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What Does a Person Feel Like Eating After Treatments of Chemo?

Chemotherapy can cause nausea, diarrhea, and other side effects that dull the appetite. However, it's important for cancer patients to maintain a good nutritional status to help damaged tissues heal.

  1. Loss of Appetite

    • Cancer patients can pack additional calories into small amounts of food by adding rich gravies or sauces to their meals. When patients don't feel like eating, they can sip on a meal replacement drink.

    Altered Sense of Taste

    • Cancer patients may find the taste of tart foods, like those flavored with lemon, appealing when they experience a metallic taste as a side effect of chemotherapy. Marinating meats in vinaigrette or fruit juice can mask disagreeable flavors.

    Nausea and Vomiting

    • Patients may tolerate cold foods better than hot foods, as hot foods may release nausea-triggering odors. Skipping meals may increase nausea, so patients should nibble crackers if they feel too nauseous to eat a regular meal.

    Mouth Sores

    • Using a baby spoon helps patients take tiny bites that won't exacerbate mouth sores. Choosing soft, cool foods like cottage cheese or yogurt can soothe a sore mouth.

    Diarrhea

    • Eating several small meals each day instead of the typical three large meals can reduce stomach upset that leads to diarrhea. Patients should choose foods low in fiber to slow their passage through the digestive tract.

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