At 7 months post-treatment, my husband is still having trouble putting on any weight. He eats fairly high calorie foods at every meal and also drinks two or three cans of Boost per day, but stays at 135 lbs (he was 155 before treatment). If he slacks off even for one day on calorie consumption, he loses a pound or two. Any else have so much trouble putting on weight post-treatment?

Thanks,
Anita

Hi,
My husband is 2 years out of treatment and just started to gain weight over the summer. His doctor said his body was using any and all energy (calories) to heal his body. Now he is back up to his pretreatment weight. He can't eat the breads and chips he used to eat due to dry mouth, but he has a new love of ice cream, and of all things steak, he can't get the starches down but has no problem with protein.
Just let your husband know it will probably take more time but his will gain some back.

Sherrie, I once thought I could never eat bread again but today I have bread with oatmeal for my breakfast every morning. The trick is for every bite of bread I need to take some oatmeal in milk to wash it down. Don't be ambitious at the beginning because it may choke you in the midway. Start with soft bread and let the liquid dissolve it in the mouth first before swallowing. As for weight gain, I regained all my lost weight a year post treatment but I know some people whose weight did not go up no matter how much he ate. As long as the weight does not go down like what it is during the treatment, I think we need not worry about it.

Karen stage 4 tonsil cancer diagnosed in 9/01.

Hi Anita210,

I was 150bs before i was dx with tonsilor cancer in July. I had a radical neck disection on 7/31/03 and was in the hospital 8 days. I lost 30 lbs. in 8 days. I have a peg tube in and I insert 9 to 10 cans of Jevity (similer to boost) with 1/2 bag of carnation instant milk (choc) added to the jevity. This means my calorie input per day is excedding 3000. In two months post op I have gained back all 30 lbs. There is also a weight Gainer powder you can purchase at GNC to add to the boost also.

I am also going thru radiation (IMRT) and have completed 24 treatments and have only 6 to go. I am lucky, I have had no side effects from the rad. I think your husband should input more boost per day, he will have to gain weight.

Good luck, I hope all goes well for your husband, Take care, Daniel

Anita,
For the longest time I could not seem to gain any weight, and I still have swallowing difficulties, but now, about 14 months after radiation treatments ended, I have reached my ideal weight(about 5 pounds less than I weighed when I started). I have done it on a fairly limited diet...I eat matzo ball soup from a local deli a couple of meals a day, cereal and banana in the morning, occasional pasta, fish, or Chinese food with chicken, and 2 to three chocolate milkshakes that I make at home each day with whole (lactose free) milk and real ice cream. I also drink one or two cans of Boost plus a day and some yogurt.

Good luck,
Danny G.

As usual, thanks everyone for the replies. I find it soooo reassuring to hear that some of these issues are common to many people. I've passed on all the comments to my husband. He doesn't seem to worry as much as I do, but I could tell that he was concerned about what this weight gain issue could mean.

Anita