After radiation and chemo, getting your hunger and taste back

dygit
dygit Member Posts: 40 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

i have been almost 5 months out of treatment and wanted to share something that could possibly help you get your hunger and taste back more quickly. I did not see other info about this on the site about this possible solution and so, am posting this.

i was on a feeding tube for a total of 5 months. To get the feeding tube removed, the doctor told me that I would have to eat without the tube for 2 weeks and then it could be pulled out (no big deal BTW - just a slight burning sensation that lasts about 5 seconds). So I ate all the calories I needed for 2 weeks, even though food was tasting so so - i had maybe 50% of my taste back Also, I was not feeling hunger pangs at all. But my tube was removed!

After about a month and a half, my taste was about 60% and still no hunger pangs. I went away on vacation and one of my friends suggested I try edible medical marijuana - they thought that maybe getting the munchies might turn on my taste and hunger.

Sooooooo....that's what I did. I can attest that a small amount of edible medicinal marijuna has helped me tremendously. After 3 weeks of use, my taste is now 90+% and am feeling more desire for eating. While it could also be the passage of time has helped, I am convinced that it helped me! A small amount will not affect you much cognitively - something I was concerned with.....

 

Comments

  • AnotherSurvivor
    AnotherSurvivor Member Posts: 384 Member
    edited January 2017 #2
    Thank you for your very

    Thank you for your very timely post.  I am only three weeks out of chem/rad but sitting around wondering when normal will start. I live in Colorado so the pot thing is easy, but haven't touched it since the '70s.  I didn't go PEG, and lost over 40 lbs.  I've managed to get to 2,000 calories daily, but nutrition shakes are getting old.  I'm hoping another week will see saliva, and I now think I taste salt and sweet.  But my mouth is still pretty beat up, and I'm betting another week before my large ulcer heals.  I will file your idea away and revisit it in a week.

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