Ensures - Life-saving or deadly?

This is a subject touched upon in other discussions, and I wanted to get real close to the problem, seeking a REAL solution.

The REAL Question is - what IS going on? I am now at the point where I thought things might be a little easier following five days of intensive radiotherapy, but swallowing more than liquids is still impossible, as my oesophagus is almost totally blocked by my adenocarcinoma. My weight is now down by more than 30 lbs from when I started and I am getting loads of advice about how Ensures are bad - one American doctor tells me the only thing they will do is KILL ME! - but if I don’t drink them there’s very little else my stomach will accept, certainly that will give me any energy at all, and with no energy I fear my resistance to everything will be low, and along with it my morale. I’m not used to feeling anything but robust - the frailty means I don’t recognise myself, and for the first time my daughter told me maybe I was starting to get depressed (ME - DEPRESSED?!?) I had some reiki today and it was terrific, out in the sun with the birds singing in my garden.

However, there’s no doubting the fact that I’m simply waiting and hoping that the radiotherapy has done something in the way of shrinking the tumour. It just hasn’t happened - yet. It’s only five days now until I go back to Penny Brohn Cancer Care at Bristol, this time for five days. I hope I can eat something by then - their food is wonderful! It is now three weeks exactly since I finished the radiotherapy.

So, Ensures are presumably deadly because they are processed and contain sugar, as well as all the desired amounts of processed vitamins, minerals, protein and 330 calories per bottle. And cancer thrives on sugar, which we also need for energy.

If I eat raw juices before Ensures, the result is that the Ensure curdles and nothing will go down, perhaps for hours, with extreme discomfort. I f I have Ensures first, the same happens unless there's a gap of hours, and it's hard to judge. It's important to make it clear that ANYTHING thicker than an Ensure WILL NOT ENTER my stomach right now.

While I'm here, the good news is that my Haemoglobin went up to 12.2 in my blood test on Friday. It started at 6.0 in March (reason for diagnosis), went up to 9.3, 10.3, 10.8 and seems to keep rising - I assume because the radiotherapy has maybe fixed the bleeding from the tumour? I have been taking a liquid iron supplement - should I keep that up???

Gosh, it seems I'm always seeking advice...

Tags: blocked, calories, energy, ensure, juicing, loss, oesophagus, ph, swallowing, ugh!

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Permalink Reply by Maria on May 6, 2008 at 1:40pm: Oh, Tony. I can only tell you about my experience. I had radiation when I was first dx with stage IV lung cancer, which damaged my esophagus to the point that even drinking water was extremely painful. At that time, after two surgeries and the radiation, my weight was 83 lb. My only option was to eat or die of starvation. I found the highest load of calories in the lowest volume of food in sweetened condensed milk (I hope nobody passes out after reading it) and I lived on that for about three weeks. That was three years ago, I am still alive and kicking.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tony Ososki on May 6, 2008 at 1:50pm: Thanks, Maria...

Only problem for me is sweetened condensed milk is likely - no surely - too thick for me right now! My recollection of condensed milk in a can is of very sweet, very sticky, very thick consistency. Perhaps it'll thin down with water?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Maria on May 6, 2008 at 1:59pm: Yes, you can thin it down with water, or find something else that work for you better. My main point was that you should't have to kill yourself so you can kill the cancer. Once you get strong, you will be in a better situation for others priorities.
Love and strengh for you.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by cally on May 6, 2008 at 2:11pm: At some point, and it sounds like you're THERE, you need to get whatever you can down you. You may find that once you do have some energy--from whatever source--you are able to tolerate the healthier things easier.

Have you tried blending almond milk with smooth fruit like bananas/peaches--something without seeds? Something like that may be an option for you at this time.

I have myasthenia gravis, and my worst symptom is an occasional severe inability to swallow--I can't get the food/liquid to go from my mouth to esophagus. I have been guilty of drinking "Boost" at times. It is important to relax and take things slowly. Do lots of experimenting--you will find what works for you.

Take care,

Cally; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tony Ososki on May 7, 2008 at 3:04am: Thanks, Cally...

I can get almond milk down, perhaps with some juice. but will this give me sufficient energy as opposed to Ensures?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by cally on May 7, 2008 at 12:11pm: I would think it would--especially if you added some protein concentrate to it. Just keep at it all day long--slow and steady wins the race.

I really feel for you. You don't realize what a GIFT swallowing is until you can't do it. Hang in there!!!!!!!

Cally; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tony Ososki on May 7, 2008 at 1:24pm: Hi, Cally..

You're absolutely right about slow and steady. I find thaht if I just sip a little every 15 minutes or so I can keep much more down - thanks for that!

Many thanks... TonyO; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Debbie on May 7, 2008 at 3:11pm: Tony add coconut water to your drinks, it is realy good and good for you!
You can dilute your juices or anything with it, it is sweet. Get ONE brand coconut water.
deb; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tony Ososki on May 8, 2008 at 3:24am: Hi, Debbie... My wife is out getting some this morning. Sounds good, although in he UK we may be limited as to brand...
Many thanks.

Permalink Reply by Melissa on May 7, 2008 at 3:36pm: Tony- this is so not make it yourself, raw, or organic, however, it is a readily available alternative that is very similiar in thickness to Ensure AND (the main reason I switched) it only has 1 gram of sugar: the Atkins Advantage Shakes. My favorite flavor is the purple, which I think is named something like Chocolate Royale. They have a decent amount of protein and some vitamins and minerals, so if you can manage to swallow it, it may do you some good right now. I hope I don't get slammed for this as I really don't know what kinda stuff is in them or how bad they might be overall, but I'd say in the short term you just need to be able to get some calories in for strength and energy... Also, I would sip them with a straw... a fun, swirly straw... best wishes!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tony Ososki on May 8, 2008 at 3:25am: Hi, MeIT...

I'll try to locate some. Many thanks.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kris on May 7, 2008 at 4:48pm: Hi Tony,
If Ensure is all you can keep down, then drink it and believe it's the greatest darn thing in the world for you. It's really important to keep your weight up. There's a great book called Beating Cancer with Nutrition by Patrick Quillen, who was the head of nutrition for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, a small chain of 3-4 cancer hospitals that use both western medicine and alternative, such as nutrition, naturopathy, reiki, acupuncture, etc. (I was treated there.) Anyway, the author says that about 40% of the people who die from cancer actually die from malnutrition. For some reason, I found that statistic comforting because I felt like it was something I could control.

Maybe you could try making your own Ensure. I mean it's basically a protein drink with some added vitamins. I'm not quite sure why they had to go and add all those chemicals that are listed on the label... Start with a base like plain almond milk and add in a high-quality, organic if you can get it, whey protein (or soy). I use one that my nutrionist told me most if not all of the casein had been removed from. You can also find powdered multi-vitamins which you could add. Quillen has a great recipe in his book for a power smoothie. You probably couldn't tolerate it right now, but one of his suggestions for people trying to put on weight is to add a medium chain triglyceride to their smoothie. MCT is a fatty acid that does not require energy for absorption, utilization, or storage. He said health foods stores would sell it. Coconut oil is one.

You could water this concoction down until it's a consistency that you can tolerate.

Hope this helps!
Kris; ▶ Reply to This