Can anyone explain the science behind a taste for certain food changing post op?

[LipstickLady 25,682]

Someone asked me about this yesterday and I have no clue. My FIL lost his taste for most foods after throat cancer, but I know that was the chemo. If we are having abdominal surgery, what does that have to do with how food tastes? I can understand how it affects you going down as changing, but the taste itself, not so much.

Thanks!

[leeann71 539]

Great question. I would like to find out to. Also why does our sense of smell become sooo much stronger.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

Oh please, no! I already have dog nose from two pregnancies. I can barely pump gas without gagging. I can't imagine my sense of smell getting even stronger.

[leeann71 539]

For me, right after surgery I could smell everything like a 1000 times stronger. One nurse came in with some perfume on and I started getting more nauseaous(sp) and bad headache. I could smell everything even a mint my husband had finshed 30 minutes earlier before he came in the room. Also when they cleaned the restroom it made me so ill. It was bad.

[mokee 588]

No smell change and all food tastes the same to me. I am 5 months post op. the only thing I noticed was I enjoy avocado now and never liked it before.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

MMMMmmm...avocado....

[******** 397]

For me' date=' right after surgery I could smell everything like a 1000 times stronger. One nurse came in with some perfume on and I started getting more nauseaous(sp) and bad headache. I could smell everything even a mint my husband had finshed 30 minutes earlier before he came in the room. Also when they cleaned the restroom it made me so ill. It was bad.[/quote']

Did this last forever?

[******** 397]

MMMMmmm...avocado....

I'm pre surgery and probably eat avocado daily (not a whole one)

[kari61 128]

I'm 5 weeks post op and my sense of smell (especially for food) is crazy..I haven't had any taste changes in food, only in temperature..I used to drink room temperature drinks and now I have to have them ice cold..Before surgery all I drank was Water and now I don't like it unless I have some kind of flavor in it..But no changes in food tastes..

[leeann71 539]

Did this last forever?

It lasted me for a couple of months. Sometimes it depends what the smell is as of today. Like when Im cookingthe smells make me sick to my stomach or if someone else is cooking it does the same thing. I use to love Scentsy waxes (the ones you heat up to make your home smell nice ) now they are to strong.

[nanaspez 58]

OMG I couldn't even open the refrigerator without gagging! Smell and taste buds went crazy! Taste buds were so off, nothing tasted good. My Protein Shakes I loved prior I could not stand the taste or texture! Thank goodness that it only lasted for a couple of months! I am not sure what the science behind it is but it was not fun while it lasted!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

My tastes really changed... but it was temporary. I went through several months where I basically could not stand plain Water. Favorite foods were all just blah.

so, that was good!

It gave me a chance to put food in its proper place in life. It is not recreation. food can be pleasureful, but the main reason to eat is nutrition, it is fuel it is not to make your life happier.

Now, almost a year and half out, food tastes good again, I sometimes do still hear it's siren call, but overall, it has a much healthier place in my life.

I still am not crazy about plain Water but I can drink it. If I have one sadness about the surgery it is that I used to love plain water and now, I don't love it but like it okay. That isn't so bad though.

[MrsG 329]

It lasted me for a couple of months. Sometimes it depends what the smell is as of today. Like when Im cookingthe smells make me sick to my stomach or if someone else is cooking it does the same thing. I use to love Scentsy waxes (the ones you heat up to make your home smell nice ) now they are to strong.

Me too. I loved tuna, heck it was my last meal before surgery. After surgery it tasted horrible, even the very smell of it would make me gag. I also could smell everything! It sucked but it only lasted a few months for me too.

[Suko67 52]

Great question. I would like to find out to. Also why does our sense of smell become sooo much stronger.

YES!!! I'm only 3.5 weeks post-op, but my sense of smell (especially for nasty smells-bleh) are acutely heightened!

AND...things I used to like the taste of (iced tea, coffee --maybe because its been decaf) and anything SWEET or SALTY are extremely unpleasant!

I was just wondering WHY myself!

I actually re-reading all my pre\post surgery to see if I could find the answer!

If I come across something--I'll share

[mistysj 1,940]

Here is a paper: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2957340/

Here is another: http://web.reed.edu/psychology/hackenberg/pubs/Miras_et_al_2012.pdf