my grandmother has cancer... she is very skinny?

Question

and the reason behind this is that she always feels nasious after she takes meds... this in turn keeps her from eating too much... We have resently talked her into taking marinol which is medical marijuana that she takes in a pill form and keeps her from getting sick... Since she still cant muster eating so much, what type of food would be best for her, keeping her from feeling sick from eating but also adding a good fair amount of calories to her diet.... The most important thing here is for her to gain weight so she can gain some energy because she's going back into Chemo in a couple weeks and has back surgery in a week or so..And yes she is seeing a therapist but i would like second, thrid and fourth opinions... Thank You!!!

Answer 1

Malnutrition is one of the most frequent causes of death in cancer patients. It is due to a combination of different factors, such as pain, side effects from the medications, and the high metabolic rate of the tumor itself, which consumes a lot of calories. There are those so-called liquid supplements, like Ensure, Boost etc, which contain all the ingredients, vitamins, and minerals the body needs, plus a good amount of calories. It depends how tall/thin your grandmother is in order to calculate the amount she needs. Usually, one can contains around 250 calories. I would assume that your grandmother needs three to four cans a day if she doesn't eat at all. The insurance should cover it as malnutrition is a known factor in cancer patients. The shakes come in different flavor, but what is the most important is that it is consumed very very cold, otherwise it has a very artificial taste to it, which can be a turnoff as well. The shake is based on soy, so there shouldn't be issues if the patients are lactose intolerant, but I have seen people still getting bloated if they drink it on a completely empty stomach. A piece of bread before the shake should take care of that.

Answer 2

There are some doctors that treat diseases by treating the cause rather than the effect. When you can keep the cells in the body healthy, then the body heals itself. This requires complete foods with all the vitamins and minerals in the food that contains them naturally, as the body absorbes them best that way, versus pill form that some claim also stresses the liver.
Some doctors suggest complete foods such as eggs (organic/free range if possible) and milk (unpasturized and unhomogenized). A chicken can survive in an egg, and mother's milk can sustain human life. When patients are in the condition where they cannot eat, they suggest about 2 oz.daily of Marine Phytoplankton.
They claim that it crosses the blood/liver and the blood/brain barrier, as it is a complete food that is microscopic.
I know someone on blood pressure meds that had gotten to the point that she was only able eat a small variety of foods as most foods she could not keep down. After about 3 weeks of phytoplankten along with the foods she could eat, her appetite returned to normal. The arthritis in her hand appears to be gone. That was in March of this year, and she is still eating well and no signs of arthritis. She did get a rash that may be the result of detox, but it is almost gone now.
But unfortunately mainstream doctors are trained to use phamamceutical drugs and rarely use alternatives to avoid lawsuites. If you can find a naturapath doctor or someone practicing holistic medacine you can ask them about marine phytoplankton. Check out www.whyplankton.com for more info

Answer 3

How old is your sweet grandma? Sounds like she is really going thru a lot.
Usually chemo pts tolerate foods cold better than hot, and usually drinks go over better than solids. You can make milk shakes out of boost or ensure. There are fruit drink supplements on the market as well.
It is best to give an anti nausea medication about 1 hour before trying to eat or take medications when nausea is a problem. There are many nausea drugs on the market besides Marinol which work really well such as Zofran, Anzemet, Compazine, Phenergan etc.....
I hope you find this helpful.

Answer 4

My grandmother has cancer as well(colon) and is very skinny. The things that she's found she has to stay away from is mostly greasy foods. The one thing that she eats and not have to worry about it bothering her is oatmeal. You can add milk to it and fruits, so it can actually be pretty good for you. Everyone is different though, so it may take a while of trial and error to figure out what's best for her. Make sure she takes some form of supplement as well. And a trick the doctor told us is this: When she feels sick, have her drink a glass of sugar water. It's supposed to help the nausea go away. Sorry to hear your grandmother is sick, I know it's very tough seeing her go through this. I hope she does well, and her family too.

Answer 5

Soft foods - cottage cheese, cheeses, cream soups, pastas - because the chemo will wreak havoc on her digestive system. I found I could eat room temperature foods as the odor often caused nausea. Also, buy her some aloe toilet tissue as the chemo can cause irritation. I didn't use it, but I know of many cancer survivors who depended on smoking marijuana just so they would get the munchies & keep up their appetites. Do whatever is necessary to get her weight up.

Answer 6

Call the Oral Roberts prayerline immediately! Many, many, many, people all around the world are getting healed of cancer and every other disease! If you could get your GrandMother to call and talk to the prayer warrior for prayer would be great! I have called them many times for my family and for neighbors, etc. I have received miracles and healings myself and for others! You can watch them live on World Harvest channel 321 on DirecTv on weekdays at 8 pm Central time and you can watch them on the internet live at the same time at www.oru.edu and call 918-495-7777 anytime, 24 hours a day -- 7 days a week -- someone is always there to pray with you. Ask them for a prayer cloth . Believe in Miracles and the Power of prayer!

Answer 7

Whole milk ice cream is a high quality high calorie food that many elderly people with poor appetites usually tolerate very well. Fruit yogurt smoothies are another option and you can easily add vitamins or protein powder to the smoothies.

Answer 8

I'm sorry to know that your grandmother has cancer. You can help her, giving her Ensure, at least three times daily with the meals. Also you can go to a nutritionist, and he or she will know what kind of special diet is the best to your dear grandmother. Good luck!!

Answer 9

Went thorugh this with my sister. Try Ensure or Boost. They are liquid drinks.

Answer 10

Please go to this webpage and scroll down until you see Richardson Cancer Diet. Hope it helps