What to do about taste buds!

Kim59

Wow, in only 3 days after my first chemo nothing taste the same. I know there have been discussions about what to do but just too tired to go back and search...any suggestions?

Also, when do you start feeling like you have energy after your treatment? Came home early from work and went to bed. I sure hope I feel better before repeating this in 3 weeks!!

Kim

Sher43009

Taste
Hi Kim

Try this mouth wash:
4 cups water
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt

I found it under the search "help for taste buds". You can also use Biotene mouth wash if you get mouth sores. It help get rid of mine.

It took me about a week to get back to work after chemo. I had mine every 2 weeks on Wed. so Wed.-Tues. I felt bad and couldn't work, then work the following Wed.-Tues., then have chemo again Wed. etc. Each chemo was different for me so I hope yours get better.

cindycflynn

Kim
Yes, the taste has been very annoying for me also. I had my second chemo last Wednesday, and the taste change started to really hit me Sunday. By this morning, I can hardly stand to have my own mouth in my head. It feels like the inside of my mouth is slowly disintegrating, and tastes like really bad morning breath all the time, unless I'm in the process of eating something.

The good news is, that I know it won't last too long. I had the same thing after my first chemo, and it was really bad for about 3-5 days, but then slowly started to get better.

I have tried rinsing/gargling with warm water with salt and baking soda mixed in (I don't measure, I just spoon some into a small glass of warm water) which seems to help for a while, and I've also been using the Biotene toothpaste and mouthwash, but it also only seems to feel better for a short time.

My energy was down from Thursday through Sunday morning after my treatment, but I started to feel better by Sunday afternoon. It seems to really help if you make yourself be active even if you don't feel like it. Take a short walk, or even just do some things around the house to keep moving so your body can work to recover better. Just make sure to get as much sleep as you can and rest between activity.

Take care,
Cindy

padee6339

Cardboard
Everything tasted like dry cardboard. The oncologist had a bowl of very sour lemon candies which I could get some flavor from, nobody else at home could stand them! I also found that making home made soup - beef, chicken, vegetable - helped. I found if I chewed, the flavor went away, but if I let the food slide down the back of my throat, I could taste it a little, which helped. Needless to say I had a very tasteless Thanksgiving and Christmas that year!!! Strong flavors would get through a little. Unfortunately, you might have to wait until the chemo is over before the flavor starts to come back. Hang in there!!!! It does get better!
Hugs - Pat