Post tonsillectomy - taste disorder SOLVED possibly

Thanks for your post. I am 12 days post-op and I have the same horrible bitter taste sensation at the back right side of my tongue that everyone is complaining of. I think you are right about the glossopharyngeal nerve, as the lingual branch of that nerve is responsible for taste in the posterior region of the tongue. My surgeon told me it wasn't uncommon to experience taste alteration and told me it would be back in 6 weeks. However, from what I've read (and I've read hundreds of posts like this) I'm aware that it could take much longer. I've started taking the zinc so hopefully I'll have some luck from that. Has anyone else got any tips other than zinc?

Hi - you should ask your Dr for a blood test to check your zinc levels. I started Acupuncture 5 weeks ago and I had my 5th session today and that seems to help a bit- I will post my experience once I have a proper cure - #holdingthumbs

OMG

I had my tonsillectomy on October 25, 2012

At first I had this wretched metallic taste in my mouth

and as I began to heal I had the funk breath

Now I have basically no taste at all, which leaves me hungry and

frustrated so I do not eat.

Now, I also sound like I am from the Dominican Republic

my voice has this strong accent and it does not even sound like me

I am embarrassed to even speak.

Went to the ENT 3 times so far, and this man told me that I had thrush...

Thrush does not change your entire voice, and it may affect your taste but

I know better than that, I did not have a thrush patch in my mouth at all.

I am going to try the zinc, as this man told me it is never heard of, losing your taste

and on top of the thrush medication he thinks I need to do speech exercises.

First of all, I had no speech problem before you wretch up in my mouth and

yanked my tonsils out, nor did I have  a speech problem when you tried to clamp my tongue to the roof of my mouth

nor a speech problem when you cut the adenoids out.

I am so glad other people have had this problem it only makes it easier for me to stick it to

my marvelous Doctor.  and the sad part is he toots his own horn.

Going to my Family Doctor to get blood tests and hopefully he can help me out, because the ENT is a quack!!!!

Don't stress about your voice so much. I sounded like Kermit the Frog for weeks and then I woke up one day and it was much better.

I had my tonsillectomy on 27/9. As everyone can see from my post above I was experiencing some really nasty taste sensations which began about a week after the surgery. When I spoke to my ENT, he also said that he'd never heard of this happening to anyone. He did say however that during the procedure the nerves in the tongue can become stretched and that it's a slow healing process.

But I can happily tell you all that it will get much better. My taste is still not good exactly, but the bitter sensation has ceased and now everything is just tasting a bit bland. Sweet things aren't really pleasant to eat still but before the taste was awful.

I took all the zinc everyone recommended but to be honest I don't think it has had much to do with the recovery. I had my zinc serum levels checked and they were completely normal. What I do recommend are alpha lipoic acid tablets. They promote nerve health and I think they have sped up the recovery for me.

From what I've read, it takes some people months to heal, others weeks. Don't give up hope. I'm 6 weeks since surgery and have seen a huge improvement.