Are your tastes buds dropping away with the pounds?

[Sunshine_Gal 68]

I had Gastric Bypass surgery on Januray 16th, 2015. I'm now over 4 months out and am noticing as each pound drops away (I've lost 75#) that my taste buds seem to be dropping away too. Are you noticing that too? How far out are you and what are you expericening?

I was always a heavy spice and heat person and now I barely taste anything, nothing seems to have that intense flavor that it used to. From meats, to dressings, to hot and spicey etc etc etc, most everyting has a slight taste but nothing to write home about.

I've tried all sorts of foods (no starches, very low carbs things) but usually food is hitting flat because for me the taste just isn't there anymore. So I'm curious am I the odd duck out or am I the norm. And does it return or is this my life going forward. Thanks in advance for your comments!

[Healthy_life2 8,322]

@@Sunshine_Gal

I am a year out on June 2nd. My taste buds have changed but not as drastically as what you have described. Out of curiosity have you tried a extra hot seasoning or spice?

[Sunshine_Gal 68]

@jenn1 Yes, I use Tabasco, Shirachi and a host of other things, it's not that I don't taste it entirely and still get some heat but not like before at all. For example the Humas with the extra hot chilies used to really get to me and I just had it a just a twinge. So interesting.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

It's an interesting topic.

My experience (can only describe my own) is that initially post-op food started getting less tasty by which I mean I could differentiate tastes less well than I once could.

But now at about 9-1/2 months post-op my taste buds are coming back. Last night we had an amazing meal -- a great oaky chardonnay with massive waves of finish, mussels cooked in wine/cream sauce (just shockingly tasty!), a jalopeno muffin (ye gads, that thing was great!) and for dessert, a single chocolate truffle (those things have NOT abated in their deliciousness). Needless to say, we do not eat like this every night or even every week!

However, fast foods are not nearly as tasty to me as they were pre-op. I eat them only in a pinch. But lately, they taste so blah I'm avoiding them even in a pinch.

In other words, I've become a gourmet and am no longer a gourmand.

[James Marusek 5,244]

I am 2 years post op from RNY. My taste buds changed right after surgery. I couldn't even stand to drink Water because it tasted like chlorine. Then after about 3 months, they began to return slightly towards normal. For me I found that mixing food groups together such as in chili and Soups, help improve the taste substantially.

[Sunshine_Gal 68]

@VSGAnn2014 That's probably a blessing that fast foods don't taste as well, lol. Good to know the taste buds have begun to come back. It's just such a strange sensation to each something you know should taste a certain way and you don't really taste anything.

[laguerr13 993]

This was my pre op meal tonite, so I hope this taste bud thingy doesn't affect me later : grilled shrimp al Diablo w/ like, and fresh cut green green Beans w/ salt pepper and garlic. Thank god I love spicy then!

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

There's an odd phenomenon I see on WLS boards: People who are newly sleeved, still recovering from surgery, not eating all foods yet, and with just a few weeks or a few months of experience at being sleeved for some odd reason assume that their current condition / experience will be their permanent condition / experience.

That's not true. What your experience is 10 months post-op has little relationship to how you felt / what you could do when you were a month or two months post-op.

I suppose it's no different than being a teenager and thinking "Life will always be this way."

No, it won't.

[joatsaint 2,814]

My taste buds went wonky for a few months. Most everything had to be really flavorful for me to be able to taste it. But it all cleared up in a few months.

http://www.bariatricpal.com/blogs/entry/33213-taste-budssense-of-smell-change-after-weight-loss-surgery/

[Sunshine_Gal 68]

@VSGAnn2014 I think everyone is wanting life to be normal quickly and life has changed forever. It will never be as it was before, thank goodness because that's what got me where I was.

I also am curious when I read a comment from someone sleeved vs bypass how much different their reactions, tolerance to foods, etc is. I have a friend who was sleeved and within the WLS things we discuss there seem to be quite a difference between us, but that could just be us and not the norm.