Lack of appetite

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J. Davidson - 12 Aug 2005 19:16 GMT

My BIL has no appetite and I am hoping someone on this list has found a
stimulant my sister can use for him. BIL is receiving chemo. I believe
this is the15th year of his dx. of CA of the Prostate. He had a TURP years
ago at first diagnosis, and has done fairly well until about a year ago.
One doc. said nothing more to do, but another doc is aggressively treating
him again. He has pain fairly well controlled right now..
But he won't eat.
Any suggestions?
Jackie

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Alan Meyer - 12 Aug 2005 20:37 GMT

> ... He has pain fairly well controlled right now..
> But he won't eat.
> Any suggestions?
> Jackie

Jackie,

Maybe you should post this on alt.support.cancer. More of the people
there are on chemotherapy and may have suggestions. There may
also be a nurse or dietician at the hospital where he's treated that has a
lot of experience with this and can offer suggestions.

Chemotherapy makes people nauseous and that's a big reason for
not eating. However it's also possible that he suffers from depression,
perhaps seeing this as the end, withdrawing, and not being interested
in going on. If that's a factor, then anything anyone can do to cheer
him up and get him interested again may help.

My personal view, one that I hope to hold onto until the end, is that
even if there's only a short time left, that time is worth living. I don't
know who could communicate that to whom, or how, or whether it's
even relevant to his situation.

Best of luck.

Alan

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Heather - 12 Aug 2005 21:34 GMT

> > ... He has pain fairly well controlled right now..
> > But he won't eat.
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> in going on. If that's a factor, then anything anyone can do to cheer
> him up and get him interested again may help.

Hi Jackie......there is not much one can add to Alan's excellent response,
but when my mother was ill, the doctors gave her a canned liquid *shake* to
drink which supplied all the nutrients. One brand is called "Ensure".
Perhaps your sister could try this, as he must be drinking fluids. Also,
are the chemo doctors giving him something for the nausea or possible
depression??

Best....Heather

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J. Davidson - 13 Aug 2005 00:05 GMT

Thanks much. I imagine there is a bit of nausea, depression and
hopelessness, although he is taking meds for nausea and maybe depression
too.
He drinks ensure and other canned liquid meals occasionally. I guess it is
unreasonable for us to expect him to make himself eat. She tries to come up
with good food and he is just not interested.
Thanks anyway. I think they are both doing the best they can do.
Jackie

> > "J. Davidson" <mete245919@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:5H5Le.155$ej5.59@lakeread05...
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
>
> Best....Heather

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c palmer - 13 Aug 2005 00:28 GMT

hi jackie - i don't remember the age of the BIL, but it is a known fact
that the taste buds die off and are not replaced later in life. the
only taste buds that remain to the very last is those that can detect
sweetness.

to the elderly patient, since everything taste like cardboard, they have
no desire to eat anything. so, the nurses have been known to just take
sugar and sprinkle it heavily on everything. all foods. because of
that, the patient will eat.

also, in the advanced stages of prostate cancer, the patient will stop
eating and lose weight. you stated that he's in his 15th since being
dx'ed. the usual path from prostate cancer is 13 years from beginning
to end.

this might be why the one doctor feels nothing can be done.

i don't know since i'm not there, so i'm just staying the facts.

i wish him the best.

~ curtis

knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional
"Many more men die with prostate cancer than of it. Growing old is
invariably fatal. Prostate cancer is only sometimes so."
http://community.webtv.net/PALMER_ENT/doc

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