Taste and smell

Gail E
Gail E Member Posts: 19

I've heard of patients diminished or loss of smell or taste, but since I started VECTIBIX chemo my sense of smell and taste have become more intense. Especially sensitive to salty foods. Also, I feel like I have worse body odor, but I think I'm just smelling myself more because no one in my family has noticed. Has anyone else had a similar experience? I hope I didn't gross anybody out.

Comments

  • KelleyTX
    KelleyTX Member Posts: 36
    While I was doing infusion

    While I was doing infusion chemo I thought I had a chemical smell on me that I couldn't stand. It really bothered me. My tongue had a burned feeling that affected the way foods taste so one day I would like something and the next day I hated it. The only things that tasted good were very salty, spicey or sweet foods but at the same time the thought of eating something salty, spicey or sweet would be a big turn-off for me. 

    Kelley

  • abita
    abita Member Posts: 1,152 Member
    edited May 2020 #3
    Sense of smell is heightened

    Sense of smell is heightened for sure. I went to Penn Station the day after my second infusion, and YIKES! Right now, I feel like I reek of garlic. I had used a while bag of garlic cloves in some pasta I made, and after 3 days of eating that, wow. But I live alone, and we are on stayhome orders, so don't have to worry about others.

  • Cindit
    Cindit Member Posts: 7
    edited May 2020 #4
    taste and smell

    Hi Gail, 

    I am on Folfox and also after first treatment, I lost some sense of taste and even water tasted weird but it only lasted a few days. I did research and started taking zinc supplements and boy, did that help and my oncologist had also heard of zinc helping (everything i told him he'd say, "yeah, that does work"...haha....I said, DOC, you need to tell your patients from the beginning!  I also did ice therapy in mouth (for the metallic and lack of taste) and on hands and feet (for neuropathy). Yes, i sucked on ice cubes for 2  hours during treatment and that did the trick in addition to the zinc. The ice also took care of the neuropathy.   As far as smell, i do believe it has gotten stronger...haha, but that's okay by me.

     

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    Smells bad!

    A line from the movie 'Labrinth'.  

    My sense of smell was heightend during chemo, also, and I still find that my sense of smell is a little more acute than it was post chemo (I'm seven years out). 

    I had uncontrollable Thrush in my mouth, during treatment, and thus, my taste buds were compromised.  I coudln't even taste chocolate, and that was sad, becasue I do like my chocolate. 

    While my tongue is still damaged, I did get my taste back, so that is good - I do have a problem with toothpaste. I've tried so many brands, and they all burn my mouth to a degree I am not comfortable with. I'm thinking of trying children's toothpaste, to see if it has a more mild flavour. 

    It all stinks, but you'll be out the other end at some point, so rally on. 

    As an aside, I don't seem to sweat under the armpits at all, anymore. I don't wear deoderant and my husband and boys assure me I don't smell.  And while I am at it, the hair under my arms, and on my legs and more personal areas didn't grown back fully. I no longer need to shave my legs or armpits. So, you never know, you might walk away with your life and a few perks from chemo.  HA! 

    Tru

  • Ruthmomto4
    Ruthmomto4 Member Posts: 708 Member
    edited May 2020 #6
    Trubrit said:

    Smells bad!

    A line from the movie 'Labrinth'.  

    My sense of smell was heightend during chemo, also, and I still find that my sense of smell is a little more acute than it was post chemo (I'm seven years out). 

    I had uncontrollable Thrush in my mouth, during treatment, and thus, my taste buds were compromised.  I coudln't even taste chocolate, and that was sad, becasue I do like my chocolate. 

    While my tongue is still damaged, I did get my taste back, so that is good - I do have a problem with toothpaste. I've tried so many brands, and they all burn my mouth to a degree I am not comfortable with. I'm thinking of trying children's toothpaste, to see if it has a more mild flavour. 

    It all stinks, but you'll be out the other end at some point, so rally on. 

    As an aside, I don't seem to sweat under the armpits at all, anymore. I don't wear deoderant and my husband and boys assure me I don't smell.  And while I am at it, the hair under my arms, and on my legs and more personal areas didn't grown back fully. I no longer need to shave my legs or armpits. So, you never know, you might walk away with your life and a few perks from chemo.  HA! 

    Tru

    Tru

    My autistic son uses sparkle fun crest he hates minty toothpaste so maybe that would be less harsh, crest also makes a mint chocolate toothpaste and also there is a strawberry one Tom's makes :)

  • myAZmountain
    myAZmountain Member Posts: 417 Member
    edited May 2020 #7
    Trubrit said:

    Smells bad!

    A line from the movie 'Labrinth'.  

    My sense of smell was heightend during chemo, also, and I still find that my sense of smell is a little more acute than it was post chemo (I'm seven years out). 

    I had uncontrollable Thrush in my mouth, during treatment, and thus, my taste buds were compromised.  I coudln't even taste chocolate, and that was sad, becasue I do like my chocolate. 

    While my tongue is still damaged, I did get my taste back, so that is good - I do have a problem with toothpaste. I've tried so many brands, and they all burn my mouth to a degree I am not comfortable with. I'm thinking of trying children's toothpaste, to see if it has a more mild flavour. 

    It all stinks, but you'll be out the other end at some point, so rally on. 

    As an aside, I don't seem to sweat under the armpits at all, anymore. I don't wear deoderant and my husband and boys assure me I don't smell.  And while I am at it, the hair under my arms, and on my legs and more personal areas didn't grown back fully. I no longer need to shave my legs or armpits. So, you never know, you might walk away with your life and a few perks from chemo.  HA! 

    Tru

    Toothpaste

    Toothpaste burned my mouth terribly with chemo, I found that Jasons coconut toothpaste was the only one that was tolerable.

     

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    edited May 2020 #8
    Trubrit said:

    Smells bad!

    A line from the movie 'Labrinth'.  

    My sense of smell was heightend during chemo, also, and I still find that my sense of smell is a little more acute than it was post chemo (I'm seven years out). 

    I had uncontrollable Thrush in my mouth, during treatment, and thus, my taste buds were compromised.  I coudln't even taste chocolate, and that was sad, becasue I do like my chocolate. 

    While my tongue is still damaged, I did get my taste back, so that is good - I do have a problem with toothpaste. I've tried so many brands, and they all burn my mouth to a degree I am not comfortable with. I'm thinking of trying children's toothpaste, to see if it has a more mild flavour. 

    It all stinks, but you'll be out the other end at some point, so rally on. 

    As an aside, I don't seem to sweat under the armpits at all, anymore. I don't wear deoderant and my husband and boys assure me I don't smell.  And while I am at it, the hair under my arms, and on my legs and more personal areas didn't grown back fully. I no longer need to shave my legs or armpits. So, you never know, you might walk away with your life and a few perks from chemo.  HA! 

    Tru

    Thank you, ladies

    I will take a look around.  Right now I use Dr. Bronners, and I have a TOM's, but they are still a little strong.  Seeing I have to use a toothpaste, Dr. Bronner's is the best.  I will look at the kiddies toothpaste for sure.  I don't like coconut, so that won't work. Maybe I will go online and see. I've just been sticking it out. 

    Tru

  • Gail E
    Gail E Member Posts: 19
    edited May 2020 #9
    Trubrit said:

    Smells bad!

    A line from the movie 'Labrinth'.  

    My sense of smell was heightend during chemo, also, and I still find that my sense of smell is a little more acute than it was post chemo (I'm seven years out). 

    I had uncontrollable Thrush in my mouth, during treatment, and thus, my taste buds were compromised.  I coudln't even taste chocolate, and that was sad, becasue I do like my chocolate. 

    While my tongue is still damaged, I did get my taste back, so that is good - I do have a problem with toothpaste. I've tried so many brands, and they all burn my mouth to a degree I am not comfortable with. I'm thinking of trying children's toothpaste, to see if it has a more mild flavour. 

    It all stinks, but you'll be out the other end at some point, so rally on. 

    As an aside, I don't seem to sweat under the armpits at all, anymore. I don't wear deoderant and my husband and boys assure me I don't smell.  And while I am at it, the hair under my arms, and on my legs and more personal areas didn't grown back fully. I no longer need to shave my legs or armpits. So, you never know, you might walk away with your life and a few perks from chemo.  HA! 

    Tru

    Stink

    I was OK on FOLFOX and FOLFIRI, off and on since 2014. its this new drug Vectibix . Side effects I've never like super dry skin, acne, and growing a disgusting mustache!

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    Gail E said:

    Stink

    I was OK on FOLFOX and FOLFIRI, off and on since 2014. its this new drug Vectibix . Side effects I've never like super dry skin, acne, and growing a disgusting mustache!

    Mustache

    I would have been quite devastated if I had GROWN hair instead of loosing it.  I'm like, please, leave my face alone. I've never been 'pretty' so adding more facial hair wouild have crushed me.  OK, not crushed or devestated, I'm stronger than that, but I would have been very displeased. 

    I hope all of your nasty side effects are short lived. 

    Tru

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    edited May 2020 #11
    Everyone is different

    Everyone is different on the smell and taste issue.  Mine was a little of both, but really craved windmill cookies for some reason and that was the only thing that really tasted like normal.  It's strange how our body reacts to that.

    Kim

  • Wilsong
    Wilsong Member Posts: 2
    edited June 2020 #12
    Taste, smell and other side effects with folfox

    I was diagnosed with an apple core lesion in my ascending colon last year. I had surgery and resection. pathology reported stage 3 colon cancer. I finished my 6 month folfox chemo sessions the first week of may, 2020.  I still have the weird taste in my mouth and the smell of food while my wife is cooking still gives me nausea. i also acquired peripheral neuropathy (numbness in my fingers and toes) the cause being the oxiplatin. My cardiologist ordered a MUGA test due to a change in my hearts ejection fraction after he performed the yearly echo-cardiogram (caused by 5-fu). I also developed  Lhermitte’s sign which is an electric sensation that travels down your neck and back and ends shocking my feet when i lower my head. Hopefully all these side effects will go away once i flush all the chemo therapy agents out of my body. I have my fingers crossed. 

     

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    edited June 2020 #13
    I had that!

    the electric sensation going down to the feet, when I bent my neck. Wild! I had forgotten all about it. 

    You definietly should see some of those side effects go away or lessen considerably.  The neuropathy might be the one you have to leard to live with. It seems like once it gets set in, it stays around. 

    Good luck!

    Tru

  • SnapDragon2
    SnapDragon2 Member Posts: 714 Member
    edited June 2020 #14
    If you can imagine chewing on

    If you can imagine chewing on kitchen curtains that was what I relate some foods to like cornbread, reg bread, crackers, etc...I would love to have a peanut butter sandwich but don't because of the taste preversion to breads.  Also something else I ate, can't remember what it was at the moment, tasted like lemon pledge dusting spray.

  • SandiaBuddy
    SandiaBuddy Member Posts: 1,381 Member
    edited June 2020 #15

    If you can imagine chewing on

    If you can imagine chewing on kitchen curtains that was what I relate some foods to like cornbread, reg bread, crackers, etc...I would love to have a peanut butter sandwich but don't because of the taste preversion to breads.  Also something else I ate, can't remember what it was at the moment, tasted like lemon pledge dusting spray.

    Chewing kitchen curtains

    "Chewing on kitchen curtains,"  I love the imagery and got a great laugh out of that one.  I think one of the greatest benefits of this forum is our shared experiences and knowing that someone else will understand.