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#148750 - 04/25/12 11:18 AM Eating problems
defeatingin2010 Offline
Member

Registered: 04/20/12
Posts: 14
Loc: TX
My husband says anything sweet tastes bitter now. He cannot swallow meat, pasta, rice, corn, breads, etc. They all either get stuck when he tries to swallow or they choke him. Sure, he can drink water to wash it down, but I've seen him have to drink 5 large glasses of water with a meal, and by the time you drink all of that water, you feel miserable. Does anyone have any recipes for something they can eat that tastes good and won't need several glasses of water to get it down? Please help. (his diet now mostly consists of sauteed vegetables in olive oil, oatmeal, grits, eggs, cheeses and low sugar cereal) I feel horrible fixing the same thing for him every day! But I've run out of ideas and he is so limited.


Edited by ChristineB (04/25/12 02:40 PM)
_________________________
T3 N3 squamous cell carcinoma of the right base of tongue. He was treated with induction chemotherapy followed by definitive chemoradiation, which he completed in December 2010. non-smoker, non-drinker.

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#148751 - 04/25/12 11:40 AM RE: Eating problems [Re: defeatingin2010]
Maria Offline
"Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)

Registered: 07/15/11
Posts: 707
Loc: Ohio
Hi, defeating -
proteins - seafood such as shrimp or scallops seems to go down easier than land-based protein. Try a mild chinese stir-fry with celery (strap off the strings), brocolli stalks (not the tops, which get stuck), and long skinny carrot pieces (cook them too long for proper chinses). Use unspiced chicken broth, soy sauce and sesame oil for the sauce; thicken a bit with corn starch. Add cooked shrimp at the very end. Serve with udon or ramen noodles.

You can do a similar combination in the Italian style. Do not add paprika or any other capsesin containing pepper just yet!

If he can eat grits, risotto may also work.
_________________________
Caregiver to husband - SCC Tonsil T1N2M0 HPV+ Never Smoker DX 12/2010
TX 40 IRMT (1.8 gy) + 10 Cetuximab
PET Scans 6/2011 and 3/2012 clear, 1/2013 physical exam clear
On thyroid pills. Getting slightly less sensitive to hot peppers, and can handle sweet hungarian paprika again. Life is good.

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#148757 - 04/25/12 02:39 PM RE: Eating problems [Re: Maria]
ChristineB Offline

Administrator, OCF Ambassador at Large
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Registered: 06/23/07
Posts: 6719
Loc: PA
Here is a list of easy to eat foods which should help.

List of Easy to Eat Foods

_________________________
Christine

SCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44
2x cispltn-35 rad end 9/27/07, no caregiver
Clear PET 1/08
4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I
surg 4/16/08 clr marg
155 HBO,trismus
3/09 teeth out
7/2/09 recur, Stg IV
8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy
3wks medicly inducd coma, 2 mo hospital
PICC line IV antibiotics 8 mo
10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg
OC 3 times in 3 years
very happy to be alive smile

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#148773 - 04/26/12 08:00 AM Re: RE: Eating problems [Re: ChristineB]
SUEZ Offline
"Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)

Registered: 07/21/10
Posts: 528
Loc: AURORA, OH
Try baked beans! Don't know anything about your husband can you put in a signature? It took Ron a long time before he could eat what he eats now after what he went thru.
_________________________
CG to Ron
Out of Pain 4/3/13
4/12-lung and under chin growth no treatment
1/13/12 lung biopsy
6/11 recur 6/30 resection #2 Clear margins
Clear 12/10
Surg 5/13/10 neck dis/nodes part gloss/flap R thigh all teeth out
RAD 30 8/10
DX 4/2/10 "Oral Cavity" T3NOMO
12/28/07 Non Hodg Lymph remission 7/08

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#148784 - 04/26/12 05:43 PM Re: RE: Eating problems [Re: SUEZ]
defeatingin2010 Offline
Member

Registered: 04/20/12
Posts: 14
Loc: TX
Thanks everyone!! I will post my husband's info when i can figure out how... Thank you again! I can't wait to try your ideas!
_________________________
T3 N3 squamous cell carcinoma of the right base of tongue. He was treated with induction chemotherapy followed by definitive chemoradiation, which he completed in December 2010. non-smoker, non-drinker.

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#148787 - 04/26/12 08:04 PM Re: RE: Eating problems [Re: defeatingin2010]
ChristineB Offline

Administrator, OCF Ambassador at Large
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Registered: 06/23/07
Posts: 6719
Loc: PA
To add a signature its very easy. Go to the my stuff tab, on the drop down menu select profile. Scroll to the bottom and type the info in the white box and submit. Dont worry about medical terms, check out what others have written and make something that tells the history. A signature greatly help when answering questions, especially with new members.
_________________________
Christine

SCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44
2x cispltn-35 rad end 9/27/07, no caregiver
Clear PET 1/08
4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I
surg 4/16/08 clr marg
155 HBO,trismus
3/09 teeth out
7/2/09 recur, Stg IV
8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy
3wks medicly inducd coma, 2 mo hospital
PICC line IV antibiotics 8 mo
10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg
OC 3 times in 3 years
very happy to be alive smile

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#148788 - 04/26/12 09:22 PM Re: RE: Eating problems [Re: ChristineB]
defeatingin2010 Offline
Member

Registered: 04/20/12
Posts: 14
Loc: TX
I think I got it added now. smile
_________________________
T3 N3 squamous cell carcinoma of the right base of tongue. He was treated with induction chemotherapy followed by definitive chemoradiation, which he completed in December 2010. non-smoker, non-drinker.

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#148806 - 04/27/12 01:42 PM Re: RE: Eating problems [Re: defeatingin2010]
davidcpa Offline

Administrator, Senior Patient Advocate
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Registered: 09/28/06
Posts: 7401
Loc: Gulfport, Florida
Try all things with added gravy.
_________________________
David

Age 58 at Dx, HPV 16+ SCC, T1N2bM0, Stage IV BOT and 2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker and exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 with concurrent IMRT x 35, (70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over 8/28/06. June 2007, back to riding my bike 100 miles a week as if nothing happened.

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#148823 - 04/28/12 12:49 PM Re: RE: Eating problems [Re: davidcpa]
Anne-Marie Offline
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Registered: 11/03/06
Posts: 2222
Loc: TN
Hi defeating - Don't worry about fixing the same thing every day. Tastes have a way of changing overnite. When I was trying to fix stuff my son could tolerate and found some he liked, before I knew it, his tastes changed and he didn't like it anymore. I remember buying a blender to make milk shakes and I got some protein powder to add to the milk shake. I think he probably had or three milk shakes and didn't like the protein powder in it, so if you do find something, don't buy a lot of it. Everyone is different with their reactions to taste. At the end of Paul's Tx, we had to give away a lot of stuff to someone else he knew going through a similar experience. Christine's list of easy foods is a really good one. Another thing my son like was grilled cheese fried in a LOT of butter. And he used a lot of gravy or other sauces, too. He liked chicken noodle soup but only sipped the broth. The day he was able to eat two noodles with it, we celebrated! I think you just have to try different things to see what works. It does get better.
_________________________
Anne-Marie
CG to son, Paul (age 33, non-smoker) SCC Stage 2, Surgery 9/21/06, 1/6 tongue Rt.side removed, +48 lymph nodes neck. IMRTx28 completed 12/19/06. CT scan 7/8/10 Cancer-free! ("spot" on lung from scar tissue related to Pneumonia.)




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