food issues...

[snoofle]

hi everyone,

the last time i wrote ab my boyfriend's appetite issues, it was concerned with him not gaining any weight..now im concerned bc he seems to have just stopped eating..he says his body isnt used to eating as much food as he used to bc he hasn't eaten normal amounts in so long; we went out to eat like 2 days ago and he didnt touch anything on his plate and he just said he wasn't ever feeling hungry..and this only worries me more, bc hes losing even more weight rather than gaining it back. i was wondering if any of you knew if there was a medicine or something that could increase his appetite until he's more accustomed to eating on a regular basis..

[Miss Philicia]

Have you looked into either smoking pot or taking Marinol to bump up his appetite?  Does he have constant nausea issues that are interfering with appetite?

What does his doctor say about these issues?  How much weight has he lost and what is his normal weight?  You say he hasn't eaten normal in a "long time" but I have no idea what a long time is to you.  You need to provide more details.

[bear60]

I also recommend supplements such as NurtiCal or EnsurePlus...something that he can drink to provide more nutrients.
Depends also on his meds...and you have not said if his problem is meds related or just from "feeling ill", which can be a mental condition. But he needs to get with the program and start taking care of himself.

[snoofle]

he got really sick last november so since last november..his appetite has been out of whack. when he first went to the hospital, he lost about 30-40 lbs and went from 150ish to 120 which is around where hes at now..and his appetite loss isnt due to meds, bc he said hes completely used to them now. as for the marijuana suggestion, he'd never do that..hes really against drug use. and he did drink ensure for a few months last yr to try to increase his weight but he doesnt like it, so he doesnt drink it..he just really blames his appetite loss on not being used to eating normally for so long that he says if he does eat like a big or normal meal..he'll feel nauseous bc his stomach isnt used to it..so im hoping there is something that can increase his appetite to where he will want to eat normal meals but not feel nauseous later

[Miss Philicia]

1)  regardless of whether or not he thinks it's the meds "because he's used to them" it could indeed be them, or it could simply be HIV itself.  Speaking from experience I  had appetite suppression from one of the two for a period of several years, and lost a similar amount of weight.

2) you ignored my suggestion of Marinol.  It's an FDA approved compound that replicates the appetite increase side effect found in cannabis.  It's not a "street drug" so there goes his morality argument.

3) if he just doesn't "like" ensure has he tried something similar in liquid calorie supplementation like one may find at a bodybuilder nutritional store?  Sometimes we must do things we don't really like to stay alive, not to make light of his taste level for things, but it's worth a go isn't it?  If he hates the taste, find one that you mix with milk in a blender and add some bananas and strawberries.

4) does he have depression issues?  Depression can also suppress one's appetite.

Furthermore, WHAT DOES HIS DOCTORS SAY?

[snoofle]

hes definitely not depressed, but i'll definitely suggest Marinol to him and have him talk to his doctor about it. The last time we went to his doctors appointment, she just said he lost a few pounds since his previous appointment but didn't seemed concerned about it. but thanks for the marinol suggestion..i hope he seriously considers it

[xyahka]

Hi, not sure if this is relevant but at least in my case... i have experienced increase in my appetite after my Dr suggested me to start taking b complex twice per day.

Perhaps you should talk to his Dr and make her notice the long term trend of loosing weight he is facing, she might not have everything in perspective, also it sounds to me that since he is not realising he is loosing weight this should also be talked with a counsellor or psychologist, i mean... depressed people do not always seem to be depressed... sometimes they act just careless, some of them don't cry or anything like that. In my experience i know many of us are really "monitoring" our weight... so if an important weight loss happens we would be the first to worry about it.... the fact he seems not to realize what is going on... leaves me thinking he might be facing some personal issues... and sounds a bit like depression.

Wish you the best.

Juan Carlos

[structuredjen]

Hi snoofle-

My boyfriend often has no appetite as well.  I agree wholeheartedly with Philly's suggestions. But if your boyfriend is not cool with marijuana, the Marinol is definitely something I'd check out.

Outside of that- what I've tried to do is let him control when and what we eat (for the most part).  Whatever he might have a craving for, I go for it, and quickly, because that "feeling" usually quickly subsides.  It does mean that we're not always eating the healthiest - but I figure any food is better than no food.

Good luck!
Jen

[next2u]

i agree with jen & philly on this one. find it, eat it, smoke it, pop it. do what is conscionable for him. personally, i tend to gain weight when i am active - my body wants more food. i also gain weight if i eat more at night, keeping little snacks around for consumption (and cheesecake). amassing healthy weight takes concerted effort and one often has to eat against their will. it took me 4 months to gain 20 lbs (when i was hiv-). i remember hating to eat that much, but i had to consume a certain amount of calories each day. that meant adding up all my calories from all my meals everyday to see how much i was putting in my diet. it also meant augmenting my diet, more mayo here, using higher calorie cooking oils, drinking whole milks, etc... 4 months later the food portions seemed normal and i couldnt stop eating.

basically, grow the beast, feed the beast, trick the beast if needed (marinol). hope things work out well for you two.

[leatherman]

Outside of that- what I've tried to do is let him control when and what we eat (for the most part).  Whatever he might have a craving for, I go for it, and quickly, because that "feeling" usually quickly subsides.  It does mean that we're not always eating the healthiest - but I figure any food is better than no food.

Good advice there Jen! That's how my partner handles my eating habits.

I've never been a "big" eater, and with HIV, it's been a struggle to stay at the 135lbs that I was when I graduated from hi school 27 yrs ago. (I live on Coke, candy and nicotine ) Between the meds actually making me puke or just feeling like I could puke, when I get a "hankerin" for something (usually thanks to the pot  ), then that's what on the menu for dinner - whether it's 4,6, or 8 pm LOL

mikie
(who totally believes in smoking pot to not feel like puking and to actually feel like eating)