My wife won’t eat

[Kingaroo]

How can I get my wife to eat some food she is 53 and refuses to eat she keeps saying that it’s to late been to the doctor last week and he gave her tablets but she refuses to take them her weight is now under 6 stone I took her to hospital and they just sent us home l just don’t know what to do next

[Dadshelper]

There is no way to make a person eat. Eating or not eating seems to be one of the very few things patients with these diseases have control over.

Ron

[NannaB]

Hi Kingaroo,

It is so distressing seeing someone you love wasting away and not being able to do anything about it. Does your wife have PSP or similar neurological condition? If she has, does she know what she has to come in the future. Again, if she has, maybe she can’t face the future and would rather have control over her life and death while she can, like my husband did. Our GP agreed he could stop being given food and water.

If she doesn’t have this cruel condition and I hope she doesn’t I don’t know what to suggest other than returning to your doctor who may be able to refer her to someone who has more knowledge of this sort of problem.

I hope someone can help you both.

XxxX

[LuisRodicioRodicio]

Hi Kingaroo!

This link could give you some ideas:

healthunlocked.com/psp/post...

Hugs and luck.

Luis

[raincitygirl in reply to LuisRodicioRodicio]

Great historic string, Luis: really covers the multiple issues that could be involved in the refusal to eat.

AG

[raincitygirl]

My thoughts are the same as NannaB's.

The string Luis linked here covers a lot of possibilities for why a PSP patient might not want to eat; but could it be resignation from life?

Has your wife been on an SSRI or other anti-depressant? I don't know if it would change her intentions, but at least you'd know she was making her decision from a more "balanced" emotional state?

Hard times K; our hearts go out to you.

XXX

Anne G.

[margh2468]

Hi there, Oh I so feel for you. The others have asked if your wife has P.S.P or similar. If so it may well be her way of controlling what she can whilst she can. P.S.P. is not a life I would chose to live with having seen my hubby go through it. He lasted a lot longer than I would have chosen too. It is an incidious illness, with nothing but heartbreak. Quality of life is just NOT an option with P.S.P. unfortunately. Massive hugs and thoughts go out to you Marg Howlong N.S.W. Australia

[Shouldice]

My mother loved lemon--as she got older she said it was the only thing she could still taste. Maybe you could try lemon or other sour flavors.

[Katiebow]

I also agree with NannaB, my husband had a healthy appetite up until the last couple of weeks before he passed away but the weight had dropped off of him in the last year. During his final weeks he lost his appetite and I just tried to jolly him along but never tried to force the issue. It's a hard thing to do, seemingly letting them starve to death but it's their choice at the end of the day and they have the right to exercise that choice. I'm so sorry that your wife is so young, my husband was 66 and that seemed young, I believe that because they are of sound mind they want to have control over their future and death.

Sending my love and support

Kate xx