Metallic Taste Lingering...

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Dawn4Him
Dawn4Him Member Posts: 9
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I'm asking on behalf of my Mother for some suggestions. She completed second treatment of chemo Mon/Tues/Wed of last week (Jan. 21, 22, 23). Begins third one on Monday. Unfortunately, everything going in her mouth tastes like metal. She didn't expect it to last into the second week like this, but realizes it is what it is. She just asked me to ask if anyone has encountered a way around this, or any particular foods/drinks that seem to not elicit the metalic taste, or maybe minimize it? She's hungry (that's really really good!) :-).

Thanks for any help...

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  • sladich
    sladich Member Posts: 429 Member
    #2
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    My whole diet changed during chemo. I had a very bland diet - glazed donuts, cheetos, mac-n-cheese, spaghetti O's. Some of my favorite foods I could no longer eat; i.e, fruit & vegies, certain meats, oatmeal, cereal, bagels, chocolate, ice cream. It was awful. Keep trying all kinds of foods. She'll come across something she will like. Best of luck.

    Debbie
  • Dawn4Him
    Dawn4Him Member Posts: 9
    #3
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    sladich said:

    My whole diet changed during chemo. I had a very bland diet - glazed donuts, cheetos, mac-n-cheese, spaghetti O's. Some of my favorite foods I could no longer eat; i.e, fruit & vegies, certain meats, oatmeal, cereal, bagels, chocolate, ice cream. It was awful. Keep trying all kinds of foods. She'll come across something she will like. Best of luck.

    Debbie

    Thanks, Debbie. Everything tastes metallic to her. Do you mean that you kept trying, and some things didn't have that metal flavor?
  • funnyguy
    funnyguy Member Posts: 89
    #4
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    I had the same metallic taste with almost everything. You just have to keep trying different things. For me eggs tasted fine; chicken wings too believe it or not. But food I would normally eat tasted like metal or no taste at all. Just keep trying.

    It also takes awhile to go away.

    but it's only temporary...that's the great part.

    keep the faith.
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #5
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    I didn't have much luck finding stuff that didn't taste wierd, without giving me great discomfort (salsa, for example, tasted GREAT....whew! the other end didn't like it AT ALL!!!!!).

    Mom needs to keep up with her water. This will flush the chemo out faster, and it is better all around, including the tastes...

    I agree with the others...she needs to remember that during all of this, it is temporary, and then she can start up her life again....

    Hugs, kathi
  • Dawn4Him
    Dawn4Him Member Posts: 9
    #6
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    KathiM said:

    I didn't have much luck finding stuff that didn't taste wierd, without giving me great discomfort (salsa, for example, tasted GREAT....whew! the other end didn't like it AT ALL!!!!!).

    Mom needs to keep up with her water. This will flush the chemo out faster, and it is better all around, including the tastes...

    I agree with the others...she needs to remember that during all of this, it is temporary, and then she can start up her life again....

    Hugs, kathi

    Thanks again, everyone. I have printed out the page and will take your responses to my mom tomorrow. :-)

    You all have such a wonderful giving spirit.
  • vinny3
    vinny3 Member Posts: 928 Member
    #7
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    It wasn't the best diet but I found that salty snacks like potato chips and cashews tasted the best. Everyone is different so she just has to try things. It seems to me that that part of it actually got better as I went through treatment while the neuropathy got worse.

    Good luck and keep trying.

    ****
  • dash4
    dash4 Member Posts: 303 Member
    #8
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    Sometimes mouthcare can help prevent the metallic taste from happening. Your mom can use all the Biotene products for a dry mouth as routine care. Also, brushing with a prescription fluoride toothpaste - like Prevident5000 Booster by Colgate is a great preventitive treatment. Both products also help to prevent mouth sores and issues from chemo. My husband has been on chemo for over 3 years and it has kept him from getting the metallic taste and from mouth sores. I am a dental hygienist and knew to start him on it all before he ever started any treatment. But anytime to start is a good thing! Good luck - let me know if you have questions on any of the products.
    Mary Kay
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #9
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    dash4 said:

    Sometimes mouthcare can help prevent the metallic taste from happening. Your mom can use all the Biotene products for a dry mouth as routine care. Also, brushing with a prescription fluoride toothpaste - like Prevident5000 Booster by Colgate is a great preventitive treatment. Both products also help to prevent mouth sores and issues from chemo. My husband has been on chemo for over 3 years and it has kept him from getting the metallic taste and from mouth sores. I am a dental hygienist and knew to start him on it all before he ever started any treatment. But anytime to start is a good thing! Good luck - let me know if you have questions on any of the products.
    Mary Kay

    Wow, Mary Kay! Thanks for this info! I have added it to my 'Makes me look like and expert' list...rofl!

    Thanks again,

    Hugs, Kathi
  • claud1951
    claud1951 Member Posts: 424 Member
    #10
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    Have her eat with plastic utensils and drink with a straw. That help me somewhat.

    My dentist also told me to brush and gargle with Non alcohol products (which I'm sure the info Mary Kay provided is non alcohol). I use kids toothpaste and have for years!

    Good luck
    Claudia
  • KierstenRx
    KierstenRx Member Posts: 249
    #11
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    Nothing tasted good during chemo!!! I also ate a pretty bland diet consisting of sphagetti O's (yuck), easy mac, toast, and ice cream (only after cold sensitivity went away). I would try to eat anything that sounded good. I recommend staying away from your favorite foods though. I can't stand certain tastes and smells that I associate with being on treatment. Also eat small meals and snacks and drink plenty of water.
    Hope everything goes well for her.

    Kiersten
  • chynabear
    chynabear Member Posts: 481 Member
    #12
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    KierstenRx said:

    Nothing tasted good during chemo!!! I also ate a pretty bland diet consisting of sphagetti O's (yuck), easy mac, toast, and ice cream (only after cold sensitivity went away). I would try to eat anything that sounded good. I recommend staying away from your favorite foods though. I can't stand certain tastes and smells that I associate with being on treatment. Also eat small meals and snacks and drink plenty of water.
    Hope everything goes well for her.

    Kiersten

    I shudder in remembering the metalic taste...

    As other's have said, just keep trying different foods. Mine were: Campbells Chicken Noodle Soup, brownies and hot wings. Thankfully, it has been a while since I stopped chemo and I am slowly forgetting things like what I ate. I remember that sometimes all I could force myself to eat were those things you shouldn't eat, like desserts. I had the hardest time trying to drink water and I am normally a big fan of drinking water. She needs to try to drink as much as she can.
  • Dawn4Him
    Dawn4Him Member Posts: 9
    #13
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    chynabear said:

    I shudder in remembering the metalic taste...

    As other's have said, just keep trying different foods. Mine were: Campbells Chicken Noodle Soup, brownies and hot wings. Thankfully, it has been a while since I stopped chemo and I am slowly forgetting things like what I ate. I remember that sometimes all I could force myself to eat were those things you shouldn't eat, like desserts. I had the hardest time trying to drink water and I am normally a big fan of drinking water. She needs to try to drink as much as she can.

    Thank you, again, all of you for your wonderful responses. I am printing this out again, as several more people came up with other ideas since I printed this out on Sunday. I took her for her third treatment today.

    Chynabear, I think she will also get some real comfort from your few words said that "it has been awhile since I have had chemo and I am slowly forgetting things". The knowledge that that time will come for her too, will, I am sure, bring a measure of relief.

    God Bless all of you,
    Dawn
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #14
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    peppermint tea
    I drink a lot of peppermint tea. It seems to help me....

    Tara

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