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523728 tn?1264621521

Nothing tastes right

First chemo last Tuesday left me in a heap on the bed when not near the porcelain throne.  Now I'd like to try getting some nourishment but everything tastes weird and unappealing.  Common?
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Avatar universal
I've had the everything tastes funny thing all three times I've had chemo -- I lived on premium ice cream for months -- I could get that down -- also, if you're not on Doxil, I've heard that spicier or stronger tasting foods kill the bad taste while you're eating -- just make sure you stay hydrated and get some calorie intake --- both dehydration and not eating will make you feel even more tired and worse than eating and drinking stuff that doesn't take right
Helpful - 0
16702 tn?1234090645
First week after chemo I had same problem.  Found that drinking hot or very cold lemonade with honey helped keep fluids in my body.  As for food, I found that hot soups did the trick for me.  Second week, taste buds started to work again.
Helpful - 0
398758 tn?1248220291
I read online that most people loved the taste of fast food during chemo.  My sense of taste was so awful that I finally resorted to making a list, and posting in on my fridge, of the few things I could stand.  Fast food *was* delicious, including cheeseburgers, fries and vanilla shakes.  

The very best thing I did during the worst part of each cycle was to go to a salad-bar style restaurant for dinner.  The kind with hot foods, too.  Beef stew was amazing.  Even the hot vegetables.

The only thing I can figure is that salted foods tasted really good to me!  I virtually never salt anything...best of luck!
Helpful - 0
580089 tn?1226094084
The week of chemo was a no appetite one for me.  The following two weeks I could eat. However, I never wanted smoothies, and chocolate always tasted funny.  After 9 chemos & surgery, all my tastes/cravings returned.  Have you lost your hair?  That was devastating for me, but now it is back and is CURLY.  I no longer have to work with my old straight hair.  I just wash the new hair, ruffle it a bit, and go!!  Hang in there, Babe.....
Helpful - 0
146692 tn?1314331773
Lol S' now you understand why we all type Gilda Radners words..."ITS ALWAYS SOMETHING".  What a rotten club to be in. At least we have each other.
Hugs
butterflytc
Helpful - 0
523728 tn?1264621521
Great suggestions.  Lips feel funny too.  What the heck?!
Helpful - 0
146692 tn?1314331773
Yes it is common to have these problems with chemo S'. The problem is, everyone handles it very differently depending on our own taste buds. You will get a different answer from everyone on how they handled it. (for me..I could only tolerate cold foods, if the smell of cooking anything hit my nostrils, I was a goner.) The best advice I could give you would be to try and get anything in you. If you are having really bad days take small sips of gatorade to keep you hydrated (I poured gatorade in an ice cube tray, covered it tight with plastic wrap, and stuck tooth picks thru the plastic, when it froze I had small little popsicles.) You can also crush the cubes and just eat the chips.
   Like someone else said, I drank carnation instant breakfast (strawberry for me) it actually tastes good, unlike ensure or boost YUK. When the metalic taste drove me mad, I froze grapes, and sucked on them instead of candy (they last longer).
   I also ate key lime yogurt as the tangy taste took away the metalic taste, and I figured it would keep me intestines in order with the onslaught of chemo.
   Then as you are further out from the chemo, you will find you can tolerate foods again, til the next round. Good luck
Hugs
butterflytc
Helpful - 0
349465 tn?1289081764
I ate hard candy like it was going out of style during my treatments. I also drank chocolate breakfast drinks EVERY morning. Sometimes, the breakfast drink was all I could stomach. I put chipped ice in the drink to make it more appealing.  It's important not to lose too much weight. Force yourself to eat something many times during the day. Don't worry too much about scheduled meals. Eat when you can and eat in smaller portions, but many during the day.

Some of the other things I liked:

Oranges
Hot Oatmeal
Grilled cheese sandwiches
Hot green tea with sugar
Grape juice
Mints of all types
Chinese food (for some reason)
Carnation Instant Breakfast
Mangos
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Throughout my entire chemo regime nothing tasted any good.. always metalic tasting.. but the only thing I liked was bread, and pasta with a little butter... sweet hawaiian bread went down the easiest.. it does go away....
Helpful - 0
41502 tn?1223517053
I did better wit the bland foods until I felt better, toast, scrambed eggs, baked potato, fresh corn, and peaches, etc.. When it was better, I craved a little spice like spagetti even pizza. I did better if I didnt have to fix it, a lot of carryout or sent in. Try to rest,  Lv D
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
The taste issue is common, but it is at its worst only when the chemo is in the body then gets better between chemo treatments.
I have heard two different views,
1. stay away from all your favourites completely as this will tarnish your enjoyment of them once the taste comes back.
2. use your favourites to entice you to eat, your body remembers what they should taste like and will offset some of the difference.

Personally I avoided my favourites for the 1st week when things tasted really 'wrong' and found sipping iced tea and sucking on lollies/hard candy helped sooth my throat and ease the horrible metallic tang. When I felt like eating, I went for stronger flavours (but without strong smell as strong smells made me feel more nauseous) to offset the taste.
Helpful - 0
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