It's been three weeks since TX was over for my husband he's doing good getting around much better going out exploring like he loves to do only thing he's not eating foods yet maybe it's to early? Or maybe he's scared he will have pain he says his throat fills better but still sore in the mouth a little he's been using the mouth wash some not as much as he was cause I the mouth filling better I'm going to have him get back to using it more we're using the peg he's done very well with this he gained weight last time we went in to the RO .. He goes back august for ct scan praying everything goes good .. Anyone have good recipes for soft foods that's not going to be harsh on the throat maybe we can try things slowly he is drinking water fine

Glad to hear your husband is doing well and is slowly getting coming out of the tunnel. Here is a list of easier to eat foods. These have a smoother texture, are more bland and overall easier to eat for patient with sore mouths and throats. Keep up the nutrition and hydration with at least 2500 calories and 48-64 oz of water daily. Ask the doc about adding high protein whey powder to drinks in increase protein intake for speedier healing.

Best wishes!!!

Easy to Eat Foods List

This is around the time that most start to feel like they can try solids. Each of us can be different and you know him better than us so be patient and encourage him how you know best BUT it's EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that he gets tons of calories and hydration during this long recovery which can last up to 2 years so even if he starts solids make sure he supplements those with enough of the liquids to equal at least 2500 to 3000 calories each and every day.

Also it's common during the first few months post Tx that he will experience some pretty bad days followed by good ones and bad days until the bad ones disappear so IF this happens it's pretty normal.

My first round of radiation it took me 7 weeks to even attempt eating foods like cream of wheat, then adding peaches, scrambled eggs, and they were by teaspoons the most, and relied on canned nutrition. My first true meal was 7 months later on Thanksgiving, which was no feast, so it takes time. I just kept trying foods I knew the taste from memory, sometimes only eating a bite or two, but kept it up until I could taste something. When ordering Chinese takeout I would order like 7 dishes to see what I liked. Probably watching the cooking channel helped my desire. This day, I can eat everything, taste most everything, minus recent tooth problems.

Tasting is just more than eating. It involves memory, seeing, hearing, smelling, textures, tasting, and the 5 taste senses, really there are more...salt, sour, bitter, sweet, umami, and I like fattiness, as the 6th. I incorporate all these, at least try, in cooking, and eating. Even the room ambience, colors effect eating habits. During, immediately after treatment, it didn't work as well as in later months.

As far as recipes, I have so many. Since I started eating after radiation, three years ago, I took photos of most dishes I made, ate out, so it was kind of fun to do, eat, even if it was very little. I may have 1,000 photos or so.

Good luck.

As has been suggested its a matter of trial and error. 3 weeks is very early for anything to be fixed but its not too early to try. Tastes are weird, strange cravings, and the connection needs to be made between the brain and the mouth. As Paul suggests visualising food is very helpful. Its also go for foods that are always the same. Eg processed meat like a hot dog. You might put different stuff on it but the meat of every hot dog he's ever had tasted exactly the same. Take away foods, like KFC mashed potato always tastes the same. Buffets are good for experimenting with small amounts.

He needs to be patient and understand the mechanics of whats going on here. The body has been through a massive trauma but the signals his brain get tell him the food doesn't taste right so must be bad. It hurts to swallow, the fear of the pain can take you a step backwards before the food makes it to the mouth. And once the food is in there, a lack of saliva can make even soft foods feel like you are a cow chewing a cud.

Experimenting is good for testing the boundaries as things improve. Bottom line is he needs the calories in whatever form he can take them. The luxury of eating something that doesn't taste like stale phlegm comes later!

Thanks everyone for all the knowledge and recipes !! The mucus is still the major problem here and has been he says he fills like sand is in his mouth on his tounge just a sandy fill it's hard seeing him still have this hacking from the mucus and the sandy grit filling he has going on and has for a month also he's complaining of an earache he's had some trouble out of his ear for years it comes and goes we usely end up having it flushed .. He's doing much better with drinking the the 350cal.. Milk and the water just no food yet like you say we have time and more time before he gets their still have the peg and I still put formula trough it and water along with apple sauce different sauces with all kind of flavored mostly fruit type .. The mucus has gotten some better just thought by now it would be completely gone like I said this has and is been the most annoying part if this! Hoping he over comes this part soon!! We see the RO on the 11th along the the ENT the ct scan will also be on the 11th I will defiantly check out the recipes to let him try with and a buffet I think would be a great idea!!