Hi all,

I had a tonsillectomy 3 weeks ago and have a problem. Since I know many of you have had a tonsillectomy as part of your treatment, I was hoping some of you could help. Almost everything I eat has a salty, and I mean SALTY taste. :p So much so that I am sure I am going to continue to lose weight. Not that I can't stand to lose more, but I don't think this is the best way to do it. I have been living on tea, Lipton noodle soup and warm puddings. They are about the only things that don't taste like I'm eating salt. Cold stuff seems to be the worst, but even most other warm foods taste bad. My throat doesn't hurt anymore and there is very little swelling left. If I can just get rid of the salty taste, I'd be back to normal.

Has anyone else had this problem? If so, how long did it last? Was there anything that helped?

I did an internet search, although not a very extensive one, and I didn't find much. A couple references to a bitter taste for awhile, but that is about all.

Thanks!
Rosie

Is it bleeding? Blood had a very salty taste.

Rosie, I had a tonsillectomy which was the worst medical experience I had had until radiation, but I didn't have any kind of salty taste. I also lost weight after the surgery, but gained it back before rad started, fortunately, as I lost 50 pounds after that. Don't know what to say regarding the salty taste. Can you use more sugar? Would that even help? Sorry I can't be of more help. If it is blood as Gary said, be careful as I seem to remember my doctor telling me to go to an emergency room if a lot of blood was noticed. Hope all goes well for you.

No, I haven't had any bleeding for the last 12 days. It's almost totally healed. There is still a little sloughing of the dead tissue yet, but my throat really isn't bothering me any more. Just the salty taste, which is driving me nuts.

Rosie

Even it is was just seeping a little blood, it would still have a very salty taste.

Well, I finally did a Google search. Should have known to go there right from the start. It's the best search engine out there. Wish I had bought some stock in their IPO.

Anyway, there is a very small % of tonsillectomy patients who have reported a taste disturbance. There are 3 possible reasons.
#1. It could be from some of the medications taken after the operation. Probably not that, since I haven't been taking any meds for several days now.
#2. Could be low zinc levels. I have been thinking of starting to take zinc to speed up the healing. Guess I'd better get on it.
#3. Could be that the glossopharyngeal nerve was directly or indirectly damaged during surgery. If that's the case, it is a situation that MIGHT be reversible, within 2 years! GREAT! Guess I'll be calling the doctor tomorrow and see what he has to say.

Thanks for the replies so far. Still hoping to hear from someone else who experienced this. PLEASE tell me it won't take 2 years to get better!!!

Thanks,
Rosie

A tonsillectomy as in relation to tonsillitis? Huh? Boy, I'm sorry you had to experience that! A weird coincidence considering all you've been through! Thank goodness it's not cancer! I eat a lot of onions now, cooked or uncooked, doesn't matter! I really like very flavorful foods now more than before. Takes twice as much flavor with half a tongue I guess.

Erik,
Yes, just tonsillitis. I never really had problems with my tonsils, but I've always had trouble with my sinuses. Maybe I was mistaking some of the tonsil problems for sinus problems?!? Anyway, in early Sept, my throat felt swollen. Had a dentist appt, so I asked him to take a look and he saw a white spot on my left tonsil. I immediately made an appt with the surgeon. Figured I wasn't fooling around with any GPs or run-of-the-mill ENTs.

He put me on an antibiotic, which took care of the swelling, but the white spot remained. He was almost positive it was nothing more than tonsillitis. Given the family history though, both dad and daughter dying from oral cancer, he suggested a tonsillectomy. He said he knew I'd worry myself to death over it and he was right.
Turned out there was a cyst with some unidentified pasty material and a blood clot in the left tonsil, but no indication of any cancerous cells. Major relief!!! Now if I can just get rid of this salty taste, I'll be back to normal. I've already lost 13 lbs. I can certainly afford to lose more, but I really don't think this is the healthiest way to do it! Had Lipton soup and pudding last night and even the pudding tasted salty now. I don't think I can live on chicken noodle soup forever. Of course, I do eat some other things. I just can't seem to choke down too much. The taste is just so gross!

I guess I am getting just a tiny, little taste of what you poor guys have to go through. I can understand a little better now why Heather was so bull-headed some times about eating. Not that I didn't sympathize with you all before, but I can empathize now also. It really sucks! You are all such strong people to be able to handle it. I truly admire anyone who has to fight oral cancer. You guys are something else! And I mean that in the best possible way.

Rosie

Rosie,
I read someplace, I believe on this website in the section on food, that salt is the last of the tastes to go, so if for some reason, something was damaged, maybe the only taste you have left is salt, although why that would occur after a tonsilectomy I have no idea.

I had this same problem 9 days into radiation. Everything tasted so salty I could not eat it. I lived on Ensure Plus coffee and butter pecan flavors. For some reason these did not taste salty. If you are trying to eat canned soups they probably contain a lot of salt exacerbating the problem. Try putting a raw potato in the soup for a few hours to draw the salt out of it. I think the first things I could finally eat that didn't taste salty were scrambled eggs, cream of wheat made with water with hot milk, butter and honey on top, apple juice, apple sauce, salad, turkey, steak. Took forever before I could taste sweet stuff. They did give me zinc and a bunch of other vitamins to promote healing.

Go see your doctor. Maybe it is a little blood like Gary says. Hopefully this resolves it soon. Meanwhile try some Ensure Plus or Boost Plus or make one of those 1300 calorie shakes so that what you do manage to get down is full of protein and calories. You don't want to lose more weight too quickly.

Take care,
Eileen

Eileen,
The strange thing is that if it is a salty food to begin with, like the Lipton soup or Doritos, it tastes fine. Peppermint tastes fine, but it's so strong it probably just overpowers all other tastes. And some breads aren't too bad. So far, most everything else is pretty gross. It does seem to be improving somewhat, though. The taste is still bad, but it's not quite as strong.

The doc said to gargle daily and seems to think it will clear up within a few more weeks. Since it is a little better already, he is probably right. Supposedly only about 1/3 of 1% of tonsillectomy patients have a taste disturbance. Aren't I the lucky one?!?

Thanks for all your help, everyone.
Rosie