Need suggestions for altered taste

Barneygirl
Barneygirl Member Posts: 90
in Ovarian Cancer #1
Just started on Taxotere/Carbo and so far the worst side effect is altered taste. I'm having a hard time tasting anything. Everything tastes terrible. Any suggestions or is this my new normal for the next 6 months?
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Comments

  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #2
    Metallic taste
    I had the metallic taste near the end of my chemo. Up until then, I didn't realize what people were talking about. I don't know if it will help, but the book "The Cancer Fighting Kitchen Cookbook" has recipies and ways to tweak the flavors to appeal to your taste buds. If everything tastes awful, this may not work. I've heard that citrus often still appeals to people experiencing the altered tastebuds. This book uses that to tweak a number of recipies.
  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980 Member
    #3
    Tethys41 said:

    Metallic taste
    I had the metallic taste near the end of my chemo. Up until then, I didn't realize what people were talking about. I don't know if it will help, but the book "The Cancer Fighting Kitchen Cookbook" has recipies and ways to tweak the flavors to appeal to your taste buds. If everything tastes awful, this may not work. I've heard that citrus often still appeals to people experiencing the altered tastebuds. This book uses that to tweak a number of recipies.

    For me, everything with fat in it tasted rancid on chemo.
    Things I'd once loved: butter, mayonaisse, meat of all kind, anything with a high fat content smelled and tasted rancid when I was on various chemo drugs (not all, but some). During that time, I'd make whole wheat toast and a thin schmear of homemade low-sugar jelly. For some reason split pea soup and tomato soup both tasted pretty good to me, so maybe give those a try. I ate a lot of spinach salads with lots of nuts & dried cranberries & diced apples tossed in and peeled orange pieces that took the place of salad dressing. This probalem probably won't last long and things will taste good again. Don't stop eating!!
  • Radioactive34
    Radioactive34 Member Posts: 391 Member
    #4
    I got the metallic taste
    I got the metallic taste from the get go. Salty foods seem to be the things I could tolerate. I had a bowl of cereal the day after my first chemo and dairy with the metallic taste was....ewwww.

    As the days between the infusion went by, the less intense the metallic flavor was, but then it was time for another treatment. I responded well to crackers and pretzels....again salty.

    With the metallic taste, I found and find that I still get whifs of metallic odors. No one else seems to notice them. I also tasted the metallic stuff in air. OMG that still comes and goes. But overall I survived it.

    I have a what do eat in case of ...... book from the clinic. Metallic is addressed I will go back and check it out.
  • clamryn
    clamryn Member Posts: 508
    #5
    I have it too
    I have the horrible taste too. I get where I want some BBQ and I think it is going to be so good to put in my mouth....and then it doesn't taste like it should at all. I get so disappointed. But I keep eating and hoping I can taste something like it should taste.

    I like the salt too. It is probably the only thing I can taste.

    I will be glad when this phase it over.

    (((hugs))))
    Linda
  • TamraAvery
    TamraAvery Member Posts: 3
    #6
    Distilled water FTW!
    If you are having any kind of metallic taste, try drinking distilled water instead of tap water. You won't have the metallic taste, and staying hydrated helps flush the chemo drugs out of your system more quickly. I didn't figure this out until my 3rd round of chemo, and I wish that I had known it from the first day.
  • Barneygirl
    Barneygirl Member Posts: 90
    #7
    Thanks
    Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'll try the salads with fruit and drink distilled water. Meat is a real turn off right now, but I know I need to be eating some kind of protein. I ordered the cookbook last night and should have it today, so looking forward to trying some new recipes. Salty foods taste pretty good right now too. I guess eating something is better than nothing at this point.
  • sham30096
    sham30096 Member Posts: 24
    #8
    Barneygirl said:

    Thanks
    Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'll try the salads with fruit and drink distilled water. Meat is a real turn off right now, but I know I need to be eating some kind of protein. I ordered the cookbook last night and should have it today, so looking forward to trying some new recipes. Salty foods taste pretty good right now too. I guess eating something is better than nothing at this point.

    Protein
    You dont have to eat meat to get protein..try eating kidney,black or pinto beans or any kind of lentis etc.
  • carolyn45
    carolyn45 Member Posts: 100
    #9
    Barneygirl said:

    Thanks
    Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'll try the salads with fruit and drink distilled water. Meat is a real turn off right now, but I know I need to be eating some kind of protein. I ordered the cookbook last night and should have it today, so looking forward to trying some new recipes. Salty foods taste pretty good right now too. I guess eating something is better than nothing at this point.

    No grapefruit!
    Citrus is great, but not grapefruit--fruit or juice. It is known to interfere with the efficacy of chemo. The most important thing is to EAT, so anything goes. Eggs are perfect protein. Scrambled with veggies you get a super nutritious meal. You're in a trial and error mode, so anything that tastes good should become a staple in the house. Protein shakes are an easy and tasty way to go if drinking is easier than eating, which it was for me.
  • mom2greatkids
    mom2greatkids Member Posts: 528
    #10
    Another patient at treatment
    Another patient at treatment told me this little secret. She said that she brushed both her tongue and teeth with baking soda. It has helped me greatly. Also, a chemo nurse said freshly squeezed lemon juice is helpful for many patients. Best wishes as you continue treatment. One thing that I have learned (it took until about the 3rd treatment) that I should eat what I feel hungry for. I was eating fish 2 or 3 days per week. After one treatment I couldn't stand it any longer. I hope I can eat it again once treatments are over. That taste is awful. I feel for you.

    Carla
  • Mwee
    Mwee Member Posts: 1,338
    #11
    metal mouth
    I hate it too. Even my beloved morning coffee tastes awful. I have another book suggestion for you. "Eating Well Through Cancer" by Holly Clegg and Dr. Gerald Miletello. You'll need to use trial and error to find things that taste ok for you. This usually lasts about 5-6 days for me. I always crave pizza and wings and if I get them, they taste terrible! Dr. Miletello says that you should not eat your favorate foods during this time for their altered taste might spoil your enjoyment of them in the future, try adding more spices, salt or sugar to things to find what helps your taste buds and eat small portions throughout the day. You'll get through this!!
    (((HUGS))) Maria
  • sarahb74
    sarahb74 Member Posts: 81 Member
    #12
    I could use some
    food suggestions too. The only food I can enjoy at the moment is fruit, preferably tart citrus fruit. I'm also making fruit smoothies with greek yogurt. Everything else seems to taste awful and I have lost my appetite and am beginning to lose weight again.
  • Barneygirl
    Barneygirl Member Posts: 90
    #13
    It is now 8 days post chemo,
    It is now 8 days post chemo, and for the first time today, I actually think my taste buds are improving slightly. Hopefully, this trend will continue. I can handle 1 bad week followed by 2 good weeks. Thanks for all the suggestions.

    Laura
  • sarahb74
    sarahb74 Member Posts: 81 Member
    #14
    lindaprocopio said:

    For me, everything with fat in it tasted rancid on chemo.
    Things I'd once loved: butter, mayonaisse, meat of all kind, anything with a high fat content smelled and tasted rancid when I was on various chemo drugs (not all, but some). During that time, I'd make whole wheat toast and a thin schmear of homemade low-sugar jelly. For some reason split pea soup and tomato soup both tasted pretty good to me, so maybe give those a try. I ate a lot of spinach salads with lots of nuts & dried cranberries & diced apples tossed in and peeled orange pieces that took the place of salad dressing. This probalem probably won't last long and things will taste good again. Don't stop eating!!

    Not only fatty food but meat and fish sometimes taste slightly
    rancid to me. Some protein foods actually taste bad. Even eggs taste stale although I try to eat them most days. Fruit and yagurt smoothies are beginning to get a bit boring. Perhaps I try the tomato soup
  • stephienell
    stephienell Member Posts: 1
    #15
    When I was going through
    When I was going through Chemo, I had an adversion to everything except extreme sweet or extreme grease (fried foods). They tasted SOOOO GOOD!!!!!
  • carolenk
    carolenk Member Posts: 907 Member
    #16
    stephienell said:

    When I was going through
    When I was going through Chemo, I had an adversion to everything except extreme sweet or extreme grease (fried foods). They tasted SOOOO GOOD!!!!!

    Welcome to the newbies!
    I can't say I had the metallic taste problem thru chemo and I am not sure why not. At the time I was very concerned about preventing nerve & kidney damage and so I was taking supplements to support my liver function. I don't have a particularly vigorous liver as I reacted badly to taxol & had to manage with carboplatin as a single agent after the first month of chemo.

    I noticed some new members whom I want to welcome to the discussion board: Tamara & Stephie. Tamara's story is not yet posted and Stephie's story is really an inspiration--especially to teenaged survivors. Thanks for your input, Ladies.
  • Radioactive34
    Radioactive34 Member Posts: 391 Member
    #17
    I went back to my chemo side
    I went back to my chemo side effect information my clinic gave me. One of the best suggestions in the book was to use plastic utensils for food. Try not to drink liquids out of cans. I tried to drink a canned tea and even though it was towards the end of the cycle the metallic taste came back. I kicked myself for not thinking about the can being metallic.

    I am going to visit family here very soon. I bet you they will have stocked up on the plastic ware.
  • CindyGSD
    CindyGSD Member Posts: 190
    #18
    Spicy Foods?
    I find that the spicier the food is the better I like it, but I've always liked spicy foods so that may not work for everyone. To add a little spice, red chili flakes do the trick. I do not have that metallic taste that everyone keeps talking about, but rather a salty saline solution kind of taste in my mouth that is always with me but gets better as the days pass after chemo.

    Cindy
  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #19
    Radioactive34 said:

    I went back to my chemo side
    I went back to my chemo side effect information my clinic gave me. One of the best suggestions in the book was to use plastic utensils for food. Try not to drink liquids out of cans. I tried to drink a canned tea and even though it was towards the end of the cycle the metallic taste came back. I kicked myself for not thinking about the can being metallic.

    I am going to visit family here very soon. I bet you they will have stocked up on the plastic ware.

    Opt for "Green" utensiles
    One of the big rules for cancer survivors is NOT to use plastics around food. They give off chemicals that mimic hormones in our bodies. Some of the things we use around foods, knowing the damage plastics can, do are appalling. I think of the styrofoam cups and plastic lids used on hot coffe drinks. I never noticed that silveware affected the degree of metallic taste I experienced. Although, I think the recommendation to avoid metal utensiles may have some merit to address altered tastes, please avoid plastics and opt for those made from cornstarch or other biodegradable, food-like materials.
  • eyalvarez
    eyalvarez Member Posts: 8
    #20
    CindyGSD said:

    Spicy Foods?
    I find that the spicier the food is the better I like it, but I've always liked spicy foods so that may not work for everyone. To add a little spice, red chili flakes do the trick. I do not have that metallic taste that everyone keeps talking about, but rather a salty saline solution kind of taste in my mouth that is always with me but gets better as the days pass after chemo.

    Cindy

    i didnt start feeling the
    i didnt start feeling the nasty-taste in your mouth feeling until about my third cycle. everything tasted awful but not metallic. sometimes food that was supposed to have spices and salt tasted very sweet and most of the time the food just didnt have flavor at all. if there was one thing i learned was not to put too much salt on the food because salt makes you retain a lot of water and its not good for your blood pressure. no matter what you do just make sure you eat so that you can stay strong. my nurse once told me it doesnt matter what you eat or how you eat it just make sure you eat.

    hugs
    evelin
  • Radioactive34
    Radioactive34 Member Posts: 391 Member
    #21
    Tethys41 said:

    Opt for "Green" utensiles
    One of the big rules for cancer survivors is NOT to use plastics around food. They give off chemicals that mimic hormones in our bodies. Some of the things we use around foods, knowing the damage plastics can, do are appalling. I think of the styrofoam cups and plastic lids used on hot coffe drinks. I never noticed that silveware affected the degree of metallic taste I experienced. Although, I think the recommendation to avoid metal utensiles may have some merit to address altered tastes, please avoid plastics and opt for those made from cornstarch or other biodegradable, food-like materials.

    I did not stop to consider
    I did not stop to consider that the plastic was not the healthiest. I will definitely switch over to the constarch or some of the biodegradable items. Thanks for the heads up! :)

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