Anyone else permanently lose taste?

BlueEyes4lfe

I had a rare type of sinus cancer back in '17 (all cleared up now) and because of the kind i had and where my tumors were at i had to have my olfactory nerve removed, which is the nerve that gives you the ability to smell. Was bad enough losing that but i soon found out too that i would lose my ability to taste because of it. 

Its hard to explain but the best way i can say it is that i can't detect flavors at all, but i can still taste basic tastes such as salty,sweet,spicy and sour and when i say that i mean that's literally ALL i can taste, (straight SALT, straight SOUR/SPICY etc) but NO flavors what so ever. [give me a french fry ill just taste salt, give me a piece of cake and ill just taste the sugary-ness of the frosting, there is no difference between chocolate and white cake to me or frosting except choco frosting has no taste while white has sugary taste)

Because of this I have become addicted to sugary-sweets ( mainly cakes/donuts/anything i can taste sugar on which is just white/buttercream frosting) and i don't know how to stop being addicted to them, I honestly eat something sugary 4-5 days a week. (Doesnt help i work at a grocery store) i don't enjoy any other foods (obviously) since i cannot taste anything else.  I mostly eat texture/visual based now. 

 

I am writing on here to see if anyone else was pained with the same symptoms and how you cope with it. 

I want to eat healthier but i cannot enjoy certain foods i used to, like yogurt for example is very SOUR to me now, and i have tried just about every flavor but they are all sour. I can't enjoy any fruit as they are also sour now, (i have tried blueberries/strawberries/oranges/apples/grapes etc they are all just too sour to eat) I know you can add sugar to fruit to help the sourness but that then makes it unhealthy.. I am more sensitive to spicy foods and foods that i wouldn't have considered spicy before are spicy now. Its very strange. 

I'm very unhappy in my life right now and sugary sweets are the only joy i really get which makes it harder to stop. 

i have gained 15lbs in the last 2 years from all my sugar eating and i worry i'm going to get diabetes or heart issues because of it 

 

 

I should also note that i have a hard time sticking to eating healthy, i dont eat veggies ever and i get bored of eating the same thing everyday if i dont enjoy it. Every time i eat i'm always looking for what sounds/looks good rather than whats good for me.

wbcgaruss

Hello Sorry Your

Taste has gotten in the shape it's in. I can somewhat relate as I had no taste during radiation. I have had radiation twice now and my taste is pretty poor but probably not quite as bad as yours. Things for me are pretty bland also. Most times when I start eating something it has a pretty good flavor but almost right away it really drops off with only a slight reality of the way it should taste. I too like sweet things and salty things and add a lot of salt to my food to get any flavor out of it. I am glad I get a little flavor but the food never tastes as good as it smells. Try lots of different foods and don't be afraid to test them out in small quantities. And as far as sugar there are a lot of sugar-free sweeteners out there to pick from so start using them and you will eliminate your sugar worries. I don't have any real solutions except what I mentioned. Hang in there you may get some more taste back yet you never know. There is a fellow in our local support group that is about the same as you. He makes wine for a hobby but doesn't drink it anymore because of that he gives it away. Take Care-God Bless-Russ

wild willy

taste

been 11 years and still no taste. for a while i cood taste every flavor or jelly beans but could not taste vinegar.wierd. i can taste sweet but i dont know what kind of sweet. i used to have a kind of taste but i guess it was more of a sensation. i could taste but couldnt put a name to it. now like you i eat a lot of sweet stuff just to get some sort of taste. good luck.  Bill

Angio_Guy

18 months out of RT

BE4lfe,

like you, I can taste sweet, salty, and a couple of distinct flavors...like capers.  Seems as every month goes b, I regain a little of something. I found if I eat enough proteins early in the day and don't start with a sweet breakfast, I can avoid binging on sweets.  I had 50 RTs of my face, head and neck.  

Best