Post tonsillectomy - taste

Well I am happy to hear that there is a pill form! I called my doctor today to see if there was anything else I could take, although they have not called me back yet. So I am waiting!!! The mouth wash is just a little odd to me... it is WAY to thick to be a mouthwash. It almost feels like trying to swish lotion in your mouth, which even the thought of that makes my stomache turn, and then not too mention they want you to gargle.... well I am sorry but having your tonsils out makes a HUGE difference in being able to gargle, I feel like I am going to choke myself! After the first time I tried it I still am not able to get it any further than the tip of my tongue... sad huh? I just have a low low tolerance for liquid medication. (Or atleast that is what I am going to blame it on) :-) That is so weird about your hub... crazy actually! But a good thing at that! And yes, after that long of marrige and FOUR children, I do believe you have every right to blame it on the man himself! haha... I have only been married for one year, and have only one child, but I feel ya! The taste is going a little better.... It is funny, I tried a salt and vinager chip too, and all it tasted like was a little more salt than usual. Some things have actually tasted pretty good, but others I still cant tast at all. It is still really weird to me!! Soda only tastes like carbonated water. (No flavor at all!) Hot is still not that hot to me... it is WAY more tolerable than I would think. And sweet I sill cant taste either! It is driving me nuts, but I am trying to hang in there.... oh a pickle tasted pretty good! :-) but thats about it for now.... I am so behing on Christmas! I wish time would go a little slower for the next week or so... I havent even had time to get a Christmas tree yet... maybe after I get all of this tonsil stuff out of the way, I will have a little more time on my hands....Well I would love to keep hearing how you are doing, and I will keep you posted on myself... I am curious to see how long it is going to take you to be able to taste EVERYTHING!!! I hope not too much longer! And yes, the mouthwash stuff that I have is swish, gargle and spit, no swallow.... Anyhoo, take care of the family! Hope to hear back from you! (Thanks for the support by the way.... it is very helpful to be able to talk to someone that has gone through it as well!) Have a good day!

:-D Hello again. After baking 10 dozen cookies today--couldn't taste a one of them.They sure do look good though! Lets' see I got my tonsils out the 2nd of November so I am looking at 6 weeks huh? The doc said 2-4 months and possibly never, but I honestly see it coming back at some point. I was never "in love" with sweets-I'm too sweet already haha--hehehe! You know I wonder--I got to where I couldn't STAND to eat some foods long before my surgery, I couldn't stand to smell certain things, much less taste them, mostly what my family LOVED to eat! BADHUH? I got to where I would not even eat what I would cook b/c I just couldn't! And of course that hasn't changed-but they say your body knows what it needs for your health and your body will "talk" to you and if you are in touch you will "listen" and heed what it is saying so that you can be in better health. It's like your body trying to help you stay away from things that might be harmful! I have done some research b/c I have a strong dislike to most foods and have a little trouble finding something to eat! Did you say you lost any weight? Not prying just wondering? I am hoping you are feeling on top b/c I really am GLAD I did this and feel sooo much better. Yes, lets both hold the clock too much too little time! I'm w/ ya! later gater! wbs

You are funny... you have been sweet to me so I cant diagree :-) .... SO, I am feeling a LOT better. I called the doc and they gave me a pill to take instead of the mouthwash. It was just one pill, and it kicks in within 2-5 days. It was awesome except for the fact that is did make me dizzy! I have been able to taste a lot easier... although I still HATE the sweet stuff! It is aggrivating but I guess it is good for me! I am in love with anything salt, and oddly enough, like you said... I am also liking the hot!!! I cant seem to get away from it! Yes, I did lose 12 pounds... and have pretty much kept off ten of them. Of course eating helps put back on weight, which I still havent been doing much of! I am feeling a lot better than I was a few days ago... I still have quite a bit of healing to do back there... still red and tender, but at this point I have a lot more hope than I did before! Well the Christmas decor is up, and I am getting my tree tomorrow... so I feel more on track.. I love baking around the holidays, but sad to say, since I do not want the sweets I dont want to cook them! A little selfish I know, but I get to be that way every now and then right? Alright, well I am glad to hear that both of us are doing bette!!! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas... and I hope to keep in touch. I cant wait for you to get your taste back!

:-) Yeah! O christmas tree O christmas tree--how lovely are your branches? Well, how are they? You got your tree? Christmas can come now.....and you're not going to believe this but I have ate more cookies from the baking and ate more candy than I have since I was a little girl. I can't believe it! No, it doesn't have taste maybe thats why I kept eating and eating and.......my brother needs some cookies-he's only 350 lbs and 6ft 5in. Thankfully I am not that big. Yeah I can relate the weight came off fast after spending days of fasting...but I think I may have kept of 10lbs of it too. I don't plan on that lasting long. Are you having any trouble with the phlem stuff? How about break-outs? I feel like I am a teenager again...well with the break outs and all. UGH! I guess this infection has to go somewhere. But come on....I can't be having this! We still have MUCH shopping to do this next week, if we're gonna get it done anyway. It's supposed to snow tomorrow. Kids christmas programs tommorow night...hope not too much snow! It'll be festive tho! Well, I see the food this holiday much different than the one in November!!! :-D Yippee-yeah US! Better hit the bed, just got in from looking at christmas lights in the Springs. Way bright! Night night, thanks again--enjoy your day!

I just got mine out yesterday late. I have since eaten some pudding and jello and it's pretty damn yummy. Same for fudge cicles. No taste problems here. I'm 19

:-D I am so happy for you! Be careful and take it easy! I was eating as well, you can't help but be hungry. And don't forget to drink, drink, drink! You will get thrush in your mouth if you don't due to all the stuff going on in your mouth. It would help if the docs told you why you should do stuff instead of just do stuff! It makes a BIG DIFF. Anyway, I really didn't notice the taste thing b/c I had thrush so bad and then I just thought the taste problem was due to that and then it became apparent that it was here to stay for a while. Curious...did they do a blood test on you before your surgery? Just wondering. Take your meds and enjoy the rest due to you at this time. Keep enjoying them fudgecicles and pudding. That is sooo good for you. I could not eat anything COLD How wierd huh? I sipped on warm stuff the entire time after the first initial days of just ice chips. Your age has been a real benefit. I know you are glad you did this. Yeah you! Take it easy!

I had my tonsillectomy almost three months ago and am also suffering severe taste loss. Exact same thing you all describe. Sweets are inedible, chocolate and soda are the worst. Salty things are the best, but still not wonderful and everything else is just hardly tasting like nothing much at all. I ate onions and hot pepper on my subs, pizza, etc. for a while because I could definately taste them but then got sick of the onion breath, so gave up on that, also. Pickles are good and I enjoy boiled eggs, but not scrambled. Weird, I know. Veggies are pretty much fine but all fruit is horrible. It's such a chore trying to find things to eat. It's all very depressing and I find that as more time passes, I just get more and more dejected instead of getting used to it. I'm very worried that this will stick around for a year or two, or heaven forbid, permantly! It sure would be nice if more people would write in to let us know if and when their taste returns. The rest of us sufferers need hope! I keep looking at all the holiday goodies and simply CRAVE to eat and enjoy it!! It's hard to want to bake but my children would be so upset if I didn't, so I do it for them anyway. Hopefully next Christmas will be better! I keep telling my husband that if my taste returns, we are going to celebrate big-time and if I gain 20 pounds in one month, I won't care! :-D

:-( I am so with you on that thought! I may have lost 12-14 lbs but I will gladly gain it back to just eat and ENJOY what I am eating! I can't believe how many people quit writing. That gives some sort of hope but at the same time, I don't really know that. Surely they quit writing b/c misery loves company and well, frankly maybe they're not miserable? What a thought eh? I would so appreciate them writing in with any info re: their victories? Do you agree? I can only think they are doing good and no longer need the fellowship of this issue! I am at 7 wks and my kids can't believe that I don't enjoy eating like they do. It's been a great learning lesson for them, I remind them with and without words about being thankful for something we do take for grantit. Did you read up about the percentage that this actually happens to? It is so LOW. I am still so glad it's me tho, two of my four have had theirs out and I am soooo glad they can taste (or maybe they don't know any better, they were so little?) Hmmm...surely they taste. They sure do eat! I just roll my eyes and think oh my what to eat now? Hot is hotter than it was a few weeks ago and that is so boring now, I was sorta enjoying all the hottness w/out tasting it. But guess what now? I have two canker sores and I feel aweful. I don't feel good at all and it really HURTS TO EAT! Thats all I need eh? My poor husband just looks at me with disappointment, I cried today as I just want to be "normal and healthy" at the same time! three months huh? That is quite a long time I will say! Do you notice change frequently---is it SORTA getting better, baby steps maybe? I too will be eating out at our favorite place. Whats your favorite? What so sad is I have not appreciated food in the past and now do I WISH I would have now that I don't have it. I have some regret and that is never fun. I am soooo hungry and I am eating Boston Market mac & cheese with NO TASTE...hubby said it is food! Thats about it tho, just something to eat...as long as I don't go to bed hungry, how many times have you done that? I am tired of laying there thinking how hungry I am. Well, youre mother of the year.....I am certain your kids think so, them christmas cookies are a real treat, wish we would do this more than once a year. I would love to taste a "buck-eye" right now! What kind did you make? Love to hear about it....talk soon. I am getting so sleepy.

You said you cried today. Just reading that put a lump in my throat. I haven't actually cried from this yet, but I've been telling people that it's only a matter of time before I break down and start sobbing. Instead of getting used to it, it really seems to get worse! No, I don't notice any improvement at all. If anything, it's worse than at first, as I now have the metallic taste in my mouth that others have complained of. This started about one month post-op. Literally, even water tastes gross!! How bad is that?!! Anyway, I made sugar cookies, peanut butter kiss cookies, and homemade hard candy. Ususally I make many more, but those are the favorites, so I forced myself to make at least those. Have you ever noticed that when you first put something sweet in your mouth, you can taste it for just a bit, but then it disappears? I know others have said the same thing, and it's the same for me. It makes no sense and I just can't understand it. As for my favorite place to eat, well, any sit-down restraunt is wonderful, as I've never before been a picky eater. But I can tell you what!! I'm REALLY looking forward to going to Coldstone Creamery again. I miss it so much! They just have the best ice cream ever! You complained of constant hunger. Boy, do I know the feeling! Also, I'm seven weeks pregnant, so the hunger is even more pronounced. I'm really worried about feeling this way for the whole nine months! It's just so hard to find things I can eat and of course my diet is not all that well-rounded so I worry about the baby receiving what it needs. I do take vitamins. Did I tell you, I'm 33 years old and this will be my tenth baby. I have one set of twins and I'm very worried that this is twins again as I seem so unreasonably hungry. With twins, it's not only the first three months that you are hungry, it's the whole entire pregnancy!! How in the world can I deal with that?? I can only hope and pray that this is a singleton pregnancy and I will feel better soon. It's funny, the thought of having two babies is not nearly as daunting as dealing with this taste thing during a twin pregnancy! I don't have much fat on me for reserves, so I would really have to eat a lot and I just can't! What have you found to be the type of foods that you are most able to handle eating? I need ideas!

Hello again! Ok.... I thought I was getting better during the week on the pill they gave me, but now everything seems to be back the way it was. (Taste wise) Other than taste the soreness has subsided... Anyway, I am SO mad about not wanting to drink Orange Juice!! I rrrreeeeaaaalllllyyyy want some but it tastes so sour and gross. I really cant stand the sweet stuff anymore. I tried a Bon Bon the other day, and I just find myself getting more mad everytime I try to eat something chocolatey! Although I went to eat Mexican food the other night, and had brisket tacos, they were really good for the portion I could taste. (I think the only part I could taste were the fried onions on them) Why are we all having this problem?? I am so frustrated. My hub is frustrated because he cant do anything to help. I complain SO much, but I dont know what to eat. UGH! My patience is running low. Well I am glad that there is support here atleast... Thanks for keeping in touch!

:-( I am just amazed at the amount of people dealing with this. I can't even begin to imagine expecting a baby and going through this. The hunger pains may outlive and overcome the loss of taste. While baking I enjoyed the cookies but missed out on the "dough" experience that I so love while baking. I hope that somehow the baby or plural(maybe maybe not--you'll soon find out eh?) will give you an extra oomph that some of us don't have going for us! Bright side huh? Right now I am experiencing something not relative to the tonsillectomy hopefully, BUT I don't really know what is causing my pain and ulcers on my tounge and cheeks. I THINK I may have found a culprit tonight after I began "looking into" what I have and have not been doing. COFFEE! Ugh my weakness. I have somewhat enjoyed a Carmel Machiotto (sp) throughout this ordeal but tonight I think this may be a bit of a problem. I am HIGHLY acidic and have always been and I think coffee may have to go like right away, beginning tonight! Can anyone relate with that--NO JUICE-NO WAY! I like many of you try to eat sugar or something sweet just to test it, it's just not what it should be-why even bother once you realize what it is doing to you anyway, we don't need it and shouldn't have it anyway, I am now "middle age" my hubby says so....I guess I better watch the ole' metabolism I don't even have a choice now-EVERYONE I TALK TO WISHES THEY HAD THIS PROBLEM!!! The wierd part is I've never had trouble pushing away from any food, now it's like becoming an issue to just eat to stay alive! What kind of vitamins are you gals taking-besides prenatal for one of you?! :-) I am still taking zinc and I kinda think it is helping b/c hot is hot now, but I can handle the "fire" at Taco Bell. I could have never done that before. What are you drinking and enjoying? I have always drank water ever since my last baby (3yr old now) and while expecting her my taste changed entirely and I can't stand anything with carbonation. This is so wierd I think things have been changing slowly over the years and this just is the wierd to the wierd for me. I am almost not suprised. What about you? Can you look back at some changes that might have led up to this or are you contributing this to the tonsillectomy. Let's all brainstorm and hope someone will write in that have experienced this and give us all hope. What did your dr's say waas the cause of your taste disturbance? We may all have the same story? Ideas for what I eat? Hmmm........no bread of any kind-blah, soups, ummm....salads, chilli cheese burrito, onions, eggs, for me no fries or potatoes, I tried sweet tater casserole but that is so not good and I loved it before, NUTS, almonds, cashews, ( my mouth is actually salvitating) I think I'll be eating some right now-great idea! Anyway, kinda scary huh? One word, I used to love going out for breakfast that is my kind of a date with my hubby and well, it's just not fun anymore, matter of fact, I'm not even interested! Boo Hoo for me, life is so diff. Ah well, it could be worse eh? Ouch I forgot about my sores in my mouth and on my tounge and the nuts are out until I heal--Oh my! Maybe this helps? Let me know

Sorry to hear about the sores in your mouth. As if you need that on top of everything else! I'm wondering why you think it is from the coffee? Normally I am a huge coffee drinker and I still do drink it sometimes but it really tastes bad now. I miss it terribly. I also used to be a big water drinker but that's terrible now, too, so I only drink it because my body insists on it. Milk is ok, I guess. In fact, nothing is GOOD, it's just a matter of what I am able to choke down. Juice is horrible. It's unbelievable how weird it tastes. It seems to have a chemical taste or something. I really miss orange juice, too. My doctor didn't really give me a reason as to why this happened. He said it's very rare. He only had one patient have this before and that was 15 years and about 20,000 surgeries ago! He also said that it probably will just take a little time to heal and to call him if it still persists after three months. So, I'm supposed to call him soon, but I already know that there's nothing he can do, so why bother. The thing that worries me is that the only people who seem to get their taste back are the ones who get it back within the first month. If it lasts longer, no one seems to have good new. Although as you said, that in itself gives you hope because misery loves company and if they've recovered, maybe they didn't feel the need to write here anymore. And you are wondering if maybe something else before the surgery could have contributed to the taste loss, but I really don't think so. That would be too much of a coincidence, for it to show up immediately after surgery. I'm taking regular multi-vitamins and iron and there's zinc in it, so I'm hoping anything helps! One lady just wrote in, in another forum, about still having taste loss and it's been one year eight months since her tonsillectomy! Poor girl! That really worries me! And yes, every single female I talk to about this "wishes they could have it." They don't realize how horrible it is. I'ts simply not worth weight loss. It sure is nice having you people to write to, who can understand. Not that I would ever wish this on anyone! I do hope you all recover!

I had my tonsils out Dec. 5th and for the love of God.. I still cannot taste
ANYTHING! For some reason, my tongue was all cut up and I canot taste anything more towards the back of my tongue. I do have my appetite back (which I wish I didn't), but I can't get excited about anything to eat because I can't taste it anyway!! I just ate a salad and the only thing that I could remotely taste is a little bit of the Italian dressing!! the doctor never told me about losing your sense of taste for almost 3 weeks now! Not only do I have no taste, but if I attempt to eat bread or crackers, forget it, it's like sludge in my throat! It is sooo dry no matter how much I drink with it! Any answers out there?! lol

Sorry to hear about your taste loss. I hate to hear of anyone having to go through this. Please, please, please let the rest of us know if it comes back. As far as everything feeling dry going down, I know how you're feeling. That lasted for about 5-6 weeks for me. It definately went away completely and I hope it does for you, also. For me, it felt like everything I swallowed was a huge lump, no matter how small the bite. Is that how it feels for you? I am almost three months post op now and swallowing is just fine. The taste loss is still completely there, unfortunately. I hear about it taking 1 to 2 years to come back, but that's what doctors say. I'd sure like to hear from an actual person who recovered! I'm so worried that if it really is from nerve damage, which it sounds like it is, then it could be permanent because I don't think nerves really heal. If it was only damaged tastebuds, then we would recover very quickly, as tastebuds regenerate super fast. I know I sound like a pessimist, but I'm just trying to be realistic.

Ok, I am a little nervous.. not that I mind hearing the ups and downs, but I as well would like to hear that someone has recovered from this! Honestly I think that if you are going to have the procedure, and I have said this before, but I feel it is the doctors responsibility to let you know about ALL of the possible side effects.... including loss of taste, which I was never informed of. I have not spoken with the nurse for my doctor for about two weeks now, but at my post op., doc said everything was recovering just fine. This is driving me nuts. I am thinking about going back in, or atleast finding out what a possible reason could be. 1 to 2 years??? I dont think I can wait that long. I used to be such a fruit lover, and now DISGUSTING. I actually ate some crab legs tonight, which tasted REALLY good, with melted butter. Sweets are SUCH a bummer... STILL. I hate it. My hub can enjoy EVERYTHING and I am SO jealous! Anyway, I am frustrated.... what can you do? MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL! Hope you all have a fantastic holiday!