I read that 2500 to 3000 calories a day are good while in treatment. H says that docs put him on 2500 a day last year while in treatment and now he says that is more than anybody could ever need, cancer or not. His attitude towards eating has become exactly that of his late mother. We watched her decline into dementia, and eventually pass away. All the while H was saying how she needed to eat to keep up strength, etc, and felt like that is what caused the dementia.
He refuses to accept that losing weight during treatment is BAD.
Any articles out there that I might have him read?

I was told 2500 to 3000 a day which I didn't do while in treatment and I lost 30% of my total body weight. Not good because I didn't really have a spare pound to loose going in. However post Tx, after I walked out of that damn tunnel, I tried to get 3000 cals a day and mostly did during my first year post Tx and I didn't gain a pound so to me that tells me that my body must have needed all those cals.

Loosing weight simply said is due to the body consuming more cals than it gets. It takes a loss of some 3500 cals each week or an average of 500 cals each and every day to loose just one pound (the reverse is true for gaining a pound). So if he thinks that putting additional stress on his body during this Tx is not bad then no one can help him.

C,

During treatment it's tough...I never felt hungry and really hated when I had to be fed through my tube so I really don't think reading an article is going to get him eating more. Even now I have to be "motivated" to eat. Medical MJ is a way to motivate him. Since it's not legal in your state, ask your Dr about Marinol (synthetic THC) that is legal and will cause the munchies.

Good luck

Eric

Have to vehemently disagree about that Marinol. I bought 20 of those pills at $20 a pop and I took 2 or 3 and didn't feel ANYTHING. Not even the slightest change in appetite. Now certainly it could just be me but I have talked to others that have said it had the same non effect on them as well. If you do decide to try it see if you can buy 1 or better yet get a free sample, doubtful.

I have to go with David on this one. Marinol is a medical scam foisted upon patients by a puritanical and hypocritical DEA. While there are tons of web sites denouncing this cruel fraud, the best and most reasonable (IMO) is that of NORML
Marinol vs Natural Marijuana
The conclusion of this study says it all
[quote]Oral synthetic THC, legally available by prescription as Marinol, often provides only limited relief to a select group of patients, particularly when compared to natural cannabis and its cannabinoids. Patients often experience minimal relief from Marinol and many experience unwanted side effects. In addition, many physicians are hesitant to prescribe the drug, and some patients are unable to afford it. Despite Marinol's legality, many patient populations continue to risk arrest and criminal prosecution to use natural cannabis medically, and most report experiencing greater therapeutic relief from it.

The active ingredient in Marinol is a synthetic analogue of only one of the compounds in cannabis that is therapeutically beneficial to patients. By prohibiting the possession and use of natural cannabis and its cannabinoids, patients are unnecessarily burdened to use a synthetic substitute that lacks much of the therapeutic efficacy of natural cannabis and its cannabinoids. [/quote]
P.S. As a consolation prize to EricS, this same NORML study also has a chapter on how great the vaporizer for marijuana is for providing real relief to cancer patients.
Charm

Vaporizers seem like a great solution. Wish that we could move =(

I use benecalorie. Google it. i buy it over the internet. Totally leagle and is considered "medical food" it works GREAT!! Mix it with anythibg. it is only 1.5oz and has 330 calories, 7g of protein and no taste so u can add it to anything. Of course ask your doctor. My husband is end stage and is maintaining/and or gaining weight.