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My mother disliked Ensure, but Ensure makes a juice-box like product called Ensure clear which she enjoyed. Hot chocolate was also well tolerated. My dad went through a rough stretch and the only thing he consumed was orange soda pop (for about 3 to 4 weeks. He improved and finally was able to eat again and lived another year and a half. Sometimes other problems can be at play. Your mom should be checked for thrush. With thrush, it can be hard to swallow, and foods don't taste good.
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If it started with the meds, I'd talk to doc about getting her off meds - or try another med. My mom had meds that made her not eat - they were memory pills - so was easy to just stop them. then doc put her on something else. Meds can cause many issues - especially with older folks. Anesthesia/pain meds/muscle relaxers can have major dementia type of side effects and with my mom - the side effects lasted for 3 wks after we stopped the meds (only took meds 4 days)….remember stomach shrinks when you don't eat....so going back to eating is a slow process. Also agree with others on something sweet and anything she loves - whether healthy or not. I had heard just sprinkling sugar over food can help. Best of luck!
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Mhillwt Apr 2019
this is exactly why after my dad died, I feel such guilt......I feel he stopped eating due to the antibiotics making everything taste metallic...he also was delirious from the infection(severe sepsis/heart infection/bedsore/bedridden with a urinary catheter) and antibiotics......they wanted to put in a feeding tube and I said no and he died in hospice 3 days later......but I regret it....ie the drs saw someone agitated and demented and not eating and hospice was the option......but I think if his anitbiotics were changed perhaps he would have started eating/drinking again and perhaps regained his mental status.....they gave him 2 weeks to "turnaround" before choosing hospice...uggh…….im the one that brought hospice up because I didn't want the feeding tube...ie he hadn't eaten in weeks......
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When a person's body is shutting down, they lose the desire to eat. Hospice said to give my husband whatever he wanted and if he didn't want to eat, not to force him to eat. A dying body doesn't need food. I was told that "not eating" is harder on the people who love him than it is on the person himself. Sometimes we try to keep people alive when their body is trying to let them die. It has taken me a long time to understand this, but now I let my husband eat whatever he wants to eat or to not eat anything when he doesn't feel like eating. Is he losing weight? Yes, but he is happy and I want him to be happy.
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LNelsonLaird Apr 2019
I needed to hear this. We loss my 89 year old mother in December and now my 90 year old father is not eating. He is just not hungry. He will eat sweets though. He is very depressed and wants to be with mom. Health wise, he is okay. I do my best, but I still worry. You are so right, it is harder on those who love and take care of him. Thanks, I needed to be reminded. -A loving daughter.
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I cannot say whether she is at EOL stage since I am not a medical professional. Some suggestions would be blended foods, yogurt, mashed banana, pudding, et al.
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You don't say how old your Mom is or if she has any other issues, like dementia, that you are dealing with as well. But,....yes....this could be the "end of life" decision on her part. My MIL, tho she was 89, finally did the same thing, tho she would clench her lips together so that we couldn't put any food in her mouth. So, if Mom is not at that point, I would look elsewhere.

It could be that she just hurts! Or she's just tired of the whole mess. If she's younger than 65, she probably might be suffering depression at this point. These are things that you can look into with her doctor.

If she's not feeling well, Mom won't eat. You don't feel like eating when you don't feel good, do you? I would bet my money on depression for now.
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bambi1 Apr 2019
Some say o give then sweets and potatoes etc but my husband has diabetes and stage 4 kidney and cannot eat just anything. He has been given something to help his appite and it is working but still not gaining weight. This is my main worry. He is 82 yrs old.
Julie
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I just went through this and it looks like it is the end of life. My mother just died 3/2/19.
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anonymous272157 Apr 2019
I am sorry for your loss.  It is hard to go through that end-of-life stage just before death..  (((Hugs)))
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My Mom went through this. She stopped eating. She was on hospice care and only ate a little ice cream every day and drank a little bit. She lasted 5 1/2 weeks. She died on 1/12/19. She was 92 1/2. It is hard for me to day this. I miss her terribly.
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Ash1984 Apr 2019
I'm so sorry. Sending warm thoughts your way.
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It is usually an end of life issue. You can get a product called kefir, She only needs 3 table spoons 2 times a day. It helps with stomach problems due to meds. It might help.
I wish you well
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cwillie Apr 2019
Kefir is a lovely probiotic drink similar to liquid yogurt, it's not a miracle drug. And why limit it to 3 Tbsp, I usually drink a 6 or 8 ounce glass?
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I had/have the same issue with my Father who is 91. What I do is use a baby grinder to grind the foods that I know he loves. I then started with very small portions - maybe just a couple tablespoons at a time, in little pretty bowls. I would distract him while I fed him. I stopped when he wanted and then made sure he had nutritional fluids to sip on during the day. We joked about my feeding him, all the while telling him it was to help grow his stomache. I would tell him how much I love him and need him, and how proud I am when he puts on even one pound. He currently weighs 115 lbs...but was down to 105 Lbs in November. He feeds himself now but I still have to remind him occasionally that it is meal time. I hope this helps!! One word of warning, bullying or pushing them to eat only makes it harder on them. Distraction, love, making it fun goes a LONG ways towards growing their stomache so they desire food again.
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anonymous768192 Apr 2019
I love this post. Thank you. I am currently going through this with my mom. She will eat occasionally but will always eat sweets and potatoes. She just gained 2 oz in a week because of me giving her what made her happy. This is just confirmation that what I am doing will in time produce a positive outcome.
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It sounds as if she not only can't handle eating, her system is shutting down towards the end. Be kind to her and give her as much love as you can but do not try to force her to do anything - she is too weak physically as well. Make her days peaceful and prepare yourself. Good luck.
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People do stop eating at the end of their life. It's hard to say if this is what is happening. I had a person in his 30's dying from cancer. I would make "milkshakes" with protein powder, frozen fruit and heavy cream. This kept his weight up which contributed to quality of life. We are naturally attracted to fat, sugar and salt. Try to find something she will eat--anything. If she will eat candy, then candy it is. M&M's seem particularly irresistible to elders with dementia. The parathyroid glands are responsible for how the body uses calcium. Problems with the glands can cause wide spread but vague misery. I'm shocked that a surgeon couldn't find them??I'll give him a clue. There are four of them located on the back side of the thyroid gland --duh! And yes I have seen them, etc in my work with animals.
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golden23 Apr 2019
Toadhall - sometime there are extra (ectopic) parathyroid glands in various locations elsewhere in the body. An abnormal gland would not be found if looking for it in the normal location by the usual means . The incidence is 16% and a special scan is needed to find them.
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Dear golden 23, Yes I know that parathyroid glands can be located higher in the neck or down into the upper chest. An experienced surgeon (defined as having performing at least 50 of this procedure) will find all four of the glands. This is the reason for my criticism. Bottom line: if you are having any surgery, you want a surgeon who has done the procedure many times before she gets to you!
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Treats, feed her fun food.. Milkshakes is one of them, I AGREE !!

TAke milkshake and put half of ensure in it whatever she wants.

Whey protein powder, fruit, ice, milk.. What ever sounds good to your mom is the way to go.

How about her favorite shake from her favorite fastfood place? What did you and mom do before all this happened? Reminisce.

Play her favorite music, and hold her hand and dance, dance like nobody is watching or listening. Let her sing if she can and wants to. Make it happy when you see her. And be happy when you give her her favorite shakes and things.

Hot fudge sundaes? Leave off the nuts. Banana splits?

Has she had a swallowing test done? Does it hurt her to swallow? I am probably way off track, usually am, but trying to think outside the box...

You know your mom, maybe you are right, maybe she is just tired, and she doesn't want to go through anymore surgeries, etc. spend quality time with her, and make it as fun as you possibly can.
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Is there another type of med she can take, maybe a different dose? Maybe a different pharmacy? Or another combination of one?
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