Overcoming Poor Appetite

Poor appetite is a common nutritional challenge among pancreatic cancer patients. Sometimes surgery, prescription drugs or the cancer itself can change the way food tastes or cause the patient’s appetite to decrease.

These tips may help improve the patient’s interest in eating and increase their appetite:

• Get plenty of rest.
• Exercise lightly before meals to stimulate appetite.  Even a short walk may be invigorating.
• Select enjoyable foods and foods that have a pleasant aroma.
• Plan meals the day before eating them.  Have someone help plan and prepare meals.
• Stay well hydrated. Drink 6-8 cups of clear liquids throughout the day.
• Aim for 5-6 small meals and snacks per day.  Take advantage of the time of day when most hungry.  Substitute a meal with a medical food supplement or a smoothie made with protein powder with consultation from your medical team.
  • Boost® products, Ensure® products and/or Carnation® Instant Breakfast® products add calories and protein.
  • Scandical®, Benecalorie® and Beneprotein® add calories or protein when accompanying regular meals.
• Place small bowls of nutritional snacks, such as nuts and fruits, in frequently-used areas of the home to encourage healthy snacking between meals.
• Take anti-nausea medication at the first sign of queasiness or nausea.  Delay eating favorite foods if feeling nauseous.
• Arrange food attractively:
  • Vary the colors of foods on a plate
  • Use garnishes such as lemon or lime wedges
• Make mealtimes pleasing:
  • Add color to a place setting
  • Watch a favorite television show or movie
  • Play music in the room
• Use a large plate and put small portions on it. By doing this, the amount of food may appear less overwhelming.
• Manage taste changes if these are contributing to decreased appetite.
• Marinate red meats before cooking if they taste strong.  Or, substitute red meat with fish, chicken, eggs, low-fat cheese or vegetarian alternatives.
• Protein foods, such as cheese, tuna, chicken, lean ham, egg salads, deviled eggs, milkshakes, eggnogs, puddings and custards, may taste better at room temperature. Eat high-protein foods within an hour of taking them out of the refrigerator.
• Use fresh fruits to add flavor to milkshakes, puddings, and custards.
• Try seasonings or spices such as lemon juice, mint, basil and other herbs to perk up the taste and smell of food.  Add sugar and salt to foods if intake is not restricted.

If poor appetite and weight loss persist, the doctor may prescribe medication to increase appetite. Some of these medications are listed below. It can take several weeks of use before appetite enhancement occurs. Many of these medications have side effects that should be discussed with the doctor.

• Megestrol acetate (Megace® or Megace ES®)
• Dronabinol (Marinol®)
• Steroids such as prednisone or dexamethasone
• Anti-depressants such as mirtazapine (Remeron®)
  

For more information on pancreatic cancer, including information about medical nutritional supplements and medications to improve appetite, please contact a Patient and Liaison Services (PALS) Associate toll-free at 877-272-6226 or email pals@pancan.org.  PALS Associates are available M-F 7am-5pm Pacific Time.

The information and services provided by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Inc. are for informational purposes only.  The information and services are not intended to be substitutes for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.  If you are ill, or suspect that you are ill, see a doctor immediately!  The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network does not recommend nor endorse any specific physicians, products or treatments even though they may be mentioned on this site.  110913