I am now 6 months post tx and still have skewed taste buds which I'm sure a lot of folks here know the drill! I read something recently that I thought I would see if anyone else has heard about as a means of recovering the "buds" quicker or in some cases, at all.

I read an article dealing with oral cancer that referenced the taking of 2 to 3 220 mg tablets daily of Zinc Sulfate as a possible remedy. Has anyone tried this or have firsthand experience with it as a possible aid? I searched high and low at local drug and other stores but was unable to find Zinc Sulfate. I found plenty of just plain Zinc but not Sulfate. I found plenty on the web and placed an order for some that way. I will give them a shot but thought I would see if anyone else has heard of this.

Thanks,

Bill D.

Don't brush your tongue (if you are) - that doesn't help the tatse buds. It took me all of a year to get substantial taste sensations back. Salt was first and sweets were last and they took even longer. All is normal now at 4 years post Tx.

Hi William,

I was the opposite of Gary. I got my sweet back first. It took a year to be able to tolerate carbonated beverages. I still drink them in moderation now two years out. I think they will slowly come back.

Hi William,
I was told to take Zinc Sulfate 220 mg for healing, dietician didn't state specficately what it was healing, along with 1 multivitamin, like Centrum, Vit C twice a day and vit E once which they no longer recommend. I have stuck to this regimen for the last nine years. I didn't have a Peg so I had to eat whether it tasted like crap or not. I had some taste back after 1st month and most by 6 months. Sweet came last and I never really lost salt. For a while you could put a pile of salt and a pile of suger next to each other and I couldn't tell the difference.

So did the Zinc help. Who knows, but it is worth a try. I order it at Rite Aide Drug store. Will look up brand name tonight. If nothing else, I think it has kept me from getting colds.

Keep experimenting. Taste changes daily. Moist foods are the easiest. As for brushing one's tongue, I found it improved my taste. Got the crap off that accumulated during radiation. I use a very soft toothbrush and give it a couple of light brushes. I don't know what Gary used that caused him so much problem. I thought dentists recommended doing this.

Take care,
Eileen

I have not tried or heard of the zinc but my taste came back slow and are still about 75%. Sweets were first and I still can't tolerate any hard alchol or vinger dressings which burn my tongue and throat 3 years later.

Try Kraft Balsamic vinegarette. It was the only one I could tolerate and that took a year. Meantime, I used a creamy blue cheese dressing that has low vinegar content. I don't remember the brand. Maybe hubby does.

Take care,
Eileen

William,

I am 4 months out and can pretty much taste food throughout the entire meal now. That has just recently changed as I could only taste the first chew or so before. My dry mouth has improved slightly which may be why my taste has changed some. I believe they go hand in hand in affecting what we refer to as "taste".

I never lost the taste of sweet but like everything else, not many things taste exactly like they did before. Chocolate is bitter now but that's about the worst taste experience I have. I was never a big sweets person (cause I'm sooo sweet) so that hasn't bothered me at all.

I had 4 beers at my wife's BD party Sunday. Boy, it was great to fire up the BQ grill and down some beers with our friends !! Anyway the alcohol didn't bother me taste wise. It didn't taste the same as I remember but like I do with water I found myself swirling the beer in my mouth everytime I took a drink. That wasn't a pleasant experience with the carbination in the beer. The alcohol did affect my dry mouth unpleasantly so it will be a while before I drink an alcoholic beverage again.

Brand at Rite Aid for Zinc Sulfate 220 is now Majors, price $6.17 for 100. Take 1 a day. Brand use to be URL.

Blue Cheese Dressing with low vinegar was Hellmans. Damn I wish I had kept notes. You current patients need to keep records of what works for you so you can help someone down the road. Trying to remember this 9 years later is tough.

Take care,
Eileen

Eileen,

That's "Newbys" to you and I'm only 4 months out and I've already forgotten everything I took so you must continue to carry the torch. LOL