Appetite

Malka

My loved one was always a good eater and always wanted meat and potatoes. That has changed. He doesn't want meat anymore. Mostly, he doesn't want to eat. Some sites have indicated that you should push your LO to eat, but keep them hydrated and maybe supplement with Ensure. Is it wrong of me to tell him he doesn't have to eat? His aide is pushing him to eat constantly. I would rather he drink more. He is constipated all the time these past few weeks and has to endure enemas.

Any advice?

May flowers

That’s a tough one. My FIL doesn’t want meat much anymore either. We put everything in gravy now brown gravy for meat and potatoes and white gravy for eggs. We have found for whatever reason he does want to eat that. And anything sweet. His favorite lunch is PBJ now.

Anyway, I hear you about drinking. I try to get my LO to drink a full glass of water before and after every meal/snack. I use tea flavored mio juice and he drinks every bit of it. 

We are dealing with constipation constantly as well. No fun. It takes 4 senekot and 2 capfuls of miralax for a few days to get a BM. Even with that, he still requires enemas every few weeks. I hate that.

Olly_Bake

Constant constipation is no fun. We started off with senekot and miralax. And as you state, at times regular home health would still have to give an enema. After the second time, my nerves could not take dad's cry for mercy when doing the enema. Then my husband told me about a laxative that works for him. It is a Wal-mart brand stimulant Laxative with sennosides. It looks like ex-lax in the middle. I would give him half every day along with the miralax and the enema became history. The nurse agreed that he needed something to soften and then something to cause the bowels to contract and push out.

Ledbets

It is very difficult when our LO’s begin to eat so little. My mother got to the point that she wanted nothing but sweets. We made her sweet potato soufflé or mashed sweet potatoes. She ate them every day. They were nutrition, high in calories, and she loved the sweetness. They also helped with the constipation. She also ate a Metamucil cookie every morning for a snack with her Ensure.

Malka

Does the enema hurt? I have had two and they didn’t bother me but I was in my right mind. I know he fights it and is exhausted after. I saw him the day after and he looked much better though. I think the constipation makes his appetite less.

May flowers

My FIL doesn’t say that it hurts, just that it’s cold (if they use the Fleet’s)

Olly_Bake

I don't know personally if it is painful. My hubby had one after back surgery and he said it was not painful for him but way weird. But for my dad, it was very uncomfortable. I don't know if it is because of his enlarged prostate problem or just because. But he didn't take it well either time but was relieved after the fact. I was relieved he didn't need another one after my find. As someone else mentioned, the baked sweet potato eaten straight also works.

Stuck in the middle

You might try prunes at bedtime.  Soak 5 prunes in warm water for a few minutes and they plump up into delicious, sweet plums.  The fiber makes for a firm, smooth morning stool.

A lot of people with AD lose the sense of smell.  All we actually taste is sweet, sour, bitter, and salt, so an apple and an onion taste the same if we can't smell.  That is why PB&J tastes good and a steak does not, if you have a head cold.

May flowers

Sadly, prunes and sweet potatoes did nothing for my FIL. High fiber foods have the opposite effect on him, but I suspect he has IBS (as I do) - insoluble fiber can make constipation worse for some. For me, it causes inflammation that leads to gastroparesis.  I do not have issues with ground flaxseed though, and I use it for both my FIL and myself.

I also have to cook all my veggies. Just a thought for anyone dealing with potential IBS issues in their LO.

lizz.olya

It is really very difficult when our lo begin to eat so little