weight loss

Is weight loss during chemo common? A friend is undergoing chemo for bc with mets to liver and brain. She has lost some weight and seems to feel full faster than she did before. Right now she is taking gemzar and navelbine.

I too have been having problems eating. I think I am hungry but when I sit to eat, I just pick at the food. I've lost ten pounds this month. I was just diagnosed with a brain tumor and wondering if it has anothing to do with it. Have her try some Carnation Instant Breakfast and put some ice cream in it to keep up her calorie intake.

Unfortunately, weight loss during chemo is a huge problem. Many people, me included, develop chemo cachexia, which is a fancy term for anorexia. (And believe me, eating has NEVER been a problem for me!) Since I started chemo in Sept., I've gone from 149 lbs. to 118 lbs. The body will run on the fat till there is none, then start running on muscle matter. Many people actually die from this rather than the cancer.

Chemo can affect your taste buds, making food unpalatable. It can also affect your appetitite, especially if you have stomach-related side effects.

Once you have anorexia, it's difficult to put the weight back on. I've been drinking Ensure Plus with 350 calories per can, but it's not enough. Based on my onc's recommendation, I've just ordered drinks called Scandishake. Each drink has 600 calories! I went on-line and have first ordered a couple free as a trial. I hope they taste O.K. If you're interested, the web site is www.axcanscandipharm.com. I asked my pharmacist about getting them, and he can get them for me cheaper than through the website.

Love and light,

Lisa

You'd have to be really careful with weight loss (or weight gain). My clinic tells me that if any chemo patient has a drastic weight change, they might pull the plug on her/his chemo regimen - just until the patient has controlled the weight for some time, then put them back on the regimen. That'd mean losing time right there.

I first lost 10 lbs in the 1st month, then after that I have maintained the same weight. Now, just fresh out of treatment, I'm looking into exercise options, after I get back from Mexico.

Another option to help increase appetite is a drug called Marinol. It's a synthetic THC, the chemical in marijuana. I tried two different doses, and it didn't help me, but it does for many. Maybe your friend can ask her doc about it.

Love and light,

Lisa

Marinol didn't help me neither, but I've heard that it works for a lot of people.

During chemo, I had trouble digesting food. Seemed that chemo affected my GI. I would easily get bloated. They put me on Aciphex. A rx bottle of aciphex costs about $150! A cheaper alternative would be either Pepcid or Pepcid AC.

Good luck! :-)

I've been on Aciphex for 6 months or so and it is indeed expensive, as Jojo points out. I have prescription coverage but Aciphex isn't on the "Preferred" list, so I have a bigger co-pay, 50%!

I'm going back to Pepcid AC, which is what I used before; it's not an acid blocker like Aciphex or Prilosec, but does an ok job, I just have to modify my diet somewhat and go easy on the fats.

If you do need an acid blocker rather than an acid reducer, make sure it's one your insurance has on their approved list, or it can be a bit of a shock!

Hugs,
Lolly