Lottie - my husband had no appetite either and was getting all of his calories via the PEG. We asked the doctor about an appetite stimulant, and he said no, just use the PEG tube less - that will stimulate the appetite. He was right. The only way your husband will feel hungry again is if he IS hungry! As soon as Tim started to not use the PEG (just cutting out two cans per day at first), he noticed his appetite coming back. He seems to be one of the luckier ones in that he's been able to eat pizza (not the crust ends though!) - it was the first real thing he ate!

What Margaret wrote is true - your husband just needs to look at eating as something he HAS to do, not necessarily something he's going to enjoy for awhile. And from what you've written about his "issues" - pain while eating doesn't seem to be one of them, which is a good thing!

Tim really wanted to get rid of the PEG, so that was the motivation he needed to make himself eat and not rely on the PEG. It was definitely frustrating and more than one meal ended in tears (both of us). But after he hadn't used the PEG for a week, the doctor said it could come out, which it did last Tuesday.

Your husband will get there too!