COPD

[kali]

My husband has COPD along with other issues relating to auto immune disorders. He has lost a significant amount of weight and looks much like a skeleton. It is scary to see how thin he is - I honestly have a hard time looking at him.

I can not get him to eat. I purchased Boost that he drinks instead of eating while I had in mind that he use it to increase his daily calories. So he is only getting about 900 calories a day with his 3 boosts a day and that is all he eats or drinks. The doctors prescribed marinol but that does not seem to help.

I just don't know what to do anymore. He is wasting away. I do not understand how he is just not wanting to try when I need him so much. I do not want to nag him all of the time, but I am tired of preparing meals to just throw them away. I am getting very depressed and am not going to be much of a caregiver like this. I just want him to want to help himself a little. But I can not make a grown man eat. He says he has not given up, but it looks like it to me.

Does anyone have any advice?

[Davy9]

There are certain diets developed specifically for people with COPD. Google up respiratory rehabilitation and look under dietary headings. Typically they prefer multiple small and easy to eat meals instead of larger hard to eat meals. Eating (the actual act of chewing) and digesting large meals can make them feel short of breath. Talk with your doctor about increasing his oxygen flow during meals. I'd also assume that at this juncture that he's not emotionally demonstrative. He doesn't laugh, cry or express joy because those activities also break into his breathing comfort zone making him feel short of breath. It is not easy to do or to watch. If you need support for yourself please check into that as well.