Hepatitis C: Appetite Loss
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From: Ghamph on 3 Nov 2007 16:55 "homdi62765" <zejli.amine(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:1186950226.655729.80800(a)l22g2000prc.googlegroups.com... > My mother started the Pegasys/Ribavirin hepatitis C treatment 2 months > ago. She is 50 years, about 5'7 and weighted about 140lbs at the > start of the treatment. After starting the treatment, she completely > lost her appetite causing her to lose about 20 lbs in a span of 2 > months. She is unable to eat more than a few bites at a time and gets > nauseated if she forces herself to eat more. I worry that, at this > rate, she will lose too much weight and will not be able to endure the > rest of the year long treatment. Is there any herbal/natural appetite > enhancing supplements that she can take? Is there any medication that > hepatitis C patients going through this treatment take to fight > severe weight/appetite loss? > > P.S. Her current diet mainly consists of small portions of fish, > organic chicken, grapes & vegetables and is completely devoid of red > meat. > > Any advice is very much appreciated. > > -Concerned Son > > > Hepatitis C: Appetite Loss > http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/c/faq.htm This link covers appetite etc.. I assume that she doesn't want to smoke or eat marijuana, which definitely stimulates appetite. Jamffer
From: Normin on 3 Nov 2007 22:30 Actually her current diet sounds great to me. maybe try to tempt her with some sweets -- ice cream, pies, some hi calorie stuff to compensate. But fish, chicken, and fruit and veggies are a great diet for her right now! Sara "Ghamph" <ghamph(a)localnet.com> wrote in message news:13ipkgr53uscr81(a)corp.supernews.com... > > "homdi62765" <zejli.amine(a)gmail.com> wrote in message > news:1186950226.655729.80800(a)l22g2000prc.googlegroups.com... >> My mother started the Pegasys/Ribavirin hepatitis C treatment >> 2 months >> ago. She is 50 years, about 5'7 and weighted about 140lbs at >> the >> start of the treatment. After starting the treatment, she >> completely >> lost her appetite causing her to lose about 20 lbs in a span >> of 2 >> months. She is unable to eat more than a few bites at a time >> and gets >> nauseated if she forces herself to eat more. I worry that, at >> this >> rate, she will lose too much weight and will not be able to >> endure the >> rest of the year long treatment. Is there any herbal/natural >> appetite >> enhancing supplements that she can take? Is there any >> medication that >> hepatitis C patients going through this treatment take to >> fight >> severe weight/appetite loss? >> >> P.S. Her current diet mainly consists of small portions of >> fish, >> organic chicken, grapes & vegetables and is completely devoid >> of red >> meat. >> >> Any advice is very much appreciated. >> >> -Concerned Son >> >> >> Hepatitis C: Appetite Loss >> > > http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/c/faq.htm > > This link covers appetite etc.. > > I assume that she doesn't want to smoke or eat marijuana, which > definitely > stimulates appetite. > Jamffer > >
From: Ghamph on 4 Nov 2007 14:23
"homdi62765" <zejli.amine(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:1186950226.655729.80800(a)l22g2000prc.googlegroups.com... Is there any medication that > hepatitis C patients going through this treatment take to fight > severe weight/appetite loss? > > P.S. Her current diet mainly consists of small portions of fish, > organic chicken, grapes & vegetables and is completely devoid of red > meat. > > Any advice is very much appreciated. > > -Concerned Son .. HERE ARE LOTS OF GOOD TIPS (covers almost everything converning food and nutrition) SYMPTOMS RELATED TO EATING & NUTRITION Nausea Nausea can be a symptom of hepatitis C itself, as well as HCV therapy. It can also be caused by many other factors, such as stress, headaches, other viruses or bacteria, alcohol, lack of food and drink, or overin- dulgence in food and drink. Regardless of the cause, nausea can have a serious impact on a person's well- being and quality of life. It can also affect how you take your medications and even whether you will stay on therapy. Nausea is typically described as feeling sick to the stomach, and can range from general queasiness to a strong urge to vomit. Although vomiting is not a com- mon treatment side effect, bloody or persistent vomit- ing requires urgent medical care. It is important to find out what is causing nausea so that appropriate steps can be taken to control it. Try to figure out what triggers your nausea. The solution may be as simple as altering your eating and drinking habits. Tips for controlling nausea: .. If morning nausea is a problem, eat some dry crackers when you first wake up, and get out of bed slowly .. Avoid foods and odors that trigger nausea .. Pass on spicy, greasy, and deep-fried foods .. Eat small amounts of food every few hours rather than two or three large meals per day .. During periods of nausea, avoid acidic juices (orange, grapefruit, pineapple); instead, try clear juices, ginger ale, chicken broth, herbal tea, or sports drinks .. Drink and eat slowly .. Consume foods at room temperature (neither very hot nor very cold) .. Take over-the-counter medication for nausea as recommended by your healthcare provider .. Use peppermint, chamomile, or ginger tea to help calm your stomach .. Try raw or cooked ginger .. Suck on ginger candy or lollipops (available at most health food and maternity stores) .. Try relaxation techniques .. Exercise lightly, such as walking or yoga .. Try acupuncture or acupressure .. Wear acupressure wristbands If nausea improves to the point where you feel able to eat, choose bland, easily digestible foods, such as bananas, rice, applesauce, toast, and tea (the BRATT diet). If nausea interferes with your ability to take your medications, does not lessen, or becomes worse, contact your healthcare provider. There are many prescription medicines to help treat nausea. It is im- portant to be as proactive as possible so that you can focus on maintaining your HCV therapy. Some of the simplest tips can make a huge difference in how you feel. Diarrhea Diarrhea is defined as loose or watery stools that occur three or more times per day. In addition to be- ing a potential side effect of interferon and ribavirin treatment, many factors can cause diarrhea, including bacterial and viral infections, drugs, certain foods or beverages, and anxiety. As with nausea, diarrhea can greatly affect your overall health and adherence to treatment, so it is im- portant to treat diarrhea as soon as symptoms appear. Diarrhea can lead to dehydration and reduced quality of life, as well as contributing to nutrient deficiencies. Notify your medical provider if you experience any of the following: .. Severe diarrhea that lasts longer than two days .. Dramatic weight loss (five pounds or more) that occurs in one day .. Blood in the stool or around the anal area .. Uncontrolled fever, fever higher than 100.6�F, or fever that lasts more than 24 hours .. Severe stomach or intestinal cramping Tips for controlling diarrhea: .. Drink plenty of clear fluids, such as water, weak tea, or broth (vegetable, chicken, or beef) .. Eat Popsicles or gelatin .. Eat small frequent meals .. Keep track of bowel movements .. Consume foods that are high in potassium, such as bananas and potatoes .. Stay away from high-fiber foods, such as whole-grain breads and cereals .. Avoid spicy, fried, and greasy foods .. Stay away from very hot or very cold foods .. Abstain from alcohol, caffeinated drinks, and tobacco products .. Choose bland, easily digestible foods, such as bananas, rice, applesauce, toast, and tea (the BRATT diet) Diarrhea can dry,chafe, and irritate the anal area. After a bowel movement, wash and rinse the area with warm soapy water or baby wipes and pat dry with a soft tissue or cloth. Apply a water-repellent cream around the anal area to help relieve pain and irrita- tion. A warm sitz bath (sitting in a bathtub filled with warm water) may relieve pain and discomfort, as well as help you relax. Report severe diarrhea to your healthcare provider immediately. Your doctor may recommend over-the- counter medication like Imodium or a prescription drug to treat diarrhea. Do not self-medicate. Control- ling diarrhea is an important part of taking care of yourself. It will ensure that you stay healthy and feel better, and will help optimize your HCV treatment outcome. Weight Loss Severe weight loss can be a serious problem during hepatitis C treatment. Getting proper nutrition from a healthy diet is an important part of maintaining your overall health during this time. A majority of people undergoing HCV therapy report mild to moderate weight loss. Unfortunately, the weight loss associated with HCV treatment may be a combination of regular weight loss and a reduction in body muscle mass. For this reason, including fluid and food as part of your medical regimen will help maintain good health. Exer- cise is also important, since it increases muscle mass, stimulates the appetite, helps keep the immune system strong, and combats depression and anxiety. Besides HCV therapy itself, many factors can contribute to weight loss, including taste changes, nausea, vomit- ing, diarrhea, depression, or an overactive thyroid. To determine the underlying causes, weight loss should be evaluated by a medical provider. Tips for preventing weight loss: .. Consult with a dietician or nutritionist for in- formation on healthy food choices .. Choose foods that are high in calories and pro- tein .. Drink clear juices in addition to water for extra calories .. Add powdered milk to regular milk, milk- shakes, casseroles, soups, eggs, mashed pota- toes, hot cereal, and puddings .. Spread peanut butter on bread, tortillas, waf- fles, pancakes, fruit, and celery .. Add cooked beans or hard-boiled eggs to soups, casseroles, and pasta that already con- tains cheese or meat .. Try products designed to promote weight gain, such as nutritional supplements, canned formulas, protein powders, instant breakfast drinks, power bars, and high-calorie puddings If you continue to lose weight despite such strate- gies, talk to your healthcare provider about medica- tions to help with this. Some antidepressants can stimulate appetite while helping with other medical issues. If you have severe weight loss (five pounds or more in a week), shortness of breath, or dizziness, consult with a medical provider immediately. Dehydration The importance of drinking an adequate amount of water during HCV treatment cannot be overstated. Many of the side effects associated with interferon- based therapy can be greatly reduced simply by drink- ing water. Can you drink too much water? Yes. Drink- ing excessive amounts of water can affect the body's electrolyte balance, which could lead to serious health problems. Therefore, it is important to check with your healthcare provider before dramatically increasing the amount you drink every day. The positive effect of drinking water on side effect management is quite substantial. Many people taking HCV therapy report that they experience a marked de- crease in side effects on days when they drink plenty of water, compared to days when they drink little or no water. It is recommended that you drink water right before and right after self-injection and stay well hydrated throughout the week .. The benefits of drinking water include: .. Flushes out wastes and transports nutrients .. Regulates body temperature .. Hydrates the skin, which helps reduce the dry skin syndrome caused by HCV medications .. Lubricates the respiratory tract, which helps relieve the cough some people get while using ribavirin .. Aids the digestive system, helping to prevent constipation and other problems .. Replaces fluids lost during a bout of vomiting or diarrhea .. Counters the reduced natural saliva production caused by HCV medication, which can increase the risk of dental cavities and diseases .. Keeps your gums hydrated and rinses away harmful bacteria in the mouth Tips for drinking enough water: .. Drink water before you feel thirsty. This will help you to stay well hydrated, since thirst is a sign of dehydration .. Drink water instead of caffeinated beverages such as sodas, tea, and coffee. Caffeinated beverages deplete the body of fluids, which necessitates drinking even more water. Keep water in places you frequent at home, in the office, and in the car .. Add a slice of lemon, lime, mint, ginger, or cucumber to add flavor to the water .. Sip water throughout the day instead of gulp- ing it, to give your body more time to absorb it. How Much Water? There are many ways to calculate a healthy per- son's minimum daily water needs. While on HCV therapy, you should drink at least the daily require- ment and possibly more, depending on your health- care provider's advice. One method of calculating your minimum daily water requirement is to divide your body weight in pounds by two. That number repre- sents the total number of ounces you should strive to consume each day. For instance, a person who weighs 150 pounds will need to drink 75 ounces of water per day (nine 8 oz glasses, or slightly more than two quarts or two liters per day). Additional information on converting measure- ments is available at http://www.easysurf.cc/cnver13. How Can You Keep Track? Numerous studies have measured the amount of water people drink daily. It has been shown that the amount of water most people drink each day is much less than they need to stay healthy and well hydrated. Also, people usually drink less water than they think they do, because most people do not keep track of their daily consumption. For this reason, it is impor- tant to keep a record of how much you drink. Tips for keeping track of water intake: .. Fill a bottle with fresh water. Write down the volume of water the bottle holds and how many times you refill it throughout the day. .. Buy commercial water bottles that list the fluid content. Fill up or buy enough bottles to meet your daily requirement. Set the bottles in plain view to help you remember to drink all the bottles. Taste Changes Changes in the way foods and beverages taste is a real problem for many people on HCV therapy. Pa- tients usually describe this as having a metallic taste in the mouth. Medical terms for taste changes are phantogeusia ("phantom" or false tastes), dysgeusia (unpleasant tastes), and parageusia (abnormal tastes). Other medical conditions, such as a zinc or vitamin B12 deficiency, can cause phantogeusia. Report taste changes to your medical provider and dentist so they can rule out other causes. Taste changes can affect many areas of life, since food is such an integral part of our social lives and overall health. To sustain wellness, it is important to maintain a healthy diet throughout treatment. Treat food as part of your medi- cal regimen. Tips for managing taste changes: .. Drink plenty of water .. Eat with plastic, wooden, or porcelain utensils instead of metal ones .. Use non-metallic cookware, such as glass .. Add tart flavorings such as vinegar, lemon, lime, or orange juice to your food .. Eat cold foods rather than hot ones .. Marinate meats to enhance or disguise flavors .. Avoid strong foods and odors .. Try foods that are high in protein, such as eggs, tofu, chicken, fish, or nuts .. Sample various dairy products, such as cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, or ice cream .. Sorbet, sherbets, frozen fruit bars, and smooth- ies may taste better to you .. Flavor your food with horseradish or mustard .. Avoid canned foods, especially those with low or no sodium (Watch your sodium intake if you are on a sodium-restricted diet) .. If a food does not taste good to you, take a break from it for a while .. Try a new food or one that you did not like in the past. You might find that you enjoy it while you are going through HCV treatment .. Eat crisp, cold foods, such as jicama, bell pep- per, and apples .. Before eating, rinse your mouth with club soda, warm salt water, or a mouthwash made of � teaspoon salt and � teaspoon baking soda in 1 cup of warm water .. Do not eat or drink flavored foods, especially citrus, immediately before or after brushing your teeth .. Take good care of your teeth brush, floss, and receive regular dental check-ups .. Ask your healthcare provider if zinc sulfate would be worth a try; a typical dose is 220 mg twice daily .. Remember, your sense of taste will return after you have completed HCV treatment. Mouth Sores During HCV treatment, some patients complain of mouth soreness. This may include sores or ulcers on the gums, cheeks, and tongue, possibly accompanied by redness. Mouth sores are sometimes called canker sores. The medical term is aphthous ulcers. Before treating mouth sores, consult your healthcare provider to obtain a proper diagnosis. Many factors can cause mouth sores, and it is important to understand what caused the problem before it can be fixed. How do you cure canker sores? The answer is, you probably can't. There are remedies that can make them less painful or hasten their healing, but?as with the common cold?there is no reliable cure for the common canker sore. The exception is if your particu- lar variety of canker sores is caused by an underlying condition that can be remedied. Canker sores that are associated with food sensitivities, medications, nutri- tional deficiencies, or the use of sodium lauryl sulfate can be treated if these conditions are resolved. There are several home remedies you can try. Talk to your healthcare provider about these suggestions, particularly prior to using any herbs or supplements. Tips for preventing and relieving mouth sores: .. Maintain oral hygiene. Be gentle when brush- ing your teeth, but don't skip it .. Avoid dental products that contain sodium lauryl sulfate .. Drink lots of water. Adequate hydration is important for health maintenance, particularly during HCV treatment .. Do not drink liquids that are excessively hot. Ice or frozen juice bars may soothe mouth sores .. Try over-the-counter products that numb can- ker sores. Products that contain benzocaine, benzoin tincture, lidocaine, camphor, or phenol can provide temporary relief from the pain of mouth sores (Orabase and Zilactac-B are two examples) .. Apply a protective barrier to the lesion. There are over-the-counter products that form a film to cover mouth lesions, making them less vul- nerable to irritation .. Maintain good nutrition by eating well. Dis- cuss with your doctor whether you should take a multivitamin or other dietary supplement. (Some people suck on zinc lozenges, but there is no data to support the effectiveness of this remedy) .. Avoid foods that are hard, crunchy, spicy, salty, or acidic .. Reduce stress .. Keep a food diary to see if a particular food is causing mouth sores. Try eliminating suspected foods .. Swish, then spit or swallow a teaspoonful of an antacid such as milk of magnesia (magnesium hydroxide) or Mylanta (aluminum and magne- sium hydroxides) with a teaspoonful of liquid Benadryl (diphenhydramine) four to six times daily .. Try tea. Black and some herbal teas are high in tannin. A used tea bag placed on a canker sore may provide relief .. Consider taking an anti-inflammatory medica- tion such as ibuprofen. Be careful because this medication can also cause aphthous ulcers, and not everyone can or should take ibuprofen .. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) may help reduce pain. Do not exceed recommended dosages, since this drug can potentially harm your liver .. Infuse sage and chamomile in water, and use as a mouthwash four to six times daily .. Try raspberry, peppermint, and licorice .. Try taking lactobacillus. These harmless bacte- ria, sometimes called probiotics, are part of the natural intestinal flora. There are many brands of lactobacillus, such as Lactinex. (Although relatively safe, it is not recommended if you have a prosthetic heart valve or valvular heart disease, asthma, an allergy to dairy products, or are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breast-feeding) .. Lysine may be beneficial for herpes-related mouth sores. The general recommendation is 500 mg one to three times daily Side effect Management Hepatitis C Support Project www.hcvadvocate.org This link covers up to date cutting edge treatment options info. Jamffer |