Has anyone tried acupuncture to stimulate appetite in a CBD?PSP/MSA patient who just isn't hungry anymore? My husband continues to lose weight and has no hunger; it's as though the brain cells that signal hunger have stopped working. Recently talked with someone who had been a caregiver to a man with an end stage lung condition and she said that acupuncture helped him to be hungry again. I discussed this with my husband's physician who did not oppose it, necessarily, but had no knowledge of it helping anyone in her practice.
Marilyn
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Marilyn_cbd12
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I had heard of it used to suppress an appetite but not to stimulate it. I did some searching and there are a few studies where acupuncture is used to help stimulate appetite in cancer patients. My only concern would be that acupuncture is a manipulation of nerves and CBD/PSP are Neuro degenerative. If the nerve being manipulated went to a "dead end" in the brain I don't see it as effective. All that being said...I don't see any harm in trying.
I agree with Ron. I have tried, in my slowed down brain, to say what Ron said so succinctly about any treatment options. The treatment, whether medication, acupuncture, STEM cell, or surgery, has to find a path to affect the brain. Once all the paths are gone, no affect will be seen.
That said, rather than stimulate the hunger center that may have disappeared, have you tried stimulating the pleasure and memory centers, have you tried favorite foods or favorite desserts only? How about a planned dinner in or out with 2-3 friends in a quiet place. There are liquid meal replacements such as Ensure if he is still drinking. Mixing up one of those with fruits like Banana, protein powder and high fats like ice cream may help with some weight.
Is he still able to take medication orally? Has your doc mentioned nutritional supplements? They won't put on weight but could supply vital nutrients.
Thanks, Tony. Appreciate your trying to think this through with me. I have been doing all of the things you have suggested for about six months, but he continues to eat less and less. Complicating all this is what is called "gustatory rhinitis", a condition that makes his nose run uncontrollably as soon as he starts eating and that, of course, makes it even harder to consume food. We did get a nasal spray for this but it is only a little helpful. Last night, it took him about an hour to consume about 2 ounces of sliced chicken and he was exhausted when he finished , wanting nothing more to eat. He has been opposed to a PEG, but I have asked his medical team (at the Veteran's Medical Center) to have the nutritionist come to talk with him about it again. His cognitive capacity has declined tremendously in the last six months, so I feel as though he just can't make decisions about his own treatments. Lately I have been thinking that I am in denial and should just accept that his body is preparing to shut down, and that there is nothing more I can do.
Thanks, Ron. He had acupuncture last year for severe neck dystonia, recommended by a medical doctor/acupuncturist, but it had no benefit. My husband put up with 2 visits twice a week to achieve nothing, so am reluctant to introduce acupuncture again. On the other hand, if there were a benefit...hard decisions, for sure. My "Western mind" dismisses it for all the reasons you note, and it is worth remembering that a man with a terminal lung condition is going to have more neural capacity than my husband. But then I consider that "Eastern medicine" has a different paradigm for interventions and perhaps there are alternative pathways to hunger stimulation. I did talk with the MD-acupuncturist -- an intelligent and very kind man-- who worked with him last summer and he is willing to try but thinks it may be a lot to put my husband through for equivocal results.
We found CBD oil to be the most effective appetite stimulant for my husband. It was immediate and dramatic, but only lasted until he 'forgot' how to swallow. I agree with Ron, if that part of the brain is dead, I don't see how acupuncture would work.
Hi Marilyn, I think that will depend on which one you buy. We ended up using 1 to 3 drops under his tongue in the morning and again in the afternoon. We used Jayden's Juice which is a local company and it is mainly used to treat epilepsy. The ratio of CBD/THC was 20:1. I believe it may be on the strong side because I see other people using far more than that of other brands. My husband didn't tolerate more. Whatever brand you use, I'd use trial and error to determine how much to use. Wish I could be more specific, but I think any CBD usage is still an inexact science. I found it really hard knowing what to buy. I ended up with the one I used because it had been around for awhile and had been recognized as a viable treatment for the developer's son's epilepsy when nothing else helped him so I felt pretty safe with it. I hope this is helpful.
Hi Marilyn, I’m sorry that this is happening to you and your husband. I agree with all of the previous comments. I don’t think that I would try acupuncture, but I wouldn’t hesitate to try CBD oil. What you’re going through is so very difficult and I’m sorry that these diseases have no cure. All we can do sometimes is keep them comfortable.
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