Overcoming Poor Appetite - Pancreatic Cancer Action Network

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Poor appetite is a common nutritional challenge for patients with pancreatic cancer. Sometimes surgery, prescription drugs or the cancer itself can change the way food tastes or cause the patient’s appetite to decrease.

Tips For Increasing Appetite

The following tips may help increase appetite and improve interest in eating:

Small Lifestyle Changes

• Get plenty of rest.
• Exercise lightly before meals to stimulate appetite.  Even a short walk may be invigorating.
• Stay well hydrated. Drink 6–12 cups (48–96 ounces) of fluid throughout the day. Use a straw to make this easier if gas is not an issue.
• Take anti-nausea medication at the first sign of queasiness or nausea. Delay eating favorite foods if feeling nauseous.
• Aim for 6-8 small meals and snacks per day. Take advantage of the time of day when most hungry.
• Plan meals the day before eating them. Have someone help plan and prepare meals.
• Eat meals and snacks at scheduled times, even if not hungry.
• Place small bowls of nutritional snacks, such as nuts and fruits, in frequently-used areas of the home to encourage healthy snacking between meals.

Supplements & Nutritional Drinks

• Substitute a meal with a nutritional supplement drink or a homemade smoothie made with protein powder. If you have been prescribed pancreatic enzymes, be sure to take them with these drinks.
• Boost®, Ensure®, Carnation Breakfast Essentials®, Orgain® and ENU™ nutritional drinks add calories and protein.
• Glucerna®, Boost Glucose Control®, Ensure® High Protein, and Boost® High Protein products may be appropriate for people with diabetes, or if other supplements cause diarrhea.
• Benecalorie® and Beneprotein® add calories or protein when accompanying regular meals.

Enhance Your Mealtime Experience

• Select enjoyable foods and foods that have a pleasant aroma.
• Arrange food attractively:
• Vary the colors of foods on a plate
• Use garnishes such as lemon or lime wedges
• Make mealtimes pleasing:
  • Add color to a place setting
  • Watch a favorite television show or movie
  • Play music in the room
• Use a large plate and put small portions on it. By doing this, the amount of food may appear less overwhelming.
• Manage taste changes if these are contributing to decreased appetite.
• Marinate red meats before cooking if they taste strong.  Or, substitute red meat with fish, chicken, eggs, low-fat cheese or vegetarian alternatives.
• Eat high-protein foods within an hour of taking them out of the refrigerator. High-protein foods, such as cheese, tuna, chicken, lean ham, egg salads, deviled eggs, milkshakes, eggnogs, puddings and custards, may taste better at room temperature.
• Add fresh fruits to milkshakes, puddings, and custards to add flavor.
• Perk up the taste and smell of food with seasonings or spices such as lemon juice, mint, basil and other herbs. Add sugar and salt to foods, if their intake is not restricted.

Medications That Can Help Increase Appetite

If poor appetite and weight loss persist, the doctor may prescribe medication to increase appetite. Some of these medications are listed below. It can take several weeks of use before appetite enhancement occurs, so take these medications as prescribed for at least a month to determine their effectiveness. Many of these medications have side effects that should be discussed with the doctor.

• Megestrol acetate (Megace® or Megace ES®)
• Dronabinol (Marinol®)
• Steroids such as prednisone or dexamethasone
• Anti-depressants such as mirtazapine (Remeron®)