Week four absolutely no taste

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Charmit
Charmit Member Posts: 87
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hello everyone started week four yesterday three more to go!!  No pain thank good but absolutely no taste and I’m starving, doing smoothies and shakes but so wish I could taste food. Down 7lbs and they weren’t too happy with that but I’m trying.

Any suggestions what to eat or try or is this it??? As always thanks and hope your all well!!

God Bless

Charlene

Comments

  • debbiel0
    debbiel0 Member Posts: 134 Member
    #2
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    Good for you, to make it this

    Good for you, to make it this far with a low(IMHO) weight loss. Increasing calories without adding volume was a challenge for me. One thing I wish I had known at the time is, using coconut milk based ice cream for smoothies and shakes adds 100 calories more than using soy milk or milk based ice creams.

    Adding hemp hearts, chia seeds and ground flax also adds cals without changing the taste too much.

    Getting over the horrid taste was very difficult. I have no magic answer to that one. Just keep trying to eat whatever you can.  

     

    Deb

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,771 Member
    #3
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    doing great

    You are doing really well, hang in there. Protein and fat have twice the calories as carbs. During all this, eating becomes a job, usually a hard one. Try different protein powders in your shakes. More than half done - may become tougher but just focus one day at a time. Good luck!

  • Dean54
    Dean54 Member Posts: 160 Member
    #4
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    Hey Charlene

    I think it took a while longer for my taste to leave me but pretty much just drank Ensures and Liquid Hopes for the most part just for the nutrition and ease or getting something down.

    6 months later I still have no taste but can eat most foods if I really try but still rely on the shakes and such. Have gained all but about 12 lbs back.

    Sounds like you are doing pretty well and I'm sure you will get thru this with flying colors.

  • bebo12249
    bebo12249 Member Posts: 181 Member
    edited May 2018 #5
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    the last 3-4 weeks i no taste

    the last 3-4 weeks i no taste and survived solely on Boost Very High Calorie (VHC), 530 calorie/8 oz. you can maintain your weight on 3-4 8 oz servings per day. Avaiilable at Amazon..

  • Susie65
    Susie65 Member Posts: 1
    #6
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    GOING TO START TREATMENT IN JUNE, 2018

    Hello everyone, I'm new to this site and already appreciate reading the comments above.  I was diagnoed on 5/7/18 with squamous cell carcinoma HPV 16 positive.  Going to have 35 radiation with 3 chemos spread 3 weeks apart.  My main concerns are pain and eating.  I have a lot of questions.  I'm wondering if I'm going to be able to prepare my own meals/shakes or did you have someone to help?  I'm thinking about making some pureed foods to freeze but I'm not sure.  Is there some kind of smoothie book or food prep book you used.  I'm glad to see you are getting through this which helps me to believe I will too.  My cancer is right side lymph nodes and lingual tonsil - near midline.  Any thoughts would be appreciated regarding pain management - I'm not a fan of using narcotics.  And of course, nutritiion.  I'd really prefer not to use a feeding tube.  Thank you in advance and God bless.

  • Nancy24
    Nancy24 Member Posts: 72 Member
    #7
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    Pain management

    My husband was also HPV+ with tumor in left side of neck and primary tumor in lingual tonsil near midline. He had 35 proton therapy treatments and 7 doses of Cisplatin (once a week for 7 weeks). His radiologist put him on a low dose of Gabapentin the first week of treatment and kept increasing the dose so that when the pain started during week 3, the Gabapentin was sufficient to mask it. He continued to take the Gabapentin for a few weeks post treatment. He never experienced pain and didn’t require any opioids. 

  • Nancy24
    Nancy24 Member Posts: 72 Member
    #8
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    Susie65 said:

    GOING TO START TREATMENT IN JUNE, 2018

    Hello everyone, I'm new to this site and already appreciate reading the comments above.  I was diagnoed on 5/7/18 with squamous cell carcinoma HPV 16 positive.  Going to have 35 radiation with 3 chemos spread 3 weeks apart.  My main concerns are pain and eating.  I have a lot of questions.  I'm wondering if I'm going to be able to prepare my own meals/shakes or did you have someone to help?  I'm thinking about making some pureed foods to freeze but I'm not sure.  Is there some kind of smoothie book or food prep book you used.  I'm glad to see you are getting through this which helps me to believe I will too.  My cancer is right side lymph nodes and lingual tonsil - near midline.  Any thoughts would be appreciated regarding pain management - I'm not a fan of using narcotics.  And of course, nutritiion.  I'd really prefer not to use a feeding tube.  Thank you in advance and God bless.

    Start a new thread

    i meant to also say that you might want to tart a new thread, asking your specific questions. Also, search the site. There is lots of great info on what to eat. Also read the very first post called “Superthread”. It contains a lot of very good advice. 

  • Alpinelife
    Alpinelife Member Posts: 12
    #9
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    bebo12249 said:

    the last 3-4 weeks i no taste

    the last 3-4 weeks i no taste and survived solely on Boost Very High Calorie (VHC), 530 calorie/8 oz. you can maintain your weight on 3-4 8 oz servings per day. Avaiilable at Amazon..

    Agree 100% - lived on Boost

    Agree 100% - lived on Boost extra high cal drink the last 2 weeks of treatment and through a PEG for another few weeks post treatment.The taste is not great, but if you can’t taste it, it could be a good solutio to help you through! Keep driving forward, it does get better.

  • bebo12249
    bebo12249 Member Posts: 181 Member
    edited May 2018 #10
    Options
    Susie65 said:

    GOING TO START TREATMENT IN JUNE, 2018

    Hello everyone, I'm new to this site and already appreciate reading the comments above.  I was diagnoed on 5/7/18 with squamous cell carcinoma HPV 16 positive.  Going to have 35 radiation with 3 chemos spread 3 weeks apart.  My main concerns are pain and eating.  I have a lot of questions.  I'm wondering if I'm going to be able to prepare my own meals/shakes or did you have someone to help?  I'm thinking about making some pureed foods to freeze but I'm not sure.  Is there some kind of smoothie book or food prep book you used.  I'm glad to see you are getting through this which helps me to believe I will too.  My cancer is right side lymph nodes and lingual tonsil - near midline.  Any thoughts would be appreciated regarding pain management - I'm not a fan of using narcotics.  And of course, nutritiion.  I'd really prefer not to use a feeding tube.  Thank you in advance and God bless.

    Susie, yes you may want to

    Susie, yes you may want to start a new thread but you most likely will be able to make your own shakes. I tried one smoothie recipe but it was awful so i stayed on Boost VHC. As noted, not a great taste but drinkable, esp with diminished or no taste. 

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