Weight loss on post op Xeloda

marypatwilson
marypatwilson Member Posts: 14
edited March 2014 in Esophageal Cancer #1
Haven't posted anything lately, but keeping all those in need in my prayers. Just have a quick question. Jack is 3 1/2 months post op, and doing quite well, but he's been put on post op Xeloda...2 weeks on and 1 week off. He's now in his second cycle, and other than fatigue seems to be tolerating it fairly well. His dosage has been reduced and he's taking a few meds to help his appetite. He's eating quite a bit, I think, but continues to lose weight...and I'm getting frantic. He walks a mile a day and is returning to his normal activities little by little, so he's feeling pretty good. Anyone out there had these issues with post op chemo? Frankly, he didn't lose much weight in the pre-op treatment so I'm wondering why now. I recently got him some Whey Protein powder which we add to a hefty milk shake once daily.

Comments

  • kitten0385
    kitten0385 Member Posts: 248
    #2
    Hi Mary!

    I don't know if I really have much insight as to what Jack should be eating on his post-op chemo. I took Xeloda as well, but didn't have a whole lot of trouble maintaining weight, I lost a few pounds, but was small to begin with. Hopefully the protein powder will help. Also, making sure he's eating several smaller meals rather than just three may help as well. Pack in lots of protein, and make sure it's foods he likes. That was my biggest deal, liking what I was eating. Sorry I couldn't offer more. Good luck!!

    Cathy
  • marypatwilson
    marypatwilson Member Posts: 14
    #3
    kitten0385 said:

    Hi Mary!

    I don't know if I really have much insight as to what Jack should be eating on his post-op chemo. I took Xeloda as well, but didn't have a whole lot of trouble maintaining weight, I lost a few pounds, but was small to begin with. Hopefully the protein powder will help. Also, making sure he's eating several smaller meals rather than just three may help as well. Pack in lots of protein, and make sure it's foods he likes. That was my biggest deal, liking what I was eating. Sorry I couldn't offer more. Good luck!!

    Cathy

    Thanks, Cathy
    Appreciate your answer. I really do think we're doing the right things, but we'll keep looking for more good things to eat.with lots of calories and protien. It seems he eats all day long. I haven't mentioned that Jack is 76 years old which surely does not help the situation. We've been married 51 years and he's always weighed around 200 pounds. Today he was 165..You can see why I'm getting frantic.
    Anyway, I'm praying that your treatment kicks the daylights out of those nasty cells. I've been following your postings and really admire your determination and attitude. You'll beat it for sure! My best to you..
    Pat (Marypat)
  • kitten0385
    kitten0385 Member Posts: 248
    #4
    marypatwilson said:

    Thanks, Cathy
    Appreciate your answer. I really do think we're doing the right things, but we'll keep looking for more good things to eat.with lots of calories and protien. It seems he eats all day long. I haven't mentioned that Jack is 76 years old which surely does not help the situation. We've been married 51 years and he's always weighed around 200 pounds. Today he was 165..You can see why I'm getting frantic.
    Anyway, I'm praying that your treatment kicks the daylights out of those nasty cells. I've been following your postings and really admire your determination and attitude. You'll beat it for sure! My best to you..
    Pat (Marypat)

    Thanks Pat!!
    Pat,

    Thank you so much!! I am determined to beat it!!! I'd be getting a bit worried too. I got down to 101 pounds, but am back up to about 110, so hanging in there. I've never weighed a lot, before surgery and all I was about 127. So really didn't lose a ton, but when you're small to begin with it looks like a ton. I wish you and Jack the best!!! My prayers are with you!!

    Cathy
  • emg09
    emg09 Member Posts: 228
    #5
    kitten0385 said:

    Thanks Pat!!
    Pat,

    Thank you so much!! I am determined to beat it!!! I'd be getting a bit worried too. I got down to 101 pounds, but am back up to about 110, so hanging in there. I've never weighed a lot, before surgery and all I was about 127. So really didn't lose a ton, but when you're small to begin with it looks like a ton. I wish you and Jack the best!!! My prayers are with you!!

    Cathy

    HI,
    We tried giving my 70
    HI,

    We tried giving my 70 year old father something called Benecalorie. Here's the write up.

    Maximum energy in a compact, 1.5-oz serving.

    There are two reasons why BENECALORIE® is the ultimate solution for fighting fatigue; a formula that packs 7 grams of high-quality protein and 330 calories into a single 1.5-oz serving, and its ability to blend easily into liquids and most foods. Maximum nutrition, maximum flexibility, maximum variety, with a minimum serving size.

    However, it's chalky and my dad HATED it. Personally, he could have tried a little harder and I did fight with him to just get it down. I can't be worse than the barrium stuff he has to drink when he has his tests!!! It's much smaller, but he just wouldn't do it. I really think it would be helpful. Maybe you'll have better luck. Let me know if you try it and if he likes it. I believe you can mix it in all drinks, but double check that!!!

    Erika
  • marypatwilson
    marypatwilson Member Posts: 14
    #6
    emg09 said:

    HI,
    We tried giving my 70
    HI,

    We tried giving my 70 year old father something called Benecalorie. Here's the write up.

    Maximum energy in a compact, 1.5-oz serving.

    There are two reasons why BENECALORIE® is the ultimate solution for fighting fatigue; a formula that packs 7 grams of high-quality protein and 330 calories into a single 1.5-oz serving, and its ability to blend easily into liquids and most foods. Maximum nutrition, maximum flexibility, maximum variety, with a minimum serving size.

    However, it's chalky and my dad HATED it. Personally, he could have tried a little harder and I did fight with him to just get it down. I can't be worse than the barrium stuff he has to drink when he has his tests!!! It's much smaller, but he just wouldn't do it. I really think it would be helpful. Maybe you'll have better luck. Let me know if you try it and if he likes it. I believe you can mix it in all drinks, but double check that!!!

    Erika

    Weogjt loss
    thanks Erika, I will suggest it to him..We're trying Whey Protein and milk shakes and anything else I can think of, but he's still losing...up to a pound a day. Yesterday they stopped his follow up chemo, so we'l see if that was the culprit. I know it'll take awhile before we see any results. Thanks for your answer...Pat
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #7
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • jmstls
    jmstls Member Posts: 9
    #8
    Hi Mary:
    I do have two
    Hi Mary:

    I do have two suggestions, my husband drinks these as right now he can only drink shakes because of side effects of radiation and I'm trying to get him to put on weight or at least not lose anymore. I hope you are allowed to name brand names on here. But anyway one is Carnation Instant Breakfast VHC, you can only order it on the internet; one can is about 540 calories. The other is called Scandishake (also only from the internet) its a powder and when you mix it with 8 ozs. of whole milk it's 600 calories. The carnation VHC only comes in vanilla but the scandishake comes in three flavors. We mix the Carnation with a little milk and ice cream and it makes a great shake but is also good on its own.

    Hope this helps!!

    Joyce
  • emg09
    emg09 Member Posts: 228
    #9
    jmstls said:

    Hi Mary:
    I do have two
    Hi Mary:

    I do have two suggestions, my husband drinks these as right now he can only drink shakes because of side effects of radiation and I'm trying to get him to put on weight or at least not lose anymore. I hope you are allowed to name brand names on here. But anyway one is Carnation Instant Breakfast VHC, you can only order it on the internet; one can is about 540 calories. The other is called Scandishake (also only from the internet) its a powder and when you mix it with 8 ozs. of whole milk it's 600 calories. The carnation VHC only comes in vanilla but the scandishake comes in three flavors. We mix the Carnation with a little milk and ice cream and it makes a great shake but is also good on its own.

    Hope this helps!!

    Joyce

    We ordered the carnation VHC
    We ordered the carnation VHC for my dad. He HATES them. I'll look up the scandishake, maybe he'll drink that. Thanks for posting that!!! I will try it in the shake form to see if that makes a difference for him. He's being VERY difficult with getting the extra calories. I know it's hard, but as we all know, they need to keep up their strength.

    Erika
  • jmstls
    jmstls Member Posts: 9
    #10
    emg09 said:

    We ordered the carnation VHC
    We ordered the carnation VHC for my dad. He HATES them. I'll look up the scandishake, maybe he'll drink that. Thanks for posting that!!! I will try it in the shake form to see if that makes a difference for him. He's being VERY difficult with getting the extra calories. I know it's hard, but as we all know, they need to keep up their strength.

    Erika

    VHC
    Erika:

    When my husband first tried the VHC he didn't like it because he thought it was to thick, so before I even started making shakes, I poured the VHC into a taller glass and added whole milk to it and he liked it like that and I figured that was even more calories. Also, have him try it again I think they have different tastes. When Tom first tried the strawberry scandishakes he hated it and then I read that it mixes up better in the blender and its now his favorite.

    Joyce
  • emg09
    emg09 Member Posts: 228
    #11
    jmstls said:

    VHC
    Erika:

    When my husband first tried the VHC he didn't like it because he thought it was to thick, so before I even started making shakes, I poured the VHC into a taller glass and added whole milk to it and he liked it like that and I figured that was even more calories. Also, have him try it again I think they have different tastes. When Tom first tried the strawberry scandishakes he hated it and then I read that it mixes up better in the blender and its now his favorite.

    Joyce

    Thanks, I'll tell my mom to
    Thanks, I'll tell my mom to try that. He just needs to gain his strength since he's so sick again. I wonder how the VHC would mix up with extra milk and ice in the blender. I'll try that too. Anything to get him to drink it.
  • marypatwilson
    marypatwilson Member Posts: 14
    #12
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    Tips for gaining weight.
    Thanks Bill, for al the tips. I'll try to incorporate some of them into his diet. He's really starting to pack in quite a bit of food, but so far the scale isn't showing it. However, and this is big, he hasn't lost any more weight. We head to Duke on Thursday and hopefully, they'll not be concerned with the fact that we are leaving the folowing Thursday for a cruise to New England. We are both really looking forward to it, and what better way to gain weight? Will keep you posted. Wish us luck, and hopefully we will get to join you and Loretta for lunch one day soon. Pat
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #13
    marypatwilson said:

    Tips for gaining weight.
    Thanks Bill, for al the tips. I'll try to incorporate some of them into his diet. He's really starting to pack in quite a bit of food, but so far the scale isn't showing it. However, and this is big, he hasn't lost any more weight. We head to Duke on Thursday and hopefully, they'll not be concerned with the fact that we are leaving the folowing Thursday for a cruise to New England. We are both really looking forward to it, and what better way to gain weight? Will keep you posted. Wish us luck, and hopefully we will get to join you and Loretta for lunch one day soon. Pat

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

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