Hi,
This is my first time on here, I am so worried about my husband Howard, from the 9th May to date he has lost 34lbs.
He hasn't got any desire whatsoever to eat, he drinks very little too.
He has been in hospital for four weeks now, and to be honest there isn't a great deal of change in him, except they have hydrated him.
He has had a chest infection, and last week caught pneumonia.
So all in all he is having a very bad time.
Could anyone please help throw any light on this, he now weighs 8st 10lbs [122 pounds].
Very worried, Gail
Forums
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carer - Name: Gail
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 28th January 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 67
Re: Weight loss
Hi Gail, I am really sorry to hear that your husband is so ill and having such rapid weight loss. Is he depressed and have the medical people assessed him for that? It is an awful shock to receive a cancer diagnosis, but for myeloma often there is a lot of treatment available, and all may not be lost really. I know that hospital food can be quite a change from home cooking...maybe you can bring him something to eat that he would find palatable. Also, a high calorie 'milkshake' such as 'Ensure' is a way to keep weight on. Best wishes to you and hope everything starts to go better for you soon.
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Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
Re: Weight loss
In the four months prior to my diagnosis in December of 2009, I lost 40 pounds. As treatment started, my appetite began to return and I regained all I lost and then some (due to steroids).
We are seriously investigating stem cell transplant and have learned that if I have difficulty maintiaining my weight, a hospital dietician will be involved in helping me find things that will be more tempting and will help me maintain my weight. The literature indicates that beverages like Boost or Ensure might be offered and a feeding tube might be used, if things are really bad.
There may be a reason these things have not been offered, but you might ask your husband's doctor about whether any of these suggestions are advisable in your husband's care.
We are seriously investigating stem cell transplant and have learned that if I have difficulty maintiaining my weight, a hospital dietician will be involved in helping me find things that will be more tempting and will help me maintain my weight. The literature indicates that beverages like Boost or Ensure might be offered and a feeding tube might be used, if things are really bad.
There may be a reason these things have not been offered, but you might ask your husband's doctor about whether any of these suggestions are advisable in your husband's care.
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Kerbanis
Re: Weight loss
Hi Gail,
I am sorry that your husband and you are going through this very difficult time. I dropped over 40 lbs in the process of the treatment, that included a stem cell transplant. The two times I was hospitalized only made my health worse. I understand that some time there is no alternative to inpatient care, but I hope you are able to get him home soon.
I went through a period of several weeks where I had no desire to eat or drink. I tried Ensure and some of the other high nutrition drinks but found them unpalatable. The only thing I could get down was some rice that my wife would mix with a little vegetable soup. On days that I got blood transfusions my appetite would be better. I also found that the anti-nausea drug Ondansetron helped a little and would take it even though I did not feel nauseous per se.
My best wishes to you and your husband. I hope he starts feeling better soon.
I am sorry that your husband and you are going through this very difficult time. I dropped over 40 lbs in the process of the treatment, that included a stem cell transplant. The two times I was hospitalized only made my health worse. I understand that some time there is no alternative to inpatient care, but I hope you are able to get him home soon.
I went through a period of several weeks where I had no desire to eat or drink. I tried Ensure and some of the other high nutrition drinks but found them unpalatable. The only thing I could get down was some rice that my wife would mix with a little vegetable soup. On days that I got blood transfusions my appetite would be better. I also found that the anti-nausea drug Ondansetron helped a little and would take it even though I did not feel nauseous per se.
My best wishes to you and your husband. I hope he starts feeling better soon.
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Tom184 - Name: Tom
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: January 2011
- Age at diagnosis: 64
Re: Weight loss
I'v had the opposite problem. Gained wieght because of the high dose dex, and then so weak was not very active and lost all my muscle but regained the weight as fat.
I am now very active again and trying to loose weight. It is very long process because I have to first regain the muscle tone i lost, and then loose weight. I have about 10 more pounds to go to reach my goal weight.
I eat very little but my metabolism is slow because I am now menopausal and borderline hypo thyroid.
I am now very active again and trying to loose weight. It is very long process because I have to first regain the muscle tone i lost, and then loose weight. I have about 10 more pounds to go to reach my goal weight.
I eat very little but my metabolism is slow because I am now menopausal and borderline hypo thyroid.
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Anonymous
Re: Weight loss
I too lost a few pounds in hospital. Nothing tasted like anything! My taste buds were not working due to the mephlan. I craved hot and spicy foods that I could taste. But once I got home and could taste the food, qi picked up the pounds I lost. I am sure that when I go on maintaince chemo with Revlimid, Try to get him his favorites.
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Mary Degenkolb - Name: Mary Degenkolb
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2011
- Age at diagnosis: 54
Re: Weight loss
I lost 50lbs during the course of my treatment and I am not sure exactly why. I was maintaining my weight while on Dex and Velcade but had to be taken off both last July because of grade 3 peripheral neuropathy (PN) that was progressing to grade 4. I was also taking a lot of opiates for peripheral neuropathy pain and one of the side effects opiate pain meds is they can shut down the digestive track flow and this happened to me. I was going 5 to 6 days without using the bathroom and this became a significant problem as well. This was a tough time period. I started rapidly losing weight in July and would go long periods of time not eating much at all. Usually I found I could get some Ensure down and I would definitely look into that. I understand that three or four Ensures a day can be enough to sustain you. At this time most food started tasting like cardboard from PN nerve damage but strangely it would still smell pretty good. I tried a few times to force myself to eat but often threw up when I did. I was prescribed Dronabinol, which is basically synthetic THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, to help my appetite. Dronabinol did not seem to help much with the appetite but people said it seemed to relax me bit. Dronabinol did not make me feel high or goofy in any way. Dronabinol is FDA approved by the Federal Government, it is not medical marijuana, but I find few people seem to be aware of it. I did not become addicted to Dronabinol and it was easy to stop taking, it was Morphine I became addicted to. Though Dronabinol did not seem to do much for me it certainly did no harm and it may work for you. Other cancer patients have told me it helped their appetite. I would not hesitate to talk to your doctor about it.
I was pretty concerned about the weight loss and it preventing me from getting a SCT. The chemo they gave me for stem cell harvesting did not help with the appetite either and I was throwing up even without eating. I did get my SCT in October last year and they feed me through IV for several days in and the hospital. I was able to get off the opiates while in the hospital for my SCT and after being off Velcade for several months, eventually, slowly, my digestive track started moving again and the PN subsided to grade 1. My taste for food was restored and I was eating again. Today I have regained about 30lbs of the 50lbs I lost and I am at the ideal weight for my height. I achieved a near complete response from my SCT and I have no trouble eating at all. Once you are able to cut back on a lot of the drugs taken during induction therapy I believe you will find things will return to normal. Hang in there, it can seem pretty bad at times but eventually you can recover from these difficult and low points during treatment.
I was pretty concerned about the weight loss and it preventing me from getting a SCT. The chemo they gave me for stem cell harvesting did not help with the appetite either and I was throwing up even without eating. I did get my SCT in October last year and they feed me through IV for several days in and the hospital. I was able to get off the opiates while in the hospital for my SCT and after being off Velcade for several months, eventually, slowly, my digestive track started moving again and the PN subsided to grade 1. My taste for food was restored and I was eating again. Today I have regained about 30lbs of the 50lbs I lost and I am at the ideal weight for my height. I achieved a near complete response from my SCT and I have no trouble eating at all. Once you are able to cut back on a lot of the drugs taken during induction therapy I believe you will find things will return to normal. Hang in there, it can seem pretty bad at times but eventually you can recover from these difficult and low points during treatment.
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Eric Hofacket - Name: Eric H
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 01 April 2011
- Age at diagnosis: 44
Re: Weight loss
Has anyone else tried Nepro instead of Ensure for a meal replacement? It is better for the kidneys. I am like anonymous in that I am gaining weight. I am short and I have gained 6 pounds in 6 weeks. Yesterday I took all size 6 pants out of my closet and bought 5 pair of size 10 pants. That is another strange trial for a woman who has worked hard to keep weight off all my adult life I notice it is mostly men who lose weight and wonder if it is partly because men start with more muscle than women. So, they lose more muscle weight than women?
My Nephrologist has asked me to try to keep exercising-so I walk on treadmill 30min and lift light weights M, W, F. And I swim 30 min Tues and Thurs. I also try to eat a lot of kidney friendly vegetables like red bell peppers, cabbage, salad, and fruits and egg whites with sautéed vegetables. I hope I can slow the weight gain.
It sounds like Eric is very disciplined! Wonderful to hear you are doing so well after such a hard time
My Nephrologist has asked me to try to keep exercising-so I walk on treadmill 30min and lift light weights M, W, F. And I swim 30 min Tues and Thurs. I also try to eat a lot of kidney friendly vegetables like red bell peppers, cabbage, salad, and fruits and egg whites with sautéed vegetables. I hope I can slow the weight gain.
It sounds like Eric is very disciplined! Wonderful to hear you are doing so well after such a hard time
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antelope1225 - Name: Cathy1225
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 25 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 55
Re: Weight loss
Eric have you tried Miralax for constipation?
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antelope1225 - Name: Cathy1225
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 25 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 55
Re: Weight loss
I guess there is a connection between the nausea and lack of appetite vs. the constipation. Remembering the time of induction chemo when I was given Velcade by IV, part of that treatment was to first be given Kytril, also by IV. Kytril is a powerful anti-nauseant. I didn't have too much of lack of appetite, although home made soups made by our neighbours were my favourite food at the time. Ginger ale also helped to quell nausea, and ginger candies etc (referenced by Pat K. in his book 'Stem Cell Transplants'). But because of the Kytril, my digestive system slowed down almost to a halt! A 'natural' product called Senokot helped to resolve that issue! Yikes! I learned a lot that year and subsequently about chemo medicine in general.
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Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
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