Food shopping

FormerMember
FormerMember
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Hi folks,

I’m just one week in from starting my third session of chemotherapy, and today’s task is to go food shopping. A fairly simple task, particularly as one usually has an interest in food and eating, and there is a desire to eat, so you plan for the weeks meals.

I was warned that the standard side effect we’re all likely to suffer is the metallic taste in our mouths. What isn’t mentioned that as time progresses this manifests itself as a complete change in your sense of taste. I reached to point where most things simply taste disgusting. Eating is a necessity, but is no longer a pleasure.

Hence the question, when food tastes so bad, and your interest in food is at a low point, how do you find it in yourself to go food shopping.

  • Hi, just read your post and after having loads of chemo for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, I too found that my taste had changed so that everything smelt/tasted disgusting. So much so that I almost threw up at times. The high cal shakes are good when you just cannot face eating.

    I am happy to report that after the chemo finished as I have since had a Stem Cell Transplant, my taste buds have returned to normal. I used to force myself to eat and chew everything, at the same time telling myself that it didnt really taste that bad. I am now trying to put on the weight that I lost which I thought would be easy but is not happening quickly even though I am eating all the fattening stuff that is bad for you. 

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi flightsim, try fresh pineapple, it really Bellevue your taste buds.  Good luck as you walk the aisles, basket in hand.

    Best regards

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to FormerMember

    Hi shelley, and mala

    I've tried the pineapple as suggested. I found a large fresh pineapple in my local supermarket, and a pineapple corer and peeler in the Kitchen wares. The corer works a treat, as does the large kitchen knife I found too. A word of warning don't do this in the supermarket. The manager wasn't happy, and neither was the police constable who attended. Shouldn't have opened the knife. Don't know what the magistrate is going to say when I'm up in front of them next Tuesday!

    Seriously though, the pineapple works a treat, though it needs to be in juice and not syrup. A word from my dentist who I visited recently.A find in a supermarket was a three pack of pineapple, mango, and melon. All were just as good.

    I received a gift pack just before I started chemo. it contained GinGins. They work well to, however I discovered that they're 75% sugar, so that's the end of those for a while. Included  was a dry mouth spray by biotene. No idea if there are others out there as it is a gift, however it does work.

    Once chemo is over, I need to loose weight. Due to the steroids, I've put weight on. Daren't look some days, and my trousers are getting tight too.