Lack of appetite & loss of taste following chemotherapy

Hiya, I am half way through 6 sessions of chemo before my op then have another 11 sessions after (but with fewer drugs, hopefully).  One of my biggest challenges has been that nothing tastes as it should.  All my old favourites seem to taste wrong and it is really disappointing when your eyes say delicious and your taste buds say "meh!".  I have found that it is best to stick to bland (beige food).  Pasta bakes, bananas, etc, or mix it up so that you haven't tasted something before.  I put marmite with a tuna mayo sandwich the other day because the tuna just didn't taste right.  If you really can't eat, the banana Complan is quite palatable (they do other flavours too).  Stick with it.  I am sure your taste buds will come back fairly quickly and good luck

Hello Mackinley

Like you I have just done my last cycle and like you I have found the taste thing the hardest.

BevinPoole, love "your eyes say delicious and your taste buds say meh!"

Pink grapes, anything with tomatoes - lasagne etc, and all pickles and sauces, also anything tasting of orange. Even water tastes yuck but I stand at the sink and just down it in one go. Not found a drink I can tolerate!!

I agree bananas and also melon. Anything cold seems to help - ice cream. I also make scones and as long as the butter is inside the scone I can eat those.I eat lots of extra strong mints after any food, and I have also found green jelly babies are ok!!! Hubby gets to eat all the other colours.

BUT this is the last time!! Yeay!!!! I have my surgery on 11th September and then radiotherapy in November.

So all the best Mackinley and BevinPoole. Strong ladies together!!!xxx

Hi floss b

If you find the green jelly babies ok - have you tried drinking Lime Cordial ?

Just thinking aloud.... G n' J

Oh wow Floss b, such good news that your op is soon.  That is the next hurdle for us all to get over.  No hot drinks taste right for me and it's rubbish trying to dunk a digestive in a glass of water that tastes "yuk" as you say.  Melon is good, fruit pastilles are also nice - I suppose really sweet is more tolerable than savoury but my body craves white carbs (which I have never really eaten) and it is a real challenge to keep the weight on.  So weird for me as I have always had to try to keep weight off.  Really, really good luck for the op and the future.  Stay strong Mackinley and Floss B, we can do this!!

thank you both  for your advice it’s good to know I’m not the only one going through this as it is so difficult to explain. It seems after each session something different is added to the list of things I can no longer tolerate even though I have bulk bought in preparation! Only one more session for me then surgery which is being discussed on Friday so hopefully my taste buds will soon be back to normal. Good luck BevinPoole & floss b hope everything goes well for you both in the future. Stay strong & positive xx

As you've already found out, loss of appetite is very common. The dietician told me that adding things like full fat milk and cream to soft foods, soup, scrambled eggs etc will help with energy levels. I lived on tomato soup and cheese and crackers for 6 weeks.  Eat what tiy can when you can and preferably home made. It won't last but it's awful at the moment 

Thanks Bustsusy I wish I had reached out to you guys earlier as it somehow feels better knowing this is ‘normal’ I haven’t spoken to a dietitian but when I have mentioned it to my breast care nurse specialist I got the impression it was just me! Anyway going to persevere & try the tips everyone has shared x

Not thought of that Dreamthief! But i have so many cordials I'm not sure I want buy another!! I'll think about it. :-)