Altered Taste Buds

[Born in Missouri 1,264]

Has anyone experienced a difference in the way things taste post-op? I'm only post-op 11 days, but things that had a well-defined taste for me previously seem to be unusually bland now or have a strong aftertaste.

We all have different taste sensations. I'm also one of those "tasters" who can detect a metallic-type taste when my IV is flushed with saline, for example. I've heard plenty of nurses who talk about the comments they hear from other "tasters".

[KimTriesRNY 1,853]

I don’t tolerate artificial sweeteners the way I did before my surgery. They never bothered me pre op but now I just taste this horrible bitter type taste and it leaves an awful aftertaste in my mouth.

[marieac2 85]

It will be 2 yrs in Nov since my by-pass... the first six m9nths after the surgery my taste buds changed drastically! Everything tasted terrible..really strange. Little by little it came back.. but it was a good 6 months. Hang in there it’s well worth the inconveniences!

[Born in Missouri 1,264]

Good to know. It's always been hard for me to just accept a change in my body like this without trying to at least seek out a medical explanation --if one exists. I shall return ....

[MissLindseyR 110]

On ‎6‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 11:39 PM, Missouri-Lee's Summit said:

Has anyone experienced a difference in the way things taste post-op? I'm only post-op 11 days, but things that had a well-defined taste for me previously seem to be unusually bland now or have a strong aftertaste.

We all have different taste sensations. I'm also one of those "tasters" who can detect a metallic-type taste when my IV is flushed with saline, for example. I've heard plenty of nurses who talk about the comments they hear from other "tasters".

I do this, I can taste the fluids from the IV when they are pushed! I didn't know others could too. I thought I was just weird. Haha!

[Sadiebug 206]

I can totally taste the fluids when they are pushed in my IV For the first 6 months there were some things that tasted funny to me but then it all went back to normal. I remember I would frequently ask my husband to taste things and tell me if they really tasted funny or if it was just me... It would get really bad when I was too low on carbs and would slip into ketosis (my program tries to avoid this).

[kimber57 6]

Yes and It is hard but the weight loss has been very worth it.

Sent from my SM-G950U1 using BariatricPal mobile app

[Oceanlove 98]

I hate sweet taste of anything which is fine I’m not a huge sweet person. My downfall is savory. So I’m hoping that has calmed down.

so what sweets I did like I probably will not at all like.

Artificial sweetness is horrendous now.

Edited June 27, 2018 by Oceanlove

[Sprinkles1 358]

My taste buds changed but is starting to go back to normal. I'm not able to eat anything too sweet and i'm unable to eat yogurt. Yuck.... my smell kinda changed too. Every smell made me feel nauseated. I had pneumonia right after surgery though so idk if that impacted anything.

Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

[Born in Missouri 1,264]

I asked my surgeon about this about two weeks post-op. He told me that my loss of appetite and differences in my taste perception are completely normal and will return to some kind of normal eventually. Hm. How long is eventually?

[Ylime 453]

I have heard this is normal for a couple of reasons but primarily because your body naturally goes into ketosis after WLS and ketosis forces acetone out of your body. That does all kinds of weird things to taste buds.

Sugar is my downfall so if it ruins sweets for me, I’m all for that! Lol

[Born in Missouri 1,264]

I recall how much smell played a part in feeling nauseous during the first trimester of my first pregnancy. Just the smell of some foods set me off. It was as though my senses of taste and smell were amplified during pregnancy. This is the opposite of that. Everything seems dulled. Bland.

[Matt Z 4,139]

On 6/23/2018 at 11:39 PM, Missouri-Lee's Summit said:

Has anyone experienced a difference in the way things taste post-op? I'm only post-op 11 days, but things that had a well-defined taste for me previously seem to be unusually bland now or have a strong aftertaste.

We all have different taste sensations. I'm also one of those "tasters" who can detect a metallic-type taste when my IV is flushed with saline, for example. I've heard plenty of nurses who talk about the comments they hear from other "tasters".

I'm a "taster" ( as well as an actual super taster) and honestly, I haven't really noticed any changes in my "tastes".

[Born in Missouri 1,264]

I did a little research:

Researchers at the University Hospitals of Leicester looked at the relationship between taste, smell, and appetite among 103 patients who’d undergone gastric bypass surgery between 2000 and 2011. Nearly half of the patients polled reported their sense of smell changed following weight loss surgery and 73 percent noticed changes in the way food tasted. Topping the list for patients experiencing taste changes is increased sensitivity to sweet foods and sour foods.

Reduced tolerance and cravings for sweets and fast foods are common changes are reported by many patients. Some patients may become so sensitized that even Protein Shakes and powders taste overly sweet and are difficult to tolerate. (Some tips that may help include thoroughly chilling the Protein shakes to improve taste.)

Food aversions usually develop immediately following surgery and may lessen or disappear over time. In studies, animal Proteins top this list with patients steering clear of chicken, steak, ground beef, lamb and cured meats like bacon, sausage, and ham. eggs, dairy products including ice cream, cheese and milk and starches such as rice, Pasta or bread also ranked high on the list of disliked foods. Interestingly, very few patients reported aversions to fruits or vegetables. Some patients even report loving veggies like broccoli or cauliflower even more.

Patients may feel turned off to foods for a variety of reasons including smell, appearance, texture or consistency. Sometimes a change in preparation method can help improve tolerance. Simple adjustments like stewing meat instead of baking or grilling and poaching eggs instead of frying may prevent the often-reported feeling of food “sticking” on the way down.

While the exact cause is unknown, many experts believe sensory changes occur as a result of fluctuating hormones in the gut and their effects on the central nervous system. This gut-brain axis as it’s known and its relationship to bariatric surgery is a subject of much research and speculation. In a nutshell, the nervous system relays countless transmissions about your hunger, satiety and cravings each day between your GI tract and your brain. Because the carriers of these messages are affected by changes in weight and the removal of a portion of the stomach, it is highly likely they have an impact on taste, smell, gratification and other sensory perceptions.

Leptin and ghrelin are hormones that are known to have a prominent role in the relationship between hunger and satiety. Ghrelin also plays a role in determining how much of what we eat is burned for fuel versus stored as fat. Weight loss alone results in an increase in ghrelin, which explains why we tend to feel hungry as soon as we restrict calories and begin to shed pounds. Surgically induced weight loss, however, in which a portion of the stomach is removed or bypassed, reduces the production of ghrelin while restricting the volume of food consumed. This unique combination explains, at least in part, why bariatric patients are able to eat less but not feel hungrier as a result.

Leptin also plays an important role in telling your body when you are full and how calories are stored. It is believed that weight loss improves the body’s sensitivity to the messages leptin delivers to the gut and brain. This in turn may result in greater food satisfaction with smaller quantities and less flavor intensity.

Edited June 27, 2018 by Missouri-Lee's Summit

[Born in Missouri 1,264]

At first, I misread the name of the hormone ghrelin. My brain saw gremlin. I knew it! Those pesky gremlins are responsible for the changes involved with my senses of smell and taste!!