Caring4Cancer

Hi.. this is my first post.  I was dx with pancreatic cancer 3 months ago.  I'm on Gemzar, Xeloda, and Taxotere.  I've lost the taste of salt completely, am trying to add lemon...but though I'm generally healthy food tastes nasty .. any suggestions?  I've seen lots of stuff about nutrition and cancer but not ways to make food taste good.  Thank.s

I used to eat dry roasted pea nuts. They are good for ya too. What ever you do , no matter how food taste eat eat eat. very important eat. trick yourself into thinking that way. I know most foods tast like wads of paper but eat. it helps keep your blood counts where they need to be. anyway them peanuts helped me just for a few minutes at a time but they helped. good luck to you try pea nut butter on a spoon and honey too.  :) Mike

Hi I have only had two treatments but have found that my taste buds are already altered also. I have noticed that drinking fluids helps with the tastes of food. I am drinking the V8 splash juices and that way I am suppose to be getting the veggies and fruits and it has enough of a tang to it now that I can taste it still and if I drink it about 3 times a day along with my water that the food has a better taste. Also I have the individual servings of veggies from the freezer and they tend to taste better than the canned veggies. Have you tried MS. Dash or MRS Dash or whatever that seasoning alternative for salt is? It may help the meat taste better. And you can try to eat small amounts during the day. I know it is hard to eat when it taste bad but small amounts will help you keep calories up and it isn't as hard to eat small amount  of nasty food and trying to get it in the regular three meals a day way that we used to eat.

Hi back at you.  The taste of food is often altered by chemotherapy and sometimes even the disease itself.  Several others have made some good comments on ways to help your taste.  You might try look at the nutrition portion of the Caring4cancer website.  It has several suggestions on how to help with the taste of your food.  Maintaining a healthy diet is very important in your battle against cancer.  Your body needs nutrients and proteins to help you stay well and to give you strength and decrease fatigue.  Often being sure you have plenty of liquids and even modest exercise can also help stimulate your appetite and improve your overall feeling of well-being.  Bernie RN