Everyone's treatment is different...and everyone's progression is different. And Everyone's sense of taste is different. Happy New Year!

[greatjohn]

I had something happen a few days ago. I went to a restaurant for something that I love...and I've been there many times for it. It was served...it looked beautiful...I tasted almost nothing.

I have read a lot about "super tasters"...and I think I am in that category (or close). I eat food and if it's good....it's really good.

I believe that day perhaps I was tasting food the way "normal" people taste food. It didn't taste bad...didn't hurt to chew....didn't turn my stomach....it just tasted "okay".

Normally .....even a photograph of food sends an explosion of joy in my brain. Tasting the dish I was talking about (whole fried snapper) was something that felt better...all over my body than anything else. In the moment I am lost. It overloads my sensory nerves. It brings back memories of my dad frying fish every Saturday and the huge platter he would bring and put on the dinner table.

If someone normally tastes food like I did that day when things just tasted "okay", I can see how it would be easy to "give up"....or even call not eating beef or bacon "a sacrifice".....but, for me....what food does in my mouth (and I love to cook and create this explosion of sensations) is better than anything else.

I hear people on here lamenting about loosing "their libido"....or their "erections". I couldn't possibly care less....to me it's the BEST thing about Lupron. Not having that distraction. Food still consumes me.

When I did Chemo a couple of years ago...I worried so much about losing my sense of taste. THANK GOD, I didn't.

But, alas, if I have to do Chemo again (and Oncologist mentioned it and this time she says for 10 sessions) and I lose my orgasmic sense of taste....then it will not be a big deal to give up any foods....

Like:

Kirkland Himalayan Pink Salt Potato Chips ( the best in the world)

a Thick slice of medium rare prime rib with horseradish sauce

yummy, runny over medium eggs with bacon and toast

Moros(a Cuban dish I make with rice cooked in black beans)

hamburgers. (any hamburgers...I've never met one I didn't like)

baby back ribs

French fries

Pizza

Pork roast, beef roast, roasted chicken....broiled salmon, pan fried any flounder...halibut, catfish...shrimp, mussels, oysters...lobster...STONE CRABS....

just to name of A FEW of the things....that "won't mean a thing to me" ~~but I am so hoping that doesn't ever happen.

gJohn

p.s. the picture is of the fabulous fried snapper at a soul food restaurant I discovered in Ft. Lauderdale area.

p.p.s. I also have an incredible sense of smell. I was afraid that would go....but not yet!

[StayingOptimistic]

Happy new year, John. Enjoy.

[Hidden]

The photo makes you look like a cannibal.

[greatjohn in reply to Hidden]

Lol....I haven't tasted, but I hear it tastes like chicken.

[Litlerny]

If it was red snapper, it’s way out of season, which is very, very short. So, if they had any it would likely small and taste rancid...but I’ve heard that things that are illegal are always better. So I’m guessing it was yellow tail snapper, which tastes like McDonald’s filet-O-fish, which tastes like tartar sauce. 😎 Since you’re in South Florida. Try the Mofongo. 😃

[greatjohn in reply to Litlerny]

lol...mofongo is one thing I do not like! No...it was "my taste" not the fish. Nothing I ate that day "worked" in my mouth. The next day it tasted fine heated up in my air fryer!

[LearnAll]

I like that you have clear idea why you are obsessed with fried meat/fish. As you said your childhood memories of your Dad bringing fried fish. Now the memories of fried fish got paired with happy memories with Dad and family members,

I can relate to this as my grandfather used to bring sweet mangoes home in evening and we all had such joyful moments eating mangoes,,,talking and laughing.

Even today, I can not resist if I see a ripe mango or smell one. It triggers happy memories of my childhood.

[greatjohn in reply to LearnAll]

Food is really so much more than just sustenance to many of us...it's history, culture, and joy🥞🥯🍗🍔🧀🥝🥬🍕🌭

[Kaliber]

Yayahahahaya sounds you better put that water pipe down and go get yourself a sandwich.

Just meet me ...

I’m down at that 7 - 11 at the end of your street .... I’m the one face down in the potato chip aisle. Can’t miss me.

Rotflmao .

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[greatjohn in reply to Kaliber]

😊😊😊Happy New Year 😋

[tallguy2]

Happy New Year!

[greatjohn in reply to tallguy2]

Thanks and to you!

[Hidden]

Great to see someone enjoying the foods they love as part of living life to the fullest instead of making unnecessary sacrifices for unproven benefits. Yeah, save your life, but don't forget to spend it too.

[greatjohn in reply to Hidden]

Thanks & Happy New Year to Gregg.

[dentaltwin]

youtube.com/watch?v=b1QfXQa...(Not working as expected?)

[siouxbee19 in reply to dentaltwin]

Fabulous!

[greatjohn in reply to siouxbee19]

This was just like Saturday nights at our house except they mentioned "knocking on the door"...our door was always open and people just came on it...

With a loud "yoo hoo"

My memories seem more 19th century...than the 1960s when I was growing up in Panama City, Florida

[siouxbee19 in reply to greatjohn]

We still do that here, with a louder "yoo-hoo"!! They used to enter silently, till they scared the 4e77 outta me and I insisted on a noisier entry! 😂

[greatjohn in reply to dentaltwin]

Love this.

[Sguh]

You are an amazing guy. I understand your taste-gasms. And your sense of smell. They make life an ecstatic journey. I hope the cook was just having an off day. My god, you ATE all that??? May you never lose your taste and sense of smell❣ Happy Almost New Year.

[greatjohn in reply to Sguh]

Lol...I always eat half and take half home for the next day. And....the next day my tastebuds were working again and it was delicious.

Happy New Year!

[Jackpine]

Happy New Year Great John!! Hope you find nothing but wonderful food!

Good luck with chemo, I just completed my second infusion. Keep chewing ice during treatment, it’s helped me keep my tastes through treatment.

[greatjohn in reply to Jackpine]

The chemo is still just a mention of possible. Hoping this second time will not come...or be a long way off.

Thank you & happy New Year.

[leo2634]

Eat up and enjoy you can beat the chemo .

[greatjohn in reply to leo2634]

Thanks...it was just mentioned...hoping my PSA and scans keep coming in better and it won't have to happen soon.

Happy New Year.

[dadzone43 in reply to greatjohn]

And to you.

[dadzone43]

Your list makes me hungry. Is it called "ageusia" or something like that? I think about these losses and their balance with being alive. I am confident that tipping point varies with everyone. But EVERYONE will reach a point where life is not worth living if they hang on long enough. What do they do at that point? Are they guided by religious dogmas? family values? lovers' wishes/needs? personal wishes/needs?

[greatjohn in reply to dadzone43]

Those are the questions they don't answer in school...or most religions.

For now...HAPPY NEW YEAR 🥳🥳🥳

[tom67inMA]

You make an extremely good point that not only do we all have different side effects, we also vary greatly in how much we care about specific side effects. The way you describe food is how I feel about chocolate. I never was much into bacon, I miss having sausage, have cut down on cheese, but can't and won't give up chocolate.

[greatjohn in reply to tom67inMA]

We try to be good(most of the time) and buy natural smoked bacon with no nitrates, at least)

And....I forgot chocolate...gotta have some every afternoon...it's like air...so necessary I forgot to mention it 🥰

[Kaliber in reply to greatjohn]

Lol 👍👍

[greatjohn in reply to tom67inMA]

P.S. happy New Year Tom!

[tom67inMA in reply to greatjohn]

And happy new year to you too!

[rocket09]

Happy New Year !

[Muffin2019]

Like your post, as you I did not lose my sense of taste , the sex thing is gone and it lets me enjoy the small things in life. If necessary I would go through chemo again but hopefully not for years, doing scans this week with a jump in psa. I think the lupron needs some help with another drug, an option is getting rid of the nuts I think would be better than getting more chemicals in my system.

[greatjohn in reply to Muffin2019]

Wishing you all the best and a happy new year!

[siouxbee19]

I can totally relate, and I also have a bionic sense of smell, not such a good thing! 🤢😱🤧

Happy New Year to all, smelly or otherwise! 😂😂😂💃🎊🎉🎈🎆🥂🆕👴👶🥂

[Hidden]

After I had pure, cytotoxic poison injected directly into my veins, I became less conerned about not eating the perfect foods.

[j-o-h-n]

Coprophagia.... Crappy New Year....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

J-o-h-n Tuesday 12/31/2019 5:24 PM EST

[monte1111 in reply to j-o-h-n]

Well, that's one word I wish I hadn't googled. I remember well "No Fido, no, no, no. The stick Fido, the stick!"

[Hidden]

Reminds me of the time, years ago, when I was prescribed propafenone for atrial fibrillation. The medication prevented episodes but it left a nasty, metallic taste in my mouth. I stuck with it for months. One day I realized the bad taste was gone.

heart-disease.emedtv.com/propafenone/metallic-taste-and-propafenone.html

Have a nice, tasty New Year.

[greatjohn in reply to Hidden]

you really (mostly) don't know what you have...until it's gone. Happiest New Year Ever.

[kikepana]

Happy new year

[greatjohn in reply to kikepana]

Happy New Year to You ! ! !