Connie, your husband is the one and only OC survivor/patient who has not lost their ability to taste. Theres been roughly 7000 members join OCF after I have and Ive spoken to or emailed thousands of others over the years and never has anyone ever told me their sense of taste was kept. I definitely would have remembered them as no loss of taste is a rarity! Im used to hearing patients and their caregivers complaining about how horrible things taste and they're in a big rush to regain their sense of taste. Almost every person Ive spoken with over the phone or emailed has brought up their sense of taste as it is a huge problem for most OC patients who have no appetite but are still struggling to take in enough calories. Its NOT easy when every single sip or bite tastes like cardboard or worse. Maybe your husband really did have some loss of taste but it wasnt a complete loss? I dont know why but I could always taste yoo-hoo even though any other chocolate item tasted like it was over salty, burnt without any other flavor, not even a hint of chocolate. I used to drink ice cold yoo-hoo every day and it felt very soothing on my raw throat.

@Kristen, you also are sooooo super lucky... you can drink Coke!!! I used to LOVE ice cold Coke and would drink one or 2 almost every day before I got sick. When my sense of taste went during rads, I was never again able to tolerate drinking Coke or even Pepsi (YUCK!!!). The bubbles bothered my overly sensitive mouth, tongue and throat and it tasted horrible, almost acidy. I havent tried it for years so maybe I'll give it another try now that Im so far past all the treatments.

Waiting to see your update, Connie. I hope you ask his doc about his lack of progress. Its very possible he is depressed??? Thats a huge problem for many OC patients and their caregivers too. I dont know the latest numbers on this but Id guesstimate its about 50-75% of OC patients and caregivers need a little help to get them thru treatments and recovery phases. Meds to help stabilize patients moods are just another tool like a feeding tube to help make the horrendous treatments easier. Everyone is their own worst enemy! Just thinking about and/or taking anxiety type meds comes with a preconceived stigma, theres no shame in needing a little help. For most, the "helpers" are only needed on a temporary basis. Once the patient begins to feel better they usually dont continue taking the meds (usually anxiety meds) for any great length of time.

Hope the appointment was a productive one and your husband is making better progress than he appears to be making.


Christine
SCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44
2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07
-65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr
Clear PET 1/08
4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I
surg 4/16/08 clr marg
215 HBO dives
3/09 teeth out, trismus
7/2/09 recur, Stg IV
8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy
3wks medicly inducd coma
2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit
PICC line IV antibx 8 mo
10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg
OC 3x in 3 years
very happy to be alive smile