| Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 945 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 945 | Soda noodles are made of buckwheat, and are WAY healthier than ramen. They should slide down easily with a butter or olive oil sauce, or a stir fry. It is possible that soy sauce and umami-based flavors will taste ok. You might want to try a Chinese buffet. Egg foo yung should be slide down. Go for dishes with soft noodles - rice is stickier.
Best wishes and don't give up!
CG to husband - SCC Tonsil T1N2M0 HPV+ Never Smoker First symptoms 7/2010, DX 12/2010 TX 40 IRMT (1.8 gy) + 10 Cetuximab PET Scans 6/2011 + 3/2012 clear, 5 year physical exam clear; chest CT's clear of cancer. On thyroid pills. Life is good.
| | | | Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2 | [quote=Maria]Soda noodles are made of buckwheat, and are WAY healthier than ramen. They should slide down easily with a butter or olive oil sauce, or a stir fry. It is possible that soy sauce and umami-based flavors will taste ok. You might want to try a Chinese buffet. Egg foo yung should be slide down. Go for dishes with soft noodles - rice is stickier.
Best wishes and don't give up! [/quote]
Are you sure you don't mean soba noodles Maria?
SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0 Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days radiation Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03 Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08. Cervical Spinal Stenosis 01/11 Cervical Myelitis 09/12 Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12 Dysautonomia 11/12 Hospice care 09/12-01/13. COPD 01/14 Intermittent CHF 6/15 Feeding tube NPO 03/16 VFI 12/2016 ORN 12/2017 Cardiac Event 06/2018 Bilateral VFI 01/2021 Thoracotomy Bilobectomy 01/2022 Bilateral VFI 05/2022 Total Laryngectomy 01/2023
| | | | Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 945 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 945 |
CG to husband - SCC Tonsil T1N2M0 HPV+ Never Smoker First symptoms 7/2010, DX 12/2010 TX 40 IRMT (1.8 gy) + 10 Cetuximab PET Scans 6/2011 + 3/2012 clear, 5 year physical exam clear; chest CT's clear of cancer. On thyroid pills. Life is good.
| | | | Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2 | I was on a tear for decades to learn how to make as many Japanese things as possible...from scratch. Udon noodles with buckwheat flour was about as quick as a tamale day on December. You even have to boil them 6 times. I seem to do better with the thicker noodles. Now..off to eat some yakisoba. Hungry from talking about it.
SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0 Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days radiation Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03 Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08. Cervical Spinal Stenosis 01/11 Cervical Myelitis 09/12 Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12 Dysautonomia 11/12 Hospice care 09/12-01/13. COPD 01/14 Intermittent CHF 6/15 Feeding tube NPO 03/16 VFI 12/2016 ORN 12/2017 Cardiac Event 06/2018 Bilateral VFI 01/2021 Thoracotomy Bilobectomy 01/2022 Bilateral VFI 05/2022 Total Laryngectomy 01/2023
| | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 383 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | Platinum Member (300+ posts) Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 383 | I am now embarking on another journey and learning how to eat and swallow again after 6 years of an "Old" new normal (Now another "Very" new normal). Christine has some good options here and I love Maria's Egg Foo Yung comment and been doing that about once a week right now. Been balancing with instant mashed potatoes and Thank God I've always loved eggs. There's several cookbooks out there for folks like us. Going to have to try the different noodles mentioned above as Ramen packs a lot of sodium if you don't use like a vegetable broth. Good discussion! Best wishes to all.
SCC right side BOT/FOM; DX 1-25-06; Neck dissection/25% of tongue removed 2-17-06. Stage 2 Recurrence 7-06: IMRTX35 & 3X Cisplatin ended 10-18-06. Tumor found 03/18/13; Partial Glossectomy 03/28/13 left lateral tongue. Nov. 2014; headaches,lump on left side of throat. Radical Neck Dissection 12-17-14; Tumor into nerves/jugular; Surgery successful, IMRTX30 & 7X Erbotux. Scan 06-03-15; NED! 06-02-16; Mets to left Humerus bone and lesion on lungs-here We go again! Never, Ever Give Up!
**** PASSED AWAY 10/8/16 ****
| | | | Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 8 Member | Member Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 8 | "There's several cookbooks out there for folks like us."
Could someone elaborate on this? I'm 3 months today post-TX and down almost 100 pounds. I don't have much more I can spare, lol. Although being skinny is fun I do need to address my diet and start increasing my caloric intake. You all know the song and dance though: it burns, it's too thick, I can't chew, it tastes like a taxicab floorboard, yada yada yada... | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Drink a few ensures to help get enough calories in and to balance your diet. How about tapioca pudding with lots of whipped cream? Puddings are fattening.
It took me several years after rads before I was able to eat enough to gain any weight. I used to make chocolate peanut butter milkshakes with full fat everything. Those giant milkshakes were around 2000 calories each and some days I would drink 3 of them along with eating and I never gained an ounce. Prior to rads, if I even looked at food I gained weight. Your metabolism has dramatically changed and you really need a good 3000 calories daily to try to rebuild your body. Adding high protein will help you to heel.
The easy to eat foods list mentioned above has alot of great food ideas.
Let me know if you want the chocolate peanut butter milkshake recipe. ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive | | | | Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 4 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 4 | I was down to 130 for a while after dropping from 245 in a matter of weeks, three years ago. I went up to 170, which took over a year to gain, but then dropped to 140 from another treatment in 2011, but built up to 180, and then lost 10 pounds to 170 from another treatment, which ended in 11/12 I built myself up to 190 right now!
Try adding vegatble oil, vegetable oil, etc. to any drinks, foods, which add extra calories, taste, and fat increases appetite too. To eat foods more easily, you can spray them with an pump oil mister. I have brand called "Misto" that is a spray pump, which you can spray on food.
Good luck.
10/09 T1N2bM0 Tonsil 11/09 Taxo Cisp 5-FU, 6 Months Hosp 01/11 35 IMRT 70Gy 7 Wks 06/11 30 HBO 08/11 RND PNI 06/12 SND PNI LVI 08/12 RND Pec Flap IORT 12 Gy 10/12 25 IMRT 50Gy 6 Wks Taxo Erbitux 10/13 SND 10/13 TBO/Angiograph 10/13 RND Carotid Remove IORT 10Gy PNI 12/13 25 Protons 50Gy 6 Wks Carbo 11/14 All Teeth Extract 30 HBO 03/15 Sequestromy Buccal Flap ORN 09/16 Mandibulectomy Fib Flap Sternotomy 04/17 Regraft hypergranulation Donor Site 06/17 Heart Attack Stent 02/19 Finally Cancer Free Took 10 yrs
| | | | Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 945 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 945 | Someone mentioned burritos ... One of the things my husband missed most was Mexican - and most of the salsa in the jars are too spicy from the hot peppers.
You can make excellent home made versions without the hot pepper.
Mango or peach salsa: 1 fully ripe mango, chopped 1/4 of a sweet Vidalia onion, chopped and then microwaved for 1-2 minutes (makes it softer and milder 1 Roast red bell pepper, peeled and chopped (or buy it in a jar) 1 handful FRESH cilantro, chopped 1/2 to 2 limes, juiced (be careful - start with a little lime and see how much you can tolerate) Mango or peach juice, if you need more liquid
This can be stick-blended if you have trouble with the lumps. It can go on anything from rare salmon (goes down easy) to yoghurt tto beans and rice to soft tacos kielbasa (yes - goes down easy) with sour cream. If your mouth is still very sore, go easy on the lime, and add some olive oil which will tempter the acid in the fruit.
A tomato-based taco sauce can be made as follows: 1 6 oz can plain tomato paste Ground cumin (start with 1 tsp) Ground coriander (start with 1/2 tsp) Oregano (start with 1 tsp) Garlic powder (start with 1/4 tsp) 1 1/2 cans water
Add additional water and herbs to taste. Plain tomato paste is the least acid of the tomato products I have tried. You can add olive oil to this, too, to tempter it.
Hope some of this helps.
Maria
CG to husband - SCC Tonsil T1N2M0 HPV+ Never Smoker First symptoms 7/2010, DX 12/2010 TX 40 IRMT (1.8 gy) + 10 Cetuximab PET Scans 6/2011 + 3/2012 clear, 5 year physical exam clear; chest CT's clear of cancer. On thyroid pills. Life is good.
| | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 383 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | Platinum Member (300+ posts) Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 383 | Kelly, If you search Amazon you will find some cookbooks. Search easy to eat or easy to swallow and some should come up. My wife bought a couple when I was struggling to "Lose the tube" after treatment and couldn't get enough nourishment without the tube. One in particular that I still have is called "Easy to swallow, easy to chew." You can find some that work and then vary the recipes with things you know or learn you can handle. You can probably search different ways and find plenty of options and then review samples or check at a bookstore and be sure you're getting good choices before buying. Christine's correct with her list and of course we are all different. After treatment I couldn't handle milk, it burnt, but others were posting how soothing it was. You have to experiment. I hope this helps and Best of luck!
SCC right side BOT/FOM; DX 1-25-06; Neck dissection/25% of tongue removed 2-17-06. Stage 2 Recurrence 7-06: IMRTX35 & 3X Cisplatin ended 10-18-06. Tumor found 03/18/13; Partial Glossectomy 03/28/13 left lateral tongue. Nov. 2014; headaches,lump on left side of throat. Radical Neck Dissection 12-17-14; Tumor into nerves/jugular; Surgery successful, IMRTX30 & 7X Erbotux. Scan 06-03-15; NED! 06-02-16; Mets to left Humerus bone and lesion on lungs-here We go again! Never, Ever Give Up!
**** PASSED AWAY 10/8/16 ****
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