Hi, I'm johnmac! I've had no taste buds since my operations. Anyone know how this can be cured?

johnmac

Hi, this is my first time on the site I’m fed via a line into the heart for my TPN bag I also have a live fistula which comes out of my stomach I have 130 cm of active bowel.
I manage all of the above myself i do not have any nurses or doctors.
The reason I have joined this site is to ask a question of anyone else with this condition my problem is since the operations I have no taste Buds so all my food really taste of cardboard !
does anybody know how this can be cured I’ve obviously asked the hospitals and doctors but got no clear advice

Tori_Scope

Welcome to the community @johnmac Thank you for joining, and for telling us about your situation.

I'm sorry to hear that you've had some trouble with your taste buds since the operations you had, and that you haven't been able to get any clear answers from your medical team. That must be really frustrating. 

This isn't something I've experienced myself, so I don't have any advice to offer in that sense unfortunately. I hope that another member who has experienced this will be able to offer you some support soon.

Have your doctors been able to let you know whether they expect this to be a permanent or temporary loss of taste? 

yanni

@johnmac

A Google search suggests it is not uncommon to lose your sense of taste after an operation

 I have had several operations on my jaw, nose and palate and I don’t have the best sense of smell and taste and smell work together with food. 

 The main advice seems to be to use herbs,spices, pickled food, lemon juice etc to increase the flavour and smell of food and to use texture (crunchy foods) to improve the sensation of the food.

 I found this which may be of use to you?

 https://www.swft.nhs.uk/application/files/7215/8876/5922/Loss_of_taste_COVID.pdf

Tori_Scope

Thank you for sharing that @yanni