Terrible Appetite - Suggestions?

[Restorer]

Hey all. Been a while since I've been in this forum - back when I was all about food and drink. 

Now, I've been having real appetite problems. Today, I woke up, drank half a cup of coffee, and ate two slices of raisin bread. I didn't have anything else until just now (about 9 PM), when all I felt like eating were two more slices of raisin bread. My protein levels are dropping, my legs are swelling, and I have no energy.

I have a big jar of whey protein isolate to add to things, but I haven't figured out what to add it to aside from my coffee in the morning - and I drink coffee because I really like the flavor, and I don't want to screw it up with whey powder. What do you mix your protein powders with?

What were you able to eat when you had no appetite? I figure my best option is to go out and buy specifically things that I feel like I can eat, so that I don't go without food (and especially protein) for too long. I could probably eat ice cream, if phosphorus weren't a problem for me. I haven't found any non-dairy ice creams that taste different (I'm really picky when it comes to specific tastes).

ETA: whey powder mix questions above

[jbeany]

My 92 year old gram has lost her appetite completely as her health is failing.  This is what I've been having her aides do.

Fix regular meals.  Even if you don't feel hungry enough to eat, having a bowl or plate of something hot in front of you will at least make you take a few bites, just because it is there.

Keep a full candy dish within reach at all times.  Okay, not the healthiest choice, but if you are getting hardly any calories at all, a few extra carbs from something sugary can only help.

Make up a tray of finger foods that keep well.  For gram, we've been doing summer sausage, cheese cubes, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, and grapes.  Set the tray out in reach a couple of times a day.  It can stay out for a long time with nothing that will spoil quickly, so it gets picked at a lot.

[sullidog]

Mine goes up and down, I think it's just the dialysis, what I do is just snack off and on.
Troy

[okarol]

My mother-in-law had cancer and didn't feel like eating very often. The one thing she would always manage to get down was tapioca pudding. I think she lived on it the last few months. It's a comfort food for a lot of people, and it made her feel better to get some calories down.

[Restorer]

There are a few things that I don't keep in the house that I would sometimes be able to get down - cheese and crackers, Kraft mac & cheese, ice cream, milkshakes, cottage cheese, puddings - but I'd feel guilty eating them because of the phosphorus. Is there a point where getting calories and protein outweighs having too much phosphorus? Taking a ton of binders with them isn't so appealing because that would upset my stomach too.

[MooseMom]

There are a few things that I don't keep in the house that I would sometimes be able to get down - cheese and crackers, Kraft mac & cheese, ice cream, milkshakes, cottage cheese, puddings - but I'd feel guilty eating them because of the phosphorus. Is there a point where getting calories and protein outweighs having too much phosphorus? Taking a ton of binders with them isn't so appealing because that would upset my stomach too.

My mom went through a period where she lost her appetite while on dialysis.  She didn't even weigh 90 lbs.  The only thing she was interested in eating was Blue Bell ice cream...full of phosphorus, of course.  Finally, her dialysis team told her to eat whatever she wanted because consuming calories trumped all else (but to still take her binders).  Since she had regular labs, they were able to keep close tabs on her (she does in-clinic dialysis).  This plan seemed to work because she now eats much better.  She has had a herniated esophagus (sp?) for many years, so she can't eat large quantities at one time, so it looks to outsiders like she doesn't eat much, but that woman always seems to be grazing on something!  She nibbles and snacks a lot, and that works for her.

[Rerun]

Ritz has come out with a cracker with a "hint of salt".  It is 35mg of salt for 5 crackers.  THAT is NOTHING!  Have 10 if you want.  Then add some cream cheese or use them as a scoop for cottage cheese.  Cottage cheese has some salt but good protein.  It is a good snack that is satisfying.  Everything tastes good sitting on a Ritz!

                           

[Bill Peckham]

How are your clearances? Lack of appetite can be a signal that you need more dialysis. Is there room to increase your PD dose? Sorry I'm not very conversant in PD. Taste for different foods is effected by dialysis dose - I lost all taste for meat when I changed machines and was looking for the right dose a couple years ago.

Do you have a fistula placed if you did need to go to hemo?

I agree with the staff at MooseMom's mom's clinic (would that be MooseGrandma's?) calories are more important than content if you're not eating

[Restorer]

Ritz has come out with a cracker with a "hint of salt".  It is 35mg of salt for 5 crackers.  THAT is NOTHING!  Have 10 if you want.  Then add some cream cheese or use them as a scoop for cottage cheese.  Cottage cheese has some salt but good protein.  It is a good snack that is satisfying.  Everything tastes good sitting on a Ritz!

If they're just like normal Ritz, but less salty, I don't think I'd like them at all. I don't like normal Ritz, and I think taking the salt out would make me like it even less!

Also, the cottage cheese, in the amounts I'd be likely to eat it, is still quite high in phosphorus. But maybe it'll still be good for me to eat it with a fistful of binders.

How are your clearances? Lack of appetite can be a signal that you need more dialysis. Is there room to increase your PD dose? Sorry I'm not very conversant in PD. Taste for different foods is effected by dialysis dose - I lost all taste for meat when I changed machines and was looking for the right dose a couple years ago.

I don't know my clearances right now - I was supposed to do a 24 hour collection last month, but I got peritonitis just before that. I'm scheduled to do another one on Monday, and then I'll know my clearances, but they'll probably still be affected by my recent problems. The last Kt/v I had successfully was somewhat below target - about 1.8, vs. a goal of 2.0, but I don't know what caused that decline. Before that, I was up around 2.1.

We'll see what my clearance is this time. If I need to increase it, it will probably mean using an additional bag on the cycler, which would probably increase the supplies I have to keep on hand by 50%.

Of course, my appetite isn't always so bad. It's just been really bad the last 5 weeks because of the peritonitis, lingering inflammation, and fluid overload.

Do you have a fistula placed if you did need to go to hemo?

I don't have a fistula placed. If it looks like PD is no longer an option (most likely because of ultrafiltration failure), PD plus diuretics and such will hopefully keep me going long enough to let a fistula mature, or at least decrease the amount of time I'll have a hemo catheter in my neck.

I agree with the staff at MooseMom's mom's clinic (would that be MooseGrandma's?) calories are more important than content if you're not eating

Maybe it is. I would have to convince my mother of that, of course, or get finger-wagged. Once I have the energy and time to go out to the store, I plan on getting some things. Cottage cheese with whey protein mixed in should be a nice, powerful protein bomb.

[MooseMom]

I can't say I am surprised that your appetite has been bad...like you've said, you've had peritonitis and all sorts of other issues.  But seeing your last post on another thread, I am hoping that you have turned a corner and that your appetite will return.  You don't want maternal finger-wagging!

[Restorer]

Today I surprised myself by having a decent breakfast. I was tempted by the grocery store cinnamon rolls, but I felt like I could eat a fried egg with some toast to dip in the runny yolk. That's fairly rare for me - I don't usually feel like eggs.

I went with the egg, fried in butter, with a toasted English muffin, for the protein, and I enjoyed it. I'll probably go get another English muffin with some jam in a little bit.

Enjoying a rare moment of good appetite. 

[MooseMom]

Hey, that's a great start!  Good for you!

[Kitts]

Today I surprised myself by having a decent breakfast. I was tempted by the grocery store cinnamon rolls, but I felt like I could eat a fried egg with some toast to dip in the runny yolk.

You and your runny yolks.
You've eaten foods two days in a row! I'm proud. =]

[vivisfab]

funny. i was having appetite problems too and just recently i got on an english muffin kick.

[jennyc]

for about 3 months before the tx i was only eating 1 meal a day. i could go from dinner to dinner with out any other food but a couple of cups of coffee. ended up loosing so much weight it wasn't funny. But oh for the love of runny egg yolks!

[paris]

Glad you could enjoy breakfast.  Not much tastes good to me either and I tend to get on a kick --- like english muffins or mini bagel with cream cheese.   It has to be especially tough on you, with your great cooking skills and love of everything to do with food.  I always enjoyed reading what you were making. Especially the seasonings you put on things.   Enjoy the second english muffin