Help! Desperately need ideas for thin fluid that contains calories!

[OrlandointheWilderness]

My Df is being investigated for cancer. He has NO appetite at the minute and we’re really struggling to get calories in - he is refusing anything thickened so shakes etc are out, any ideas for a thin liquid!? He’s surviving on consommé at the moment!!

Bailey's

Block of jelly (the 12 cubes ones) melted in half a pint of boiling water, he can drink it when cool or maybe he'd fancy some soft tinned fruit in it, e.g. mandarins in an orange jelly. He might even like to eat it as intended when it's set.

You can also mix in some full-fat milk or cream once the melted jelly is cool.

Coconut milk - can be added to fruit juice too

I’m so sorry you’re going through this, it’s shit 😭

There’s a fortijuice version that is thin, my DF practically lived off this when having treatment for oesophageal cancer.

Protein water is good and coconut water has some calories but is really good for hydration.

Sending love, I know this is hard.

Can you add sherry to consomme. You don't want him pickled but alcohol has more calories per gram and can stimulate appetite xxx

Coca cola, leave it to go flat if he cant tolerate fizz. Good as an electrolyte replacement too. Loads of calories.

Other fizzy drinks are mainly no calorie unfortunately but maybe apple juice, orange juice. Look for the sugar content or the wee red warning nutrition label

Lots of great suggestions above….the only other thing I can think of is proper old fashioned Horlicks made with milk. It’d quite high in calories and has a decent amount of other nutrients in it. You can make it hot or cold I think.

Bone broth - lots of supermarkets sell fresh bone broth.

www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/borough-broth-organic-free-range-chicken-bone-broth/873037-812693-812694

Any type of tinned consomme.

If you just need energy, energy drinks like Lucozade will help but watch out for too many empty calories but in a crisis its better than nothing

Here is the link for the furtijuice, you should be able to get this prescribed through your GP.

https://www.nutricia.co.uk/patients-carers/pim-products/fortijuce.html

theres also a higher calorie version but it has a milkshake consistency.

https://www.nutricia.co.uk/patients-carers/pim-products/fortisip-2kcal.html

Poor chap, how absolutely rotten! Baby porridge, or fine ground oats wade up with full fat milk and maple or golden syrup? You can make it really runny if that's what he needs. Could he face custard? It's pretty good at just 'slipping down', and again you can make it as runny as needed.

Sorry, re-reading the OP I think he's not up to anything with any texture. Would he suck on ice cubes? You can get moulds that make little mini ones and you can fill them with juice or milk.

We used Aymes drinks from express chemist , They do Shakes but also do juices like apple, peach, orange and tropical. They are about 300kcal in 200ml.
They also do smoothies that you make up yourself so can water down a bit is needed.

The pre made milkshakes can go up to about 500 kcal each. My mum didn't really like them, but we got a icelolly maker and used it to make ice lollys and she would manage them

Get him referred to a dietician. They can try different drinks with him.

Would Complan be too thick?

OP sorry your df is being investigated for cancer. As he is only managing thin fluids then please get in touch with the hospital team (usually there are clinical nurse specialists for the team). Risk is dehydration if ability to swallow worsens and he can’t get enough fluid in. They may expedite things (I’m not sure where in his investigation journey is). If things are getting worse then he may need to go in via emergency route.
As others have said, dietician/GP can prescribe oral supplements but I’d flag to hospital team anyway as pathway may need to speed up.

edited as realised it’s your DF not husband- apologies

Thank you all so much. Yes it’s really hard - more so because I’m 3 hours away from them. He started feeling loss of appetite and feeling full quickly in October. Had a vomiting episode or two then, and since then has had bad heartburn and burping. He’s suffered with bad fatigue and last weekend really got ill - dark urine (which has since lightened a bit) and the start of jaundice. Dr has put him on the 2WP, he’s had bloods today and spoken to Dr again. Endoscopy Thursday. I’ve said to mum that he needs to get more in at some point as this isn’t a situation that can go on and he’ll end up admitted. He’s drinking lots of squash and green tea. Can’t tolerate the thought of anything dairy or thicker. I’m there first thing so will see what we are dealing with - I didn’t qualify as a nurse but did do the first two years so I do have a bit of relevant knowledge.

@OrlandointheWilderness Im so sorry your df is going through this. I hope it's something treatable 💐
One thing that came to mind were some fruit jellies I've seen advertised for dementia patients. I think they are popular in Denmark and they look like fruit jelly sweets but turn into a liquid when you put them in the mouth. I'll see if I can an find a link or more info

edited to say
Seems I was a bit wrong as they don't turn to liquid but they might help when he can tolerate more solid things

https://www.jellydrops.com/?msclkid=d7befce5a7511d3669b89567b9141ce2&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=UK%3A%20Non%20Brand&utm_term=Foods%20for%20elderly&utm_content=Non-Brand%20(Clean)

Would he be able to manage a mousse consistency? They do high protein mousses in Aldi which might be good? X

In a similar situation dietitian at GP's surgery advised stirring fortified milk powder (Marvel) into liquids to add calories. You've said your Dad can't tolerate much thickness at the moment but for future this advice may help - my Dad used to have Marvel mixed into shakes but could also be used in hot milky drinks or soups.
Wishing your Dad (and you) all the best.

Hot or cold often helps with texture being a little thicker. Ice lollies or even lollipops can be licked in front of the telly.
Real custard is just milk vanilla sugar and egg. Stick it in a nutri bullet and then heat it in 30 second bursts till it’s hot. You can make it as thin or thick as you like.

Orange, apple, pineapple juice, mix with full sugar lemonade, full of sugary calories

Ensure compact is fantastic. The elderly tend to hate those supplements but this one is more palatable. It's 300 cals for 125 MLS. If too thick just dilute with ff milk. And get it down in two glasses/cups.

I'm not sure if NHS still do it though. I used to have it prescribed from when I was in hospital for anorexia, but after a couple years they switched it for a cheaper not very nice tasting one. It's expensive, like £14 for a four pack. But you can buy online.

Fortijuice, not fortisip, the juice one is more liquidy and the sip one thicker. I had it during a long spell on hospital and if it’s cold it’s easy to get down. I think it was something like 350calories per 200mls and it’s fortified with all the vitamins etc. think it’s prescription only.

All my grandma wanted at one point was melted ice cream. It's such a worry. Sorry you're going through this.