Amy,

My recommendation is to try something cold. Everyday after radiation I would go upstairs and get a fruit smoothie and the cold helped my throat right after the treatment. When I lost my taste I lost my interest in orally eating. That's when I started on the peg. It was so much easier than having to think what can I get down today! But before the peg I did alot of shakes and LOVED Culvers vanilla custard. It was easier going down than ice cream. After treatment it was about 8-12 weeks before I wanted to eat anything again. I too found anything tomatoe based would burn, stick to alfredo sauces. And gravy with everything! Mashed potatoes did not taste good and felt awful - it was the texture. First taste to return was chocolate so that was a good thing.
Try some green tea, oat meal, carnation instant breakfast -vanilla - the chocolate burned, cottage cheese with peaches or plain (lived on that for awhile) Avoid red jello. I remember that burning like crazy. A friend recommended drinking aloe vera juice and I couldn't find it at the time. Saw it at Wild Oats three months ago (a year to late) Try it I hear it is very soothing.

Basically it's trial and error and alot of advice.

And lastly just make sure to keep drinking or at least sipping water. Important to keep the throat moist!! Also try to have a humidifier in the bedroom at night it helps with the dry throat. Which can and probably will be a pain when trying to sleep.

Good luck to you!! The taste does return. In Feb. of this year my mom made a cake that I use to love and I couldn't taste it, it was like cardboard. Just this past Sunday she made it again and this time it tasted just like I remember. My last treatment was a year ago. Things are still improving. It was hard not to feel sorry for myself at times but I know I can see the differnce now and it makes me feel sooo much better that things are getting back to "normal". Whatever normal is.

Take care.