Loss of Taste and appetite

Hi it does improve not straight away we are all different I had no interest in food for a good 6-9 month but I ate because I knew I had to. Food was fuel. I had opposite I had and to a point still do have accentuated taste. My blog below might help. 
dry mouth sticks around for a good while I found small sips of a warm drink helped to substitute saliva to aid swallow. 
Hazel 

Thanks Hazel appreciate your advice x

Hello. I had 6 weeks chemoradiation. I used my PEG from week 4 until several weeks post treatment. I had no appetite for quite a few weeks after treatment. Taste came back gradually & now at 14 months post treatment most food tastes ‘normal’.I was determined to have my PEG removed & so made myself eat again, starting with creme caramel, mousse type desserts, custard, soggy weetabix with full fat milk… I had put on enough weight to have PEG out at about 10 weeks post treatment. I then supplemented with Scandishakes (600 cals each) I made an eating schedule & made myself eat regularly each day. Food is fuel as a wise woman once said! Taste & enjoyment in food will return- albeit slowly. It is a frustrating, tiring process but you just have to  dig deep & keep going. Use water to help swallow foods - little sips with each mouthful. 
Dry mouth try Xylimelts at night, sugar free gum in the day. I had several sessions of auricular acupuncture which have really helped.  - 

As others have said,  everyone is different but taste and appetite returned quite quickly for me. I managed Christmas dinner six weeks after finishing treatment (more on that in my profile).  6 months on, I'm eating normally except that dryish food still needs to be helped down with sips of water, and spicy and vinegary things sting a bit. I do have a dry mouth and carry a water bottle and sugar-free gum.

Wishing you and your husband well - you're nearly there

Catriona

Where can you get aur7cular acupuncture done? Would it help taste and salivary glands??????

Hi Pauline auricular acupuncture certainly helped kick start my snd Dani’s. I literally rung round every acupuncturist I coujd find online. Took me a giid few weeks to find one then she had a waiting list I paid £30-35 a session. Yiu csn ask your hospital  some  do mine didnt. Yiu need one who understands lack of saliva general acupuncture is ok but not for saliva don’t kniw about taste. That takes time I didn’t loose mine I’m the opposite mine was over  exaggerated 

hazel x

I contacted all acupuncturists in my locality until I found someone familiar with my cancer & needs.  It has helped with saliva production & I also had sessions for PTSD & insomnia. 

Me too. I rang round. 

I went through the same thing, my mother in law was a life savior.  He's going to have difficulty swallowing for the rrst of his life but eventually he will adapt his diet. I had to have water everything's I ate just to  be able to swallow it.  It was depressing at first, I cried when I couldn't enjoy my birthday cake since I couldn't taste it. So I would try to eat for but if I was depressed she gave me 3boost shakes everyday just to keep the weight on.  They used to have a fantastic moisturizing mouth wash that didn't burn inside the mouth but I think it's only available in Canada now.  I recommend water with every meal,  small bites.... he may feel silly but that's the easiest to get it down. And when right before he eats,use some biotine mouth spray to initiate the mousing the mouth. I'm not Fan but if you use it before eating it acrostic helps alot and that sligoneht uncolmfortabily. It relieved the sensation when you begin to eat but still providing moisture.  I always keep wanter with me for through the day for the dry spells. One final suggestion, looks at anything that contains the ingredient 'glycerin' ..... it advertising Jerry's and irritates the tongue more

Chicadee16 said:

he also finds swallowing hard with the dry mouth/throat...did you and does it improve?

I’m over four years and can eat anything. Don’t be dismayed. Most of us regain appetite and taste by six months.