Hope For Those Struggling With Eating

NoDuck
NoDuck Member Posts: 134
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

I haven't posted in a while but I check in nearly every day. I wanted to post this great news--

Hubby ate THREE full meals today -- a Subway flatbread breakfast sandwich, beans, rice and chips at the Mexican restaurant, and two full plates tonight from the Chinese buffet. This is the first time he has eaten 3 meals in one day in 7 months. And he went fRom eating hardly anything by mouth to 3 meals in one day!

Some background-- hubby diagnosed SCC left tonsil Stage 3 with 3 lymph node involvement. Started treatment 5/30/12 and finished 7/19/12. Started using stomach tube exclusively by mid June. Lost about 40 pounds. He has been struggling with eating, taste was nonexistent or bad. Lack of saliva added its own problems. Nothing none of you that have been through this TX don't already know about.

So for those of you just starting or just ending your treatment, know that chances are, just like my husband, one day the taste bud and saliva switch will get flipped back on. It seemed to just happen overnight after months and months of no appetite, no taste buds, no saliva.

I can't wipe the cheesy grin off my face. 

Keep fighting the good fight!

deb

Comments

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #2
    great news

    Deb,

     

    Isn’t that the truth, “a switch got flipped” (7 month wait). 

     

    For me the “no eat” culprit was feel and texture of food as much if not more than the taste no taste awful taste.

     

    Very thankful,

     

    Matt

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #3
    Cheesy Grin...

    Hubby will take care of that for you....

    Ahhh, food, what a wonderful thing....

    Congrats, eat on....

    Best ~ John

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #4
    For your cowboy, Deb...

    we'll say "Yippie Kay Yay"...LOL.  This is wonderful, and I'll bet you DID have a big smile on your face. 

    I guess I don't have a switch on my buds or saliva.......probably more of a dimmer switch, since mine has improved but it comes in degrees....nothing so dramatic as your man.  Those oriental buffets are the bomb....everything tastes good, and you can keep switching what you're eating, so the taste fatigue is kept at bay.  That was one of my first outings....and I think I hit the buffet counter twice, also.

    p

  • blackswampboy
    blackswampboy Member Posts: 341
    #5
    cheesy grins

    thanks, needed to hear that.

    my treatments were about two weeks ahead of your husband's, I lost the same amount of weight, and finally stopped using my tube about a week ago. it was just time--our bodies know.

    still not eating much--not close to three meals a day. but great to hear from somebody rowing a similar (leaky) boat.

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #6
    blackswampboy said:

    cheesy grins

    thanks, needed to hear that.

    my treatments were about two weeks ahead of your husband's, I lost the same amount of weight, and finally stopped using my tube about a week ago. it was just time--our bodies know.

    still not eating much--not close to three meals a day. but great to hear from somebody rowing a similar (leaky) boat.

    Deb

    What great news! Keep it coming..........

  • NJShore
    NJShore Member Posts: 429 Member
    #7
    Love cheesy news!

    Thanks Deb,

    my husband went from no fluids by mouth this morning, due to a new outbreak in his mouth and throat, 8 days post Tx, he is back to fluids Only, Yesterday was at least soft foods and an attempt at chicken and mashed potatoes, drowning in butter.. 

    Its so nice to hear someone achieving food - particularly today!

    thanks GeForce the good news!

    Kari

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