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When will food taste good again after chemo and radiation?
My husband was diagnosed with a Stage 4 bladder tumor in early Feb of 2020. He started with 4 rounds of chemo in March and a heavy dose of radiation in March, at Mayo in Rochester, MN. After they determined this was the correct treatment, he began 5 weeks of daily radiation concurrent with Cisplatin chemo two days of each of those five weeks. He never felt nauseated. Never got sores in his mouth. However, his taste buds went haywire. Everything under the sun tasted disgusting.
The odd thing is that he is now just about 3 months past his last Cisplatin chemo treatment and radiation, yet his taste has gotten worse. He can't stand even looking at food. He has dropped 25 pounds since treatment started. The dietician told me to give him six small meals a day. He can't even stand to put something in his mouth once a day.
Sometimes I can get a quarter cup of cottage cheese with canned peaches in him. Other times a half cup of mashed potatoes. Bran cereal in the morning. But no matter what I try he says it's torture getting it down because it all tastes so terrible. I am having him drink Boost 20 gr protein drinks 3 times a day and an considering pushing 4 a day on him. He hates them, too, because they are way too sweet, but he can gulp them down quickly. However, he has to immediately follow the drink with three green olives, to get the sweet taste out of his mouth.
I've tried everything... gargling with water/baking soda/salt before eating. Gargling with black tea before eating. Giving him sauerkraut and other non-sweet foods. (He absolutely hates any meat because he has to chew it). I've given him bean with bacon soup but I have to puree it first, so he can quickly drink it down.
I've been on the phone so many times with dieticians and doctors from Mayo, and they all say this won't last forever. But when his treatment ended they said, "Expect another month or so when your taste is still bad." It's been three months, and I swear, it's gotten worse the last few weeks.
Has anyone ever gone this long with tastebuds totally messed up? My husband is beginning to think this is going to be what it's like for the rest of his life!
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@colleenyoung I hope you're doing better, I’m doing fine by drinking protein shakes and eating cantaloupe, strawberries, and blueberries, pairs and it seems to be working for me. I needed to lose weight, but this has been the hard way. My taste buds are starting to come back, but I’ll stick to the same diet since I still need to lose about another 40 pounds. I’m dealing with a pretty bad case of dry mouth, and when I chew food, everything feels like it grows in my mouth, so it has to be wet to go down easily. I have been eating soupe for dinner. tried some protean not ready for it yet maybe I need to add something to wet it done in my mouth. I’m hopeful things will improve faster than the doctor’s timeline, which was just an estimate.
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1 ReactionMembers following this discussion might also find this related topic helpful:
- Eating during cancer care https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/eating-during-cancer-care/
@maxmaxoudian, thanks for the helpful tip to stay hydrated.
How are you doing in getting enough calories when food doesn't taste good?
I had thyroid cancer in 2019 they removed my thyroid had a radiation pill and did not have any divers out come six years later I had a tumor in my neck and had the tumor removed . I was advised by my Oncologist to have the radiation pill again and have six and half weeks of radiation just finished the treatment two weeks ago I lost all my taste and have a bad metallic taste when I eat anything and bad salty taste when there is nothing in my mouth for water I use something calld Trevi in the water and I get a slight sweetness in my mouth and helps keeping hydrated I have been able to taste slight sweetness when I try something seet but not much I was told by my Doctor it can take four to six months, I have my finger crossed I guess its a waiting game and hope he's right I hope its some help I whish your son the best.
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1 Reaction@bayside So glad you have survived this awful disease! My husband has a tumor on 1 tonsil and in an adjacent lymph node, having biopsy next week to plan treatment. Doctor said probably 6 weeks radiation and maybe 3 chemo sessions! How bad was your treatment?
I wonder if chewing on ginger gum might help?! Also, I’ve found that crushed garlic mixed in manuka honey seems to help as well. I’m so, so sorry he’s going through all that. I’m finding that my radiation treatments are affecting my taste some as well. They also make me feel numb in my face and slow my thyroid…it’s not fun. 🙁
What also helps me are these green evolution drinks from Sprouts. They have celery, lemon, spinach, kale all juiced together.
I find that radiation makes me feel depersonalized…anyway, if you have any tricks for me in healing, ❤️🩹 I’d be so grateful!! ☺️ This is so tough for all of us, let’s win this darn cancer together, God Bless You!! I’ll be praying 🙏 for you both!! 💐💕💐🙏🙏💐💕
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2 ReactionsSorry for the delay, it was duffucult getting back to place in the Can wr Connect where I could see your response snd question.
As to a port-No, though that might be done at some point. I will be getting my 3rd of 6 cycles of chemo on this coming Tuesday. I’m reading now about using cold mittens and booties to hopefully downplay neuropathy-which I already had prior to chemo in one leg and foot-now it’s advancing in other foot. I chose Taxitere rather than Taxol because my oncologist said it had less neuropathy side effects. I’m also looking for a medical center that has a specialty in treating in my type of cancer-primary peritoneal carcinoma.
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1 ReactionHi, my name is Larry. I had throat cancer. One chemo and 7 weeks of radiation. My taste buds took a big hit. Everything tasted realy bad. Although I have never tasted dirty carpet, thats what everything tasted like. I could not eat anything! But, I juiced carrots and added organic green powder daily. The flavor of the carrots masked all unpleasent flavors. After 4 weeks of radiation the oncologist examined my throat and said the tumor had shrunk. He asked what I am doing differently and I told him carrot juice. He said maybe there is something beneficial to that.
I have always been thin but lost 30 pounds from not eating, only carrot juice and green powder.
That was 15 years ago. After 5years the VA considers me cured. Peace
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4 ReactionsI received Paclitaxel ( brand name Taxol), Carboplatin, and Mvasi, 6 cycles - I developed neuropathy in fingers and toes, still ongoing, no change - not pleasant,
my diagnosis: high grade serous carcinoma of ovary
Stage: IIIB, according to my oncology nurse many of her patients are diagnosed at this stage
with no previous symptoms
do you have a port for your infusions?
I am receiving Mvasi (Avastin) as well and the nasal issues you mention are familiar. Perhaps that is the source. It’s good to hear your taste buds are recovering. May I ask what your diagnosis was and chemo drugs you were receiving? As I mentioned, mine are Carboplatin, Taxotere (chosen because it supposedly has less neuropathy side effects than Taxol) and the Mvasi.
During chemo it was difficult to have a balanced diet, one reason also no appetite, and strong taste bud change, even water tasted bad as did other foods I used to like- I ended up testing various foods to maintain weight, till I found out what I could tolerate, like ice cream-
since finishing chemo ( 3months ago) my taste buds have improved a lot, -
among many other side effects I had gum bleeding during chemo, now I'm only receiving Mvasi ( Avastin) every 3 weeks and
have nose bleeding every morning with 24/7 runny nose, and symptoms of frozen shoulder and a lot of stiffness, mentioned also as side effects for this drug-