problem eating 5th day after docetaxel

[casperrose]

today is the 5th day after my first infusion im having trouble eating because nothing tastes right. any help on what to eat to help keep from losing weight.

[God_Loves_Me]

may be you need magical mouthwash prescriptions

[God_Loves_Me in reply to God_Loves_Me]

magical mouthwash numb the area in your mouth and may not feel the taste.

Also think about protein shake in morning and night

[Tall_Allen]

It's called "dysgeusia." It is usually temporary.

[casperrose in reply to Tall_Allen]

thanks for your reply. will it end before my next infusion 3 weeks apart or after the last infusion???

[Tall_Allen in reply to casperrose]

IDK

[V-Man in reply to casperrose]

In my case, as soon as you begin to recover the tastes (takes me 7-10 days), you'll get another cycle. I'm approaching a total of 50 chemocycles, beginning with docetaxel, now on Jevtana (about a year).

[Pinkyboy]

I lost 22 pounds with 4 rounds of docetaxal (ended late September). I’ve gained it all back! But yeah, everything tastes yuckky, I got to the point where even the thought of eating was revolting. You’re normal, it’ll get better!

[leebeth]

Biotene mouthwash can help. Sucking on ice chips throughout the infusion, starting 15 minutes prior and ending 15 minutes after infusion complete, will help to alleviate that from happening next time.

[Bodysculpture]

Your chance to get away with eating foods you shouldn't, whatever food comes to mind eat it I went through the same thing but I gobbled things I really loved

It will go you will get your taste back

Meal replacements and dgakes help

[Oct18]

Later this morning, I’ll be getting my 10th round of docetaxel. Before I started treatment I was very strict with my diet. For a while, I had a Whole Foods plant-based diet and then did start to eat some meat but still very healthy. Most people thought I was a little underweight, but I actually was probably my ideal weight and exercised regularly. Once I started chemo and the taste buds are awful the first week I figured if I’m going through chemo then I’m eating, whatever sounds good. I don’t eat fast food type food but I do eat whatever sounds good. And I’ve actually gained 20 pounds which now people say I look “healthier. I have ice chips in my mouth the entire time during treatment but don’t know if it really helps any. The first week is the worst the second week it changes but not as bad. The third week is better. But just try to think of whatever food sounds good and get your protein.

[Brendan1904]

Have you tried rich tea biscuits or ginger biscuits? Just keep trying different things until you can nibble something. A little at a time probably helps. Try different drinks as well. Orange juice, tea,hot chocolate. Might not taste how you expect but find something you can tolerate and a little at a time. I've just had my 4th palliative docetaxel yesterday and different each time. First one I expected to be off and was, probably psychological for me. After 2nd week started to feel good just in time for 2nd cycle. After that I decided infusions were just same as having blood tests. Are you having G-CSF injections? If so they make your bones ache for about the week a bit like mild flu but goes quick. Hope you do well and benefit from Docetaxel. Good luck and keep going.

[Peeffervescence]

I experienced this. My wife made me a smoothie every morning with yogurt and fruit and honey. Other than that I ate anything else that tasted okay. Nothing tasted “good” just tolerable or intolerable. Somehow I didn’t have nausea and I ended maintaining my body weight. The other thing I did, which may be a wives tale, is avoid drinking from metal tumblers. But it worked for me.

[DenDoc in reply to Peeffervescence]

Smoothie worked for me too. My wife used frozen fruits in the blender plus protein powder. I still lost 40# on a base of 200.

[Hawk56]

My wife would ask what I'd like for dinner...my response, it doesn't matter, it all tastes the same,

With the last cycle of six (taxotere), the side effects gradually went away.

[EdBar]

Just eat because you know you have to, your taste may recover a bit before the next round. I seem to recall when I had chemo nothing tasted good, and I would get mout sores and peeling which made some foods painful to eat. But you trudge and grind through it. Perhaps protein shakes like Ensure will help.

Ed

[MPCSUX]

My husband also had what he described as a "metallic" taste to everything. What helped him was ice chips (on top of the hand/feet ice mitts) just prior to and during the chemo (docetaxel) infusion. He also started each day with a smoothie to get in all of his supplements, a good amount protein, etc... 2 cups spinach, ice, frozen berries, protein powder, almond milk, and his supplements. He is 3 years post diagnosis this month and still starts his day with his smoothie. Best of luck to you and stay strong!

[Wildfun44]

Yeah, it is unpleasant but temporary. Try making your favorite smoothies and add protein supplements. And get as much exercise as possible, this will help your mood and increase your hunger. Hard to exercise if you have stomach issues, etc but do you best. As an fyi, day 5 was always hardest for me too. You are not alone. You can do this!

[Yank66]

Biotin mouthwash, ice chips during infusion can help. Try cinnamon anything-always could taste it even when everything else tasted bad.

[Woodstock82]

When I had trouble during chemo with everything tasting bad (even plain water), I got through it on chicken soup, beef broth, and Gatorade. (I don't like thick drinks like Ensure or milkshakes.) I had to use a thick straw, so I didn't have to taste any of it, but I got enough calories and enough fluid that way.

How long it will last is anybody's guess, sorry.

It does eventually get better.

However, some taste changes never reverted for me. I used to love ginger ale, can't stand it any more. I lot of things I know are salty now taste bitter to me -- and my last chemo was over three years ago.

[j-o-h-n]

Maybe we should replace a good meal with a good lay?

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n

[Yadifan]

My husband was able to tolerate cold canned fruits - mostly pears and peaches. Maybe not the most nutritious, but on those days where nothing else worked that usually did. Yogurt seemed tolerable also. Best of luck to you!

[velobard]

You may or not like my answer. I was able to almost totally avoid that weird taste. I only experienced it briefly a few times because I had to take a day or two off of my solution a few times. What I did was microdose with cannabis oil, FECO which is about the same thing as RSO. It's very thick, dark stuff. I had a limited supply available so I was very careful to stretch it out. Every 8 hours I'd swallow a tiny speck of the oil in an empty capsule. I did it at a rate where a gram of oil would last me roughly 12 days. It worked much, much better than either of the anti-nausea prescriptions the oncologist offered. So, while chemo still definitely wasn't fun at all, I pretty much avoided that weird taste and nausea. I also didn't lose a single pound. I joke with people that the world's worst diet plan failed for me, though I generally don't bother saying why.

[Parscore in reply to velobard]

What type of Chemo did you do and how many cycles? I am about to make a decision starting chemo and am of course concerned about side effects. Thanks

[velobard in reply to Parscore]

Six rounds of docetaxel. I wish you the best with your treatment and choices.