1. < Cancer

Has anyone recovered from cachexia (wasting syndrome)?

Posted by RW @nbkod7b, Jul 12, 2023

My last chemo treatment for cancer in my mouth was a year ago February. I started gaining weight but now it is slowly declining. I am hovering around 138 pounds despite consuming calories to support a 170 pound man this whole time. I am wondering if I have cachexia because of the chemo. I would like to see if anyone has been through this and what the treatment was.

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jbhart38731 | @jbhart38731 | Jul 13, 2023

I too suffer from it . My case appears to be unusual. My appetite and energy levels are both excellent .
Thanks for posting , I will follow this closely .

REPLY
baz10 | @baz10 | Jul 17, 2023

My son had radiation and chemo for stage 3 thyroid cancer, his last radiation treatment was in July 2019 and since then has only been able to consume Boost and Instant Breakfast. His balance is very bad and his energy very low, has trouble walking and his weight has also dropped from around 165 to probably 130. He will no longer see any doctors but his optometrist and dentist about every 6 months. To see him go from being a strong healthy man who built bridges and can no longer work has been rough on him. He was denied Social Security Disability and has worked all of his life and is in his middle 50's!! I wish you the best. BAZ10

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2 replies
jwkelly72 | @jwkelly72 | Jul 26, 2023

I did partially recover. I'm still have stage 3b esophagus cancer but am battling back slowly. Cancer took my weight from 180 plus-95 over 10 months. Feeding tube put in and until recently I looked like a dying mummy face wise, my face, neck, collarbones.. had no fat at all and hardly any muscle. My body looked like a Pow just released by Japan.I was only 105 in January, from then on I went from 120-110 frequently. From late June onward I have gone crazy with super high protein and calorie feeding and hydration. I'm 130 plus at last weight check 3 days ago. Fortunately my feeding tube allows me to have massive feedings but you can still see I have cancer by looking at me since I'm just hydrated muscle and no fat really. Cancer loves the fat. When I first started wasting away it took my fat first( I developed 6 pack abs for 2 months as my slight gut and love handles were eaten, then it took my hydration and muscle

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jwkelly72 | @jwkelly72 | Jul 26, 2023
In reply to @baz10 "My son had radiation and chemo for stage 3 thyroid cancer, his last radiation treatment was..." + (show)
@baz10

My son had radiation and chemo for stage 3 thyroid cancer, his last radiation treatment was in July 2019 and since then has only been able to consume Boost and Instant Breakfast. His balance is very bad and his energy very low, has trouble walking and his weight has also dropped from around 165 to probably 130. He will no longer see any doctors but his optometrist and dentist about every 6 months. To see him go from being a strong healthy man who built bridges and can no longer work has been rough on him. He was denied Social Security Disability and has worked all of his life and is in his middle 50's!! I wish you the best. BAZ10

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Feeding tube in the stomach is his best bet

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RW | @nbkod7b | Jul 26, 2023
In reply to @baz10 "My son had radiation and chemo for stage 3 thyroid cancer, his last radiation treatment was..." + (show)
@baz10

My son had radiation and chemo for stage 3 thyroid cancer, his last radiation treatment was in July 2019 and since then has only been able to consume Boost and Instant Breakfast. His balance is very bad and his energy very low, has trouble walking and his weight has also dropped from around 165 to probably 130. He will no longer see any doctors but his optometrist and dentist about every 6 months. To see him go from being a strong healthy man who built bridges and can no longer work has been rough on him. He was denied Social Security Disability and has worked all of his life and is in his middle 50's!! I wish you the best. BAZ10

Jump to this post

I dropped from 200 to 123 as I was having trouble with my mouth and started passing out due to low blood pressure caused by dehydration. I was given a feeding tube which saved my life. I eat the same foods as before as long as they will go through a blender. Has he looked into getting a feeding tube? There are different types depending what the needs are.

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jwkelly72 | @jwkelly72 | Jul 27, 2023
In reply to @jbhart38731 "I too suffer from it . My case appears to be unusual. My appetite and energy..." + (show)
@jbhart38731

I too suffer from it . My case appears to be unusual. My appetite and energy levels are both excellent .
Thanks for posting , I will follow this closely .

Jump to this post

Weird huh when looking in the mirror and seeing such skinniness. I look at myself without a mirror and feel normal despite being light but then the mirror showing my collarbones, neck, shoulders, face and I'm like man I need fat on me. And I'm gaining weight but no fat. It's like my cancer mocks me.

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