Fattening up help needed.....weird request!!

nyeb2007

Hey all

I have mentioned before that my Mam is battling (not too well) lung cancer, she is losing weight at about a pound a day - she just has no interest in food and IF anything stays down its very minimal.

So my question is really has anyone any tips on what to add to food, like at the mo I am adding cream and cheese to fricking everything - she wants me to eat with her so I am like making a pot of mash taking hers out and adding the "fat" to it and trying to keep Dad away from it.

Also looking for "tasty" food recipes, think she is all rack of lamb and mini salmon en croute out. I am a good cook and willing to try anything, its bad enough as it is without her fading away to nothing, she doesn't eat can't sleep etc etc..

Typical menu at the mo is:

Brekkie - creamy porridge or creamy strangled eggs

Lunch - she is into the brothy type "light" soups - so would love a few ideas on this, the auld chicken one is getting boring now

Dinner is minimal, one mash spud, 2 lamb cutlets and a spoon of veg

Dessert - the neighbours have all been making tarts and stuff - they are fantastic, I've done the creamy rice puds.

Basically lads I know my post is all over the shop (imagine been in my head!!) but any tasty fatty recipes for any meal would be greatly appreciated - personally I have lost 9 stone in just over 2 years so I am used to the lower fat versions but I would gladly put on 9+ stone to get Mam back in full health or at least back to having some quality of life - my head is in low fat so need to change my mind-set

Thanks in advance

Mr Magnolia

There are a variety of supplemental drinks designed for your Mum's situation. Talk to your mother's doctor and pharmacist and see what they recommend. Best of luck, hope she makes a full recovery.

Dinkie

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

There are a variety of supplemental drinks designed for your Mum's situation. Talk to your mother's doctor and pharmacist and see what they recommend. Best of luck, hope she makes a full recovery.

+1 I was on a liquid diet for a few weeks (after an operation) and was given some type of glucose liquid supplement to add to foods so I wouldn't lose weight.

The doctor should (IMO) have already recommended this.

You could try recipes like pizza (high calorie), lasagne, creamy pasta dishes, beef stroganof... a doctor recommended supplement would be healthier.

Susie_Q

Does your Mum like Italian food? Think pasta, creamy sauces, cheesey lasagnes, garlicky bread and so on. Absolutely delicious stuff, easy to make and typically very high in calories. Could be worth a go.

Best of luck, I hope your mother makes a great recovery. She's lucky to have you, you sound very supportive and caring.

psycho-hope

Like Mr Magnola said there are lots of milkshake type drinks that would help build your mum up, maybe pop into the local pharmacy and have a chat with them, theres lots of different flavours.

Does she have a sweet tooh or does she prefer savoury food? Maybe stuff like beef strongenoff, chicken Kiev, fish pie.

heres a few links I have saved that might fit the bill
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/beef-and-ale-stew-1 maybe with some mashed potato

http://recipes.dailymail.co.uk/recipe/4053/Fish-Pie

http://recipes.dailymail.co.uk/recipe/2433/warming-winter-chicken-and-vegetable-soup

hope your mum makes a good recovery

nyeb2007

thanks all, Mam has been prescribed "Ensure" and "Fresubin" and fortisure or something but as "nutritionally" balanced as they are they just aren't the same as a meal..(.May I add they are vile!! IMO)

Pasta just is not her thing, more like meat and veg woman but the creamy pasta sauces has given me some thoughts for like toppings on chicken breast or steaks so thanks for that.

Thanks for the good wishes and the ideas - keep em coming xx

unkel

nyeb2007 wrote: »

Pasta just is not her thing, more like meat and veg woman

Lamb! You already said she eats / likes lamb cutlets, try and give her more lamb. Very high in fat and calories compared to most other food / meat

CathyMoran

Peanut butter, tinned fish and mayo, I add mayo to most things. I had an oesophagectomy in 2007 for oesophageal cancer and had the chemo before that, mine was complicated by the fact that I am a type 1 diabetic. Before my surgery I was having a lot of large full fat latte (can only have them again in the past 2 months (thank you unborn child)). I still tend to eat what I really like, onion ring crisps and mayo were things that I craved...hmm...

My mother in law has lung cancer too and it is tough to get her to eat.

Swampy

Add butter to everything and cook in butter.

Degag

Are you sure that cooking with lots of butter and cream etc is very good? Perhaps more healty eating would be more benificial. I would definately consult with a doctor in any case just to make sure you are not doing more harm than good.

Best of luck and i hope your Mam makes a full recovery.

nyeb2007

Degag wrote: »

Are you sure that cooking with lots of butter and cream etc is very good? Perhaps more healty eating would be more benificial. I would definately consult with a doctor in any case just to make sure you are not doing more harm than good.

Best of luck and i hope your Mam makes a full recovery.

No it is recommended that all cancer patients are advised to to up their intake in butter and cream - the oncology nurses say that it is the only time they tell people to fatten up.

Today she ate egg mayo on about 3 inches of crusty bread laden with butter and just there now I literally force fed her a slice of chicken, one scoop of buttery mash and carrot and parsnip

Sleepy

From what I know of nutrition high carb diets are generally more responsible for weight gain than high fat diets. Reverse the GI diet - high simple carb / high fat diets would seem to be the way to go. Replace brown bread with white, wholewheat with processed etc.