ANA Discussion Forum
Post-Treatment => Post-Treatment => Topic started by: anissa on March 24, 2009, 08:44:13 am
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Are they mostly short term or long term? I have a serious love of sushi and food in general and I'm concerned about this "just-licked-the-ashtray" taste I'm hearing about. What was your experience?
In the meantime I'm eating sushi at least once a week in case I hate it after this is all over, shhhh don't tell my husband. Oh, oops, Hi Dear (vossman) :-*
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Hi Anissa,
I had more of a tinny taste right after surgery. In fact, right up until a few days ago, I was brushing my teeth like 5 or 6 times a day trying to get rid of that taste. For the first week, I was up at 2 AM, 4 AM, etc, trying to get rid of that horrible taste.
I'm coming up on 3 weeks post-op this Thursday, and most foods are getting back to normal tasting. I still have a part of my tongue that is "off". It's way on the right side, toward the back. Based on the rate of improvement, I'd say it will be gone in the next couple of weeks and I'll be back to normal taste.
Oh, and while I'm not big on sushi, I do love Sashimi! I could eat that stuff all day long :).
Ernie
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Hi Anissa.
Taste disorder following surgery is not uncommon. However, I read somewhere (can't remember where - sorry- but it was a PhD report) that up to three months, 80% cases solved, up to six months 95% solved, up to 1 year 98% solved.
My annoying metallic taste had a late onset (3 months post-op) and it is still there at 6 months post-op.
If - I stress if - you get this sideeffect, the odds are clearly in your favor. No need to worry.
Regards, Kenneth
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Hey there!
I'm almost 3 months post op and I still have a horrible taste in my mouth. But...the only thing that I've noticed a big taste distortion is with carbonated beverages. Nasty - so I don't drink them anymore. Guess that's not such a bad thing!!! Unfortunately, chocolates, cookies, and breads still taste great and the metallic taste does not deter me from eating way too many of them!!!
Kathy
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Unfort. I am almost one year post op and still have some taste issues. But by now I'm pretty used to it. Certains things just don't taste as good as they used to.....but my waitline appreciates it :) I'm sure over time it will better itself as it isn't quite as bad as it was when I first came home from the hospital. Hope yours changes soon for the better as well.
Melissa
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I had a metal taste in my mouth for about 3 months. It's gone now; however, my eye waters when I eat. Doc says will always be that way.
Mitch
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Hey, Anissa! As you can see, once again, results vary around here ;) I never had a bad taste in my mouth, just that things didn't really have the right taste, or had no taste. It didn't last too long, but oddly enough, my favorite (only, really) breakfast item was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or toast. I have not been able to eat that since surgery. I keep trying it every few weeks, but it's just not right any more :( Unfortunately, for my waistline, chocolate is as good as ever :D
Mitch, my Bell's Palsy eye, not my AN eye, waters every time I eat...strangest thing!
Cindy
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Hi Anissa,
Just thought I'd share my taste experience. Immediately after surgery, I had a metallic taste that stopped me from eating chocolate and Diet Coke. Then about 3 weeks after surgery, I was able to eat them again - chocolate was pretty normal and Diet Coke was ok but not as refreshing as it used to be. Now at 6 weeks after surgery, the metallic taste is back for some reason. It's not affecting what I can eat as much, but it's just lingering...sigh. But overall, I find it hard to finish a carbonated beverage now, be it Diet Coke, Sprite, or beer. Something about the bubbles isn't as tasty as it once was.
Good luck!
Kim
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Anissa~
13 years & unfortunately for my waistline...I eat EVERYTHING, but for all of you newbies - something to look forward to - it doesn't last forever. No, really, I didn't think I ever had taste issues, but Dave told me I did for a few weeks. I guess because of the stroke (I guess I was in a pretty bad way), I don't really remember much of the 1st few weeks!
K
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I lost all taste after surgery but I thought it was from the long time under anesthesia (about 9 hours). My tongue had big blisters and it felt like my whole mouth was burnt. Now, 2 months later most of my taste ability has returned but it is not quite the same. I think parts of my tongue, the extreme sides, still don't taste food, but most of my tongue does. Some foods it doesn't make a difference, others it does. For one thing bread doesn't quite taste the same, I get a mealy taste that does detract from the overall flavor. Same happens with raw carrots and oranges. The mealy taste only seems to be on those areas of my tongue that I mentioned. It does seem to be getting better so I expect (hope) that in time it will return to normal or very close to that.
Neal
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Hey,
I had the metallic taste for a couple of weeks only. Now, because some of my million taste buds are numb, food has to be really tasty or I use a lot of salt. Such a small thing really.
Best,
Marci
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I had a sensitivity to sweetness right after surgery and then when that subsided, salt. Every now and then, 2yrs. later, food will taste way too salty.
Dan
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Right now I just feel like my tongue has a big coat of thick paint on it, not much taste getting through. Hospital food is not good anyway so that doesn't help, ha ha. I did have a Starbucks mocha though and it was pretty good so I have hope!
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Hi, Anissa ~
My taste pretty much went away in the six months prior to my surgery and I lost over 30 pounds. It returned a few days after my surgery and to be honest, my sense of taste was and has remained sharper than ever. Odd, but welcome. Oh, and I managed to keep off the lost weight simply because food tastes so good that I really enjoy eating and don't feel the need to stuff myself or eat a lot of snacks and such. Besides, I like being the same weight I was 35 years ago! :)
Jim
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My taste was off for 2-3 months. For me, everything just tasted like crap. :-\ It DID help my weigh at the time and I was looking pretty good. Unfortunately sugar was the first taste that came back and it was so GOOD to have something TASTE the way it was supposed to, that it kind of screwed up my diet of very limited sugar intake (which helped me lose weight and feel much better).
Some food still taste kind of bland to me at times, but overall everything is back to normal.
Cathy
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hello anissa
my tongue was numb for at least 6 mths and i was also hypersensitive to sugar and salt (food either taste too salty or too sweet). guess it helped me control my sugar and salt intake, but when my tongue went back to normal i was back to eating potato chips and eh............chocolates ;D
hope this helps!
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Thought I'd check in again. I'm not sure when it happened, but my taste seems to be back to normal. I don't notice any strange metallic tastes anymore. I'm 4+ weeks post op now.
Ernie
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I haven't noticed any taste issues at all. I didn't have much of an appetite, but I could still taste what I did eat. My appetite has come back unfortunately...with great gusto!
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Hi Anissa,
I had the metal taste before surgery. It started with the right backside of my tongue and moved to the tip of the tongue. I still kept taste on the left side. I still now have the yucky taste, but I think its getting better on the tip of the tongue. For some reason pepper is just horrible for me now. I used it on everything before. Sweets are starting to taste more normal. Watch out waste! ;D
Scarlett
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I could never lose my taste for pepper! I use black pepper, crushed red peppers, and even pepper sauces on everything :).
Ernie
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I had a metallic taste prior to surgery but it was gone after surgery. Actually, I ate like no tomorrow after I was moved from ICU .... everything tasted so good and I was constantly hungry (b/c of steroids, I think). I actually gained four pounds during my two weeks in hospital :-) for a whopping total of 108 pounds!!! So, you can see why I was very happy to gain, rather than lose, weight!
Cecile
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Hey Anissa,
I am 3+ weeks post surgery and have a slight metallic taste in my mouth. Nothing I eat has tasted the same as I remember but is slowly improving over time. Not such a bad thing because I am eating less and have lost 5 pounds. I am looking forward to a nice steak but am waiting for some more improvement.
Dusty
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I am 7 weeks post-op and I have an on and off again slightly salty taste on my right side. I wish food did taste aweful for a few months. I can stand to lose about 30-40 pounds. I was on a regular diet (except for the ice chips in ICU) and could taste food immediately after surgery. Never seem to lose my appetite, not even after brain surgery :).
I am sure your taste will come bacck soon.
Sonja
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Anissa,
I am almost six months post op and my taste is just now coming back and I am so delighted and happy to report. I was told there might be measurable improvement at about six months and this is true. I feel great this past week. My eyes do not tear, I am not as tired as early in the evening and my "tastes" are almost back to normal.
Hope!
Linda
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I had radio-surgery so my mileage varies....immediately after treatment I walked across the street and had pasta at the Venice Restaurante (you have to say that with an Italian accent)...enough garlic to curl your toes. Even though its just a little pizza joint they make some unbelievable pastas...anyway...the guy serving me keeps looking at me weird...I said to my wife.."how come this guy is staring at me?" She says.."Your face looks like you just came out of a waffle maker" I was very bummed out they wouldn't let me keep my mask from the treatment.
Back to the thread...the pasta was great...and food was fine for about a week then I had the taste of pennies in my mouth all the time for about a month before it finally went away.
Jim...do you think they'll have that on the Oprah show soon? The AN diet...lose weight and have food taste better than ever.
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Hi Annisa,
Just caught up to this thread. I'm 8 months post-op retrosig surgery on left side. Still have a weird taste on the left side. Cant really describe what kind of taste, just awful.
Lois
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Jim...do you think they'll have that on the Oprah show soon? The AN diet...lose weight and have food taste better than ever?
We could call it the Acoustic Neuroma Diet! Just develop a large benign tumor on your 8th cranial nerve, endure a profound loss of balance, stabbing pains on the tumor site, fatigue, as well as losing your sense of taste. Practically stop eating, lose 30+ pounds, then have brain surgery and radiation to attack the tumor and when you're done, lose your inclination to snack and eat big food portions because food now tastes better than ever.
Well, no, I guess the pain, fatigue, loss of balance, surgery and radiation parts might put some folks off. However, it did work for me, but as I've told my wife, I would rather have just went on a conventional diet to lose the extra weight. :D
Jim