weight loss big time

Princey
Princey Member Posts: 17
in Colorectal Cancer #1

Good Morning,

I'm new here.  My husband has stage iii T4 N2 M0 rectal cancer.  Diagnosed in June.  He started chemo in August.  He's getting ready for his third treatment on Friday.  He's on Xeloda /Capecitabine.  Over the last year, he had lost weight (probably about 20sh pounds).  Since he's started chemo he has lost about another 20lbs.  He's 6feet and weighs 135lbs.  He can't eat.  nausea, severe diarrhea.  He takes the anti-nausea medicine and Immodium but it doesn't seem to really help.  He has never been a big eater, but it's really bad now.  I contacted his dr and their advice was that they would have a nutriontist at his next visit this Friday.  Nutrion is not his problem.  Eating is his problem.  He cannot continue this way.  He's so frail and weak.  Has anyone else experienced this kind of weight loss?  I seriously do not think he can tolerate another infusion this Friday.  

Comments

  • mountainhiker
    mountainhiker Member Posts: 54
    #2
    30% of my body weight

    That's what I lost.  When my little cancer journey started in February 2017, I was 205lbs. (5'9" and solid).  After my second surgery, which was July 21, 2017, I was down to 145lbs. and looked terrible.  I honestly don't know why I lost so much weight since I never lost my appetite, not even during chemo.  I swear I could be hooked up to the stuff and devour an entire meal no problem.  I did go on a diet for a while to avoid sugars, carbs, etc. but I was still eating all the time.  My surgeon told me to forget about the diet and just eat anything I wanted since I needed to put on some weight.  I'm now back up to 165lbs. 

    There are different kinds of anti-nausea meds - ask his doctor to try something else. Also, is his doctor keeping a close eye on his liver functions?  Mine got a bit out of whack last October due to the chemo and I had diarrhea like I've never had in my life.  I couldn't leave the house - heck, I couldn't leave the bathroom for over a week. 

    mountainhiker

  • Twinzma
    Twinzma Member Posts: 236 Member
    #3
    CBD oil?

    Maybe your husband would benefit from CBD oil some people swear by it. Also there are a variety of prescriptions avail to stimulate the the appititie. My father was on Megace and it helped for little while. Marinol would be another to try. Personally if it is legal in your state I would get a prescription for pot instead of using a synthtetic. My hubby's oncologist says no to it but there are a lot of studies pointing to the THC being very useful in the fight against cancer. Also ask if he would benefit from IV nutrition for now while he builds back his strength. Hope he feels better soon! Hugs....

     

  • Princey
    Princey Member Posts: 17
    edited September 2018 #4
    Twinzma said:

    CBD oil?

    Maybe your husband would benefit from CBD oil some people swear by it. Also there are a variety of prescriptions avail to stimulate the the appititie. My father was on Megace and it helped for little while. Marinol would be another to try. Personally if it is legal in your state I would get a prescription for pot instead of using a synthtetic. My hubby's oncologist says no to it but there are a lot of studies pointing to the THC being very useful in the fight against cancer. Also ask if he would benefit from IV nutrition for now while he builds back his strength. Hope he feels better soon! Hugs....

     

    I was thinking about that..

    I was thinking about that...sure gave me the munchies in college :)  It's just so painful to see how thin he looks. He's aged so much in the last month.  

  • Princey
    Princey Member Posts: 17
    edited September 2018 #5
    mountainhiker said:

    30% of my body weight

    That's what I lost.  When my little cancer journey started in February 2017, I was 205lbs. (5'9" and solid).  After my second surgery, which was July 21, 2017, I was down to 145lbs. and looked terrible.  I honestly don't know why I lost so much weight since I never lost my appetite, not even during chemo.  I swear I could be hooked up to the stuff and devour an entire meal no problem.  I did go on a diet for a while to avoid sugars, carbs, etc. but I was still eating all the time.  My surgeon told me to forget about the diet and just eat anything I wanted since I needed to put on some weight.  I'm now back up to 165lbs. 

    There are different kinds of anti-nausea meds - ask his doctor to try something else. Also, is his doctor keeping a close eye on his liver functions?  Mine got a bit out of whack last October due to the chemo and I had diarrhea like I've never had in my life.  I couldn't leave the house - heck, I couldn't leave the bathroom for over a week. 

    mountainhiker

    Yeah.  Whenever he eats, he

    Yeah.  Whenever he eats, he either throws up or has such bad diarrhea.  so, of course he doesn't really want to eat....but he does because he knows he's lost so much weight.  It's a vicious circle.  I think he needs to get on a better regimin with the anit-nausea and immodium medicines.  

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    #6
    I agree with the CBD oil, it

    I agree with the CBD oil, it really helped me. But now I'm on Nabilone which is a synthetic version of it and is in pill form so I don't have to taste it, yay. I also have Ondansetron for particularly bad days. I have zero appetite and have a really hard time finding anything I'll eat. I was nauseous for so long that I associate everything I eat with that and I just can't. I'll get all bold and think, yeah, I'm going to puch through it and eat this and then I just can't. I've lost 30 pounds over the past year.

    Other than that I have no advice. If you can get something like Boost into him that should help a bit. My family doctor suggests milkshakes to provide calories. I force myself to drink V-8s on days I'm having trouble eating so I get at least a bit of veggie in me. But, it's got a lot of salt in it. Which works for me because I now have short bowel syndrome and need extra sodium. Also, I have low blood pressure. So the V-8s might not work for him.

    Poor guy, I know what it's like. Or to sometimes think I'd like something and once I get it I don't want it. It's a lot like morning sickness when you're pregnant.

    Best of luck with this.

    Jan

  • plsletitrain
    plsletitrain Member Posts: 252 Member
    #7
    Loss of appetite

    That's also my main problem with chemo.  It loses your ability to taste food so everything tastes like ugh.  Its good that he still forces himself to eat.  Its one thing staying on treatment but its also another thing if you get dehydrated.  What I did was just to eat whatever I craved for, even if it seems unhealthy.  I told myself I have to eat because I might not die of cancer but of dehydration or starvation.  I just make up for it by eating the healthy foods when I'm not on chemo.  Try giving him ensure, he might like the choco flavor and its complete with vitamins.  It could even be a substitute for a whole meal.

  • Princey
    Princey Member Posts: 17
    #8
    plsletitrain said:

    Loss of appetite

    That's also my main problem with chemo.  It loses your ability to taste food so everything tastes like ugh.  Its good that he still forces himself to eat.  Its one thing staying on treatment but its also another thing if you get dehydrated.  What I did was just to eat whatever I craved for, even if it seems unhealthy.  I told myself I have to eat because I might not die of cancer but of dehydration or starvation.  I just make up for it by eating the healthy foods when I'm not on chemo.  Try giving him ensure, he might like the choco flavor and its complete with vitamins.  It could even be a substitute for a whole meal.

    but his problem isn't that

    but his problem isn't that food tastes bad etc, it's that he throws up a lot of what he tries to eat or it gives him major diarrhea.  He's taking immodium and anit-nausea medicine, but it's not helping too much.  

  • Woodytele
    Woodytele Member Posts: 163
    edited September 2018 #9
    Weed and drink

    if you can get medical marijuana, it may help.  Also, it’s easier to drink carories than eat them, so protein drinks, smoothies, anything high calorie that you can drink, it may help.  

  • Princey
    Princey Member Posts: 17
    edited September 2018 #10
    Woodytele said:

    Weed and drink

    if you can get medical marijuana, it may help.  Also, it’s easier to drink carories than eat them, so protein drinks, smoothies, anything high calorie that you can drink, it may help.  

    I would love for him to try

    I would love for him to try marijuana, but he's a truck driver so he can't.  which really sucks.  

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