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Suggestions for loss of appetite?

Page last modified on: September 11, 2008

Question from Jo: I have lost my appetite and literally have to force myself to eat once a day. Should I be taking a tonic to increase my appetite?: Answers —Diane Thompson, M.D.: Appetite loss certainly can occur during treatment. As a psychiatrist, when someone tells me about appetite loss, I often think of depression. However, this is just one of the causes of appetite loss. This is an important topic to discuss with your physician as there are medications that can help with appetite. During a discussion, you and your doctor can pick the one that would be most appropriate for you.; Jennifer Griggs, M.D., M.P.H.: If your appetite returns before you receive your next treatment, you may need to have better control of nausea with your chemotherapy. But if this is a longstanding or chronic problem, it is most likely not due to the chemotherapy itself but may be due either to the cancer or to other factors, such as depression.

On Wednesday, March 19, 2003, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Overcoming Depression. Rosalind Kleban, M.S.W., Diane S. Thompson, M.D., and Jennifer Griggs, M.D., M.P.H. answered your questions about medication and lifestyle changes that can ease depression along with to put hope, fun, and pleasure back into your life during and after breast cancer treatment.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Rosalind Kleban, L.C.S.W. is administrative supervisor for psychosocial programs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's Lauder Breast Center in New York City, where she leads weekly support groups for women with early and advanced breast cancer.

Diane S. Thompson, M.D. is director of clinical research at Queen's Medical Center and associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Hawaii's John A. Burns School of Medicine.

Jennifer Griggs, M.D., M.P.H. is a medical oncologist specializing in the treatment of breast cancer, with a a special interest in cancer survivorship, patient-physician communication, and quality of care for women with breast cancer.