Hi Patricia,

No one can say for sure when your taste will return, but for everyone I've spoken with, it's been a slow process. I lost mine very suddenly, it was as if someone sneaked in and simply turned it off at the switch! I had just made myself a large bowl of Vanilla Ice cream (my favorite substance in the Universe!) and when I put the first spoonful into my mouth, I had to spit it out immediately. It tasted like cold poster-paste (that stuff made from ground-up hooves.) That was in November, '09, and I am just now able to eat and enjoy (some flavors) of ice cream.

Some flavors will be restored in a few months, some will take much longer, and I cannot say if they all will be restored. Some of mine are partially back, but with some, they are significantly different. All you can do is take small samples and see what happens.

As for the saliva, a lot depends on where (in your body) you got the radiation. In my case, the radiation burned out about half of my salivary glands permanently and dry mouth is my constant companion. I find that chewing gum that is sweetened one of the non-sucrose sugars keeps my mouth moist most of the time, except for when I'm working out hard at the gym.

The gum I chew is Trident "tropical twist," sweetened with Xylitol. I buy it by the 3-pack and keep a pack in my car and by my bedside.

Biotene products also work, but in my experience, they are somewhat over-hyped and, IMHO, not worth the expense. YMMV.

Good luck!

Hi Patricia,

Glad to hear you're doing better. It really is baby steps Thanks for the tip on Pilocarpine. I see my MO in two weeks and I'll ask her about it.

What a difference a week makes. A week ago I was still hurting pretty bad. Since then things have improved steadily. I went back to work yesterday part time (4 hrs a day). I have an office/desk job. I'm pretty tired but it felt good to focus on something other than cancer. It's a lot of phone work so dry mouth is an issue. However, with my trusty water bottle I get by This week I've eaten something by mouth every day. Soup w/noodles, eggs, mashed potatoes, cream of wheat. Very small amounts but it's a start.

Keep the faith Patricia! It will get better!

"T"

Be patient with yourself. Thrush is just awful (had it 3 bad times post treatment); then got oral herpes too! That all really set me back on eating and tasting. However, you have to get the nutrition - and calories. Your body needs healing power. For the first few months post treatment I went to gym for 1/2 hour with hubby and then sat and read until he was done. Now, 8 months post treatment, I work out with him the whole time. I still have limited saliva (but I can go in a store for over an hour without my water bottle tied to me) and very muted tastes (I have no sweet so everything else just isn't right)....but I am eating more for texture. Some things just get too "stuck" (between face and teeth) but I try, add sauces, learn something and try again. I am holding my weight and doing a bit more healthy every day. You have to both give yourself a break and push yourself a bit....a dance...but it will work. You can do it!!!