Nutrition & supplements

It took me about four months to gain back my weight.  I pushed as hard as I could becusae I wanted me feeding tube out.  I was back to eating and not using the tube a couple of weeks after treatment stopped, but they would not remove the tube until I gained back most of my weight.  Eating was no fun for many months, but I kept at it.  I did not try suppliments only beause they tasted so bad and there were the only things I could taste at first.  I thought my weight would never come back but it did slowly but surely and towards the end fairly fast.  In the first month I gained just a few pounds, but then it started coming on fairly fast.  It will come back just have to shove food down even though it tasts like cardboard.  Taste will come back also, again for me very slowly.  Good luck

Sailor123 said:

Hi Granmudder:
I finished

Hi Granmudder:

I finished treatment about three months before your husband did.  

Sorry he's frustrated, but he's probably still got a long road ahead.  The good news is I continue to improve, the bad news is progress is slow.  I still can't really taste anything.

I haven't gained my weight back either.  I'm eleven months post treatment and I haven't gained one pound.  I only lost 9 though and no lean muscle mass.  I don't know for sure but I would think protein would help build muscle.  I have a smoothie with Whey in it.  Its pretty tough to gain weight when you don't enjoy food.  Maintaining is difficult.

He will get better but its slow going.

Hang in there.

I am walking miles now and eating much more than I was three months ago.  It will come.

Try adding some Ensure to his diet. They make one for muscle strength but it just has 250 calories, the Ensure Plus has 350 calories. I always preferred the chocolate. If he likes ice cream, switch to Gelato, it has double the calories but probably not much effect on muscles. I use a protein powder daily that was recommeded in rehab called Prosource, I get it on Amazon. A tub is just under $20 and shipping is free.

edreddog said:

Tube or not

Hi guys, am about to start rad and Chemo in the next few waiting for my dates. I'm debating with myself to get a feeding tube or to try to tough it out,from all I have read on hear seems as though the majority have them. I would really like to hear input on this as one min. I think I should then not so much. At this time surgery is not in the picture looks like 7/12 weeks Rad with 3 Chemo treatments. Thanks so much for your in put.

                 Thanks Ed

It's a tough decision. I was not even offered one before treatment, although they did recommend getting a port implanted for chemo, which I did. My diagnosis was Stage 4, base of tongue, non HPV, SCC. They do not normally do surgery for the location where mine was, so I had IMRT (radiation) and Erbitux (chemo). Maybe because there was no sugery, I was able to get through without the tube. It was tough, I lost 40 pounds, and they had to give me extra fluid several times. I also had acupuncture, which helped with saliva and nausea. It has been six months since therapy ended and I feel fantastic. Stay in touch with the wonderful, supportive people on this board. They'll be there with great advice to help you.