Eating Habits
So in addition to feeling kind of blah lately, I have a new lovely side effect from the chemo: mouth sores. It feels like strep throat. And for some reason, nothing tastes right. Its strange that it took several days for these things to kick in. I starting noticing it on tuesday, which is 2 days after my last chemo.I tried to eat lunch three times yesterday, which was kind of amusing. I made vegetable soup and found I didn't like it anymore (though I always used to- c'mon, you can't beat the alphabet-shaped noodles). So then I made mac and cheese. Yuck. Mom caught me staring at it. I put that away then tried to finish a yogurt smoothie from the day before. No deal. I think all-in-all I ate a little bit from each and got a decent lunch but I've never done that before.
Then at dinner I didn't like the salad dressing I put on my salad so I got MORE salad and tried a different dressing. Both tasted terrible. And I made mashed potatoes. How bad could those be? Pretty bad, actually. But I forced myself to eat half my piece of chicken, which really was the important part of the meal anyway.
And damn if it isn't time to eat again. (sigh.)
posted by Jen at
10:36 AM
7 comment(s):
Not always the preferred choice, but what about smoothies or milkshakes? Depending on what you mix up or purchase already blended, you can get your nourishment and by-pass the mouth sores a bit by using a straw. And check the sodium content in your soups. Salt is always an irritant.
By
Anonymous, at
1/26/2006 11:35 AM
OK - so I heard this on Boston Legal (not a reputable source but.......) Michael J Fox is playing a cancer patient going through chemo & his girlfriend brought him dill pickles as a gift. She said they are supposed to counteract the awful taste from chemo... What the heck??? What's the worst thing?? Don't know if they'll bother the mouth sores or not but..... worth a shot?
By
Anonymous, at
1/26/2006 12:25 PM
Oh Jen, I don't know. . . the pickle smoothie sounds a little gross. . . the salt in the soup probably does irritate the sores in your mouth. Drinking through a straw sounds like a possible solution. At least you won't fully taste what you are eating or feel it against your mouth sores. Maybe a peanut butter smoothie? A little protein that way? The idea of a chicken smoothie is just too gross!
Thinking of you and hoping that this side effect resolves soon! Love, Kelly
By
Anonymous, at
1/27/2006 9:26 AM
My father found that pineapple helped him taste things properly again...
Just a thought..
Minerva
By
Minerva, at
1/27/2006 7:13 PM
Talk to your doctors and tell them that you want the Magic Mouthwash. I had the same problems with food so I was given the mouthwash. I promise you it works. It sort of looks like pepto and it tastes like it, only minty as well. You swish it around in your mouth for a few min then spit it out and you'll find that you can eat again, if just for a few min. Whatever is in it deadens your mouth some so that the sores don't stop you from eating and it deadens your tounge enough that you don't get that bad taste. Instead it has NO taste but that's better than the other. lolol
Ask your doctor and if they don't know of it, i'll call mine to see what's in it. Seriously, without it I probably wouldn't have eaten at all. Let me know and good luck!
By
Anonymous, at
1/29/2006 1:34 AM
Hello, I found you through real cancer, real lives. My husband used a mouthwash that you can buy at the drugstore and grocery stores called Biotene. It designed especially for people with mouth sores. It has a bad aftertaste but really helped out with the sores.
Hope this helps,
By
amanda, at
1/30/2006 8:51 AM
They made me the "Magic Mouthwash" on friday. That stuff is CRAZY! It has lycopene in it and completely numbs the mouth. It has maalox and benodryl in it along with something else.
I'd like to know just how they came up with that combination.
But it does seem to work! I can almost taste things again! And the "hyper-texture" thing is going away where everything felt like toast.
I've used biotene before (I had braces as a kid) and that stuff works well because its gentle. I never thought of it for mouthsores. Good call!
By
Jen, at
1/30/2006 10:58 AM
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