All my wonderful cancer fighters out there I need your help! I've lost my sense of taste. Everyday it seems to be getting a little worse. I can no longer taste sweet - chocolate has absolutely no taste and my precious cheesecake tastes like I'm eating a stick of butter. Last night I couldn't taste anything on my supreme pizza except the olives (I hate olives!) and I can still taste sour. Is it possible to reverse this? I'm rinsing with salt water several times a day and brushing my teeth (and tongue) several times a day, too. When I was last at the doctor she confirmed that I do not have thrush again (thank God!)
Advice? Please? I think this is a side effect of Adriamycin (I'm taking TAC, but I believe it's just the Adria that is causing this...I could be wrong)
Hi Sheri. I also lost my taste for just about everything. It's just a matter of trying to find something that works for you. Once I had the bad taste with chocolate I refused to eat it again or anything sweet until I was finished chemo. The olives.... probably because it is sour and sour foods seem to taste better. Any favorite foods you should not eat right now. I know it's hard. I ate a lot of cereals, toast and yogurt.All you can do is keep rinsing but this is a side effect of chemo.
ReplyDeleteHugs
Jill.
Sheri,
ReplyDeleteYou need to find foods that clean the palate. Try bartlett pears, strawberries (cut up with equal sprinkled on top), apples, canned peaches, clementine oranges, sherbert, Edy's fruit bars, slurpees, blue or red gatorade, plums, blueberries and raspberries.
For some reason, all of these made my mouth happy - in short stints.
Beware of thrush and have your Doc check your tongue for it. I didn't get mine checked and should have gotten the medicated mouthwash to clear it up or at least help it a little. Don;t use listerine or mouthwash - it will hurt.
I also chewed mint gum alot to help my tummy and get rid of the God awful taste in my mouth. Lemon drop candies, butterscotch candy, and those starlight peppermints helped too.
And now for the crowning yummy - sour cream and onion dip. Dip celery in it, carrots, tomatoes - you won't taste the veggies but you will taste the dip.
I took TAC also. It was awful on the taste buds but I didn't get any ulcers. My tongue felt like a shag rug :(
Here's another one: Lucky Charms. Yes I know, it is terrible but LC and Froot Loops at least made me happy for awhile.
Hugs,
Sharon
Tacos.
ReplyDeleteSorry no advice ... I lost my sense of taste too. There are better days and worse days.
ReplyDeleteI'm on Taxotere.
Sorry I can't say that I enjoyed the taste of much while on chemo. Even water tasted funny after awhile. The taste started coming back a few months after I finished treatment. Thrush is the pits. My husband even got it because he drank from my glass... so then he got to share my meds to get rid of it also!!
ReplyDeleteHi Sheri
ReplyDeleteBlame the Red Devil (Adriamycin). I lost my tastes for sweets and chocolate too. Also coffee became very gross so I satisfied my caffeine addiction with raspberry Snapple. Your taste buds will return once chemo hell is over. In the meantime, I loved clementines and Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. for some reason salty meats hit the spot for many chemo patients-we must need the protein and the salt. Mac and cheese provided a little bit too much comfort to me during chemo but I really liked its taste.
Hi Sheri, I would definately keep an eye on the thrush, I lost my taste for things even before the uglyliness of it showed up. We were told to eat spicy, highly flavored foods, curries, mexican food etc. Taco Bell Frutista freezes are great. The good thing about spicy foods (if you like them) is that they get your endorphines going. Hot and sour soup is also good.
ReplyDeleteHang in there
Thank you all so much. I guess I'll suffer through this new chemo side effect. I'll probably complain a lot. A lot!
ReplyDeleteAll the advice is much appreciated!