lily_Anne
    Lily_Anne Member Posts: 39
    Fizzy is good

    I have found fizzy sugary drinks help even though the thought makes me feel sick, when I drink them I have a lift. I hate this no taste. I nibble dry biscuits as it settles my stomach but my digestion is awful. Then I am starving hungry and could eat for England, after about a week. It's been slower this dose compared to the first two. I feel fuller quicker and hope that doesn't mean anything bad. I also found really strong tastes like spicy curry which isn't good for my colostomy and sweet chilli sauce worked.

    LA

  • Lily_Anne said:

    Fizzy is good

    I have found fizzy sugary drinks help even though the thought makes me feel sick, when I drink them I have a lift. I hate this no taste. I nibble dry biscuits as it settles my stomach but my digestion is awful. Then I am starving hungry and could eat for England, after about a week. It's been slower this dose compared to the first two. I feel fuller quicker and hope that doesn't mean anything bad. I also found really strong tastes like spicy curry which isn't good for my colostomy and sweet chilli sauce worked.

    LA

    Yes!

    Lol, I agree with the starving hungry and could eat everything, but feeling full after a couple of bites.  Thank you all for wisdom and encouragement.  I realize I'm not sick to my stomach like some of you, and so I am doing OK.  And since I'm overweight when I started this journey, I don't have to worry about losing weight.  I still don't have an appetite, but I am thinking of foods so that must be a good sign.  I did end up eating some nachos last night with friends, and they tasted pretty good, so spicy foods did the trick last night.  Meat isn't great, so I'm trying to substitute other protein.  Unfortunately the best foods are celery, watermelon and strawberries, not much food value, but at least it will keep the digestive system working. The weekend brings out the food enticements from the local restaurants and while everything sounds good, I visualize eating it, and decide it doesn't seem good.  I'll stick to a salad bar maybe, and sneak in some cheese for protein.  Hugs Nancy