Question:
Does anyone notice that your sense of smell and taste are different after surgery
I am 3 weeks post-op and I have noticed that my sense of smell and taste has changed. The slightest odor makes me dry heave, whether it is from the refrigerator or washing dishes. Also my taste buds seem stonger. I keep my water sealed tightly in the refrig. But I swear I can taste and smell odors from the refrig. My hubby says I am crazy. I was wondering if anyone else experienced this? — Kelly T. (posted on November 25, 2002)
November 25, 2002
Oh gosh YES YES YES! I thought I was some sort of alien being after
surgery. I couldn't stand smells that I LOVED before, and everything
(especially water) had a real metallic taste to it. I thought I was going
to be this way forever! I am now 2 1/2 months out and am happy to report
that it has pretty much gone away now. But let me tell you, I was so
sensitive to smells and tastes when I came home! One good thing, I still
can't stand the smell of Pizza (or the taste) and it was my #1 favorite
binge food before WLS. So let's hope that one stays! Best of luck to you,
it will get better in a few months. Use it to your advantage in the
meantime......Renee D
— Renee D.
November 25, 2002
Nope! You are not crazy! I had the same experience. I used to love butter
and the first time I tasted it on a piece of toast it almost gagged me! It
was aweful. I also lived on Mtn Dew before the surgery and recently I
sipped some of it and I don't see why I was so addicted to that stuff! The
change in tastes is just one of lifes little "unexplainables" I
guess. *grin*
— blueyez2668
November 25, 2002
I didn't experience the smell thing but, talk about change of taste!! I
literally hated everything. Cursed this surgery for 6 months! There wasn't
anything I liked and when I did find something I could stand, I ate it till
I was so sick of it that I HAD to find something else I liked. My taste for
food came back SLOWLY around month 6 or 7, thank goodness. The only good
thing about it was that it helped me lose weight that much faster!
— Kim B.
November 25, 2002
I now can't even stand the smell of water!! I used to drink coffee b the
gallon, now just the smell of it makes me sick. Hopefully this will change
soon!
— Linda 1.
November 25, 2002
My guess is it will be that way for around 4 months-6 months. It was funny
as I love the smell of perking coffee... but I actually had to run away
from the smell of it. :) After about 6 months this problem of smells and
tastes making you sick will go away. "Enjoy it now". You'll lose
slower once things taste and smell better.
— Danmark
November 25, 2002
This has hung on for me (18 mos post) and actually become a little worse.
The other day I smelled an awful smell and discovered that it was PIZZA!
And I am a lot more sensitive to garlic tastes and smells. I used to love
garlicky food and now can only eat it with FRESH garlic, not powder or
precut. I also am very sensitive to the smell and taste of red bell pepper,
which--unfortunately--seems to be in every dad-blasted frozen dinner on the
market except the NightHawk brand. They are my new favorite.
— ctyst
November 25, 2002
YES!!!!!!!!!!! But it went away after the first couple of months.
— Linda A.
November 25, 2002
I didn't notice the smells, but NOTHING tasted right. I would think of what
to eat and the foods I used to enjoy (ex: tuna salad) didn't taste the same
or even good. Thank God (I guess lol) it did pass.
— Gail S.
November 25, 2002
YES! I have had the strong taste and smell issue too! I got it right
after the surgery and had it right up to last Wednesday when I had to be
scoped. Now, the taste has hung on, but the strong sense of smell has gone
away - - which I am very glad about! It was awful for so long! I am
almost 2 months post-op.
— cklaver
November 25, 2002
hi there :) yes,me too, i had the most horrid taste in my mouth after
surgery and that lasted for atleast 2 months. everything and everyone
reaked to me. it was bad, i wanted to gag. it will pass, hang in there! :)
— carrie M.
November 25, 2002
Yes! I had the exact same thing. Everything I smelled made me so sick. I
tried putting tissues in my nose to not smell anything but I could smell
the tissue and it made me sick!! Eating and drinking was horrible also. I'm
happy to say mine went away in my 3rd month. I hope yours does too! Good
Luck and God Bless! :)
— Diana L.
November 25, 2002
Does anyone know how I can get this problem back? :) I'm having a heck of
a time "trying" to reach goal. Oh for this wonderful problem to
strike me again... just to have foods smell and taste aweful. Santa... are
you listening. (This is what I want for Christmas). lol. Forgive me folks.
I'm not picking on anyone. It's just that this problem is so bad when it
hits us, the we complain (rightfully), and later wish to God we "still
had it" so we could lose more weight. Humans. We are NEVER satisfied.
;)
— Danmark
November 25, 2002
Last a couple of weeks for me - but never to the point of heaving. If it
is really bothering you, your doc can perscribe some anti-nausea pills so
that you can eat. Good luck (and tell hubby, you're not crazy lol)
— [Deactivated Member]
November 25, 2002
This was the first thing I noticed as soon as I got home from the hospital.
While it was (and is) not as severe it certainly is an oddity to me.
I've had to change to bottled water because my tap water suddenly tasted
like a swimming pool. I used to drink Crystal Lite tea by the gallon and
can no longer stand the taste of it. The same goes for the sugar free
KOolaid (it all tastes like Nyquil now!
I can't stand the taste of sugar free Whitmans sampler anymore, chicken
salad, pizza, french fries, chips........the list is endless. I defrosted
shrimp in my fridge weeks ago and it still smells "fishy" to me
even though no one else smells it.
What I'm interested in knowing is what the correlation is between the
surgery and taste/smell changes.
— Laurie C.
November 26, 2002
I've noticed on some days, my sense of smell is almost hypersensitive. The
slightest bad smell will give me the heaves. I've had terrible allergies
for years and since the surgery, my nose/head has been much clearer. My
husband thinks it's because my nose is clearer. On those days, I just
watch what I eat a little closer so I won't have problems. As far as my
sense of taste, I find myself moving toward strongly flavored items so that
I can get the taste. Things I used to love, like ham, I can't stand now.
I never could stand milk, but I used to love cheese and now cheese is
almost in the same category as milk with me. If I can get that intense
flavor at a meal, it seems to satisfy me.
— Cathy S.
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