I'm two weeks into radiation and chemotherapy and have lost my taste. Its awful. Everything is bland. Might as well eat cardboard, although that would actually have more flavor than I can taste. How long will this last?

However, I shouldn't complain.. I realize I'm very fortunate. I feel for those who can no longer eat by mouth, and I'm assuming I'll eventually be able to taste again.

Hi Kimmy, To add to Brian's input, I finished chemo and radiation a month ago and taste is coming back slowly (it's hard to tell if it is coming back sometimes). The doctors are not sure if I even will be able to taste given how much of my tongue was removed, but I swear it is coming back little by little! I asked at my appointment today, and my radiation oncologist said taste is the slowest to return, possibly 2 - 4 months after radiation ended. Good luck on the rest of your treatments and journey.

Thank you, Brian. I was thinking of you when I wrote that post and can't imagine a permanent loss of the ability to eat and taste. I so appreciate your input and feel fortunate. Your post really helped me.

It will likely be a minor problem for several months after end of treatments, judging from the hundreds of people I’ve seen go through here, and my own personal experience. But it eventually does get better.