Various types of cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, can cause patients to deal with serious appetite loss. If you are undergoing cancer treatment and feel as if you are never hungry, you could be wondering what you should and shouldn't do about the problem. These are a few things that you shouldn't do if you are dealing with this side effect.

Avoid Talking to Your Doctor

It might not seem like a big deal that you aren't eating a lot in the grand scheme of things, and you might assume that your appetite will come back on its own. Because of this, you might not have really thought about talking to your doctor about your lack of appetite. You could also be concerned that your doctor will change your treatment if you mention this side effect, which you may want to avoid if you feel like you are getting good results. However, you should know that it's always a good idea to mention any of your symptoms and side effects to your doctor when undergoing cancer treatment, including your lack of appetite. This is common, and it's something that your doctor might be able to help you with. For example, your doctor might choose to prescribe you a medication that can help you enjoy an increased appetite or that might help with any nausea that you might be suffering from.

Eat Too Much at Once

When trying to force yourself to eat, you might find yourself trying to eat portions that are similar in size to what you would normally eat. However, you might find that this will only make the experience even more unpleasant, and it could even cause you to feel nauseous or to vomit. Instead of trying to eat too much at one time, consider eating several small meals and snacks during the day. Even if you don't have much of an appetite, you might find that you can still eat a small meal every few hours.

Eat "Diet" Foods

Now is probably not the time to focus on eating "diet" foods that you might normally eat when not going through cancer treatment. Instead, treat yourself to foods that you might normally avoid if it helps encourage you to want to eat. Also, consider that enjoying fattening, nutrient-rich foods can help you ensure that you get more nutrients from smaller portions. Just make sure that you talk to your doctor about any dietary restrictions, since you will obviously still want to abide by these.

For more information, visit websites like http://swoncology.net/.