Metallic taste

[Turessa33]

My dad is going through chemo for lung cancer. He doesn't eat or drink hardly for two weeks, does anyone have any tips for the metal taste so he could start eating and drinking ?

[hedgehoggy]

Hi Turessa33

Welcome to this site although most of us would probably not want to be. But we are a friendly bunch.

I went through a lot of strange eating and drinking combinations when I went through chemo. I drank gallons of Liptons Peach tea. My usually cuppa tasted awful. Your dad will have to try different food and drink to find what is suitable for him. I still had my usual curries as i found a stronger taste helped me but eveything did taste weird to say the least and I lost over half a stone but unfortunately for me I put ir back on!

I hope this may help a little and let us know how he gets on.

Best wishes

Hoggy

[Elaine141]

Morning I totally understand how worried you are about your loved one not eating, my husband is undergoing palliative chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer. He has just had cycle two and became very sick and complained about the metal taste. I swapped his normal cutlery to plastic ones and he has said they have helped, I also served him smaller portions, little and often. I have also made lots stews, mince and mash and his favourite so far chicken chow mein, he actually said he could taste the vegetables. I have also contacted our district nurses and asked them to prescribe vitamin supplements and supplement milk drinks which have also helped. Good luck and I hope your dad improves and gets some small portions of food inside soon. Elaine X

[Hidden]

Hi Turessa , Get him to try sparkling water no flavours just as it is cold. Everything tastes disgusting including tap water its like it has a film on it. Somehow this helped me lots he's got to keep drinking, some flavoured teas worked for me also but only some .Talk to his lung nurse he will become poorly if he doesn't drink and eat something .It's not always nausea that's the problem its the actual taste of things .Hopefully his chemo will finish soon and he will pick up .Good luck and tell him things will very slowly improve, eating little and often is good advice .Diane

[Littleannies]

Hi turessa33 I had similar taste in my mouth when I was having chemo I found it really hard to eat as I didn't have much appitite and when I did eat it tasted of mental but I did find that eating ginger biscuits with my tea was a treat as they still tasted like ginger and mint Licorice was also nice, but it soon fades away and he will get his taste buds back so if he likes ginger and Licorice go buy him some I'm sure he would love them, take care

Ann

[RoyCastleHelpline Partner Ask the Nurse Roy Castle]

Hello Turessa33, welcome to our online community, the others have given you some very good advice and it is good to hear someones first hand experience.

Taste changes are a common side effect of chemotherapy, the exact reason for these changes is not clear, it is thought that it is a result of damage to the cells on the inside of the mouth which are especially sensitive to the Chemotherapy. About 50% of patients undergoing chemotherapy experience taste changes these may occur during therapy and last for hours, days, weeks, or even months afterwards. There is no one magic solution for taste changes that suits everyone and finding foods that taste appealing is a process of trial and error.

As Elaine141 advised to try plastic cutlery or a porcelain spoon like the Chinese soup spoons, the metal utensils can increase the metallic taste

As long as there are no mouth sores, use tart or sour foods (lemon, lime, vinegar, tomato sauce), which can often be tasted.

Experiment with different foods that he would not normally eat, and save the ones he likes for when he's feeling better, so that he doesn't get turned off to them forever because they tasted “wrong” during treatment.

Try drinking liquids with a straw to bypass taste buds.

There is some useful information on the cancer research link below

cancerresearchuk.org/about-....

You can also get in touch with your lung cancer support nurse, if your dad is not eating and is losing weight he may need some supplements which she could advise you on.

If you would like to talk with anyone please call our helpline freephone 0333 323 7200

Best wishes Roy Castle Helpline