Just finished 2nd round of Induction-food question

jcortney
jcortney Member Posts: 503
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I'm in my second rest period and all of a sudden, meat in any form turns my stomach in knots and, tastes like crap. Ever happen to anyone else?

Thanks,


Joe

Comments

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #2
    Ah yes...mysterious meat...the first thing to go...
    and the last thing to come back after treatment. It not only tastes nasty, but the texture is horrible, too. Time to put the meat to the side, and eat your veggies :).

    p
  • jcortney
    jcortney Member Posts: 503
    #3
    phrannie51 said:

    Ah yes...mysterious meat...the first thing to go...
    and the last thing to come back after treatment. It not only tastes nasty, but the texture is horrible, too. Time to put the meat to the side, and eat your veggies :).

    p

    Hey Phran, hope you are
    Hey Phran, hope you are doing well.

    Is fish out too? I'm almost afraid to try given how I feel after dinner tonight. Have to get protein somewhere.

    J.
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #4
    there is food after radiation
    Joe,

    The texture of meat, bread, rice, pasta and all 4 zillion food items I did not mention were bad, awful and terrible. I finally decided that “no taste” and “ terrible texture” go hand-n-hand. You absolutely have to come to the H&N forum to be understood 100%, because family and friends are totally clueless on the subject. I don’t know how many times I heard about a bad cold and not being able to taste a thing (give me a break, I’ve had colds, it is nothing like that) or you have to make yourself eat (maybe true, but I can drink my smoothie, be satisfied and happy).

    There, that is my rant. Now for the eye opener; the blasted, awful, terrible, get the food away from me texture is almost completely gone. Some how (Phrannie’s pocket or Skiffen’s voodoo) the switch got flipped back to normal texture feelings. I don’t know how it happened, but it did.

    I am 32 weeks post treatments and food has started to feel (and taste a little) good. All in the last 2 weeks. I had a bowl of beef soup tonight and enjoyed it, when two weeks ago I would happily pour it down the drain.

    Best,

    Matt
  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #5
    CivilMatt said:

    there is food after radiation
    Joe,

    The texture of meat, bread, rice, pasta and all 4 zillion food items I did not mention were bad, awful and terrible. I finally decided that “no taste” and “ terrible texture” go hand-n-hand. You absolutely have to come to the H&N forum to be understood 100%, because family and friends are totally clueless on the subject. I don’t know how many times I heard about a bad cold and not being able to taste a thing (give me a break, I’ve had colds, it is nothing like that) or you have to make yourself eat (maybe true, but I can drink my smoothie, be satisfied and happy).

    There, that is my rant. Now for the eye opener; the blasted, awful, terrible, get the food away from me texture is almost completely gone. Some how (Phrannie’s pocket or Skiffen’s voodoo) the switch got flipped back to normal texture feelings. I don’t know how it happened, but it did.

    I am 32 weeks post treatments and food has started to feel (and taste a little) good. All in the last 2 weeks. I had a bowl of beef soup tonight and enjoyed it, when two weeks ago I would happily pour it down the drain.

    Best,

    Matt

    Sorry, but normal...
    I had two tastes, cardboard and cardboard with LOTS of salt...neither was good. It will come back :)

    Best,

    Tim
  • Billie67
    Billie67 Member Posts: 898
    #6
    Tim6003 said:

    Sorry, but normal...
    I had two tastes, cardboard and cardboard with LOTS of salt...neither was good. It will come back :)

    Best,

    Tim

    Agreed
    Meat was one of the first things to go for me. Red meat especially. I'm now 21 weeks post treatment and most things are back to almost normal but red meat still isn't a favorite. I have to eat it camouflaged in chili or stew and even that is pushing it. My favorite used to be a nice steak, baked potato, salad and the works but now the steak is too funky for me. I don't try it too often because I don't want to ruin it if that makes sense.
    All this being said, it does get better. Try getting your protein from fish or maybe peanut butter Ora nice shake.
    Good luck in this journey,
    Billie
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #7
    I'd give fish a try....
    The one thing I could eat a little, and taste too during the first 3 chemos and rads was shrimp salad (the kind made with macaroni)...but that was it in the meat department.

    If you think you need more protein, go with one of Matt's smoothies...you can add protein powder to it, plus the powder is pack full of calories.

    p
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #8
    phrannie51 said:

    I'd give fish a try....
    The one thing I could eat a little, and taste too during the first 3 chemos and rads was shrimp salad (the kind made with macaroni)...but that was it in the meat department.

    If you think you need more protein, go with one of Matt's smoothies...you can add protein powder to it, plus the powder is pack full of calories.

    p

    fish on
    Yeah and I have some left over protein powder

    Matt
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #9
    Bring On the Protein Powder!
    Although I can say that I could taste and eat and tolerate steamed chicken from a local Asian place longer than any other meat. One day I was sad and irritated to discover that I could not taste spaghetti sauce, but COULD steamed chicken. Huh??

    Most of us had to do a LOT of food sampling in the great quest for foods we could eat/taste/tolerate. Good luck.
  • jcortney
    jcortney Member Posts: 503
    #10
    Pam M said:

    Bring On the Protein Powder!
    Although I can say that I could taste and eat and tolerate steamed chicken from a local Asian place longer than any other meat. One day I was sad and irritated to discover that I could not taste spaghetti sauce, but COULD steamed chicken. Huh??

    Most of us had to do a LOT of food sampling in the great quest for foods we could eat/taste/tolerate. Good luck.

    Thanks guys, I told Jennifer
    Thanks guys, I told Jennifer last night this might even become a food adventure to see what tastes good.

    Seriously, I kind of expected this from the RADS not so much from the Chemo.

    Oh well, onward.


    J.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #11
    Induction and Rest Period...
    From those comments, I presume you are only in the Chemo stages of treatment?

    For me, I would lose all taste after the first day or so, then around the last few days of the second week, it would return.

    I'd be good to go again for that next week. But lose it all again during the next cycle.

    As for rads, I lost it all, taste and saliva for several months...

    Meat was always hard to eat after rads for quite awhile...dry, no taste or bad taste. But eventually it all returned.

    Best,
    John
  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #12
    Skiffin16 said:

    Induction and Rest Period...
    From those comments, I presume you are only in the Chemo stages of treatment?

    For me, I would lose all taste after the first day or so, then around the last few days of the second week, it would return.

    I'd be good to go again for that next week. But lose it all again during the next cycle.

    As for rads, I lost it all, taste and saliva for several months...

    Meat was always hard to eat after rads for quite awhile...dry, no taste or bad taste. But eventually it all returned.

    Best,
    John

    J
    Try eggs...scrambled, soft-boiled, over easy, omelet, quiche. If you are like so many of us, before this is over, you will be consumed with watching the Food Network. For some reason, it just goes with the territory.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #13
    hwt said:

    J
    Try eggs...scrambled, soft-boiled, over easy, omelet, quiche. If you are like so many of us, before this is over, you will be consumed with watching the Food Network. For some reason, it just goes with the territory.

    X2
    DVR...

    I recorded several...then drooled imaginary saliva.

    JG
  • jcortney
    jcortney Member Posts: 503
    #14
    Skiffin16 said:

    Induction and Rest Period...
    From those comments, I presume you are only in the Chemo stages of treatment?

    For me, I would lose all taste after the first day or so, then around the last few days of the second week, it would return.

    I'd be good to go again for that next week. But lose it all again during the next cycle.

    As for rads, I lost it all, taste and saliva for several months...

    Meat was always hard to eat after rads for quite awhile...dry, no taste or bad taste. But eventually it all returned.

    Best,
    John

    Correct, start third round
    Correct, start third round of induction Tomorrow (Monday). You were also right about taste coming and going. Everything came back about two days ago. Even ate breakfast burritos. Have a feeling I won't be doing that too much longer.

    Anyway, last round tomorrow and then on to standard Rads.

    Just as a note, had a "bit of a discussion" with my Doc. The schedule had me going into week 4-5 over the Christmas/New Years holiday. There was no way I was going to be at that stage when there was not the first team easy to reach. So, I'll be taking a two week break so that I'm doing week 2-3 during the holiday's instead.

    Take care everyone,


    Joe
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #15
    jcortney said:

    Correct, start third round
    Correct, start third round of induction Tomorrow (Monday). You were also right about taste coming and going. Everything came back about two days ago. Even ate breakfast burritos. Have a feeling I won't be doing that too much longer.

    Anyway, last round tomorrow and then on to standard Rads.

    Just as a note, had a "bit of a discussion" with my Doc. The schedule had me going into week 4-5 over the Christmas/New Years holiday. There was no way I was going to be at that stage when there was not the first team easy to reach. So, I'll be taking a two week break so that I'm doing week 2-3 during the holiday's instead.

    Take care everyone,


    Joe

    A Little Control...
    Well I'm sure a little control and mini-break will help get you in the mode for a positive and hard fight the next few weeks, post Holidays...

    Best,
    John
  • jcortney
    jcortney Member Posts: 503
    #16
    Skiffin16 said:

    A Little Control...
    Well I'm sure a little control and mini-break will help get you in the mode for a positive and hard fight the next few weeks, post Holidays...

    Best,
    John

    Thanks John

    Thanks John

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