loss of taste

sweetblood22

Skiffin16 said:

Thyroid
My thyroid is going south, not there yet, but on it's way south.

They (my ENT and Chemo MD) monitor my blood work and have for since the start (January 2009).

My TSH and Free T4 primarily, the TSH has been above normal for the last two years. It's been above 5.0, in the range of almost 7.0 now.

Can't remember my Free T4 numbers at the moment, but there in range.

They did try to start me on a minimal dose of Synthroid .25microgram I believe. It made my pulse race, and BP rose, so they took me off feeling I was still producing enough on my own.

I do get tired earlier in the evenings, I guess that could be about the only symptom, and occasionally I'm cooler than I have been in the past.

John

Thyroid
Yep. Need to get that sucker checked routinely. My RO has me do it 2-3 times a year.

Skiffin16

sweetblood22 said:

Thyroid
Yep. Need to get that sucker checked routinely. My RO has me do it 2-3 times a year.

SameO
Between my two cancer treatment MD's of mine, they also are doing blood work twice a year. Then my GP does most everything they don't have checked.

If they are schedule close together, I'll just have my GP testing done at the same time.

JG

JohnRS

Food and taste
I am a Newbie Stage 4-Tonsil and two glands-Clever- a chat room with no chat so far-looking for tips on condiments-etc to get some taste-starting the 5th week of 8 chemo and 39 rads-no taste-but still trying-and no tube yet-hopefully won't need one-HELP

longtermsurvivor

JohnRS said:

Food and taste
I am a Newbie Stage 4-Tonsil and two glands-Clever- a chat room with no chat so far-looking for tips on condiments-etc to get some taste-starting the 5th week of 8 chemo and 39 rads-no taste-but still trying-and no tube yet-hopefully won't need one-HELP

Hi John
This is a topic that will get plenty of discussion. Why don't you post it again as a new topic? That way it will appear under its own heading rather than buried down here in a long thread, and people will better be able to see it?

Welcome to the group. Sounds like you're having the usual "I can't taste anything" problems. Many of us can identify with that. Be patient, it will pass, just not as soon as you are likely hoping.

Best regards

Pat

greatpossibilities

Grafikdsgnr said:

Need Help With Loss of Taste Food Recommendations . . .
I dread eating now! Never, ever thought I'd say that. Major chore to get 80g of protein each day without drinking those horrible, thick, sweet protein shakes. I have absolutely no taste left at all! Only if you want to call 'metallic' a taste.

I HAVE discovered that trader Joe's Steel-cut oatmeal is the most tolerable thing I've tried. My wife is experimenting every day for me. I feel sorry for her as she is trying so hard to get me to eat. Everything is tough to get down with a raw, dry throat. Even water tastes awful. Trying everything for calories and protein. We've tried sweet potatoes, salmon, green beans, asparagus, BBQ chicken, home-made chicken/vegetable soups, Minestroni soup, seasoned pasta with tomato sauce, cottage cheese, ice cream shakes and smoothies with fruits, aloe, etc. (tolerable) and different protein shakes.

Any suggestions out there? I feel hungry in my stomach, but when I try to down things it is absolute drudgery. Have to fight the gag-reflex and it takes a long time to get through the little I do eat.

Thanks for listening to my appeal.

Pete

Food has lost it's appeal
Pete, this is my obstacle too, I completed my treatment Sept 22, 2011. We are having oatmeal this morning with rasins and brown sugar and milk, I can get this down with little problem. My throat will be sore following the meal but will improve during the day. Eggs, in an omlett with some cheese, sliced mushrooms, a little tomatoe salsa or diced tomatoes, is also doable. It takes a long time to get a small serving down and water is needed to assist the process. Yesterday we had tomato soup made with milk and I had a half toasted cheese sandwich which I dunked in the soup to make it doable. Any foods I eat outside of our home have an overwhelming salty taste as do processed foods. Raw fruits taste good as a peeled apple slice, I have not tried a fresh orange yet but I have had orange juice, not quite right but okay. There is no getting around it, this is going to take time but in the mean time we have to keep up our nutrition so I still have my PEG which allows me to take in 375 calories per can of Isosource made by Nestle, I have been doing 2 in the evening. Depression is a problem, I can cry at the drop of a hat. Then I think of all the people I met while sitting in the waiting room at radiation and what they were batteling and consider myself lucky. I am thinking that this discussion board is going to be a good thing to keep me grounded and get suggestions from others. You are keeping a very busy schedule and that is going to use up a lot of the energy(calories) you may need for healing, don't be too hard on your self, if there is some one who can take some of the load off, set that up. I wish you well! Susan

Hondo

JohnRS said:

Food and taste
I am a Newbie Stage 4-Tonsil and two glands-Clever- a chat room with no chat so far-looking for tips on condiments-etc to get some taste-starting the 5th week of 8 chemo and 39 rads-no taste-but still trying-and no tube yet-hopefully won't need one-HELP

Hi John
I agree with Pat, you can get a lot of help if you post as a new post. Other that welcome to CSN.

Hondo

navy261991

buzz99 said:

A matter of taste
Buzz's taste came back rather quickly. By about 2 months post treatment, most of it was back. Hopefully you will recover all or most of it. Karen

Salivary glands and mucous
I finished 35 rad and 7 chemo treatments for stage 3 tonsilar cancer in Mar 11. 2 follow-up PET/CT scans have been all clear. However, after 9 months I'm still unable to eat regular food and subsist on 560 calorie Carnation breakfast drink 4 times a day. BTW I was able to take the Carnation orally throughout my treatment even though I had a PEG tube for back-up. As described by someone on this forum. food I've tried tastes like soap covered with lard. My problem is salivary glands produce but are out of balance. As most know the glands produce mucous and serous fluid which are in balance to produce normal saliva. However, mine produce mostly mucous. This along with my damaged taste buds make it extremely difficult to eat regular food. Many have talked about lack of taste buds, but has anyone also experienced the mucous problem from salivary gland imbalance? If so, have you found any treatment or solution to this problem?

Thanks for your participation in this valuable support network.
Dave-navy261991

jtl

navy261991 said:

Salivary glands and mucous
I finished 35 rad and 7 chemo treatments for stage 3 tonsilar cancer in Mar 11. 2 follow-up PET/CT scans have been all clear. However, after 9 months I'm still unable to eat regular food and subsist on 560 calorie Carnation breakfast drink 4 times a day. BTW I was able to take the Carnation orally throughout my treatment even though I had a PEG tube for back-up. As described by someone on this forum. food I've tried tastes like soap covered with lard. My problem is salivary glands produce but are out of balance. As most know the glands produce mucous and serous fluid which are in balance to produce normal saliva. However, mine produce mostly mucous. This along with my damaged taste buds make it extremely difficult to eat regular food. Many have talked about lack of taste buds, but has anyone also experienced the mucous problem from salivary gland imbalance? If so, have you found any treatment or solution to this problem?

Thanks for your participation in this valuable support network.
Dave-navy261991

Soap
Reminds of a couple of days ago when I was in the shower and got some soap in my mouth. It did taste exactly like it should have and is something that I have not tasted for a long time.
John

sweetblood22

navy261991 said:

Salivary glands and mucous
I finished 35 rad and 7 chemo treatments for stage 3 tonsilar cancer in Mar 11. 2 follow-up PET/CT scans have been all clear. However, after 9 months I'm still unable to eat regular food and subsist on 560 calorie Carnation breakfast drink 4 times a day. BTW I was able to take the Carnation orally throughout my treatment even though I had a PEG tube for back-up. As described by someone on this forum. food I've tried tastes like soap covered with lard. My problem is salivary glands produce but are out of balance. As most know the glands produce mucous and serous fluid which are in balance to produce normal saliva. However, mine produce mostly mucous. This along with my damaged taste buds make it extremely difficult to eat regular food. Many have talked about lack of taste buds, but has anyone also experienced the mucous problem from salivary gland imbalance? If so, have you found any treatment or solution to this problem?

Thanks for your participation in this valuable support network.
Dave-navy261991

Hi Dave
I have never heard of salivary gland imbalance. I just know I had bad mucusitis, and mouth sores, with copious amounts of mucus during and after treatments for several months. Now I'm just dry as dust.

Since this post is buried in a very old thread, you may want to start your own thread, and you may get a better response. Hoping someone has some help or input for you.