My Hubby was diagnosed with cirrho May 21. He's been alcohol free 6 months and liver is now compensated..I'm really proud of him. We regularly go for walks and he keeps himself busy in the garden. We are both retired.
We recently returned from 5 weeks holiday in Tenerife, which did him the world of good. His drink of choice was sparkling water, orange juice or coke. We ate really well. He had a full cooked breakfast most days, salad or burger for lunch and evening meal of meat, carbs and veg. Snacking he had baby bell cheese, icecream , sweets, chocolate unsalted crisps and nuts, fresh fruit and toast.
However on return on the scales he's down to 8st 4lb meaning he's lost a stone. He has lost his appetite as well since we came home. Whilstvaway he also took one high protein drink and was having full fat milky coffee's.
He's now back drinking 3 prescription high protein drinks as well as 3 meals a day.
Has anyone any suggestions as to how he can get his appetite back and any high calorie foods I can incorporate into his diet? Me, I put on half a stone, but we were away for 5 weeks and have lost 2lb in 4 days following my slimming world meal plan. Hubby has same as me but I add butter and fresh thick cream to mash etc. He also has desserts and I dont cut fat off his steaks etc. Hes due to see his specialist nurse 6 Dec 21.🤔
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Sanblass
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Hi well I live in the states, I was diagnosed with fatty liver ,fibrosis, cirrhosis, in july18 & I have been on low carb diet and exercise since, have lost 90 lbs, I am only allowed 30 carbs a day. but I eat meat, cheese, eggs, cream, butter, berries, most green vegetables and cauliflower, greek yogurt, I only drink bottled water and black coffee, no cokes and no sugar. I hope that gives you some ideas, I also belong to a site on computer called "DietDr.com" very good recipes and good solid information for People in our situation. Any more questions or thoughts. Write me and my diet is from my Liver and Diet Dr's from IU Medical in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The problem is this chap is losing weight and can't afford to at only 53kg - he's dangerously low on reserves so absolutely doesn't want to follow a similar diet to yours - in fact probably quite the opposite. My hubby was in a similar 'malnourished' state due to cirrhosis and muscle loss and he too was around the 53kg mark like this chap and the liver specialist dietician basically put him on what we describe as weight watchers in reverse because he needs to build up so loads of calories, loads of carbs, loads of protein.
Dietary advise varies from individual to individual based on their underlying health condition and current state of liver health. So we have to be careful.
I try to tell anyone I answer on here what I have been diagnosed at and when I was told and so anyone reading mine if not the same than they can go on with out using any of my help. we all have something similar issues but not the same, there so many people on this site that depending on their own problems and symptoms everyone is different. If what I write is similar to someone else fine but if not accept what I say is my life and may not help others. Best I can say for your reply of what I wrote in reply of PM Sanblass.
I've sent you a wee PM Sanblass, obviously hubby is of very low base weight so can't afford to lose more. My hubby was about the same weight 8 1/2 stone when he saw liver specialist dietician because he was deemed malnourished. He too was put on a protein drink (Ensure) and a diet plan which we can only describe as weight watchers in reverse. I've pinged you the wee leaflet in case there are tasty tidbits there which you can add and encourage him to eat. Sounds like he's struggling just now if his appetite has gone (my hubby thankfully has never had that happen and he managed to get up to 11 stone again and rebuilt muscle mass). He's no longer on Ensure and is still maintaining about 10 1/2 stone and is doing lots of exercise having fallen in love with cycling of late.
Push for hubby to see a liver specialist dietician because his weight is super important and prevention of muscle wastage - if he goes forward for t/p assessment at any point he'll need to have reserves plus remember the heart and diaphragm are muscles too so heart and lung health can suffer through malnourishment.
Hope you can get him nibbling again, get any foods down him you can but obviously watch the salt intake.
Hiya Katie, How long was your husband on Ensure for out of interest? I've lost and regained about the same amount of weight as him but, though I did eat properly for a while when I came off the feeding tube at home that's lapsed a bit lately (stress moving house / some other health stuff causing nausea too) so I'm carrying on with them... I am seeing my nutritionist in a week, and am well recompensated now so I'm just wondering, I'll obviously chat to them about it too. Thanks.
I didn’t get on too well with Ensure, so the dietician tried me on Complan milkshakes. They are lovely. I’ve also found that the chocolate flavour ones make a nice hot chocolate. My dietician recommended continuing to take them even though my liver is much improved and combining it with the recommended diet. It helps with my protein requirements. It’s also made me rekindle my love of milk. I’m sure that continuing on ensure if it suits you is a good idea.
He didn't like the Ensure (he only ever had the strawberry one) but he was on it for a couple of years up to 4 times a day though towards the end when he was at the 11 stone mark he only took it as his bed time snack and he treated it like medicine - just something he had to take. He wasn't poorly with it but it did cause him a lot of gas ............. we called it his f*rty drink.
He only came off it because dietician thought he was doing well enough and taking in the right amount of proteins from his foods plus we got the distinct impression GP didn't want to keep funding it. (originally prescribed by t/p hospital).
Hubby is still maintaining at around the 10 1/2 stone marker - the 11 stone was the heaviest he'd ever been in his life. He was a very active long distance walker with a fell runner build since teenage years - 28 waist. It came as a shock to find that due to cirrhosis he was now malnourished (though he did look rather skeletal). The 34-36 waist he got up to was a shock to his system too plus expensive on the wallet ( a big hit for a Yorkshireman ).
Thanks both, yes it probably is a good idea for me to continue on the Ensure for now then. The strawberry and vanilla are the only two that don't make me feel nauseous, but I also treat it like medicine. I mean it is really. I'll chat with the nutritionist next week about it anyway!
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