I need help with appetite
Comments
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My Annie:)
Carnation Milk?
It's a powder and you mix it with milk - might taste better than the Ensure or Boost.
When I was sick, I would eat some tuna fish mixed with a little mayo - it was sort of bland and was tolerable and provides some good nutrients.
Or chicken and rice mixed together is a good staple. That was also pretty easy on the stomach.
Maybe these might be of some help:)
I'm sorry you are having appetite issues.
One other thing I think of, you might ask your onc for a scrip of MARINOL - it's the pill form of MJ, minus the THC - this might stimulate appetite as well - never took it, but that might be a temporary solution as well.
-Craig0 -
sometimes I loose my appetite and sometimes I eat like a lionSundanceh said:My Annie:)
Carnation Milk?
It's a powder and you mix it with milk - might taste better than the Ensure or Boost.
When I was sick, I would eat some tuna fish mixed with a little mayo - it was sort of bland and was tolerable and provides some good nutrients.
Or chicken and rice mixed together is a good staple. That was also pretty easy on the stomach.
Maybe these might be of some help:)
I'm sorry you are having appetite issues.
One other thing I think of, you might ask your onc for a scrip of MARINOL - it's the pill form of MJ, minus the THC - this might stimulate appetite as well - never took it, but that might be a temporary solution as well.
-Craig
although I always have a diary supplements provided by my hospital ( resource ,or fresubin) or two.
Are you loosing some weight ?.I would recommend forget about healthy food and eat whatever whim you can have! that's what I do!.
Hugs my dearest Anne!0 -
This comment has been removed by the Moderatorpepebcn said:sometimes I loose my appetite and sometimes I eat like a lion
although I always have a diary supplements provided by my hospital ( resource ,or fresubin) or two.
Are you loosing some weight ?.I would recommend forget about healthy food and eat whatever whim you can have! that's what I do!.
Hugs my dearest Anne!0 -
Anne
Not sure if this will help, but if you like milkshakes, I put icecream of my choice in the blender, add milk, banana's and whatever else floats my boat at the time, sometimes I make it thick and sometimes, thin it a bit. I use the whole milk Vitamin D.
Also Craig's idea on tunafish with mayo, but you might want to add some pickle since on chemo sometimes tart is more tasty (dill pickles already diced are easiest)and put it on a hamburger bun.
Shoot since I'm not hungry at the moment, I can't think of anymore.
Here's to you getting your appetite back!!!
Winter marie0 -
appetite
Here are a few things I could eat besides drinking tons of Ensure and Boost through a straw (a straw helps), all of which require very little effort, when every little effort is a lot, if you are cooking for yourself in this temporary period
1. almond butter and jelly sandwich on (low fiber) white bread
2. cheese flavored instant mashed potatoes
3. grilled cheese on white bread
4. Lipton instant cup of soup
5. Swanson canned chicken breast (comes in tiny cans in 3-pack) with a little mayo like the tuna--I could not eat any pickles but I could eat a chopped boiled egg in it)
6. tapioca pudding
7. Cool Whip salad (could not eat with fruit added but not bad with just cool whip, jello, mini marshmallows)
8. mac and cheese cup
One a Day Complete adult gummy vitamins as a supplement -- was able to digest them0 -
When I had appetite issues
When I had appetite issues on chemo I could still eat a ton of pasta salad.
Cook the tri-colored rotini and let cool.
Cut up fresh broccoli, slice up black pitted olives, any color pepper (red, green, yellow), I've use cherry tomatoes or diced up big tomatoes, preferably ones w/o a lot of seeds, oh and don't forget the chopped onion and sometimes if I have them I put chick peas in too or carrots. Just use what you have on hand and you can't go wrong. It would probably be good even if you just dump the Italian dressing on the noodles and eat, lol.
Dump pasta and veggies in bowl (with tight fitting lid) and pour a 16oz bottle of Italian dressing and put lid on and toss to mix.
The good thing is it makes enough you can eat it all week!
Viv0 -
Dear Anne.....on my sickest
Dear Anne.....on my sickest days I eat something my dear buddy Raquel suggested....potato burrito. Easy on the stomach. Cook the potatoes with non stick spray or very little oil till tender and wrap it up. It's not the healthy meal but it's something easy on you. Well wishes....
Love and hugs, Gail0 -
Dear Anne
I'm so sorry to know that you are losing your appetite... I have some recipes to share with you, those my mum will eat even when she doesn't feel like eating
1. stir fry tomato with avocado
peel the tomato and cut them into cubes, cut the avocado into cubes as well
use a tiny little bit of avocado oil, quickly stir fly the tomato till it's soften, then add the avocado, season with a bit of salt and raw brown sugar
2. tomato potato carrot soup
use the pork to cook a pork booth (about 1 hour), then add the cut tomato, potato and carrot, slow cook for 1.5 hour
you can use the soup for soup pasta later
3. parma ham tomato pasta
stir fly minced garlic, onion, shallot till you can smell the fragrance, then add parma ham and tomato, finally put in the cooked pasta, season with salt and pepper
4. dried red date apple soup
peel the apple and remove the seeds, cut into pieces
use the pork booth (remove the pork afterward, as they will become tasteless) to cook the apple and red date for 1.5 hour, then you can drink the soup
(variation: you can add pear, carrot and corn to the soup as well)
5. steam egg white with dried mushroom
soak the dried mushroom, rinse and clean them and slice them into thin pieces
beat the egg (or only egg white), add a bit of soy sauce and water
**1 egg + 100ml water
**1 egg white + 60ml water;
steam for 7 minutes
I hope these recipes will help to improve your appetite a bit.
love and hugs
Dora0 -
Sorry you're having thisluvmum said:Dear Anne
I'm so sorry to know that you are losing your appetite... I have some recipes to share with you, those my mum will eat even when she doesn't feel like eating
1. stir fry tomato with avocado
peel the tomato and cut them into cubes, cut the avocado into cubes as well
use a tiny little bit of avocado oil, quickly stir fly the tomato till it's soften, then add the avocado, season with a bit of salt and raw brown sugar
2. tomato potato carrot soup
use the pork to cook a pork booth (about 1 hour), then add the cut tomato, potato and carrot, slow cook for 1.5 hour
you can use the soup for soup pasta later
3. parma ham tomato pasta
stir fly minced garlic, onion, shallot till you can smell the fragrance, then add parma ham and tomato, finally put in the cooked pasta, season with salt and pepper
4. dried red date apple soup
peel the apple and remove the seeds, cut into pieces
use the pork booth (remove the pork afterward, as they will become tasteless) to cook the apple and red date for 1.5 hour, then you can drink the soup
(variation: you can add pear, carrot and corn to the soup as well)
5. steam egg white with dried mushroom
soak the dried mushroom, rinse and clean them and slice them into thin pieces
beat the egg (or only egg white), add a bit of soy sauce and water
**1 egg + 100ml water
**1 egg white + 60ml water;
steam for 7 minutes
I hope these recipes will help to improve your appetite a bit.
love and hugs
Dora
Sorry you're having this issue, I don't have any recipies that will help. But, if you're feeling up to it try a change of scenery, maybe go to Timmies for a lunch....personally I find I eat much more when we're at a restaurant. Maybe all the distractions of what's going on around you will distract you somewhat in what you're feeling physically. Worth a try, although I know you can't do it on a daily basis.0 -
sorry to here about your appetite going on vacation
i never needed the ensure etc, my appetite was mostly ok, only a couple of bad days.
i love home made vege soup. be it cauliflower, tomatoe or a mix. its winter here, so its also soup weather.
i hope you get some good nutricion into you. its like savings in the bank, you never know when you'll need it.
i am using mine right now.
hugs,
pete0 -
foods that are bland
Sometimes I have trouble with my appetite too...I know I need to eat, but nothing sounds tasty...
Try bland foods that don't seem too off-putting like:
applesauce
buttered toast
celery with salt or peanut butter
cooked rice with a dab of butter and salt/pepper
canned refried beans
canned green beans
crackers
fresh fruit or canned
boiled egg0 -
Thai food - lunchspecials
My best suggestion would be to go to a Thai restaurant for lunch...they will have a full meal to select from that includes soup or salad, spring roll and entree...usually for less than $7. The special seasonings such as curry are good appetite stimulants.
I highly recommend my fave Thai dish - the coconut soup called Tom Kha.
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/thai-chicken-coconut-soup-tom-kha-gai-10000001860172/
Here's a recipe for Tom Kha Gai if you want to try making it yourself
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Can someone else cook for you?
I find that I do better eating if someone else makes it. Just looking at the food and smelling it, and being in the kitchen can turn me off so I can't eat many days. Try eating somewhere other than the kitchen too - remove yourself from strong food smell areas.
Often once I start to eat, I get hungrier and can eat more than I thought I could. One strange thing that has been working for me lately is self-rising cheese pizza. Whole grain pasta with mild sauces does the same. Once I start putting the carbs in, I seem to get my appetite up and can eat more.
While I am usually a vegetable fanatic, I have trouble with veggies on chemo - especially raw ones. But stir-fried, and particularly with coconut curry sauce, I can eat them easier. I've also found that when I can't eat other vegetables, carrots and green beans are usually tolerated.
Try an omelet with whatever items you think you can eat. I had asparagus and cheese the other day and it was great.
I do pretty well with mixed fresh fruit. Bananas, strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple are my favorites. I really like to have yogurt and put fresh fruit on it. Get the Greek yogurt for extra protein. Frozen yogurt (especially if you have mouth sores - and if you are not on Oxaliplatin) can be a nice treat. You can also make oatmeal and put on the fresh fruit (try steel cut oats).
I do have a nutritional powder that I make shakes with often. I put fresh fruit in when I make them, so I have chocolate/banana, or vanilla w/berries.
Peanut butter, banana, and Nutella sandwiches (on whole grain bread) are a staple for me lately when I can't seem to eat. This seems to be one of the best to get protein and calories in and keep them down.
Mostly I struggle with food for the first 9 days of a cycle, and then eat as much as I can the next 5 days to make up for it. During those days I can eat a wider variety, including salads and fresh veggies. On the days you can eat - go for it! Keep eating!0 -
Kathryn mentioned proteinKathryn_in_MN said:Can someone else cook for you?
I find that I do better eating if someone else makes it. Just looking at the food and smelling it, and being in the kitchen can turn me off so I can't eat many days. Try eating somewhere other than the kitchen too - remove yourself from strong food smell areas.
Often once I start to eat, I get hungrier and can eat more than I thought I could. One strange thing that has been working for me lately is self-rising cheese pizza. Whole grain pasta with mild sauces does the same. Once I start putting the carbs in, I seem to get my appetite up and can eat more.
While I am usually a vegetable fanatic, I have trouble with veggies on chemo - especially raw ones. But stir-fried, and particularly with coconut curry sauce, I can eat them easier. I've also found that when I can't eat other vegetables, carrots and green beans are usually tolerated.
Try an omelet with whatever items you think you can eat. I had asparagus and cheese the other day and it was great.
I do pretty well with mixed fresh fruit. Bananas, strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple are my favorites. I really like to have yogurt and put fresh fruit on it. Get the Greek yogurt for extra protein. Frozen yogurt (especially if you have mouth sores - and if you are not on Oxaliplatin) can be a nice treat. You can also make oatmeal and put on the fresh fruit (try steel cut oats).
I do have a nutritional powder that I make shakes with often. I put fresh fruit in when I make them, so I have chocolate/banana, or vanilla w/berries.
Peanut butter, banana, and Nutella sandwiches (on whole grain bread) are a staple for me lately when I can't seem to eat. This seems to be one of the best to get protein and calories in and keep them down.
Mostly I struggle with food for the first 9 days of a cycle, and then eat as much as I can the next 5 days to make up for it. During those days I can eat a wider variety, including salads and fresh veggies. On the days you can eat - go for it! Keep eating!
Kathryn mentioned protein shakes...those are good come in many different flavors. They also have protein shakes with additional weight gainers/ calories in them. That's a quick way to get a lot of calories in.0 -
Yep, Gail is right! Friedsmokeyjoe said:Kathryn mentioned protein
Kathryn mentioned protein shakes...those are good come in many different flavors. They also have protein shakes with additional weight gainers/ calories in them. That's a quick way to get a lot of calories in.
Yep, Gail is right! Fried potatoes cooked with salt until tender then put in a flour tortilla. And Quesidillas Room temperature lemonade if you can't stand the cold. Blend up any and all types of berries and add some protein. You don't want to loose muscle.
Chicken noodle casserole. Buy a roasted chicken, shred. Mix with a bag of shredded cheese like Colby jack. Add a can of cream of mushroom or chicken. I like cream of mushroom. Mix in a can of milk. Add a small bag of cooked egg noodles. Salt and pepper. Mix well. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, until bubbly. Crunch up some potato chips to top. Cook another 5 min. Enjoy.
You can cut unti squares and freeze in separate containers or even in Saran wrap. Then microwave later, not in Saran wrap. Remove first. Freezes well. You an also make this with a large can of tuna instead of chicken.0 -
Cooking
I get a lot of joy from cooking with others (note I did not say cooking for others). Even when I did not feel like eating, having people around an preparing a meal together always inspired me to eat a bit more than I otherwise would. Who knows, maybe gormet cooking with friends will become a new hobby/passion!0 -
Marijuana
I was going to suggest smoking or using a vaporizor for any sativa strain of marijuana. That will get your apetite going, guaranteed. Added benefit of pain relief, and great sleep. If you don't have certification for it, it's not hard to get, particularly with cancer. I don't know if you're in a state that has legal medical marijuana, but if you do, it's well worth it.
Hugs,
Krista0 -
appettiteErinb said:I don't have any
I don't have any suggestions, but I hope some of the suggestions will work. I didn't realize their was a pill to increase your appetite. Thanks for posting the question.
Erin
I havent been on this site for awhile. Been sick with kidneys, had several appts with drs and with the veterans administartion, to get my disability paperwork. I also have issues with not eating alot. I try to eat as much as I can. For me its trail but error. I am still dealing with loose stools at times. And it seems that after I have a rough day, my stomach doesnt feel to good. I am getting tired of feeling this why.
I love all the suggestions, I am going to try the information posted for me too.
Barbara0
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