Changing tastes? - ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum

teresagogo · 08-12-2008, 10:29 PM

I was told before surgery that my tastes would change after surgery. I'm 4 weeks out. I'm wondering if that is now happening. I have always loved meat. But now all meat tastes the same. Salmon, tuna, pork, turkey all the same no matter if it's canned, baked or grilled. And actually I get a little nauseous when I first start to eat it. I'm afraid I will come to dislike meat and I really don't need that happening right now.

~Lo~ · 08-12-2008, 10:33 PM

For me everything taste so different now, things I hated before surgery I love now and things I loved I cannot stand the taste of now. I think it is pretty normal to have things tasting differently.

mistymee · 08-13-2008, 04:22 AM

I haven't found a single thing that tastes different to me.. only change I have noticed in that regard is that I crave tomatoes where in the past I never liked them.. but I eat bites and pieces of them and still don't really like them.

OsoDelDesierto · 08-13-2008, 03:49 PM

I definitely experienced taste changes post-op - I didn't really believe it when I kept hearing about it pre-op, but it was something I learned first-hand very quickly after surgery! There is absolutely no rhyme or reason to these taste changes - some people, like Kel, don't really experience them. Others experience LOTS of them. Different tastes change for different people (lots of us seem to lose our taste for sweet things) and they can change back and forth over time. It's crazy...

What changed for me? Let's see...

I actually liked Sugar Free Jell-O pre-op (the fruit flavors kept me from going insane during many stints of eating meat, meat, and more meat on the Atkins Diet

) but post-op, I despised it. Horrible chemical flavors. Now I won't touch it again to see if my tastes have changed back.

Broth? Smelled and tasted like wet dog after surgery (all right, so I haven't actually tasted a wet dog, but I've smelled one, and the broth tasted the same as it smelled, that's all I can say

) so I have never tried it after my first week out. Just typing the word makes me shiver.

Eggs? Hated 'em pre-WLS unless mixed heavily with meat, cheese, and veggies in a quiche. Now, they're okay. Not great, but I don't loathe them the way I did pre-op.

Seafood and fish? Still hate them, in fact, they taste even worse to me now. Horrendous.

Beef? I was a total beef whore before surgery. Now, I don't like it (even ground beef) and avoid it as much as possible. Nasty.

Pork products? Was never a huge pork fan, but liked ham well enough, loved bacon and sausage, and would eat a nicely cooked pork chop once in a while before WLS. Now, all pork, including my beloved bacon, tastes skanky. Bleccch!

Poultry? Still fine, thank heavens.

Peanuts? Used to love them, now I hate them.

Blueberries? Used to hate them, now I love them.

Swiss cheese? Hate it now, although other cheeses are still fine.

Pei Wei's Mandarin Kung Pao chicken? I could have eaten it three meals a day pre-WLS and never have gotten tired of it. Now, I don't care for it. Don't hate it, but have tried it several times (no rice - just a little steamed chicken in the spicy soy chile sauce, with veggies) and have yet to enjoy it again. Conversely, the Pei Wei Spicy Korean chicken, which I used to dislike pre-op, is absolutely succulent - I could drink the sauce from a glass now!

pummychal · 08-14-2008, 01:29 PM

Definately have changed my tastes. Not only that but just the feeling meat gives me, makes me not want it. But I do it because I need my protein. I would be happy with beans and cheese, but that doesn't give me enough protein. I even think I would be happy with just veggies and fruit. I know it's best to get the protein from the food instead of protein drinks if you can but it's so difficult. How do those of you who don't eat any meat do? Do you do ok getting your protein in the shakes? Is it as good?

leighan · 08-30-2008, 11:13 AM

I am three months post-op. I have found my taste buds changed considerably. I bought reg. pudding instead of sugarfree last week. I ate it, not realizing. It was sooo sweet! I threw it away. I couldnt stand it! I still cant eat eggs, but that is a pouch situation. One day, I can eat a certain item, but the next day...no way! I have been making whole wheat muffins for my family. I tried one and it honestly had no flavor! BUt, my family eats them up like crazy, so I know they're good. So, yes, my taste buds have changed. I am also finding that I just dont like eating anymore! I am honestly finding myself eating to fuel myself. I never thought that would be the case.

Pinque · 08-31-2008, 04:27 PM

My taste buds have been completely blown apart. Not only do I hate the taste of sugar in my coffee, and loathe heinz spaghetti bolognese, which has been a 'recovery food' for me all my life, I threw away trifle, and find anything else that makes eating uncomfortable repellent, furthermore. My tastes are naturally changing themselves in line with what my body wants. It is amazing, really.

Like leighan, I am not really enjoying eating either. It is just a necessary thing, and no great pleasure for me anymore. Gotta say though, ice lollies and soup can rock!

Marella · 08-31-2008, 11:25 PM

I didn't know my taste buds would change at all, let alone this dramatically. I'm exactly 4-months post op. I had that metallic taste start several weeks ago. From different sources I was told it was either ketosis or side-effects from iron. My doc said it's transitional and will eventually go away but he didn't give my an reasons for it, just that it usually occurs.

When I first started on full solids, I could only stomach meatloaf and mashed potatoes with occasional cooked carrots. Now I can't stand the three separately or together. I ate crab cakes post-op, now they make me nauseous.

Actually the though of hot-food sometimes makes me gag and yet, the few times when I have it, I do gag.

I can eat canned tuna and canned chicken with mayo and that's my protein - plus occasional munster cheese and cashews treats me OK.

In the beginning post-op I craved yogurt and cottage cheese, now I loathe it because it tastes so metallic.

My choices of food that won't make me want to vomit are limited right now so I'm having a hard time of cooking for my family and that's what is getting tough. I can't do any taste testing and I have to rely on experience and measuring that I've added the right amount of spices, etc.

I know I'm supposed to be getting most of my protein from food and I'm lucky to do half from food. Anything that contains any kind of fat I just can't eat.

It's BBQ time tomorrow and I don't know if I'll be able to stand it!

teresagogo · 09-01-2008, 12:16 PM

Since my original post I've had another change in my tastes. Things started to taste like "dog"! Or shall we say essence of dog

. It started with my iced tea. So I cleaned my tea maker real good. That didn't help. So much for the only thing I was enjoying drinking. But then everything started tasting like that. Right now that has somewhat let up. But most everything I eat doesn't taste right. I thought for sure I'de beat it. I have always loved chicken chow mein. I had that one night, and couldn't eat more than 3 bites. I think it has something to do with all the extra chewing. My son loved it. All night long kept telling me how good the chow mein was. He didn't know how I felt about it. I'm going back to beans today. Getting ready to cook up a pot of great northerns with ham. And actually, I'm not hungry, I just know I need to eat something.
The one thing that bothers me...when eating I can't tell when I'm full. I don't get that full feeling. Now I do with water. It's immediate. I try to eat slow as I have always been a slow eater, but with 3-4 oz food it's hard.

And I feel at this point I need to mention the gas......OMG THE GAS!!!!
I've already had quite an embarassing moment at the office. That goodness I had warned everybody that it's going to happen....just a matter of time. I can't help it. And sure enough it did. Of course I laughed which caused 2 more outbursts and they ran me out of the office

Gas-X strips don't seem to help. Actually the first day I used them I was hauled by ambulance to the hospital for a major gas attack. So I haven't used them since. I'm thinking bean-o might work as you take that before you eat.
So now I'm cooking beans....Lord help me!!!!

teresagogo · 09-05-2008, 09:40 PM

I give up. Tonight I went grocery shopping. Decided to buy some red grapes. I sampled one to make sure they weren't too sour, etc.
It had the taste of fish! I'm sure it was me not the grape.
That was just crazy!

By the way...I'de had spaghetti for supper....so no fishy aftertaste there.