One rather unsettling thing that has happened during the days following my chemo treatments is that my senses of taste and smell have changed. My theory about the change in taste is that my body is filled with dying cells which are being expelled through every part of my body, including saliva. There is a yucky, nasty taste in my mouth and throat for about a week after chemo that gets better as time goes by. Meanwhile, food just doesn't taste very good. I prefer stronger tastes, salty or spicy, than sweet or bland, and yet salty things taste almost too salty, and spicy too spicy.
I don't know what causes the change in my sense of smell. Things that I usually enjoy don't smell good to me now--bath soap, detergents and softeners, flowers. And I seem to be hypersensitive to "stinky" odors--the puppies, the litter box, body odor, dirty laundry. I find I'm avoiding getting too close to people.
The aroma of Mom's coffee when I make it for her still smells good, though. And fresh cut grass, mint toothpaste and mouthwash, melted chocolate, toast and lemon all smell good to me. I never know what is going to smell good and what will smell stinky. It's just so weird, but I suppose it is not uncommon while going through this?
5 comments:
That is because the tongue’s receptor cells for taste are affected by these drugs and so you might find your sense of smell and your taste buds gone awry during chemotherapy.
Check out this re: your problem
http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=18717
Adrienne, thank you so much. That was a very informative post/article in your link. Makes me feel a little better that it's "normal" with the chemo.
My smells and tastes were all messed up too. I could not stand perfume, it would make me nauseous (sp?). And I liked different tastes too than what I was used too and couldn't stomach others. Mine has gotten back to pretty normal, except I think my nose is still more sensitive to smells now than it was.
Thanks, Jennifer. It's good to know that things will probably go back to normal!
Just knowing something is "normal" makes it bareable, doesn't it? I'm sorry you are going through it, but glad to know it's temporary!
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