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Any advice please on protein drinks - husband has bowel cancer and not eating much

Heady1
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Hello alL

i have been on the site late last year.  My husband has been diagnosed with bowel cancer, the tumour is in the right side of his colon.  He was due an operation at the end of Christmas but as he has COPD and a pacemaker the anaesthetist wanted him to have further tests to assess whether he was strong enough for the operation.  I am pleased to say he is.

His operation was due for today, he duly arrived for surgery at 7 this morning but has been sent home this afternoon because there are no available ICU beds for him.

I am concerned because he’s not eating much - he’s lost one and a half stone in weight and seems to be getting weaker.  He’s 78. He’s very concerned about constipation which he has suffered from since this diagnosis so I think this is one of the reasons he’s not eating plus he says he not hungry.  I make him soups etc but can anyone recommend a protein drink etc that may help rekindle his taste buds.  I am also anxious that another delay is not helping as to if the cancer is spreading to other areas.

thank you in advance 

Parents
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    Hello

    I'm very sorry to hear about your husband.  My father has not been diagnosed yet but we are extremely concerned about his current situation which has some similarities with that of your husband.  He has lost a similar amount of weight and has been prescribed some high-calorie protein shakes called Ensure Plus.  They come in a few different flavours and he's finding them very tolerable despite not feeling able to consume much of his usual diet.  I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post a link but if you type the name into google I'm sure you'll find it.

    I hope everything works out well for you both.

    Take care.

  • Offline in reply to bushack

    Thank you Bushack for your reply and help.  I will Google that name.

    it’s a very worrying time isn’t it - thought my husband would have had the surgery yesterday and to have him back home not having it done yet it’s very sad, but it is as it is.  All the staff at the hospital have been great and very apologetic on a lack of ICU beds.  This, of course, makes my husband anxious and his lack of appetite worse. Another week of waiting is very hard for him ( and me).

    I hope you get a diagnosis for your father soon and all goes well for him and all your family.

    Best wishes to you x

  • Offline in reply to Heady1

    Hi.

    I buy protein drinks from sainsbury's for my OH. He doesn't eat much when on chemo, and these really help him. He can't drink the ones the dietician gave him. Taste too chemical He said. 

    The ones I buy are called Grenade. They're in the medicine Isle and where the body building snacks are. 

    There's vanilla,  strawberry,  and chocolate flavours.  

    xx

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  • Offline in reply to Heady1

    Hi.

    I buy protein drinks from sainsbury's for my OH. He doesn't eat much when on chemo, and these really help him. He can't drink the ones the dietician gave him. Taste too chemical He said. 

    The ones I buy are called Grenade. They're in the medicine Isle and where the body building snacks are. 

    There's vanilla,  strawberry,  and chocolate flavours.  

    xx

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