I am sure this topic has beat to death but I need some help. My friend Rod is really down about his weight. He is steady at 125 lbs. He eats alot. Has anyone tried the weight gainer powder from GNC or have any other suggestions? He can't drink the boost, the smell reminds his of when he had his peg and he was really sick. He is drinking alot of milk & ice cream,he eats pancakes almost every morning. He is only 9 months from tx so maybe patience is the only answer right now. Any advice?He was to see the ENT for a check up on Wed but the doc changed it until the 20.Thanks guys!Maureen

Hi Maureen,

Like Rod, my husband Ron is also trying to put on some weight. He's not having much luck yet either, although he looks like he's gained some, but the scale shows no change. From what I've learned here, I think it's just going to take time. I know eating a lot of meals throughout the day is good, and Ron can't stand the taste of Boost either. I don't know if you have a store called Whole Foods in your area, but we buy Soy Protein Drinks from there in various flavors that Ron really likes. If it makes Rod feel any better, he's not alone in this "trying to gain weight" issue. Good luck and tell him to keep eating and be patient!

Take care,

Shelley

Shelley,

That's the same as Rod. He looks like he gained and HE thought he gained but the scale says otherwise.He eats alot. I told him to try protein drinks so hopefully he will. How much weight did Ron lose altogether? Rod lost around 30 lbs & couldn't afford to.He is trying to be patient but he's obsessed with the darn scale!!!Thanks so much! Maureen:)

Hi Maureen,

Ron lost about 45 lbs. He started out at 185 (he's 5'11'), which was a good weight for him, and got down to 140. He weighs about 145 now. I think Rod is just going to have to experiment with the different protein drinks to find one he likes. That's what we did, lots of experimenting. I also wonder if the radiation somehow changes a person's metabolism, speeds it up? Tell Rod to hang in there, he may be too thin, but at least he's cancer free!!

Take care,

Shelley

Just a piece of advice on the protein drinks.

Six years ago (the first time we faced death head on) we had a very bad car wreck. Harry was in the hospital for 22 days and in a wheel chair for 3 months. He lost a lot of weight, particularly muscle mass. He started at 165 and dropped to 130.

I gave him the protein drinks and they definately work but.... They do take a little time and once you start gaining weight then you might want to back off a bit. You might end up with an extra 20lbs.

At least that was our experience. Harry started his treatments at 183 and yesterday he weighed in at 151 and dehydrated. He is back in the hospital.

Just my advice. Hope it is helpful.

Cindy

Hi all, I think what I experienced is pretty common. I don't know what causes this time line (treatments, stress or what) The first two years post treatment I could eat anything and everything (except potatoes or bread) and would not gain any weight at all. Then as year three came on I would eat a few french fries, maybe a sandwich, toast, pancakes, bread and wham I gain 15 pounds. I can't tell you if it was the carbs, something physical or the thyroid effects. In any case my suggestion is that you don't stress out about weight gain just well balanced nutrition. In time you can expect gain to the point where you will be seeing too much (just like before)

Be happy

Shelley,

That's funny, I told him the same thing! Your thin but your free of cancer!He always had a high metabolism and had a hard time gaining!He's a little guy 5'8 and 125lbs right now. We'll try the protein drinks and see what happens!Thanks so much for your help!

Cindy,
I'm sorry about Harry being back in the hospital. I hope he is feeling better and home soon. I think he had the same tx as Rod, 7 weeks radiation and 3 rounds of chemo (cisplatin/5fu. Did he have a peg tube also? I don't think Rod used his correctly or maybe he would not have lossed as much weight. He was only putting in like 3 cans a day. His anxiety was terrible through out the whole thing and didn't have a lot of support from family. I live 5 states away and tried to be there for him with ALOT of talking on the phone! Anyway was there a certain kind of protein drink Harry liked that you could recommend? Rod would love an extra 20lbs!lol He was so excited when he went from 110lbs at the end of tx to 125. Thanks so much & will pray for Harry to be home soon!

Mark, Rod is the same as far as the bread, he can pretty much eat anything but bread. He tries with alot of water. He eats alot of pancakes too!I have to laugh though because every time I call him he is eating!!! He doesn't have alot of patience which it sounds like is the answer right now.He is always weighing himself. I told him to STAY off the scale and try the protein drinks for a month and see what happens. He has alot to be thankful for and this is a minor bump in the road compared to what he has been through!Anyway thanks so much for the reply!I really appreciate it! God bless! MAureen

Mark is right about the healthy vs. worrying about gaining. Just gaining weight for the sake of gaining is really not the best way to do things.

We used the nutritional protein supplements from GNC. All of them were good. I always picked the one with the highest protein because that is good for the muscles and it helped with the strength.

There is a tendancy, especially in guys who have had an overactive metabolism all of their lives, to be so bent on gaining that they forget that balance is really best.

Just tell him to use the supplements for what they were intended... supplements. Incorporate them into a meal plan that is balanced and they are very useful at helping to combat atrophy especially.

THanks for the kind words about Harry. He will have 4 rounds of chemo. Round 4 begins April 28th. He does have a PEG and I give him 8 cans a day plus other things when I can. He is still losing weight though. I am sure that he has not bottomed out yet. He has lost over 10lbs. in just the last week and a half.

He is having a real rough time at the moment but we are pushing on.

Cindy

Hi Maureen; The weight thing can be pretty oppressive for sure. Every time I lost weight I thought I was losing the "fight"...not true, and as I found out from the helpful people on this board, a normal consequence of tx.
At our Cancer Center they have a wonderful dietician who spends time with anyone who has lost more than 20% of their pre-tx weight. She was able to work with my likes and dislikes as well as all the stuff my dry and sensitive mouth just rejects outright. We were able to find an extra 500 do-able calories a day from my list which stopped the pound a week loss. None of her info was new really, but having the plan drawn up seemed to make the difference. I'm not gaining yet, but do look forward to sharing Marks experience in the future.
All the best
Fran

Fran,

It can be tough especially when your watching and waiting to gain. Rod tried the weight gainer that you mix with milk(its a powder)and developed loose BM's already.He's lactose intolerent. Today what the first day so I guess we are back to the drawing board.I think theres something called Dairy Ease for people with this problem so maybe he can try that.Anyway thanks for the reply, hopefully your new plan will work for you...good luck!!!God bless!Maureen