Hi every one
I am new to this site have been reading some forums and they are really helpful
I had my first chemo yesterday - ec - am coping with the tiredness and luckily avn’t been sick or felt it
What i can’t cope with is my taste buds have just changed I really fancied a ham sandwich and belive it tasted absoloutely disgusting and so did the bottle of lucozade. any suggestions as to what might taste normal
I went for the buffet foods big style after FEC - it also means you can nibble to your hearts content - which helps prevent nausea. You may find you put a lot of salt on stuff. I found when I tried spicy foods, it was bland and then suddenly my mouth was on fire! The general tip seems to be avoid your favourite foodstuffs as the chemo will put you off it. I can’t usually be doing with tea (preferring coffee), but now rarely drink anything else!
It’s not forever, so go with what you fancy!
Be good to yourself
Sue xx
I find weak tea or coffee are fine the first week working up to stronger as the second and third weeks pass also fresh tastes like lemon, coke tastes awful but it really is trial and error go with what you fancy.
Babs
Hi,
when I cannot taste anything I find I enjoy different textures, which sort of fool my mouth. So crusty thick toast and scrambled egg, strawberries and meringues, etc. The funny thing is I think I can’t face something but when I try it I often like it. I cannot face lucozade, just really cold water out the fridge and watery weak tea or coffee. I like heavy stodge in my tummy like pasta, rice or potatoes and you don’t really get much reaction to them.
Lots of luck with this
Lily x
I’m the opposite to Lily, heavy-duty carbs give me heartburn. Fruit goes down a treat (strawberries, blueberries, pineapple etc) and seems to cut through that horrible furry mouth feeling. A chunk of crystallised ginger is a good chew and keeps nausea at bay. When first dx back in January I dug out some recipes and made loads of soups, tasty and easy to make.
Herbal teas also good. Keep experimenting! You’ll find something you like!
Hi I haven’t found anything too horrible - all potato products (including nice things like chips and crisps) just taste wrong for a few days but edible all the same. My only advice is about the water. I know we’re supposed to drink loads and I don’t know about anyone else but to me it tastes like dirt for a few days after chemo. I find that the toothkind ribena improves the taste and as well its good on the sugar and calories etc count.
My taste buds are worst for about a week after chemo so with any luck yours should become more normal the further away from chemo you get - only to start again after the next one. I find fresh tastes are best for me when it comes to drinks (Lime cordial as above) and sucking a sherbert lemon helps as well. Tea is off limits for about 6 days but then can drink it again - thank goodness (again, as above). I aim for a glass of wine about 6 days after chemo - I’m not giving that up! The funny thing with my taste buds they seem to change each session. 1st one I liked spicy foods and fish, 2nd I preferred bland food, 3rd one seemed pretty normal. I do love strawberries just after chemo but this could be my body telling me to have them as they are a good liver cleanser - or so I have learnt - who cares they’re delicious! The one smell I can’t stand is garlic so won’t even consider having anything with that in for about 2 weeks after chemo - and ban it in the house as well.
Hopefully you’ve had guidelines about foodstuffs not to eat during chemo? If not it’s basically a pregnancy type diet - no undercooked food, pate, ‘mould’ cheese eg brie or blue cheese, no live yogurts or probiotics, wash raw fruit and veg before eating, no raw or undercooked eggs, no raw meat,fish,seafood and an odd one I’ve just read on my guidelines leaflet no grapefruit as this can interfere with several medications (unless agreed with my doctor/onc).
Take care and hope you get over the immediate after effects of you chemo asap
i’ve put on almost a stone in weight since i started my chemo. i eat and eat and eat. i love curries and had one the ohter day, my OH says it was okbut mine was tasteless but it was hot but i still ate it because i ust couldn’t help it. i eat more than i would normaly eat and sometimes i’m not hungry it’s just that i take a fancy for something. anyone else or is it just me?
Hello all, saw this link and wanted to add a question. I am day 1 after 1st dose of FEC (2 more to go!)
Had an awful night feeling nauseous and couldn’t eat anything. A lot better today but the taste in my mouth is awful. Not sure its made worse by the 2 mouth washes I’ve been told to take 4xday. Did you all use the mouth wash so vigorously in the beginning? Just think if i didn’t I might be able to eat more!
charlie
Hi,
especially to all the newbies, sorry you are here naturally, but just post anywhere. If you post one of your own you will get lots of personal replies and click with some people in very similar circumstances. Charlie I only use one mouthwash which is Difflam, have not realised anyone used 2. You must have the freshest breath of all of us!!! I would just use the one you prefer unless you actually have a mouth problem. My family laugh when I get the rotten mouth because I say I feel just like I have been licking the dog all night!! It will go and then you will be like Vodka and I eating for England. No I cannot resist anything at all, except chocolate makes me poorly while on chemo, but I still want to eat it. Booo hooo.
Hugs to anyone feeling poooo right now
Lily x
Hi everyone, I am now on my 5 day after my first FEC treatment still feeling queasy but not sick, thank goodness, mind you I have just had breakfast which included a grapefruit and then read they are not advisable? ophs I have also just taken my first back up sickness tablet being metoclopramide and then read the side effects! agh! what have I done just hope none of that kicks in. Honestly what we have to go through. Roll on Christmas!
Thanks for the mouth wash suggestions, think I will get some dentyl as not using the anti bacterial and anti fungal mouth wash because they make my mouth feel worse and as you say i don’t actually have any mouth problems.
Supposed to be back at work tomorrow (day 3) but not sure if I’m going to make it (spent the majority of the last 48hrs lying down!)
Can only hope I will be like vodka and Lily and start eating soon, this will have the added benefit as I am due to have a mastectomy when I’m through with chemo and currently don’t have enough fat on me to use as for reconstruction so having silicon.
just read your thread and can sympathise with the taste thing. i’m currently half way through my chemo and this time has been the worst when it comes to taste.I have consistantly found the following ok:
fizzy lemon flavoured water
lucozade
scrambled eggs
fish fingers
toast
jacket potatoes
cheese
pasta
but this time I can manage baked beans and toast/jam.
When I am most nauseous I do try to have Lucozade to try and give me some energy.Some people suck on ice lollies too,personally Callipos are the best especially lemon and lime flvour.As for going back to work don’t rush yourself,give youself some TLC!!!
Hi everyone
just thought i’d let you know that i have had a better day today with my food. because i have doused everything with pepper which disguised the taste.
one good thing might have come out of this is that i don’t eat veg(only peas and carrots) but had some cabbage.
Hi,
I cannot believe you are going back to work, you hero!!! I am not working at all during chemo, I know that is not always a possibility. Please remember that your immune system will drop, probably after you feel better and you cannot be in crowded places or near anyone with a cold, etc. You can only have the next dose as planned if your blood counts are good enough so don’t rush yourself unless you really feel better. Sorry I sound like someone’s mother!!! I was pole axed by eating a stick of cucumber during my low neuts time and on the next dose by drinking too much fruit juice in one evening. Gave myself a fruit juice enema!! Don’t find out the hard way just how delicate you are on chemo!
Good luck everyone
Lily x
Hi all, to answer clarins I’m having 3 cycles of FEC followed by 3 TAX and herceptin, then surgery +/- radio. Only first FEC on Friday, chose to have on Friday to give be a bit of time before going to work. Although i am not at work but in bed feeling sorry for myself!
Thanks for the tips Jenny and Val will definitely try those.
And to Lily, think my grand ideas of working and taking it all in my stride may have been a bit ambitious. What is worse is I work in a hospital! So trying to avoid sick people can be a little hard. Oncologist was a bit vague in terms of what i could do at work but said to avoid sick people in my middle week when count is most low. He seemed to think with me being young (I’m 25) I would cope well…i think not.
charliex
Hi.
I am a teacher and have been told not to work at all. There are nurses on here and other people in medical jobs who have been told not to work too but I am sure there are other ladies who are and would say go ahead. It is a personal decision whether to carry on despite BC and not let it slow you down vs my body is taking a big hit and I need to nurture it. I am sorry to hear that you have this b thing at an age when you should be allowed to be just thinking about fun. I just switch my alarm off and let my body decide what it needs, consequently I eat far too much especially meringues with cream and strawberries!
I hope you are lucky and sail through without too many side effects, but if not take time out for you. A BCN said to me you might just have to give up a short spell of your whole life to get back on track. It is a struggle to take it all on board and at the same time being bombarded with info and tests non stop but it will settle down as you start chemo.
Lots of luck and hugs for Friday and for anyone else going in the nuclear bunker this week. I am in tomorrow.
Lily x