Overcoming Poor Appetite

Sometimes surgery, prescription drugs, or the cancer itself can cause a decrease in the patient's appetite or change the way food tastes. If poor appetite and weight loss persist, discuss possible medicinal management with the patient's healthcare team. Sometimes medication may be prescribed to increase the patient's appetite.

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 foods that the patient really likes 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 six to eight cups of clear liquids throughout the day.

• Aim for 5-6 small meals per day. Plan to eat the biggest meal of the day when most hungry. In some cases, the biggest meal may be earlier in the day than the patient is accustomed to.

• Display 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 nausea (see below). Delay eating favorite foods if feeling nauseous.

• Vary the colors of foods on a plate and use garnishes such as lemon or lime wedges.

• Arrange food attractively in a relaxed dining space. Add color to a place setting or watch a favorite television show or movie to make mealtimes more pleasing. Playing music in the room can also make mealtimes more enjoyable.

• Use a plate that is larger than needed and put small portions on the plate. That way the amount of food does not look overwhelming.

• Consider taking a short course of zinc if there is a loss of the taste sensation due to surgery or chemotherapy. Discuss with the doctor before starting zinc tablets.

• Marinate meats before cooking if red meat tastes strong.

• Substitute red meat with fish, chicken, eggs, cheese, or vegetarian alternatives.

• Eat high-protein foods within an hour of taking them out of the refrigerator. Protein foods may taste better at room temperature. These include cheese, tuna, chicken, lean ham, egg salads, deviled eggs, milkshakes, eggnogs, puddings, and custards.

• 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.

• Use medical nutritional products with consultation from your medical team.*
  • Boost® products, Ensure® products, Carnation® Instant Breakfast® products, and/or Resurgex Select® add calories and protein.
  • Scandical® and Beneprotein® add calories or protein when accompanying regular meals.

• Ask the doctor about medications that help improve appetites. Many of these medications do have side effects and 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®)
  • Metclopramide (Reglan®)

* For more information on pancreatic cancer, including medical nutritional supplements and medications to improve appetite, please contact a PanCAN Patient and Liaison Services (PALS) Associate toll-free at (877) 272-6226 or email pals@pancan.org. PALS Associates are available Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Pacific Time.