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Ensure Drink

Hi Everyone,
Since My dad is not eating at all, Is it ok if I gave him an Ensure drink?

Thanks and Have a great weekend.
Liza
41 Responses
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Avatar universal
Early on in treatment I used Ensure and other similar low-volume caloric boosters. Sometimes I'd throw it in the blender with a banana and some ice. Also make sure your dad is taking his riba with food and keeping his water intake up. Significant weight loss can be a serious issue on treatment so don't let it go too far. Medical marijuana was suggested to me to enhance appetite and cut nausea and apparently it works for others but I was unable to take it for other reasons. If nausea is an issue, discuss with your doc drugs like Zofran and med marijuana again. Also, if his hemoglobin is low, anemia may be an issue. There is a rescue drug called Procrit that some of us take. All the best.

-- Jim
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Avatar universal
Yes do, he needs it and it is good for him. Sorry to hear he's not eating. but these meds make it hard. Take care and best to you both
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86075 tn?1238115091
Hi, it's so nice to try to answer a straightforward question, ha ha!

Anyway, Ensure does help a lot of people on chemo...but it's very expensive, and to my way of thinking, it's got a lot of sugar...which is good for what?

What I'd do is go to a health food store and get myself a good nutrition protein powder, if he's limited on protein due to cirrhosis or whatever, they have powders that have limited protein...get a good one with all the things he needs...

They have some that are not dairy if he's dairy limited, they have some that are not soy if he's allergic, go to a good health food store and talk to some nutrition person there if they have one, or do some searching on the internet...with this you could put low fat milk, or goat milk like I use, or soy or rice milk, you've got a lot of options...

Then put some fruit in berries maybe strawberries and blueberries, a banana, and a little honey...make a fruit smoothie with the nutrition powder, tastes really good...

usually, if a person's appetite is effected, they can usually drink better then they can eat...

To get some greens in him, really healthy but he's prob off veggies, there are some great green powders as well, that he can mix with water and then just drink down really fast...I've done a lot of researching on this because my appetite gets affected really easily and I want some nurtrition if I have trouble eating...these powders in bulk will be a lot more economical then Ensure, much better than a can anyway...good luck to you...
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Avatar universal
Hi Tselere, I too drank ensure when I began treatment,
see if maybe he can eat some yogurt also, just make sure he doesnt eat or drink anything with iron in it, its not liver friendly. Hope he does well..

Take Care,

Dallas
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Avatar universal
Gosh, you're bringing back old memories and not particularly good ones. At one point I researched out all the calorie-dense foods in the supermarket and made a list of what I could handle. I believe Sara Lee Cheesecake came out very near the top :) Try and ask your father if there are any foods he can eat and don't be afraid to suggest comfort foods that a child might eat like baby foods, applesauce, etc, and experiment, experiment, experiment with as many different foods as possible until you hit something that interests him. At one point, I could only stomach the so-called comfort  foods I ate  growing up like oatmeal and eggs, toast and butter for bfast -- old time cooking like Pot Roast for dinner. Don't know what week your father is in, but the eating and nausea issue did get better later on. I'm finished with treatment now, gained most of my weight back, and will probably have to go on a diet soon. All the best.

-- Jim
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Avatar universal
Thank you Jim and can-do-men, Yes he is anemic his HMG is 10.6 plus he refused taking blood transfusion but he is on Procrit 40,000 once a week. didn't help. I don't know we will see the doctor this coming wednesday so I will ask him.

Jim. How are you feeling are you back to normal life. You are very helpful.

thanks,
Liza
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Avatar universal
Thank you Everyone in this forum. I will try all your sugestions.
My dad is on 17/48.
He is 64yrs.
Geno type 4
Undetec on 4 week
Undetec. on 12 week.

Liza
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Avatar universal
Our posts crossed, but like I said earlier, my nausea disappeared around week 20 and appetitite picked up a little although it remained a struggle almost to the end. In my case, my taste sensation was so altered that all the foods I liked to eat previously (healthy foods such as veggies, salads, fish, etc) I couldn't even look at. So I turned to calorie-rich foods -- comfort foods -- junk foods -- ANYTHING just to keep from losing more weight.

Sometimes during tx you have to pick a priority and my priority (with my doc's blessing) was to add weight -- eating "healthy" was a far second. Of course, if you can do both, even better.

Now, 11 weeks post treatment my weight is back to normal, my taste buds have returned to normal, and this past week I've been eating EVERYTHING in site -- the good, the bad and the ugly. LOL. That's probably why the upcoming diet.

I only mentioned the baby food and stuff because your dad may be too proud to ask for it -- but if you put small portions of enought different types of food in front of him, maybe something will click.

All the best and keep checking in with questions and concerns. He's lucky to have you for a daughter. Wish you could have been around when I couldn't eat :)

-- Jim
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86075 tn?1238115091
wow, he was undie at week 4? he's got more then a good chance, good luck to him, he's got a hard bark treating at that age, it must be a little rough, God speed...and he's got a very caring daughter, nice to see people who care for one another in a family, considering the posts we've been reading lately....best of luck
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Avatar universal
Jim,

One last question, what is ALT and AST I have my dad's lab result from last week and it says

AST 54 - High
ALT 51

Thanks,
Liza
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Avatar universal
ALT and AST are liver enzymes with ALT being more liver specific. His AST is only like one point high and may or may not have any signficance, especially since he's on treatment. Sometimes, the treatment drugs themselves can play with the enzymes. Maybe something to discuss with his doctor next visit.

Good to hear he was non-detectible at week 4. A very good sign. If you haven't already, ask his doctor to give your dad a very sensitive viral load blood test next time around to make sure no virus is still lurking. Your next test I guess should be at week 24. . Quest diagnostics laboratories has a test called "Heptimax" which goes down to 5 IU/ml.

BTW I'm almost 60 myself and most signs point that I've got this thing beat. Treatment seems harder on us older folks but there can be a big light at the end of the tunnel.


-- Jim
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Avatar universal
Ok Jim,

Sorry to bother you, but here is what I have infront of me the paper says

  Linear Range: 25 to 5,000,000IU/mL Serum or Plasma (1.4 to 6.7 Log 10) but I don't know what is this means.

Liz,
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Sounds like the test goes down to 25 IU/ml but you can always
double- check with the doc or nurse.  (In fact, it's not a bad idea to double-check everything you read on internet groups like this  because even good intentions can provide inaccurate information.)

In any event, a bottom range of 25 Iu/ml is  pretty sensitive -- actually more sensitive then used in most of the European trials  -- so that bodes well for your dad in regard to his week 4 non-detectible result.

BTW no bother indeed. In fact, a relief after some of the earlier threads today. There usually is always someone here to help out, so please just keep asking away and sooner or later your questions will be answered.

-- Jim
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Avatar universal
In the earlier posts under this header Medical Marijuana was mentioned as an appetite stimulator and an anti-emetic.  Has anyone used it for those reasons?  I'm using the VA health system.  Being part of the US government they are somewhat paranoid over narcotic use.  (Let's see, I used the words, government, paranoid and narcotic in one sentence.  I'll bet I woke some NSA analyst up with a jump-start with that combination.) One of the conditions the VA imposes on those of us lucky enough to be prescribed narcotics is to sigh a Pain Contract. Can't use marijuana according to the contract BUT Oregon is one of the few states that has legalized the use of medicinal marijuana.  States Rights v.s. Federal Government Rights. Look who gets screwed.  If it helps I may pursue it.
Thanks
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Avatar universal
doc put hubby on Boost Plus from the get-go, he was droppin weight so fast, and it really has helped.
I understand what your saying about sugars, or empty calories and all, but it was a life saver for my guy, poor thing just couldnt even get an appetite.
He still keeps the stuff on hand,...for those days.
lilmoma
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Avatar universal
tslere - I keep ensure type drinks around, and have a whey protein powder drink like I took before treatment. One warning, particularly if your Dad has problems with coughing or dry heaves on tx. I've found that some of them are a real pain to mix up good, even in a blender. Me being the type that's usually in a rush, when I first started using the protein powder again about 7mos into treatmnet - if I didn't take the time to really liquefy the powder, I was more likely to kick up the coughing, gagging  and dry heaves I get many mornings. That powder can feel real dry and w/liquid can clump up and stick places on it's 'Whey' down. Course I'm not the sharpest guy in a kitchen but when I'm in a rush I just grab one of the generic ensure type cans, maybe it's not the best, but for me it's a 'supplement' not a replacement for my meals but sometimes a hold me over til I feel up to eating real stuff. I hate to get sick in the morning after just taking my meds. I usually can only handle a small bowl of small whole grain cereal covered in yogurt, water, and a touch of milk so I can take my AM meds.If you can get the stuff like FSGood and Rocker suggest in him I'm sure it's healthier, but sometimes it's about what goes down easier, just like some days it's just about getting 'through' tx not if I can do it with a 100% good diet or attitude or whatever.
That's super that he was UD at 4weeks. He's still a lucky guy to have you caring for him.
Be well, keep us updated,

Rock and Forsee- I wish I kept files of the good nutrition advice you and others suggest...'for another day'...right I'm happy to get somtehing on the table.:)Don
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Avatar universal
It helps me. i've only lost 4-5 lbs so far and the nausea doesn't last afterwards. :)
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Avatar universal
hey how ya doin? I was readin your post, and sounds like your makin out alright these days.
lilmoma
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Avatar universal
Do you know, I havent had even one moment of nausea since starting tx.
I am always reading how common it is, so I expected it, my hubby suffered from it something awful, still.
I guess I have been lucky in that area so far. Oh but the Ice-Pick headaches,...awful
lilmoma
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86075 tn?1238115091
If anyone's interested, I have a Magic Bullet that I bought a few years ago. It's really one of the best appliances that I have ever bought, and I am an appliance junkie, (nothing from you Goof, ha ha.)

If anyone is familiar with the product, it can blend a blender full of drinks, or you can blend just one drink at time in its own glass...that way it's way less messy to smooth up some smoothies and you can do it one at a time and not have to mess up a whole blender. It has a pretty powerful motor and it blends really well.

Strator, with this thing, I never have problems with things getting blended properly, it blends really smooth, so no lumps....it works with protein powders, nutritional powders, really, really well.

I think it's about 100 bucks but it's well worth it...I'm lazy when it comes to washing dishes and I would hate to have to wash out a whole blender every time I did a smoothie.

Once again, the powders are much more nutritious, not to mention taste better, then Ensure, and not half as expensive...but I can see if youre running out of the house, just opening a can would be convenient, though I've heard there are better canned drinks then Ensure as well with less sugar...good luck.
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Avatar universal
Yeah, I have seen the commercials for those!!!
They looked pretty cool, but you know how it is with commercials, you just never know if the product is really any good or not.
So you endorse this one huh?!
Maybe I will give it a whirl then, thanks.
lilmoma
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Avatar universal
When it comes to adding weight in cases of significant and treatment threatening weight loss, IMO weight gain becomes the priority.

Ensure, boost and other such formulations were developed to pack the most amount of calories in the least amount of volume while being relatively easy to take down and digest while providing a modicum of nutriments. If you can get the same weight-gaining benefits (meaning calories you can actually get down without filling you up more) from a more natural, "healthier" drink teriffic. I'm a big believer in experimentation. But I wouldn't discount drinks like Ensure for health reasons when significant weight loss becomes a real problem. In the end, calories without volume have got to come from either carbs (sugars) or fat. I think drinks like Ensure load up on the carbs because they're less filling and have less volume then the fats while at the same time adding some protein and nutriments.

-- Jim
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86075 tn?1238115091
all I can tell you is, I had to cut down on the smoothies with whey protein powder...until treatment that is...because one was beginning to see my butt from space...no worries about this stuff packing on calories...and they aren't necessarily "empty" calories you get from too much sugar...it is more nutritious then that...
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Avatar universal
I'm glad it's working for you, I just wish when my time comes that it's an option.  I have mentioned on this board that I am a disabled veteran and get a monthly pension from the VA.  Since my disability is permanent and total I am also eligible for Social Security.  While on the VA health program, which by the way is really excellent, I have to meet with social workers, psychiatrists, mental health professionals and social workers.  If any of these "team" members feel unsure of me they deny my interferon.  Breaking my narcotic contract would constitute such a breach.  So I'm screwed, yes, it's free but at what price?  If I can get Social Security then I get Medicare and I can get the interferon in the private sector without the interference, drug tests, psychiatrists or other meddling jerks who think they know me better than I do. Besides, if I get Medicare then I can get a Marijuana card and smoke bowls of "Humboldt Hurricane" in the VA parking lot.
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