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How to Increase Appetite – Megace Medication

how to increase appetite

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Typically young children have to be prodded to eat the vegetables on their plate, and a common parenting technique is to state they are not leaving the table until they do. Most adults will happily eat whatever nutritious food that’s been prepared for them, including their vegetables. Sometimes people don’t have the appetite they used to because they’re undergoing chemotherapy for cancer treatment. Nourishment for the body is always important, and so the question becomes how to increase appetite for these people. Megace is an appetite stimulant medication.

In fact, nourishment is more important when a person is battling a disease and aiming to recover from it. The body will be expending much more energy to do this, and it’s not made up for by any lack of activity while the person is undergoing treatment. The appetite stimulant Megace may also be prescribed for women struggling with anorexia to encourage them to eat more and move towards a healthier body weight and restoring healthy eating habits.

Megace is also a medication used to treat cachexia, which is also more commonly called wasting disease. The problem with cachexia isn’t so much the weight loss itself, it’s more that the body becomes so weak and frail that the body becomes more prone to infection. Many times, the person will have a compromised immune system, and so the risks from these infections are greatly increased.

We’ll look at how to increase appetite in greater detail here, as well as discuss how the appetite stimulant Megace works to bring back a person’s desire to get their three-square meals a day – or darn close to it!

‘Feeling Full’ Reverser

The way this appetite stimulant medication works is by inhibiting a hormone that makes you feel full after eating food. That hormone is named PYY, and so people who have lost their appetite because of cancer treatment, anorexia, or wasting disease need to counter the effect in order to have the desire to eat again. This is very much a situation where the brain is overruling the body, but in the interest of the person’s long-term health it really needs to be the other way around.

Megace makes that possible, with the active ingredient in the medication (megestrol acetate) inhibiting PYY’s effectiveness so that the person doesn’t feel full. Even if they have eaten an insufficient amount of food. The problem of course is that adults aren’t inclined to eat more after being told they need to, mostly if they don’t feel like there’s a need for it. There IS a need for it, but the PYY hormone is masking that need. Megace is best the best route to go if you’re wondering how to increase appetite with medication.

It is also formulated to promote body fat development rather than muscle mass, and this is beneficial too as the fat stores have the potential to provide energy reserves in the event the person’s condition worsens as they continue with their treatment. It’s an impressive drug with the way it is effective in different ways, but Megace also comes with a long list of possible side effects. One of them is constipation, so if this occurs, it’ll be useful for you to learn all about what helps constipation.

Hunger Helpers

Lifestyle change may be another valuable choice to make in becoming a healthier version of yourself. A change in your routine in addition to knowing how to stimulate appetite and getting a prescription for Megace might be just what you need to really become a healthier and happier you. Begin by eating smaller portions of food. You should also limit liquids you drink while eating, and other ways to preserve appetite include:

  • Eating more cold foods
  • Experimenting with different foods that may be more naturally appetizing for you
  • Exercising more regularly and / or vigorously to increase your appetite.
  • Use nutritional supplement drinks like ‘instant breakfast’ mixes and canned or powdered shakes to provide a significant number of calories with little or no preparation required
  • Make smoothies by combining fruits and vegetables with yogurt, ice cream, or milk

Scheduling mealtimes and being aware of when you are supposed to eat is also going to be helpful for stimulating appetite too.

One last mention here regarding this topic – many physicians have promoted the use of medicinal marijuana to increase appetite, and it’s something to consider if that’s available where you live. The active ingredient in cannabis – THC – has long been known to be a powerful appetite stimulant.


IMPORTANT NOTE: The above information is intended to increase awareness of health information and does not suggest treatment or diagnosis. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.


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