Recently diagnosed cancer, 64 years old, about nutrition ... for life after diagnosis

gabbygri

Hi all,

I am from Romania and after much searching I found this site and that I read a few days.
With your permission I will tell my story. (unfortunately real, no fiction)

My husband, Adrian, was diagnosed with EC in November 2011.
The investigation began when the sensations have increased the lump in the throat and he could not swallow food, had to drink some water.

At endoscopy biopsies were taken, then I let it run, followed by an appointment CT, and the results is : ADK eso-gastric junction.
Status: pT2bPN0

Doctor immediately sent to the surgeon and was operated on January 6, 2012. He spent a month in hospital, greatly weakened obviously, and the CT at 3 months tests out well.
It feels good, but can not eat anything, only liquid food or slightly solid.

A feature I would like to submit to, I have found the site a similar topic:
Nutrition. I read more about it but we found it necessary to adopt a vegetarian diet. In so doing eliminate meat products, milk and eggs.
This is because these products contain Vitamin B12 is contraindicated in patients with cancer either.
No one told us this, but one which caught our attention: when I went to doctor and gastroenterologist were prescribed only multivitamins without B12.
From that day I began to inform us and we found a lot of information that this vitamin is contraindicated.
But am wondering: if it is not allowed B12, however, this vitamin deficiency is harmful to you. We continue to have a vegetarian diet with more vegetables and fruit, protein seeds, nuts, and a variety of diets and good recipes.
Can eat anything I cook, blender and mix with all the vegetables, if you want to eat them raw.

He has a little problem with coughing, sometimes, rarely, has a cough, especially after eating or drinking liquids.
My husband was 98 kg and now has 70 kg. He does not look good skin was left, but no matter how eating little and often, he no longer fat.
But I think it's too early to think about.

I saw the site as WilliamWMarshall survived so many years this cruel disease, but I saw that others with less training did not survive more than 2-3 years.

I'm curious what kind of surgery was? My husband is operated above the breastbone to the bottom, below the navel, and another incision from the breastbone to armpit. Very large incisions.
Doctors said they had to check all the abdomen, then cut the top of the stomach (preventive) and tied it with the rest of the esophagus.

I want to know if anyone has done the same with diet and, if effective, as it says. Our opinion is clear: the disease does not disappear, but must keep guard up all the time and not let us down. And if this is a weapon, then nothing is too hard.

I'll go in mid-June to a new control, to see how we stand.
I keep you posted.

Good health with the Lord

Gabby

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Guigna

diet
Ironically, my husband (who has this same cancer) can no longer eat meat products, but unfortunately this doesn't make the cancer go away.

good luck

JReed

Hi Gabby
Hello Gabby:

As William has written - it sounds like the surgery your husband had is what we would call the Ivor Lewis procedure. Some doctors still use that procedure here in the United States. I am not sure how they determine when to do the Ivor Lewis (IL) or the Transhiatal Esophectomy (THE). William had the Minimally Invasive Esophectomy (MIE) and that surgery appears to have shorter healing period. Although any of the three surgeries will certainly knock a strong person right off their feet for awhile.

I have not read anything on withholding B12 - but you have me interested to research that. My husband has avoided sugar which causes him an entire day of running to the bathroom. He has eaten too much at one meal on two occassions and vomited afterward.

Don was diagnosed in November 2011, had chemo and radiation therapy in January through February 13, and then had the THE on March 22. He lost 20 pounds right off the beginning, and went to surgery weighing 153 pounds. He now hovers around 150 pounds - it goes up and down daily by a pound or so. He is eating almost anything he wants - we have had red meat a couple of times, but we are trying to stick with chicken and fish for meat. Lots of vegetables - both raw and cooked. We also eat quite a few eggs for the protein along with peanut butter on dry toast.

I hope you are able to keep us posted on you and your husband and how you are doing. This is a dreadful cancer, but many, many survivors post here often. You will get a lot of great input from the members of this site - both survivors and caregivers. You may be able to help someone else who is going through the same thing you are.

We are all in this together, and though we are sorry you needed to find this group, we are thankful that you did.

Love from the US to you and hubby,
Judy & Don
T3N1M0 dx 11-21-2011
Chemo and Rads
THE March 22, 2012

gabbygri

JReed said:

Hi Gabby
Hello Gabby:

As William has written - it sounds like the surgery your husband had is what we would call the Ivor Lewis procedure. Some doctors still use that procedure here in the United States. I am not sure how they determine when to do the Ivor Lewis (IL) or the Transhiatal Esophectomy (THE). William had the Minimally Invasive Esophectomy (MIE) and that surgery appears to have shorter healing period. Although any of the three surgeries will certainly knock a strong person right off their feet for awhile.

I have not read anything on withholding B12 - but you have me interested to research that. My husband has avoided sugar which causes him an entire day of running to the bathroom. He has eaten too much at one meal on two occassions and vomited afterward.

Don was diagnosed in November 2011, had chemo and radiation therapy in January through February 13, and then had the THE on March 22. He lost 20 pounds right off the beginning, and went to surgery weighing 153 pounds. He now hovers around 150 pounds - it goes up and down daily by a pound or so. He is eating almost anything he wants - we have had red meat a couple of times, but we are trying to stick with chicken and fish for meat. Lots of vegetables - both raw and cooked. We also eat quite a few eggs for the protein along with peanut butter on dry toast.

I hope you are able to keep us posted on you and your husband and how you are doing. This is a dreadful cancer, but many, many survivors post here often. You will get a lot of great input from the members of this site - both survivors and caregivers. You may be able to help someone else who is going through the same thing you are.

We are all in this together, and though we are sorry you needed to find this group, we are thankful that you did.

Love from the US to you and hubby,
Judy & Don
T3N1M0 dx 11-21-2011
Chemo and Rads
THE March 22, 2012

Thank Judy & Don for your
Thank Judy & Don for your good thoughts.
Glad to be here, and I'm glad you've got me in your big family.

Gabby