Hardly eating

[Lyn11]

Hi

My aunty finally accepted having carers come in to her last month. This has been really good and she is now having her medication. The problem is as many people with this awful illness is that she is barely eating or drinking.

The carers have asked me to buy snacks for her and ask her doctor for something like Complan. Can anyone advise on what I can try please. She is not keen on sweet things. I visited her today and made her three small crackers and some Boursin cheese, she ate half a cracker. She told me she has no appetite and wants to die. It is so sad and I feel awful for her. I asked her doctor and he Said that the dieticians have a food first policy and would not prescribe anything.

 

[marionq]

The Ensure drinks seem to be palatable. They are fortified milky drinks.

 

[TNJJ]

My dad lost a lot of weight. I sent the doctor the weight from the month before and the currant month. I asked for ensure drinks. I got 3 months supply. I have LPOA.

 

[Duggies-girl]

When my dad lost a huge amount of weight the doctor prescribed ensure drinks. He drank so many that I had to go out and buy extra. He was on between 8 and 10 a day although one day he managed to drink 12 He still lived alone then and I was counting the empty containers every day, it worked out quite expensive but they probably saved his life.

I couldn't drink them though as they were very sweet but they do a coffee version which may be better.

 

[Lyn11]

Thanks for your help, I will look into these drinks, not sure it will help though as she hardly drinks anything either. Bit annoyed that the doctor won’t prescribe any, maybe I will try again in a month or so as I have got some weighing scales to keep an eye on her weight. I do have LPOA.

 

[canary]

Could you try making up your own smoothies and milkshakes so that you can try her with a variety of flavours? Also try things that are soft and easy to eat, like mashed potato mixed with cream rather than things like crakers which require chewing and are not so easy to swallow.