Survivor Shares How Mesothelioma Impacts His Diet
Stories from SurvivorsWritten by Travis Rodgers • Edited By Amy Edel
Asbestos.com is the nation’s most trusted mesothelioma resource
The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com has provided patients and their loved ones the most updated and reliable information on mesothelioma and asbestos exposure since 2006.
Our team of Patient Advocates includes a medical doctor, a registered nurse, health services administrators, veterans, VA-accredited Claims Agents, an oncology patient navigator and hospice care expert. Their combined expertise means we help any mesothelioma patient or loved one through every step of their cancer journey.
More than 30 contributors, including mesothelioma doctors, survivors, health care professionals and other experts, have peer-reviewed our website and written unique research-driven articles to ensure you get the highest-quality medical and health information.
About The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com
- Assisting mesothelioma patients and their loved ones since 2006.
- Helps more than 50% of mesothelioma patients diagnosed annually in the U.S.
- A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
- 5-star reviewed mesothelioma and support organization.
Testimonials
My family has only the highest compliment for the assistance and support that we received from The Mesothelioma Center. This is a staff of compassionate and knowledgeable individuals who respect what your family is experiencing and who go the extra mile to make an unfortunate diagnosis less stressful. Information and assistance were provided by The Mesothelioma Center at no cost to our family.LashawnMesothelioma patient’s daughter
How to Cite Asbestos.com’s Article
APA
Asbestos.com. (2024, April 24). Survivor Shares How Mesothelioma Impacts His Diet. Retrieved May 3, 2024, from https://www.asbestos.com/blog/2024/04/24/mesothelioma-survivor-talks-nutrition/
MLA
"Survivor Shares How Mesothelioma Impacts His Diet." Asbestos.com, 24 Apr 2024, https://www.asbestos.com/blog/2024/04/24/mesothelioma-survivor-talks-nutrition/.
Chicago
Asbestos.com. "Survivor Shares How Mesothelioma Impacts His Diet." Last modified April 24, 2024. https://www.asbestos.com/blog/2024/04/24/mesothelioma-survivor-talks-nutrition/.
Shaun Bigbie first started experiencing an unusual feeling of fullness. Fullness after eating is expected, but when it’s extreme or very uncomfortable after eating can be a sign of a health issue. Shaun’s doctors originally thought he was dealing with a mild case of diverticulitis.
“Around the time I started having that feeling of fullness, I knew something was wrong,” he told The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com. “Around that time I started eating a little better.”
He added, “I had been eating fruit in the morning, but I started concentrating more on what I ate and I lost 20 lbs. in a couple of weeks and got down to 220 lbs.”
In July of 2023 Shaun was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. Two months later he had surgery with heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy. A few months after his first surgery, he had surgery with heated intrathoracic chemotherapy. Both surgeries removed visible cancer cells and treated his internal organs with chemotherapy drugs.
“Of course when I had my first surgery and I got out of the hospital, I went down to 180 lbs. I got back up to about 190 lbs.,” he recounted. “But once I got out of the hospital for my second surgery, I came back down to 170 lbs. So in total I lost 70 lbs.”
Paying close attention to diet and nutrition for mesothelioma has helped. Maintaining a healthy weight can improve overall health and help patients keep up their strength during treatment and through recovery.
“I’m now back up to 190 lbs. again,” Shaun reports. “The hardest is eating healthy at night after working all day. I try to narrow it down to something healthy, but sometimes that doesn’t work. Overall I’ve done pretty good when it comes to nutrition after mesothelioma treatment.”
Only one month after his second major surgery, Shaun returned to his job as a nuclear rigger, which keeps him moving. He works 10 hours a day, 6 days a week. When it comes to exercise, Shaun says with his busy work schedule he finds it difficult to find the time. But he does use an elliptical machine as often as he can.