Hi, lotsacats

There are a couple of problems with the bottled drinks - the flavor and the consistency: they are emulsified so that they do not separate on the shelf, and have the appropriate consistency of latex paint.

The solution my husband and I worked out was that he would force do one of the high protein drinks at work (I would call and remind him to do so), but I would make him a breakfast and dinner shake. As he lost the taste sensations it wasn't a case of making things taste good, it was a question of making them less dreadful. We did this with a combination of a packet of Carnation Instant Breakfast, milk (I rotated cow's milk, soy and almond just for the variety), protein powder. Other ingredients were whey powder, ice cream fruit (peaches were the mildest for him), baby oatmeal and rice cereal. And Benefiber!!! Even though nausea is your husband's major issue now, the question is still finding the most tolerable nutrition, timing, location to eat, etc.

The above was not perfectly balanced nutritionally (talk to a dietician if you are able), but it did get him through therapy without drama.

A couple of other tips:

Constipation (caused by change of diet, pain meds) doesn't do a thing for your appetite, so make sure that is attended to.

As the radiation caused more pain, my husband would drink his shake standing up at the sink as it was easier for him to swallow. I wonder if this would help with the nausea, too?

Be careful with any cooking odors. If he is having nausea issues, cooking up a big pot of corned beef and cabbage may not be the best plan. This may or may not bother him, but a friend did mention this was something to watch out for.

Best of luck to you both,
Maria

PS: My husband still has a breakfast shake with milk, whey power, fruit and cooked oatmeal. When he does one with apples, he adds cinnamon and cloves. Really tasty.