Question on tongue sensitivity

Jeff2159
Jeff2159 Member Posts: 108
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hi all

On day 11 of 14 golfing in Scotland, nice to finally get away after 3 years of hell. I never lost saliva and my taste seems to be 120% of normal as flavors are amplified now though some have changed. Orange juice can burn and some red tomatoe sauces do the same. All carbonated beverages burn plus all alcohol. The best I can do is baileys irish cream and mix it 50/50 with vanilla ensure. Its as if my mouth is brand new like a baby and it needs time to develop a callous. Can anyone tell me with time will my mouth become less sensitive to spicey foods or is there damage that cannot be repaired? Jan will be 2 years since rads and chemo but I have only been eating for just a year now. Still cannot eat unless the food is pureed though as I choke on even little pieces

thanks

Jeff

Comments

  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,030 Member
    #2
    Still Sensitive Here

    Hello Jeff,

    I am glad to read that you have saliva and can taste foods. I am sorry to read that you have a choking problem, as I did also in my first year. Our wind pipe narrows, and you may need to look in getting it stretched. I did not have this procedure done, so I am no help there.

    As far as the sensitive tongue issue, I still have a sensitive tongue (10 yrs out), Ketchup is spicey to me still, Orange juice is a bit of a problem, so I do a 50/50 mix of water and Orange juice. Things that are tart, I shy away from. Like you, I eat foods that are soft or ground up. Pasta is my friend and I enjoy breakfast at all times of the day, so that is my main source of food. My wife makes a nice Salmon for me now and again.

    My Best to You and Everyone Here

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #3
    spice is (was) nice

    Jeff,

    Spicy foods again?  That is hot topic, which mildly peppers my thoughts of flavors gone by.  

    At 2y7m the smoke has cleared and my palate is more bell than jalapeno, but I spice on into a new foodtier.

    Matt

  • hrowe
    hrowe Member Posts: 57
    #4
    CivilMatt said:

    spice is (was) nice

    Jeff,

    Spicy foods again?  That is hot topic, which mildly peppers my thoughts of flavors gone by.  

    At 2y7m the smoke has cleared and my palate is more bell than jalapeno, but I spice on into a new foodtier.

    Matt

    I'm 2.5 years out

    I just started putting Lousiana Hot sauce back on scrambled eggs. In small doses. I can now tolerate mild to slightly medium BBQ sauce within the last few months. But, my habanero days are definitely over!

     

  • thennies61
    thennies61 Member Posts: 285
    #5
    hrowe said:

    I'm 2.5 years out

    I just started putting Lousiana Hot sauce back on scrambled eggs. In small doses. I can now tolerate mild to slightly medium BBQ sauce within the last few months. But, my habanero days are definitely over!

     

    I can taste most things.Some

    I can taste most things.Some that were good before not so much now.But as I was going the rads and was seeing a speach and swollow specialist.She had me swollowing all the time weather it was water milk food.As I did she had me hooked to shock my throat muscles.She said alot of time the rads will cause scare tissure to harden and make it harder.She also sent me to guy to massage along the neck to help alos.Not eating full solid foods yet as they removed my teeth during surgery but can eat small ground up food.

  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #6
    Nope

    I'm 4 1/2 years out from treatment.  Sadly, alcohol never came back for me, as it still burns.  Wine is very acidic, and also burns.  Beers are okay.  I've given up completely on orange juice and carbonated sodas.  They burn, and I still can't taste the sugars in them.  No saliva here, so all eating is difficult.  Small bites, avoid dry meats and fluffy cakes and breads.  I've never choked, but I have had food get stuck part way down.  Typically, it can take three or four attempts to swallow a bite. Fruits and vegetables have a lot of flavor and are easy to choke down, so to speak.

    Deb 

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