Food and Liquids Taste Different after Surgery

[Gundy 139]

My surgery was May 2, 2018. drinks and foods that I enjoyed prior to surgery just don’t taste the same. Drinks such as iced tea or Crystal Light would go down very easily before surgery, but now I struggle even drinking them or Water. While trying to find something healthy, I’ll try a food one day and end up not liking it the next time I try it. Many leftovers or recipes are getting tossed! It just seems like nothing really tastes that great (which is a good thing), but makes it difficult to find foods and drinks that I enjoy.

Honestly, this isn’t the end of the world so I feel like I’m whining about something unimportant. Just curious if anyone else experienced the same thing and does it get better over time?

[LaraK 8]

I can’t say whether or not it gets better. But I can relate. Lots of things that I previously enjoyed and loved now have a funny taste or smell, that I can’t tolerate. Especially meat, chicken and fish, which is not a great thing from a Protein point of view. Some days are worse than others. It is frustrating, but certainly stops me overeating.

[James Marusek 5,244]

It is common for your taste buds to change after surgery. Be willing to experiment. After surgery, my taste buds changed dramatically. Even Water changed. In the hospital it tasted excessively chlorinated and I could not drink it. So I experimented. sugar free popsicles became my best friend. Some individuals find hot or cold can help with fluids. For me, I found that I could tolerate flavored water. So I began using Crystal Light. I also found a new drink Bai which I liked cold. In the winter, I found that I tolerate Hot Drinks such as piping hot cocoa. But you have to use the "No Sugar Added" variety. Also fine English teas were very good.

I found that solid foods such as chicken and steak were much more difficult to eat than softer foods such as chili and Soups. That is why I relied on them to a greater degree. Also by mixing food groups together and adding spices, they really added flavor back into foods. Anyways I included some recipes at the end of the following article.

http://www.breadandbutterscience.com/Surgery.pdf

[Gundy 139]

Hi James! What a wonderful reading. Very thoughtful, honest and encouraging!

Thank you!

[KatFight 207]

@Gundy Hi. I experienced the same thing. My daughter made salmon one night and I was just home from surgery. I never minded the smell before but this time I could barely deal with it. It was nauseating. I am ok w it now but wow! And, I love sugar-free popsicles - like James - but they tasted super sweet following surgery. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to have them again.

I am having Popsicles frequently, esp w hot, humid weather here. I really like the Special Edition berry box. I let them melt just enough that they taste like an icee. I also like to drink cranberry-water. 100% cranberry juice mixed with Water & ice. I do a 60/40 roughly. 60 water & ice, 40 cranberry juice. I like Langner’s 100% Plus.

I also really liked large curd cottage cheese after surgery. Not as much now but I thought it was one of the best foods I had following surgery. It tasted delicious.

It’s really interesting what the surgery does to our taste buds. Wishing you well on your bariatric adventure! 😋😝😀

[Frustr8 7,886]

Wonder what I'll like and not like afterwards?

[Purple girl 52]

It’s th hormone in stomach that’s gone, that’s th issue.

[TakingABreak 2,733]

On 06/28/2018 at 07:19, Gundy said:

My surgery was May 2, 2018. drinks and foods that I enjoyed prior to surgery just don’t taste the same. drinks such as iced tea or Crystal Light would go down very easily before surgery, but now I struggle even drinking them or Water. While trying to find something healthy, I’ll try a food one day and end up not liking it the next time I try it. Many leftovers or recipes are getting tossed! It just seems like nothing really tastes that great (which is a good thing), but makes it difficult to find foods and drinks that I enjoy.



Honestly, this isn’t the end of the world so I feel like I’m whining about something unimportant. Just curious if anyone else experienced the same thing and does it get better over time?

I struggled immensely with the same things. I bought all these Water additives because I thought it would help me after surgery, and still can’t stomach them anymore. I go through periods of time where I can drink Crystal Light Lemonade, and other times makes me gag. I have to constantly switch it up. I find the same with food. Especially if the food makes me nauseous after eating it or I have a stomach ache. I will say that I’m pretty methodical about what I eat now, and tend to have the same things over and over. A lot of which I would eat pre op, doesn’t taste the same or I just don’t have the taste for it anymore. I don’t rule anything out though, I’ll try it again at some point.

[Frustr8 7,886]

Hi Guys. I had a moment,of clairity/brain flash and I came up with a new theory. Maybe when we have our surgery it's like taking blinders off our taste buds, suddenly we can see taste'wise the base notes in foods. One frien said a ctratin good tasted like silver smells. And then there is the perpetual statement even Water tastes sweet, that could also reflect on the breakdown of stored fat, ketosis does weird things. Another friend gave up sweet potatoes because she said it was like eating rock 🍬. What do,you,veterans of this way think?

[apositivelife4me 189]

I found that after surgery I cannot eat scrambled eggs or cheese. They make me gag.

[Purple girl 52]

That sucks sooo sorry

i had issues with ground beef last night

made me naseaus

[clsumrall 535]

Ketosis makes things taste sweeter and some thing like metal.

[Gundy 139]

It does seem to be getting better! I actually started drinking my beloved Decaf coffee again yesterday. It tasted great. I couldn’t stomach it for over two months after surgery, and it is such a wonderful morning ritual and great way to get fluids.