good day, need advice

kallygirlie
0 Recommendations

I've come to love chemo day. Every Tuesday I take Mom to Chemo. Of course they give her the pre meds that pretty much knock her out the 3-4 hrs we're there but when we come home she is full of energy, has no nausea, no pain and actually wants to eat. She never takes any of her pain pills or nausea pills cause she feels like herself again. Usually it last for 2 days before the tiredness kicks in so lets hope today shes feeling good. My concern is her weight. She started this journey 116 lbs. shes always been a small women. She's only 5'1" so shes my little momma. haha!! I've posted before askin bout weight lose but its gone to far now. Shes down to 97lbs. The doc gave us Magace for appetite but we the nausea is whats keepin her from eating. she eats something and it makes her sick. Well it depends on the day. This past sat and sun she was throwing up so she couldnt eat. He gave her a Zofran as a new nausea med hoping this one works better. My question is, is there a way we can pack on some pounds? The weight as of now isn't stopping her from chemo but i know if she keeps dropping they gonna put her on hold and thats what i dont want. i dont want this cancer to have a moment to take charge. thanks so much for your help

13 replies

MarciaGreer

Is your mom taking Emend? I took it the first time I had taxol/carbo. This second time the Dr. thought I could do without Emend since I'm doing a lower dose chemo, but I had real problems with nausea a day or two after. So he put me back on the Emend and its much better. There are no side effects that I know of from the Emend. Your mom should take the Zofran regularly, at least starting the day of chemo. It's easier to nip the nausea in the bud then to get rid of it once it's started. I also take the Zofran. Hope something works for your mom so she can get some weight on.
Marcia

barbsdaughter

Hello
The Zofran worked great on my mom but you need to take it regularly- before the nausea starts. Also, I gave mom many many small meals instead of normal servings and she was able to eat this way. She actually put on 12 pounds during chemo --- Hope this helps

summeron2001

I too am a small mommy - 5 foot, 2 inches - 62 years old. Started at 121 lbs in 2004 and lost weight while on Tarceva last year . Down to 113 lbs. I found drinking Boost type drinks very helpful especially when I wasn't hungry or felt yukky. Hope it works.

Sylvia

pattyp1

hey, Krystal,
This is a toughie. The American Cancer Society has a magnificent brochure on what to eat while you're on chemo. They have a lot of creative ideas.

With my dad, however, I took a more down and dirty approach - milk shakes and baked apple pies (Mickey D's). They have a bunch of calories and are very, very, very tasty.
Hope it helps
Hugs
Pat

Roger1

K hi,

When my wife went thru chemo, all her tastes and favorite food smells changed. The one thing that was constant, chemo or no chemo, was bacon. Ha. She also came to like miso soup and had it often (instant was fine). You must experiment .. and don't forget products like Ensure.

Best,
Roger

mgmsr

Good morning, I'm one of those people that believe you should take the pill's because it builds up and stops the nausea before it get's achance to start. I also take, Ohmyprazol for my heartburn. But I've been lucky and never got sick. I've had to many different type's of Chemo, I think I'm on my seventh different kind now. So, take the pill's no matter if she think's she doesn't need them, drink the Boost or Insure. (I can't stand either one) Eat the Pie's from M-D's and hang in there we will pray for your Mom and for you, care giver. Michael and his CGS (car giver supreme) Joan

kallygirlie

Thank you so much everyone. Yesterday was another good day. I got her to take the nausea pills. She was up moving around. using her ankle and free weights to start getting her muscle tone back. When it came to eating. well she ate half of what i gave her and it made her kinda feel blah. About 10 mins later she was eating pudding and later half a strawberry eclair ice cream. I had to go back to work so during the day she doesnt eat and I keep telling her even if she just grabs a pudding. Eat a little here and there. Today will most likely be her down sleep all day. thats the norm since she started chemo. I just pray there is light at the end of the tunnel. I pray this cancer doesn't resist. I pray our next scan shows NED. I never in a million yrs that me needs in life wold simply come to 1 thing. Mom surviving cancer.

Jolene

Friends here are wonderful. Always trying to help those we do not know, but are bonded too. The smaller meals are great. Also, you want to pack as many calories into those small meals as possible. If she takes a multivitamin, I would focus more on protein which helps build muscle. Visit a Health Food Store and ask about things that they carry that help boost the caloric intake.
We added a powder to my dad's malts. There are really, really rich puddings and high caloric cookies that you can purchase. You sound like you have her starting.

Also, to the person who said to take the nausea med prior to getting sick...HIGH FIVE! Always have her start taking it hours before her chemo treatments.
Just like with pain...stay ahead of it. God Bless Jolene

Tinkerbellmom

When I was going though chemo my tastes chaned drastically..My daughter had read that she should make things from my childhood
(eggsalad, macaroni & cheese).
I also skipped meals when no one was around and boy did that make me worse. Encourage Mom to eat regularly, whatever she wants. One nightmy daughter suggested Tacos and I enjoyed that. Give her only small portions as regular size portions can be intimidating. You can make instant pudding using the ensure instead of milk. ALso carnation instan breakfast in a shake!YUMMO. Good luck, better days are ahead. Doris

Barbara1

Zofran should help, that is what I took and I took it long before the nausea had time to set in. I eat like a pig. Hope we have helped. God Bless

kallygirlie

thanks so much everyone. you all are such an amazing help

peyz33

Ask the Oncologist for Emend if she hasn't tried it yet. It only works the 2 days after the chemo treatments but it WORKS! Akso 0 she is probably getting some sort of steroids with the chemo - that's why she feels good for those 2 days - those days she should pack in the calories - east high caloric foods and treats so when she is not feeling well she can weather the days out easier. I am sorry you have to deal with this - it's not fun - I know first hand - but hang in there - my thoughts are with you both.
Karen

Barbietwin

Dear Kally, So sorry tohear about your mom, god bless you i feel for you, my identical twin sister has lung cancer they did surgery but deciceded not to remove her right lung for its in her lympth nodes shes will start chemo soon, they said inoperatable,we are 57 years old i love my twin dearly so hard to see her go thru this, thank goodness i have god....she started losing alot of weight a year and a half ago got skinny from size 10 to size 3 i told her then see your dr somthings not right you like like you have cancer, well she waited a year and a half finially went in in april coughfing up blood poor thing and thats when they seen the 1 " tumor in her lung, she was to scared to go in.....i will be here for my twin and be her care giver.....i will be praying for you and you mom and family, god bless you all hugs Barbietwin

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