Hello All,
I am 11 weeks post treatment. 30 RAD/3 CHEMO. my issue that is frustrating me is I have no appetite at all! I still have my feeding tube but would like to lose it. my throat seems fine no pain/ taste buds are back 98%. I have no desire to eat and when I do I can not get much down. Like I totally hate the thought of eating and want nothing to do with it! anyone else dealt with this issue? or is it coming back at some time and I am being impatient? Of course my mouth is dry and I found Milk to be good for washing stuff down! And my last Dr. visit was great news on 2/15/2013 No cancer found with the camera down the throat. Thank you

Hi Tom. Congratulations on finishing your treatmrnt. It's still early. Radiation continues to work afterwards, just as long as you had treatments. For radiation treatment, it took me a few months to start eating by mouth, and was relying on the tube. How is your weight, which can be an indication you are getting enough nutrients, hydration. You may want to see a nutrionist at your hospital to help with diet, and easy to eat foods. ChristineB made a post here, if you look down the menu or go to search for "Easy to Eat Foods."

There are OTC vitamins, beverges, and prescription medications that can boost your appetite like Melatonin, Omega 3 fatty acids, amino acids, caffeine, wine, megace, Marinol, decadron, testosterone. Even smelling or the thought of food can increase your appetite. I think watching the food channel increased mine. Carbs fill you up sooner than fats will, so maybe increase that and or even spray your food with oil. I have a "Misto" which I put olive oil in it, and spay on some foods. this not only increases taste, appetite, but helps with swallowing.

You may have food aversions associated with your treatment, which makes you not like the thought of food, caused by associating the nausea and vomiting with treatment, to the food you ate, smelled that day, so the thought of food may not be pleasant. The same aversion can be with taste.

At one point I was 130lbs, having gone down from 245 in a month, and now weigh about 180. I can cook, eat, so that helps, and used many of the above, but it took a few years. As I like to say, eating is just more than taste, and taste is more than just eating.

Taste is more than eating, and involves many aspects, and should use all to get the most of eating like using your memory, smell, hearing, texture, and the 5 taste buds, actually 6 I believe, salt, sweet, bitter, sour, umami, and fat.

Good luck with everything.

Hi Tommy! Yes, its very common to have no appetite at all after battling cancer. You will have to force yourself to take in enough. Even though you are several weeks out, you still will need to take in at least 2500 calories and 48 oz of water every single day. This is necessary to rebuild your body. Also, high protein whey powder will help you with healing. It can be found in most grocery stores or drug stores.

Here is the list Paul mentioned. Easy to Eat Foods list Its alot about texture now, most of these foods have a smoother texture and will go down easier.

Best wishes with your continued recovery!

1Tommy,

From what I learned so far, everyone is different. I can share with you my experiences. I am 18 weeks out. I still have no appetite to speak of. My taste is only at 70%ish. I have very little taste for sweets. I too find eating a chore, but it must be done. I pretty much still eat by the clock.

I try to eat as much as possible. For me three things make me stop eating. First is pain. After 20 bites or so my throat hurts. Second is my jaw just get tired and does not want to chew anymore. And third is spiciness. Anything that used to be mildly hot is now petty hot. Anything that use to be medium hot is unbearably hot. Every now and then, things that should not be hot are hot, still can't figure that one yet.

I so look forward to the pleasure of eating again. But for me 18 weeks out is still just a task and it still sucks.

Sorry for the gloomy outlook, but I would take your 98% taste over my 70%ish.

It definitely takes some time. I'm 2 years out with minimal sweet taste - NOT A BAD THING as I try to stay away from sugar. Hot is hot even mildly hot is hot, so I avoid it like the plague. Carbonation still hurts and pop tastes like the chemical stew it is. So fresh and natural all the way for me... No processed foods. It takes time and continuous tries to finally get something to work for you. I think it's almost like acclimatizing your taste buds again. And if you are afraid of the pain, nausea, or all out horrible taste, it will take longer to psych yourself back into wanting to eat! hugs.

Thank you all for your replies! this information and site is a awesome place to come to. thank you!