Losing weight

Dav1965
Dav1965 Member Posts: 132
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Tried to quite the feeding machine and lost 7 pounds since last Saturday. I can not drink enough carnation breakfast drink in a day to maintain my weight. I need 6 cans a day and only get about 3 or 4. I feel to bloated. I went 7 months with nothing by mouth till Saturday. How long till the bloating feeling goes away? Thanks David

Comments

  • SASH
    SASH Member Posts: 421 Member
    #2
    Bloated
    Take it slow. After my surgery and the first time I did a gravity feed through the tube, the nurse put 3 cans down it. I felt so sick, but she couldn't comprehend how I was to get 8 cans a day if I didn't take 3 at a time twice a day and 2 cans for one. What a concept of having 2 cans four times a day.

    Maybe start with 1 can by mouth which will take you longer to get down and 1 by tube a little while later. Space them out, but eventually you will be taking more by mouth and less by tube. Until you are finally done with the tube and get all your nutrition by mouth.

    You might also want to look into cans with more calories than the carnation instant breakfast or you can add weight gain powder which doesn't effect the taste but adds calories. The powder I had was 700 calories for 2 scoops. So I would add 1 scoop once a day for an extra 350 calories.
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #3
    Getting off the peg tube.
    You have to do this slowly. You may not be ready yet, if you still need a lot more calories than you can handle with out the tube. When your body is in a state where it's healing and you need tons of calories it can be difficult.

    For instance, I was taking in 2400 - 2600 calories per day thru rads. I only maintained my weight. When I weighed 87 lbs I was taking in 2400 cals and couldn't gain weight for a while. My normal calorie intake before treatment was 1600 cals or so a day. I was 120-125 lbs and I'm 5'2". 2400 is a lot of calories to be taking in for tiny me. I am now back down to 1600-1800.

    Your body may need a lot more calories and that can be hard for your stomach to handle. Try moving to something like Carnation's HVC that has 560 calories per can. It is less liquid to fill your belly, but more calories. Try to make your own smoothies with protien powder like whey or hemp. Add things like avocado, coconut milk, flax seed oil, and almond butter for more calories.

    You have to start out slowly with trying to eat, with small amounts of smoothies, and liquids, working up to purée then soft stuff like eggs and oat meal, slowly increasing by mouth and decreasing by peg tube.

    I think a lot of us when we tried to eat have felt sick and bloated in the beginning. There is a link in the superthread also about getting off the peg tube, ideas for smoothies, and other nutrition tips and products like, benecal, that can help you with getting back to eating. Good luck!

    I know it's hard to get back to eating and get off the tube sometimes. Losing 7 lbs in one week isn't good tho. Take it slow. If you have questions you can always PM me.

    Sweet
  • JUDYV5
    JUDYV5 Member Posts: 392
    #4
    sweetblood22 said:

    Getting off the peg tube.
    You have to do this slowly. You may not be ready yet, if you still need a lot more calories than you can handle with out the tube. When your body is in a state where it's healing and you need tons of calories it can be difficult.

    For instance, I was taking in 2400 - 2600 calories per day thru rads. I only maintained my weight. When I weighed 87 lbs I was taking in 2400 cals and couldn't gain weight for a while. My normal calorie intake before treatment was 1600 cals or so a day. I was 120-125 lbs and I'm 5'2". 2400 is a lot of calories to be taking in for tiny me. I am now back down to 1600-1800.

    Your body may need a lot more calories and that can be hard for your stomach to handle. Try moving to something like Carnation's HVC that has 560 calories per can. It is less liquid to fill your belly, but more calories. Try to make your own smoothies with protien powder like whey or hemp. Add things like avocado, coconut milk, flax seed oil, and almond butter for more calories.

    You have to start out slowly with trying to eat, with small amounts of smoothies, and liquids, working up to purée then soft stuff like eggs and oat meal, slowly increasing by mouth and decreasing by peg tube.

    I think a lot of us when we tried to eat have felt sick and bloated in the beginning. There is a link in the superthread also about getting off the peg tube, ideas for smoothies, and other nutrition tips and products like, benecal, that can help you with getting back to eating. Good luck!

    I know it's hard to get back to eating and get off the tube sometimes. Losing 7 lbs in one week isn't good tho. Take it slow. If you have questions you can always PM me.

    Sweet

    Such Good advice
    The only thing I can add is the process of eating was so tiring at first. The magic bullet was very helpful
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #5
    JUDYV5 said:

    Such Good advice
    The only thing I can add is the process of eating was so tiring at first. The magic bullet was very helpful

    Yes, Judy, thanks for
    Yes, Judy, thanks for reminding me. I know a couple of you have a magic bullet. For me, my HealthMaster emulsifier, juicer, and mini chopper were vital to my getting off that peg tube. (had mine for 18 months) A few have the Vitamix. You may want to look into these products as well. I think they key for HNC patients and a way to get excellent nutrition. I think I covered these in the superthread too if you want to research them.
  • JUDYV5
    JUDYV5 Member Posts: 392
    #6
    sweetblood22 said:

    Yes, Judy, thanks for
    Yes, Judy, thanks for reminding me. I know a couple of you have a magic bullet. For me, my HealthMaster emulsifier, juicer, and mini chopper were vital to my getting off that peg tube. (had mine for 18 months) A few have the Vitamix. You may want to look into these products as well. I think they key for HNC patients and a way to get excellent nutrition. I think I covered these in the superthread too if you want to research them.

    Had another idea
    Keep a variety in your diet. If I give myself little goo piles of different foods I seem to be able to eat more. I seem to be able to eat more if I rotate between a lot of different tastes and the tastes seem to stay a little longer.

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