need help with food

couchdiva333 · May 2012

Sorry if I am in the wrong category, but we need some help. My mother inlaw is having a terrible time finding things to eat. She had that terrible chemo taste in her mouth. most of the things I am finding on the websites are not working. Any ideas of things to try or any good websites to read would be a blessing. My husband and I are worried she is not getting enough to eat, which makes her tired and weak. She is very independent and loves to putter aroundthe house, so this us making it very hard for her. Than

k you so much

May 2, 2012
Thank you for the replies. She has tried a few things with not much success. I like the idea of the taste party. I'm going to take her some plastic utensils and applesauce to try next. I don't want her to think i am trying to force feed her, lol. Her tastes buds are constantly changing. So far chocolate is the only taste that works. Vanilla is completely out. We will keep trying new things.
Thanks you again to all you warriors!! Keep fighting the good fight!

joannstar · May 2012

try to use plastic utensils
which helped me during chemo. I also found that the only thing I wanted was pasta with a little butter and garlic. Bland foods worked, nothing spicy. And I wasn't able to eat salads although steamed veggies were ok.
Good luck.
JoAnn

Blondiemomma · May 2012

Food
I survived on one boiled egg a day for the toughest days after chemo. They never tasted bad and never hurt my stomach. I had a friend that lived on snicker bars. I would suggest encouraging her to try tiny bites of bland foods to see if they work. I found that less processed food tasted better than processed. Like a raisin was good but chocolate tasted like chemicals. Try bites and don't get hurt if she spits it out.

After the toughest days were about over, homemade chicken noodle soup was good. She may also have a burning sensation in her stomach that makes her afraid to eat. I did.

Jobi · May 2012

Foods
Hi,
I remember that taste well (but not fondly). I ate cucumbers with Zesty Italian Dressing a lot. It helped with the nausea and the taste. I also ate a lot of kiwi fruit. A woman I met at the chemo clinic, thought that Werther's Originals Hard Candy worked for her.
Hope this helps,

God Bless,
Dorene

ksf56 · May 2012

Food
Everything tasted different during chemo - I had sores in my mouth and corners of my mouth. There were lots of metal tastes but not everything tasted like that. Ensure was ok particularly, using a straw. I loved pancakes but found that syrup tasted like licorice. I found that dipping a little in something to taste before having a whole bite worked. I also found that I liked Carnations Instant Breakfast mixed with skim milk - it tasted better than Ensure and is cheaper. I had to really push myself to eat but I managed to maintain weight ok. It's basiclly, trial and error.

It's a journey and it's great she has you there to care! I hope you all find something that works for her!
God Bless!
Karen

jessiesmom1 · May 2012

Boost
Oh I remember those days well. While I was on Taxotere I lost my sense of taste and with it the desire to eat. My oncologist said you can live a long time without eating but it was especially important to remain hydrated. All-fruit popsicles were a staple of my diet for a while. Don't buy the ones that are primarily sugar. The doctor/nurse also suggested Boost. It comes in different formulations and flavors. It is easily found in the nutrition supplement aisle in any drug store. It is not just the eating problem that is making your mother-in-law tired and weak. It is the chemo itself. Fatigue is a well known side effect of most chemo drugs. I wish her well.

IRENE

Margeaux · May 2012

Food
Doctor told me to stay away from milk, but ok'd yoghurt, which I liked anyway. I had no energy whatsoever, but what little I had I put into making a smoothie, yoghurt, banana and a protein powder from the healthfood store. I did not like sweet stuff, so Boost did not work for me. Also had a boiled egg, I didn't care for that but ate it nevertheless for the nutrition. Crackers helped with chicken soup, ate mainly the broth. I added a multi-vitamin daily.
M.

camul · May 2012

I am on chemo now
and I found that the first couple of days after chemo work best eating something bland. I eat progresso soups, yogurt, chocolate milk, pasta, fruit cups, sometimes I like kraft mac and cheese. I have a harder time with salads, and some veges. Oatmeal works, backed potatoes with a little butter salt and pepper, sometimes cheese.

I make smoothies, but found they work best with ice-cream, pineapple, banana and berries, it seems to get rid of that metal taste.

I also rinse with Tom's. It is mild enough not to hurt when I have mouth sores, but strong enough to get rid of the taste. I either like stainless steel or plastic utensils. I have had a hard time with meat, but know when I need protein, because I will crave a big juicy porterhouse steak, and I am not much of a meat eater. Spicy does not work for the first 3-4 days, and I love Mexican, thai, and anything spicy normally.

I would stock her refrigerator with food that she can go in and get when she is hungry. Her body will tell her. As far as being weak and tired, that is just standard for me following chemo.

jamiegww · May 2012

She might need to experiment.
We are all different so she might need to figure out what works best for her. For me, it was anything lemon flavored and rootbeer. Maybe you can have a taste testing party of some kind for her???

laughs_a_lot · May 2012

Eating with
plastic silverware might cut down on the chemical taste in her mouth. I wanted everything very spicy. It seems to be that you either need bland type foods or the spicy type foods. Eat small amounts as it is all the stomach can take but you can eat more often so it evens out.

Melaniedoingwell · May 2012

food help
Oh yes, plastic cutlery really did help me! Sometimes I lived on flour tortillas and cottage cheese. They were the only things that tasted like what they were!! I completed chemo cocktails July 21, 2010. To this day I cannot eat raw onions and I have had to change my eating in that I love spicy food but it no longer even likes me! She will have to experiment but generally bland works best.

Other things that worked for me; scrambled eggs, chicken salad, the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast).

Also what works can vary from day to day. Sorry to tell you that, but it was certainly true for me.

Angie2U · May 2012

Blondiemomma said:
Food
I survived on one boiled egg a day for the toughest days after chemo. They never tasted bad and never hurt my stomach. I had a friend that lived on snicker bars. I would suggest encouraging her to try tiny bites of bland foods to see if they work. I found that less processed food tasted better than processed. Like a raisin was good but chocolate tasted like chemicals. Try bites and don't get hurt if she spits it out.

After the toughest days were about over, homemade chicken noodle soup was good. She may also have a burning sensation in her stomach that makes her afraid to eat. I did.

I didn't have chemo,but,
I didn't have chemo,but, wanted to wish you the best in finding some foods that your mother in law will like. You are a good daughter in law to seek out information for her. Let us know what she likes.

Hugs, Angie

birdlady053 · May 2012

need help with food
Im so sorry that you are having such bad problems with foods as I am also going thru something crazy too.I found a small bb size lump last January and they did a lumpectomy without taking any lymph nodes so that was a blessing.I get my staples and stitches out on Monday.Im 58-single-live alone so its been hard on me dealing with all this alone.The reoblem with me is that I wont eat.Ill go days with no desire for food and then eat a bite until the next day.I dont know why this is affecting me like this as Im a slender lady anyway and cant afford to lose any more weight.Im down to 92pds and I was 120ibs.I know its been a stressful many weeks waiting for the operation and they have me taking zanex to stop the anxiety attacks which were about 10 a day.The worst part wasnt the operation as that was easy-the worst was waiting for test results and dealing with not knowing how bad the lump was as it was the invasive type and 2cc.Now they found a spot on my lungs and it seems like the roller coaster is starting up again.Im so depressed and wonder if I can deal with all this again.The stress just tears me apart.I did have pumonia from my copd last Jan and they said the spot may be infection in my lobe.whew! today my doc got the ct scan back and wants me to see a lung specialist next week and he said it has gotten larger in 2 monthes.this just isnt good and Im so scared and alone.please pray for me as I found this site and it does give me alot of comfort as I know there are people out there going thru the same things as my self.How can I make myself start eating again????I really need good advice.

Double Whammy · May 2012

birdlady053 said:
need help with food
Im so sorry that you are having such bad problems with foods as I am also going thru something crazy too.I found a small bb size lump last January and they did a lumpectomy without taking any lymph nodes so that was a blessing.I get my staples and stitches out on Monday.Im 58-single-live alone so its been hard on me dealing with all this alone.The reoblem with me is that I wont eat.Ill go days with no desire for food and then eat a bite until the next day.I dont know why this is affecting me like this as Im a slender lady anyway and cant afford to lose any more weight.Im down to 92pds and I was 120ibs.I know its been a stressful many weeks waiting for the operation and they have me taking zanex to stop the anxiety attacks which were about 10 a day.The worst part wasnt the operation as that was easy-the worst was waiting for test results and dealing with not knowing how bad the lump was as it was the invasive type and 2cc.Now they found a spot on my lungs and it seems like the roller coaster is starting up again.Im so depressed and wonder if I can deal with all this again.The stress just tears me apart.I did have pumonia from my copd last Jan and they said the spot may be infection in my lobe.whew! today my doc got the ct scan back and wants me to see a lung specialist next week and he said it has gotten larger in 2 monthes.this just isnt good and Im so scared and alone.please pray for me as I found this site and it does give me alot of comfort as I know there are people out there going thru the same things as my self.How can I make myself start eating again????I really need good advice.

Using a straw
helped me on the days when I could care less about food yet knew I needed nutrition. I'd make a smoothie with yogurt, banana, strawberries, or whatever. It was cold and refreshing and tasted really good. When it didn't, using a straw and placing the straw as far back in my mouth as posible helped tremendously.

For some reason, ice cream in any shape or form was also always good.

I craved a lot of comfort foods on the days that food sounded good (like mac n' cheese), but I couldn't eat it because of the metallic taste. I'd be so excited about eating and then just couldn't.

Rice. I'd make a sort of fried rice, throw in an egg and some tiny chopped vegs for protein and some nutrition.

Chicken soup. My 90-year-old friend would bring me chicken soup. It truly was comforting - maybe because she made it.

We're all different in how chemo effects us. I am thankful for all the antinausea meds. I can't imagine how it would have been without them. Most of the time, I was ok.

Birdlady, please tell your docs about your lack of appetite. You have had a significant amount of weight loss in a short period of time. Calories are important in healing from surgery. Our bodies need fuel.

Suzanne

need help with food

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