There has been a lot of discussion about supplementary drinks in the comments of the blog, so I thought that I would relay my experience.
I tried the Fortisip supplements some time ago and they didn't agree with me. I didn't help that I had them at the beginning of the radiotherapy process so, not only did they taste really bad but they also started to burn once radiotherapy took hold.
By far the best for me have been the Skandishake drinks and I literally "survived" on these for a good month and a half during and after radiotherapy. When the cancer went to the liver though the body started to reject them immediately and severely. I am considering giving them another go now but in smaller measures.
I also have another that I was given this time in hospital called "Calogen". I believe that this is also Fortisip. When I left hospital the body also rejected that one, but I am going to give it another go as I get stronger.
With the secondary cancer my body cannot digest some of the things it was doing so easily before. An example is full fat rice pudding, which I tried unsuccessfully the other day.
I am constantly trying to find new things but am attuned to the reaction of my body and must listen to that first. It is important to try and keep the food down as otherwise the sickness becomes a destructive cycle that takes good food with it too.
Today, mash is on the agenda. It will be fortified with lots of butter for those extra calories - yum!
Hi Swordfish, I hope you are having a good day today. I was amazed to read your blog, and when I found it a few days ago I sat up for hours reading the whole thing. The diary of your illness and all of the testing incuding the dates and timescales are so similar to my Dads experience. My Dad is still having discomfort from the stent and we are trying all types of foods and supplement drinks to build his strenght up. I think he has also lost some confidence over the last few weeks.
ReplyDeleteHave you looked at Manuka Honey? its got fantastic healing properties and my Dad is having teaspoons of this daily. We have horses and one of them fell and got some nasty cuts, my friend used manuka honey on the cuts and the vets were amazed at the results. I have read that oncologist in New Zealand which is where the honey comes from have had some success using the honey in a variety of ways. My Dad is trying it as it wont do any harm and may do some good. I thought you may be interested to read about it.
Hope the mash is good and you enjoy it. Take Care Sue
Another vote for manuka honey!
ReplyDeleteJegersmart
Hi Sue and Jegersmart,
ReplyDeleteI am familiar with Manuka - I used to take it regularly in the past and also particularly at the beginning of the disease.
I had not considered it for recent use but might be worth thinking of for those extra few calories as well as it's other properties