any suggestions to help with taste?

dclear14
dclear14 Member Posts: 36
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
My husband Robert, will be finishing his second week of chemo/rads on Monday. Shortly after his second chemo last Tuesday, he lost his taste. We know this is a side effect, but we are looking for tips on what types of food and/or flavors may have broken through for people. Butter seems to work with vegetables and noodles, he has no throat pain as of yet so substance is not a problem yet.

Thanks!
Denise

Comments

  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #2
    Power it down
    This is a difficult one to answer. The problem varies so much from one person to the next that I'm not sure anyone can predict what will help you guys. One thing I know for sure, when taste goes away, so does apetite. So its time to power down the calories. If solid food is too bulky (too filling to get the needed calories), start supplementing with liquid calories now. I've been on liquids for about 6 weeks now, as my mouth got too sore to chew during radiation. I've started each day early enough (for me about 6AM) with ensure, counting calories till I made sure I got at least 2400/day. Believe me, that isn't enough to keep the weight up.

    Others will undoubtedly post suggestions for real food, but since every pound is important, make sure the calorie count doesn't suffer.

    Best

    Pat
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #3
    everything
    eat as much and everything he can now while he can, chances are good that it may get worse. if he has too eat often. until it hurts or hard to swallow then he may need suggestions.

    good luck
    john
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #4
    No Taste...
    More than likely he's only going to have minimal to no taste for awhile...

    I hardly had any at all for a few months, but it progressively got better though over 2 1/2 years before coming completely back.

    Like mentioned, while taste is a plus, calories and nutritional intake is the most important to concentrate on.

    At my worse, I was doing 4 - 5 cans of Ensure a day, along with a few sliced peaches in light syrup. Drugs or course were involved to help minimize pain. Ensure gave me the most bang for the buck with the least amount of pain.

    I don't think there is any magic food...what works for everyone, more than likely won't for another...we are all different this way.

    Best,
    John
  • osmotar
    osmotar Member Posts: 1,006
    #5
    Taste
    Hi Denise,

    I am just about 2 months out from my last rad/chemo treatment. Even though I lost my taste around week 4 , I still ate every meal, somethings tasted like cardboard, other things hmmm, not so much of anything. I never had any swallowingissues. I wasn't able to eat anything sweet as it gave me a bitter taste. I started to use plastic spoons/forks as my regular silverware left a metalic taste. I did really well with soups, especially creamed soups and egg drop,banannas, fish, pork chops, chicken and any kind of pasta still had flavor. I augmented my eating with boost and/or ensure to maintain the caloric intake my rad doc wanted me to have. I drank and still try to drink at least 3 qts of water, hydratrion is key. I can happily say that slowly my taste is coming back, I try different things and if they work they work. Sweets are still an issue, especially fruits which I miss dearly. Each one of us is different, tell your husband to not get discouraged, and that in time he will be finished with treatment.

    Best wishes ...blessings

    Linda
  • jtl
    jtl Member Posts: 456
    #6
    I don't think there is an
    I don't think there is an easy solution to the loss of taste, it just takes time. I got a lot of mine back about 2 months post rads. While I can now taste everything at 4 months the taste for some foods is just not the same and the taste can dull pretty quickly. I was really pleased to get my saliva back because in addition to the lack of taste having to drink water with every bite was a pain. Good luck.
    John
  • sukichu61832
    sukichu61832 Member Posts: 12
    #7
    High Calorie drinks
    I could not handle the Ensure or Boost for very long. My doctor suggested I try Scandishakes - which have to be ordered. They are 600 calories each (powdered mixed with one cup of whole milk), taste MUCH better and I was able to get a couple of those down a day when things got rough. I am still drinking at least four a week because I can't eat much. They are expensive - but worth the price. Do a Google search for them. Prices vary.
  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #8
    sukichu61832 said:

    High Calorie drinks
    I could not handle the Ensure or Boost for very long. My doctor suggested I try Scandishakes - which have to be ordered. They are 600 calories each (powdered mixed with one cup of whole milk), taste MUCH better and I was able to get a couple of those down a day when things got rough. I am still drinking at least four a week because I can't eat much. They are expensive - but worth the price. Do a Google search for them. Prices vary.

    Pancakes
    One of the early foods that started my eating coming back- with lotsa butter and syrup.

    kcass
  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #9
    Kent Cass said:

    Pancakes
    One of the early foods that started my eating coming back- with lotsa butter and syrup.

    kcass

    LOL
    When you can barely taste sweet, you can eat a whole lot of syrup!
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #10
    longtermsurvivor said:

    LOL
    When you can barely taste sweet, you can eat a whole lot of syrup!

    BlueBerry Waffles
    Fresh blueberry waffles, blueberry syrup and melting butter.....it helps the food slide down;

    Fresh BlueBerry Waffles

    Besides fresh fish, believe it or not, I can put down some fresh blueberry or pumpkin pancakes and waffles, smothered in syrup and butter.

    JG
  • Marty36
    Marty36 Member Posts: 84
    #11
    Olive Oil
    My nutritionist mentioned it in passing, but it really worked for me. Well-cooked pasta with a lot of olive oil and paremesan cheese. No sauce (or gravy), just the noodles and olive oil. I could really taste the olive oil, while I couldn't taste spaghetti sauce. Like others said, soup works. The supplement drinks with peanut butter always had a taste (as did the fruit). Applesauce. The other key is food you don't really have to chew or process, because the longer it's in your mouth the worst it tastes.

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