Asked and Answered

Estimating how long someone may live is very difficult. It’s usually discussed in terms of ranges; that is, hours to days, days to weeks, or weeks to months. It’s important to realize that every situation is different, that many factors are involved, and that everyone responds differently. Fluid intake has the biggest effect on immediate survival. 

Families often have questions about eating and appetite when someone is ill. For families, the issue of food and eating involves much more than just the food. The whole experience of eating and fellowship is important. Also, feeding is seen as part of providing basic care for someone. Yet people who are terminally ill usually lose their appetite... 

While pain is a common symptom at the end of life, it isn’t caused by lack of food or fluids. People with a terminal illness don’t have a problem with "hunger pains. " Commonly they lose their appetite, their sense of hunger, and all interest in food. This can result from nausea, physical discomfort from eating even small amounts of food, and... 

Lack of appetite and the resulting weight loss can have many different causes. They can include illness, medications, treatments, pain , constipation or bowel obstruction , sores in the mouth, and anxiety or depression . It’s important to try to find the cause before trying a treatment. Poor appetite may be caused directly by a problem in...