Well Friday was the halfway point through radiation and chemo. Monday starts the second half. I don't wish this on anyone but my WORST enemy! I never thought eating would be an unpleasant chore. I guess it is fortunate that I am disabled and on S.S. as there is no way I could work with the exhaustion the treatment brings. A half a day and I would be in bed for 3 days. As it is sitting in the chair and resting s a main requirement. Won;t have any idea of the outcome until at least 6 weeks after treatment stops. One thing that is positive and I hope I don't jinx myself by saying it but no mouth sores from treatments and no infections so far though blood cell counts are well below minimums. Finding things that I can eat is almost a full time job. Dr insists that eating is of extreme importance so like a good patient I follow orders. Amazing how many ways to fix buttered noodles.

Hope the second half of the treatments are easier on you. Maybe being closer to finishing will make it go better than the first half.

I’ll keep you in my thoughts

Just now found your post. My thoughts and prayers are with you. As far as eating is concerned, thankfully there are many ways to do noodles! May God bless you with better days! Sincerely. bruce.

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Firesticks, hoping for the ideal outcome for you. Hang in there pal.

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Always Stay Strong!

The only thing worse than the treatment, is being denied the treatment because your too weak. Keep eating as much high calorie stuff as possible.

Smoothies loaded with juices and fruits, especially berries, and vanilla ice cream got me through. Stay strong.

My hospital had a charity group that gave Ensure Complete to all chemo/radiation patients that chose to forego the GI tube. For a long time that was primarily what kept me going.

I truly feel for you and keep you in my prayers.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Work through this one day at a time, and before you know it, you'll be done. I wish you a full recovery and I, and I'm sure many others here, will pray for that.

Hang in there and hopefully it will be in your rear view mirror in the not too distant future. It is a real struggle but the results well worth it. I am 1 1/2 years post treatment and every day is a blessing!

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John. SWCA #1586

What these folks said!!

My cancer first made itself known 7 years ago this month. I'm over 6 years cancer free.

Stay strong...never give up!!

You have lots of company here on this forum...

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Well congratulations on passing the halfway point. I pray the remainder goes well and is totally successful. As one of what appears to be many cancer survivors on this forum I wish you the best.

I have the feed tube but with esophageal cancer they want me to oal take food in as much as possible to keep the esophagus working. So that is what i am doing. It is very slow to eat anything. Somethings are a blessing like frozen blueberries, egg noodles and eggs. Believe it or not boiled hot dogs have been one thing that goes down without much issue. (prob won't want a hot dog for a long while after this)

Hang in there. You have many friends here on the Forum and we are all praying for you.

I pray that the outcome is no more cancer and that you have a fast recovery. I know that is tough in so may ways but hang in there and you are in our thoughts and prayers.

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Mighty 90's,Trying 4 a 100!

I hope for a quick rebound for you. MY uncle was able to keep up his strength to a good degree eating low sugar cereal and rolled oats several times a day. It worked for him.

Les, I hope your condition continues on a positive path.
Also best wishes to o/p.
I had breast cancer and a mastectomy and chemo in Sept. 2009, and was cancer-free for 8.5 years, then shockingly, developed breast cancer again (same breast), and was operated on this past March 2018.
This time, instead of chemo, I endured 35 radiation treatments which ended a few months ago.
Breast cancer is pretty rare in men, affecting about 1 in 200.
But, my mom died of breast cancer at age 54, and I guess heredity plays a large part in this. I've been tested, and don't have the cancer gene (brca 1 or 2), so theoretically, I should not be getting cancer. I am 71 y/o.
I'm feeling fine now, having recovered from the radiation burns on my chest. I am going for a petscan in a few days, to see if there are any cancer cells still lingering. With all that radiation,
there shouldn't be, but I want to know for sure.
So far, I don't glow at night, so that's a positive thing.
Best wishes to all fellow cancer survivors on this forum.

Fire sticks my thoughts and prayers are with you! Keep positive thoughts you can beat this!
I am a cancer survivor, will be 5 years free this May.
I was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer, had the lung removed and went through 4 sessions of the harshest chemo and 33 radiation treatments, all this was cleanup after the surgery. I made it through and so far no issues!

When my last radiation ended, they had a little ceremony and I was presented with a "diploma" that all the Doctors and techs had signed. It still hangs on the wall in my office and reminds me everyday that it wasn't all for nothing. Stay strong Firesticks, your diplomas coming.

Firesticks did you ever consider smoking Marijuana..."medicinally"? Believe me, it will help build your appetite. I remember being a high school kid and getting the munchies after smoking. We'd each buy ourselves one of those huge bags of cheese popcorn and a 20 oz Coke...and that was just an appetizer before the main course LOL. I remember having an endless appetite sometimes, after smoking weed, almost as if I had a "hollow leg." Despite decades of being vilified, mostly for political and economic reasons...and not for health reasons...Cannabis really is a miracle drug with many applications. IMHO, it would improve your appetite markedly, perhaps reduce nausea, and definitely make you relaxed and happy.

I hope you feel better soon !!

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Smith. And Wesson. And Me!

Unfortunately Wyoming is far behind the times. If I were to get caught doing so I would lose my housing and be on the street. Yes I agree I would MUCH rather control pain , appetite and nausea through marijuana rather than opioids. The side effects of narcotics really xxxx. I have had enough of them in the last few years and desire no more. They make me null and void far too much when I take them. Unfortunately that is all that is prescribed until Wyoming becomes a bit more enlightened and gets some of the starch out of their shorts.

Going on 3 years chemo treatments now so I can sure relate to your situation. A good attitude really does help in the cancer recovery and I believe you have that. I was told at the beginning I had 6 months to 1 year, that was nearly 3 years ago, hang in there, you will beat this monster. I had 24 radiation treatments, after the last one I took them a bottle of Bar B que sauce, they got a big kick out of that. Prayers sent my friend. Lots of good folks on here pulling for you.

Wyoming borders Colorado which, aside from it's messed up gun politics, is a bit more open minded. How far of a drive from your place? A doctor in Colorado might be able to prescribe something.

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Smith. And Wesson. And Me!

It is 5-6 hours to CO. I have no means to travel that far plus my energy level would not allow it. Even if I had access and someone brought it to me. If I got caught with it I would be in jail. No money to post bond if you know what i mean plus you don't exactly get proper treatment from a jail cell nor would I receive anything close to proper nourishment. Sorry to say but Sheridan is about as backwards to these things as any town across America. Set your clock back 50 years when you come to visit. I feel fortunate I receive standard cancer treatments and am within 5 minutes of the treatment center and the hospital. If I stay strong and hold my health from dropping I have a 30% chance of making it. Esophageal cancer is a very wicked disease. BTW thank you to ALL who have shown compassion and concern. it helps fight the fight.

I had the G tube for about five-ish months. I wound up getting the little pump in a backpack. No way I could keep weight up doing it with the syringe. Unfortunately the food & pump weren't covered by my insurance.

Ensure is a good source of calories too.

Check with your Doc about Prilosec or the Walmart Omeprazole for nausea. I started it on my second round of chemo & radiation & it worked just as well as the Rx drugs. The Rx drugs were covered by my insurance, the Omeprazole is not. Upside is my frequent heartburn also went away.

No need to smoke it. Dispensaries have edible sorts that work just as well.

...or so I'm told...

Congrats on making the half way point of treatment, wishing you the all the best for the last half. Head and neck cancer ain't no joke, (not that any cancer is) and keeping the weight on is definitely work too. I completed my surgery and radiation earlier this year and am thankful it is behind me now. It is certainly rough at times but you will get through it and recover. I tried to keep the mindset that lots of other folks have gone through it before and I will too. Stay positve and finish strong.

.... You are doing a fine jobl.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Prayers on the way for continuing recovery.

These are prescription generic and are for nausea.
Ordansetron ODT 4mg tablets. They would be worth a try.
I can't find any insurance slip for these but I don't think that they are a high priced drug.

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Mighty 90's,Trying 4 a 100!

My dad went through this.

There's a medical version of medical MJ called dronabinol. There's also another prescription that helps with appetite - I can't think of the name.... It's a liquid....*

They should have some speech therapists to help you with swallowing exercises if you need it.
Also ask to see a dietician, they'll help.

We made all kinds of smoothies for him. Then, we went to the GNC store. They sell all sorts of high protein, weight gain supplements and made shakes out of them.

We fed him baby food and gave him Pedialyte to keep him hydrated. He and we did everything.

You have to eat. You just have to. If you get too weak or lose too much weight, it's not good. You can do this.

You can do this. You WILL do his. I don't know you, but I have faith in you.

*I just remembered. It's called Megestrol.

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Thread Killer.

More fun smoking it, though. Or so I've been told.

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Smith. And Wesson. And Me!

I have grandkids that like syrup on their noodles. I'm guessing that got that from the movie ELF.

I was taking an oral chemo that knocked me down too. I was more fortunate because when I got too sick to eat I could quit taking it for a few days and take Prednisone that would make me feel better and help my appetite.

Then after a couple of days it was back on the medication.

I certainly hope your outcome is as good as mine was.

Its important to be grateful for the good that you have in your life when times are tough.

God Speed.