How long did it take to eat spicy food

Sam999
Sam999 Member Posts: 319 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I am 9 weeks post rad and can taste most things ( sweet is less) but cannot handle even 1% spicy. Anything spicy really burns my tongue. Flouride stings too.

How long will flouride sting and how long for spicy food.

I know everyone will be differnt but just looking for some examples so i know what to expect.

Thanks,
Sam
«1

Comments

  • Tonsil Dad
    Tonsil Dad Member Posts: 488
    #2
    Curry
    Hey Sam, I'm 5 months post rads and eating most things (slowley). Tonight
    I had pepperoni and sauusage pizza which burns the mouth a little but not
    enough not to eat it. My taste is not all back, well it is on the first bite or two
    then it goes away. The other day I had my favorate "indian chicken curry" which
    was pretty spicy but not enough to bother the mouth.
    I hope you can eat spicy food soon, just be patient.

    God bless
    Tonsil dad,

    Dan.
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #3
    Almost a vegetarian
    Sam,

    I am 24 weeks post and have been devouring tomatoes and cucumbers with salt , pepper, Cayenne pepper, little sugar and a few glugs of Olive Oil. This has really excited my taste buds (in a good way). It burns my tongue a little, but I like it. Matter-of-fact I just diced up a bowl of the stuff and decided to check posts while it marinated and there you were (lucky me). I live mostly on Smoothies, but try to venture out a little. Had a basic McDonalds hamburger the other day and it was just ok. My taste buds are slow (painfully slow) but getting better.

    Good luck eating, but good luck (mostly) tasting.

    Best,

    Matt
  • katenorwood
    katenorwood Member Posts: 1,912
    #4
    One food at a time
    Hey Sam,
    My rads hit my throat hard core. I'm around 9 months out. Pepper is still pretty harsh, and I use to love hot salsa on everything...but still can't handle. My advice is keep trying...and some foods will work, others maybe not. I'm just happy your tasting ! You are doing fantastic ! Keep on with what you're doing. Best of luck sent ! Katie
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #5
    too much
    too much black pepper is even too much

    anything with spices does not work

    anything with vinegar does not work

    all alcohol has some type of burn

    flouride burns every time

    don't think that will change for me, now 16 plus years post treatment

    i sure hope it gets better for everyone

    john
  • blackswampboy
    blackswampboy Member Posts: 341
    #6
    weird
    weird, I use fluoride every day--never had any problem (also nine weeks post-rad).
    but last time I tried to drink grape juice (citric acid), sting city.

    lord, I would give back my first-born for a bowl of chinese dumplings with garlic and fresh chilis.
  • Klynten
    Klynten Member Posts: 29
    #7
    Spicy foods
    I think from most of the responses here you can expect an individualized response from your body. I finished rads in March/April and didn't start eating any food until june, and everything was too spicy. I remember complaining that ketchup was too spicy. My first dental cleaning I made them switch out the paste cause it was too spicy to deal with. I just kept at it because when I started eating (which was a big deal for me) I couldn't taste much, but the spicier I made it, made it more palatable for some reason. I think it was just the fact my mouth was reacting to my food, which excited me. So I just slowly added things, lots of trial and error, and I never tried more than I thought I could handle, but I did push myself. I now can eat pepper liberally, mustard is still tough, most all spices are fine, lemon pepper I love! I wish you luck, everyone is different.

    Clint
  • Sam999
    Sam999 Member Posts: 319 Member
    #8
    Klynten said:

    Spicy foods
    I think from most of the responses here you can expect an individualized response from your body. I finished rads in March/April and didn't start eating any food until june, and everything was too spicy. I remember complaining that ketchup was too spicy. My first dental cleaning I made them switch out the paste cause it was too spicy to deal with. I just kept at it because when I started eating (which was a big deal for me) I couldn't taste much, but the spicier I made it, made it more palatable for some reason. I think it was just the fact my mouth was reacting to my food, which excited me. So I just slowly added things, lots of trial and error, and I never tried more than I thought I could handle, but I did push myself. I now can eat pepper liberally, mustard is still tough, most all spices are fine, lemon pepper I love! I wish you luck, everyone is different.

    Clint

    Thanks everyone...looks like
    Thanks everyone...looks like thai and mexican food will have to wait for some time :) i sure do miss it!

    Problem with flouride is that since it needs to be kept in mouth for 30 mins, i have to numb my tongue twice with licodene. I hate licodene now since it taste very bad. Compared to what we went thru, these are small inconvenieces, no biggy.

    Sam
  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #9
    My experience.
    Hi Sam,

    I'm 2 years, 4 months out, and my Prevident fluoride toothpaste still burns. I have NO tolerance at all for black pepper; it burns like crazy. Spicy foods, for the most part, came back really quickly - go figure. Within a very few months, I was eating salsas (yummy) and wasabi. As an aside, I'm still struggling with meat... Just can't get it down.

    Deb (grateful for delicious Mexican cuisine and sushi)
  • blackswampboy
    blackswampboy Member Posts: 341
    #10
    Sam999 said:

    Thanks everyone...looks like
    Thanks everyone...looks like thai and mexican food will have to wait for some time :) i sure do miss it!

    Problem with flouride is that since it needs to be kept in mouth for 30 mins, i have to numb my tongue twice with licodene. I hate licodene now since it taste very bad. Compared to what we went thru, these are small inconvenieces, no biggy.

    Sam

    magic mouthwash
    can you get magic mouthwash with lidocaine? doesn't taste great, but tolerable.
    I've had two different magic mouthwash recipes, both with lidocaine. currently using a mixture of lidocaine, benadryl, and maalox.
  • osmotar
    osmotar Member Posts: 1,006
    #11
    fisrpotpe said:

    too much
    too much black pepper is even too much

    anything with spices does not work

    anything with vinegar does not work

    all alcohol has some type of burn

    flouride burns every time

    don't think that will change for me, now 16 plus years post treatment

    i sure hope it gets better for everyone

    john

    Flouride
    John,

    I'm glad you mentioned flouride, cause I thought it was just me, some toothpastes and mouthwashes with a minty flavoer also a bit burny. I am a vinegar nut , aged balsamics..and like you not so much..so instead of using them I take a good whiff evry now and then not the same..but works for now.

    Linda
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #12
    Spicy Sam
    As you can tell from responses, we are all different...

    While like you, sweet took nearly two years to totally come back for me, it's back.

    I am over three years post Tx, and have 100% of my taste back.

    I can't say when the tolerance for spices came back, but they have.

    Only advice I can ad is to keep trying every few months, more than likely most if not all of your taste will return.

    Best,
    John
  • CajunEagle
    CajunEagle Member Posts: 408
    #13
    Ironic....
    that this subject shows up today. I've been finished with treatment for stage 4, left tonsil for 3 years and 3 months. Last night for dinner, it was time for the final exam on all this eating procedures that seem to have been going on for ages. We went out to our ole Tex/Mex place and I began to tear into a full blown Taco. Yes, it had mild Salsa....but I felt only a little bit of burning sensation. Then consumed half of wife's Fajita platter, and it was just fabulous. Afterward, I went for a Bloody Mary with all the Tabasco, Olives, Celery, Spiced Green Bean, Lemon, and Lime, and passed with flying colors (okay, my eyes did water just a little). It's not that I care to do this every night, but great to know that the old options are still out there. Alleluia !!
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #14
    CajunEagle said:

    Ironic....
    that this subject shows up today. I've been finished with treatment for stage 4, left tonsil for 3 years and 3 months. Last night for dinner, it was time for the final exam on all this eating procedures that seem to have been going on for ages. We went out to our ole Tex/Mex place and I began to tear into a full blown Taco. Yes, it had mild Salsa....but I felt only a little bit of burning sensation. Then consumed half of wife's Fajita platter, and it was just fabulous. Afterward, I went for a Bloody Mary with all the Tabasco, Olives, Celery, Spiced Green Bean, Lemon, and Lime, and passed with flying colors (okay, my eyes did water just a little). It's not that I care to do this every night, but great to know that the old options are still out there. Alleluia !!

    Awesome...
    Yu da man....

    Glad things are working out so well for you also...

    John
  • amy_h414
    amy_h414 Member Posts: 98
    #15
    spice
    My husband finished treatment about when you did and he is eating some types of spicy foods but not all. If we go out for sushi, he will eat lots of wasabi which to me is very spicy but he loves it. But he ordered some Thai food recently that he couldn't eat. He'd requested it to be mild and even still it was just too hot. So maybe give different things a try, some might be more tolerable than others.
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #16
    I'm still pouring my Boost down a tube, so my only contribution to the conversation is thanks to all for ideas in my near future :)

    p
  • Mikemetz
    Mikemetz Member Posts: 465 Member
    #17
    Even ketchup hurt at first
    I love spicey food and compete in chili cookoffs and salsa (not the dancing type) contests. So I was anxious to know how my taste buds would react once I graduated from Boost, yogurt and scrambled eggs. At first even ketchup was too spicey--so forget mustard for a long time. I was able to get back most of my tolerance for spicey foods, but nowhere near the level before my cancer treatments. My wife acts as my "canary" when we are offered spicey food, and lets me know if I am OK or not to try it.

    I still can't drink high-tannic wines and vinegar burns my mouth badly, so I think the issue boils down to a food/beverage's acid level for me.

    Gradually I think about 90% of my ability to handle and taste food has come back--it's just that certain foods are going to stay out of bounds for the rest of my life. Probably the same for most HNC survivors.

    Mike
  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #18
    Mikemetz said:

    Even ketchup hurt at first
    I love spicey food and compete in chili cookoffs and salsa (not the dancing type) contests. So I was anxious to know how my taste buds would react once I graduated from Boost, yogurt and scrambled eggs. At first even ketchup was too spicey--so forget mustard for a long time. I was able to get back most of my tolerance for spicey foods, but nowhere near the level before my cancer treatments. My wife acts as my "canary" when we are offered spicey food, and lets me know if I am OK or not to try it.

    I still can't drink high-tannic wines and vinegar burns my mouth badly, so I think the issue boils down to a food/beverage's acid level for me.

    Gradually I think about 90% of my ability to handle and taste food has come back--it's just that certain foods are going to stay out of bounds for the rest of my life. Probably the same for most HNC survivors.

    Mike

    differs by the day for me
    What I can eat without any issues one day plays havoc on other days. Having taco salad no shells tonight, no seasoning in the meat, very very light on the mild sauce (if any) and extremely heavy on the sour cream to offset. Learning to be creative.
    P51, you make me laugh anytime the subject is food, I will be so happy to hear when you can eat again :-)
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #19
    fisrpotpe said:

    too much
    too much black pepper is even too much

    anything with spices does not work

    anything with vinegar does not work

    all alcohol has some type of burn

    flouride burns every time

    don't think that will change for me, now 16 plus years post treatment

    i sure hope it gets better for everyone

    john

    there it is
    John,

    Honestly, that is what my rad onc warned me about (taste buds). She felt it necessary to treat both sides of my neck (and mouth) to kill the scourge. I did not understand at the time she told me. I commend you for being so honest and forthright.

    Best,

    Matt
  • ditto1
    ditto1 Member Posts: 660
    #20
    hwt said:

    differs by the day for me
    What I can eat without any issues one day plays havoc on other days. Having taco salad no shells tonight, no seasoning in the meat, very very light on the mild sauce (if any) and extremely heavy on the sour cream to offset. Learning to be creative.
    P51, you make me laugh anytime the subject is food, I will be so happy to hear when you can eat again :-)

    4 weeks out
    today. Seem to be tasting better than I thought I would. As for spicy not sure, went out to eat with Diane and had a Wong Tong Taco at Applebees, I thought it was spicy she said no. Still have a little mouth irratation just finished a thrush episode so my taste and burning might be skewed. Looking forward to a trip to Taco Bell, so will see where I stand on tasty then.
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #21
    ditto1 said:

    4 weeks out
    today. Seem to be tasting better than I thought I would. As for spicy not sure, went out to eat with Diane and had a Wong Tong Taco at Applebees, I thought it was spicy she said no. Still have a little mouth irratation just finished a thrush episode so my taste and burning might be skewed. Looking forward to a trip to Taco Bell, so will see where I stand on tasty then.

    Doug......you have to report back
    after Taco Bell....every time I drive by it, my car wants to swing in and pick up a 5 layer Buritto....

    Won Ton Taco? Is that Won Tons with taco filling? Tell me, what is that little delight, I'm so curious these days when it come to anything about food :).

    p

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