Hi,
My husband is 3 yrs post tx and is living on ensure. He has thrush which thrives on sugar and is losing weight. I try to get at least 3000 calories a day into him, adding banana, yogurt, protein powder, eggs etc. to cans of ensure.
I need help with how to make him my own drink with the same nutrients as ensure but not all the other junk. His drinks average about 1000 calories a meal. He was eating a little chicken or fish before he had thrush but not tolerating it now,
Does anyone know of any powder sold that would have the same nutrients as ensure.
I would appreciate any help anyone has in this area.
Thanks, Eileen

Eileen,

How is he loosing weight on 3000 cals a day?

I know you have lived with this a long time and I am just a newby but shortly after Tx I was drinking 3000 cals a day of Carnation Instant breakfast VHC which has 560 cals per 8oz can. It's similar to Ensure/Boost but supercharged. I never got thrush. I still use it to supplement my solid food intake. Are you sure the thrush is attributable the sugar from Ensure?

I'm sorry I don't know any additive but I'm sure others might.

David
He has maintained his weight of 148 for about a year on 3000 calories and it took almost that long to get from his low of 124 to 148 range. He was also eating a little chicken or fish at dinner but since the thrush the mucus is so heavy that he won't eat and when he drinks he tries to swallow it all but mucus comes up and I think he must lose some of the drink. Even if he gave up the little he ate, he could easily lose a pound a month.
He didn't get the thrush from Ensure. He was on antibiotics which we think caused it but he is also now anemic and the sugar is not good for thrush. Because he is anemic. the medicines are not getting rid of it.
After radiation and chemo he needed to take iron for two years and his blood levels slowly came up. Last May he was in good shape and I asked the doctor if he could stop taking iron and he did. AS a result the anemia came back unless they discover another reason. He will undergo gastro tests and a CAT scan this month.
I also just ordered the carnation VHC and am waiting for it to arrive.
Just thought it would be more healthy to make my own drinks instead of the cans which have a lot of unnecessary things in it. Thanks Eileen

Eileen, there is also a product called Scandia shake that is very high calorie (600 plus per package)and is in powder form.

What do you mean when you say there are "unnecessary" things in nutritional drinks? I know I lived on them exclusively for a long time, and nutritionally they gave me a very well balanced (although boring) diet, with all of the calories, carbs, protiens, vitamins and minerals that you need daily.

3000 calories a day is quite a lot; most people maintain their weight with 2000-2500 calories a day.. I know I'd put on weight like crazy at 3000 calories a day!

What is your husband taking for the thrush? Nystatin isn't always effective, however difulcan is the next step up and usually knocks all but the worst cases down. Thrush is fungal, and antibiotics won't "cause" it, but they do set up the right conditions in your mouth and throat for an opportunistic fungal infection like thrush to take hold.

It can be a tough cycle to break, but it can be done, and it's not dependant on eliminating sugars. That's helpful for sure, but it's too simplistic an approach. It will not likely go away without medication, and really vigorous, almost constant mouth care (brushing, gargling, etc). Even if you eliminate sugars from his diet, saliva (even though he may not have a lot like most of us) is the start of the digestive process, and converts a variety of foods to basic sugars anyway.

I think if I was 3 years post treatment and still having serious mucous problems and a thrush infection that wouldn't go away, I'd be looking for a different Doctor. Seems to me that those are both nagging problems that should have been resolved a long time ago. I had problems with recurrent thrush too, but after 2 months of fooling with it, my Doctor got agressive in treating it, and I haven't had a problem for a while now. Both are miserable problems, and if it were me I'd be making a lot of noise about solving them.
Good luck with the new tests. Hopefully they will get the ball rolling a bit for your husband
Wayne

Wayne, Thanks for the info about Scandia Shake I will try to get that. When I say that Ensure has unnecessary things, I meant because it is processed it has too much sugar and whatever else is needed for the processing. I wish I could come up with a equally nutritious drink using protein powder etc, but I am overwhelmed.
For whatever reason, my husband has not been able to put on weight with 3000 calories and is now losing because the thrush is causing him to spit out mucus after each sip. He tries to swallow it all but I am sure he is losing some.
As far as the thrush he has had 28 days of difulican and it has not gone away. The ENT did not want him to take it again and he is using nystatin again. I went to the nutritional healing book and they say to use acidophilus and oil of oregano to fight the thrush.
The RO, MO and the ENT , and a gasto doctor have all seen this thrush anc no one has done anything different. After the gastro tests next week if the thrush is in his esphogus, then the ENT said he would have to put him on something stronger then difulican. Up until this time he has not had Thrush so I believe that the antibiotics was the cause.
The new ENT dr. just gave hime a prescription for a suction machine which hopefully will help. No one ever wanted to give us that either. He is being treated at Memorial Sloan so I wouldn't know where to go as they are one of the best.
Thanks Eileen

Eileen, I sure hope they can get both issues resolved for your husband. Thrush can really be miserable to deal with. I'm really surprised that the difulcan hasn't knocked it down after a month.

I know there are several other medications that are stronger still, and I'm sure they will find something that works.

The suction machine has been a God-send for many people. Hopefully it does the trick and let your husband get some food in.

It sounds like he's got just what he needs; a very strong advocate fighting on his behalf.
Best of luck
Wayne

I also like to use Scandishakes for nutrition. I haven't been able to eat solid food now for about 6 months and they're keeping me alive. They mix very well with milk and you can add calories in the usual ways you do now. Scandishakes are 600 calories with an 8oz glass of milk. They go down smooth. You can buy 'em on the internet. Shop around for best prices with shipping, etc. You can save a few bucks if you SHOP around some...especially if you buy in quantities.