Morning James, Well I would like to know
my diet is fine I am under supervision from Dietician
My weight is stable 9.5 st
Have Mouth & Neck Cancer opertaion 2.5 years ago
I need to build up some muscle to get some strength in my body I am weak ALL the time thus tired as well :banghead:
I am 45 going on 65

many thanks

Paul

This is a copy of letter I e-mailed to James which he suggested I put on forum. Lots of you will know some of the boring facts about me but anyway, this is what I wrote.
'.....Nice of you to help us out with our muscle wastage problems. We all seem to have them in this group due to out problems in getting food down.
I am Ishbel by the way. I am in remisson from cancer of the larynx which was first diagnosed 5 years ago but I still haven't been signed off becausethere are some funny cells, probably due to the scarring of the radiation burns.
Anyway, my immune system was really damaged badly which means that I am constantly pickinng up germs. And as I don't eat enough I don't have the strength to fight the bugs. Vicious circle.
I am 69, feel fine but underweight. I weigh 7stone 7 lbs. (that's an increase of 2 lbs in a month which my oncologist will be pleased about). Have lots of exercise walking my dog for miles and lookin g after my grandchildren when I can't wriggle out of it.
I seem to live on a mainly dairy diet as meat is definitely not worth tyh trouble. Even meat I have casseroled gently for hourse is inclined to stick. I am not good on potatoes or pasta or bread. I make great big plain sponge cakes which gives me the flour I don't get from bread.
For breakfast (about noon. I am a night bird) I have a massive shake of banana, avocado, Greek yoghurt, full milk, raw egg, honey and a multi-vitaim tablet. And two or three cups of tea,

About 3 I have a carton of Ensure and a sliver of that sponge. Very easy to eat. Recpe for anyone who wants it is:-4 eggs, 8ozs sifted self-raising flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 8 ozs butter/marg, 8 ozs castor sugar, couple of shakes of vanila essence or your prefernce. Mix it all up pref by electric mixer if you have one until light and fluffy. Bake in pre-heated mark 5 oven in 2 greaseproof-lined tins (about 8in. circimference, 2in. deep, for about 25 mins. After 5 mins turn on to a baking tray andleave to cool. Have it with jam in between, or cream, whatever. I leave it as a plain sandwich. Keeps texture better.

At 7p.m. I have a big plate of, for example, homemade mushroom soup thickened with bread soaked in stock. Then, tonight for example, I had blended salmon with courgettes and white sauce, and broccoli blended with butter.

At 11p.m. I had a big plate of vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce.

See what i mean about dairy stuff! My face and arms are painfully thin. I thuught about exercises but I have a small groin hernia brought on recently by coughing when choking on a bone or something. The nurse/practitioner didn't think it wouod be a good idea.

Any tips you have would be really welcome, James. Thank you Ishbel


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sted I should copy to forum. Lots of you know most of my details but hwre's what I wrote to him anyway ......

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Hi Paul

Glad your diet is fine and I'm sure your SRD is doing a fine job. How are your energy levels? A basic weight training routine would be useful if you have the energy. I can help a little here with some basic nutrition to help this. Do you have any home weights or access to a gym?

Hello Ishbel

Seems like nutritionwise your doing great. What about investing in some light dumbbells?, then we can up your carb and protein intake (without you noticing) and maybe tone those arms?

Also I suppose you've all been watchin the news in the last few weeks and omega3 fats have been in it again and again as reducing rsik of this, improving funtion of that, etc.

Well how about you ALL include an additional 2 tblsp of flaxseed oil per day on top of your current intake? OK it's not cheap but it will add good fats and also another 250 quality calories a day. Flax can be taken off the spoon , in orange juice , or on your salad ...BUT do NOT heat this oil, it degrades and is highly flamable!

If you want links of where to get it let me know - I ordered some today from the US (cheap ATM with the weak dollar)

Thank you for info and rreassurance about right diet, James. Where can I find the flaxseed please, having run out of bales of cotton. That must be the comment you will kill somebody for if they say it once again.
Ishbel

I ordered mine yesterday from Netrition.

It isn't that cheap, but compared to other prices netrition (at the current ER) are fairly cheap (note there is a postage fee as well!)

Click here, then on the 'product' drop down box click flax oil and then buy Organic Flax Liquid Gold 16 oz. (the bottom one)

hope this helps

Hi James, Yers have dumb bells and Treader

Paul

Hi Paul

The only way you're going to build up muscle is to do some weight training, but the key here is progressive resistance ie you have to prgress, with by increasing weight used or increasing repetitions.

You can use dumbbells to train shoulders, back and arms.

Shoulders. Lateral raisers: DB in each hand, standing with arms by side, then raise arms together to shoulder height keeping them straight. Repeat until exhaustion. Rest then repeat for 4 sets

(Got to go out now - will continue tomorrow - but theres tonights training session!)

sorry for not getting on line for so long

Back:
put your right hand on the edge of your bed, then put your right leg from knee to foot on the bed. Pick up the dumbbell in your left hand and bring it to your body with your head up. repeat 10 times. Turn around and repeat with your other arm. really let the DB stretch down at the bottom.
Do 3 sets on each arm

Arms - biceps:
stand or sit straight with a DB in each hand and arms down by your sides. curl the DB up alternatively , then down again. repeat for 10 on each arm.
do 3 sets

Triceps:
hold one arm above your head with DB in hand, lower the DB to back of your neck by bending the elbow only. repeat 10 times. then train the other arm.
do 3 sets

do shoulders and back on one day, arms on the next, then have a day off.

Let me know how this goes please after a couple of weeks.

DO NOT over do it and don't strain yourself!

Dr Joshi referred me to this thread for information about my PEG nutrition. Here's a little about me:

I was discovered to have sqamous cell carsinoma in my right tonsil in May, 03. I recieved IMRT radiation therapy beginning July 1, 03. Aproximately two weeks into radiation, I was unable to swallow. A PEG tube was placed in my stomach and I've been using it to this day. My throat developed a stricture during radiation that is apparently permanent.

A specialist I saw wants me to consider a gastric pull-up so I can swallow again - but I would probably lose my voice.

Is there a practical way to be fed through a tube for the rest of my life? I can't recall the #french my tube is, but the outside diameter of it is about 1/4". What I miss the most is my strength & vigor. It seems to me if I could get a significantly larger tube I might be able to blenderize regular food and take it in.

I so appreciate what your doing here. Thanks in advance for your response.

Shannon

Hello Shannon, Welcome to the site. It looks like Oklahoma is taking over here...I too am from Oklahoma,,,Lawton. I live in Las Vegas now tho and have for many years..I am so sorry to hear about your troubles. I cannot answer your question but I am sure that someone on here can help you...I sure hope so, we have a lot of strong people here..Keep in touch with us and let us know how you are doing.....Always, Vicki Lynn

Hi Vicki Lynn,

This is Shannon's wife, Michelle. I just thought I would clarify so it didn't seem too weird to have so many people from Oklahoma on here! I changed my profile to my husbands so he could use it. The message board wouldn't let us register two different names with the same e-mail address. Sorry for the confusion.

Thank you for your warm welcome to Shannon!

I didn't realize that you couldn't talk or eat! You mentioned that your cancer started in 1986, do you mind sharing what happened? You may have already posted your story so if you just want to refer me back to an old post I can read that instead.

Thanks again!

Michelle

Hi Michelle, yes my story is on the front page...You can read it there..I just had the neck dissection done this year in feb. I am still "HEALING" with this..It is a long long hard ordeal..I am doing what ever I have to tho to make it thru. Most of it believe it or not is having someone to talk to about your fears and hurts..Everyone needs someone to lean on..I have found them here. Oh I am married, very happy, but and I do talk to him all the time, but you need someone who "KNOWS" what you are experiencing..So you don't have to try so hard to explain to your family or friends..THis is so hard on everyone, even my doctors. Ask away if there is anything I can do to help I will...Always, Vicki Lynn

quote:

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Originally posted by Shannon S:
[qb] Dr Joshi referred me to this thread for information about my PEG nutrition. Here's a little about me:

I was discovered to have sqamous cell carsinoma in my right tonsil in May, 03. I recieved IMRT radiation therapy beginning July 1, 03. Aproximately two weeks into radiation, I was unable to swallow. A PEG tube was placed in my stomach and I've been using it to this day. My throat developed a stricture during radiation that is apparently permanent.

A specialist I saw wants me to consider a gastric pull-up so I can swallow again - but I would probably lose my voice.

Is there a practical way to be fed through a tube for the rest of my life? I can't recall the #french my tube is, but the outside diameter of it is about 1/4". What I miss the most is my strength & vigor. It seems to me if I could get a significantly larger tube I might be able to blenderize regular food and take it in.

I so appreciate what your doing here. Thanks in advance for your response.

Shannon [/qb]

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Hi

Ive been out of the clinical area for 2 years now so Im a little rusty. Even if you did have a larger bore tube you still shouldnt use blended food though - they can still block.

However you should be able to use the bolus feeding method where you take oral nutritional supplements through the tube via syringe at periods (maybe to mimic meal times). This should be discussed with your dietitian or nutrition nurse specialist