Dry mouth/funny taste - Prostate cancer

My name is Gemma, and I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists here at the Macmillan support line services.

Thank you for getting in touch with your question about how to help your dad adjust to his new reduced appetite and the changes in taste with dry mouth.  We don’t underestimate how upsetting it can be to see your dad struggling with something as seemingly simple as eating.

Many of the hormone therapy medicines can cause symptoms like the ones you describe. Only your dad’s healthcare team would be able to say for certain what was the cause for him individually.  If they confirm it is the hormone therapy, it may be worth your dad speaking to the pharmacist who supplies his prescriptions, and asking if there is a different brand of the same drug.  Some people find side effects can be better, or worse, on different brands.

We also have Macmillan cancer information pharmacists available at most Boots stores, and online if he would like to talk to one about brand options, there are also products such as artificial saliva sprays that the pharmacist may be able to recommend and supply through the NHS. 

Another place he may like to ask is on our prostate cancer forum, by asking others who may have had a similar experience. While you can’t guarantee the same experience as others, it can help to get some tips.

Changing brand may help a little, a lot, or not at all. There are some things that we can suggest to help manage the symptoms themselves:

One simple thing he can do is keep his mouth as moist and healthy as possible making sure he drinks plenty of hydrating fluids; hormone therapy can increase fluid loss through sweating so he should aim for at least 8 glasses/mugs per day. Also, he cleans his teeth and tongue gently but regularly.  Another tip is that sucking sugar free boiled sweeties can encourage his mouth to stay moist.

Something else he could do is to try a wide range of foods. He may find he now prefers foods that he didn't eat previously. Having strong flavours like pickle or mustard, or sharp flavours like lemon or pineapple can also be helpful to cut through the bad taste. However, some people prefer blander foods like yoghurt and ice cream. Experimentation is key as taste changes are different for everyone.

Large portion sizes can be off putting, so offering smaller portions regularly may help.

He should also check that his tongue is nice, pink, and moist. If it has a thick white or yellow coating again, he may have an infection in his mouth which can make taste changes worse. Dry mouths are more prone to this, and it can be easily treated by his GP, cancer team, or sometimes his pharmacist.

There are more tips for managing changes in taste, and for encouraging someone to eat when it is difficult to eat.  We have wider information online about managing eating problems, and our building up diet has some great information about how to make the most out of what he is managing to eat.

Supporting a loved one with cancer can cause a wide range of fears for everyone. Please do your best to look after your emotional and physical well-being; If there is anything we can do to support you too please do get back in touch

Our Ref: BL

Thank you so much Gemma. I will speak to my Dad about all this