My sister has Lung Cancer she is having trouble with a metallic taste does anyone know how to handle this?

Hi,

I am very sorry for your sister.

I read that fruit can help, particularly pineapple, as it is so sweet.

Here are the words about that taste by a cancer patient, Matt J Embleton.

"I talked to people including the Radiologists, who seemed quite surprised that when they said "how are you today" my reply was OK but I just wish everything I try to eat didn't taste so utterly ghastly. Further discussion and I was asked what do use to eat with? well a knife and fork I replied, Metal? Yes....ah there's your problem go and buy a set of plastic cutlery and also don't eat or dink anything from stoneware crockery.

Within a couple of days I was able to eat a very small amount of "food" and in doing so maintained the ability to swallow.

It seems that the residue of Chemo and or Radiotherapy remains within the mouth and reacts with principally metal cutlery and to a much lesser degree stoneware crockery now in the words of Michael Cain "Not many people know that"."

This happens many times from the type of chemo. Here are some tips and I have included the link where you can read more about it.

Things you can do to manage taste changes:

Maintain good oral hygiene - brush your teeth before and after each meal.

Choose and prepare foods that look and smell good to you.

Eat small, frequent meals.

Do not eat 1-2 hours before chemotherapy and up to 3 hours after therapy.

Use plastic utensils if food tastes like metal.

Eat mints (or sugar-free mints), chew gum (or sugar-free gum) or chew ice to mask the bitter or metallic taste.

Substitute poultry, eggs, fish, peanut butter, beans and dairy products for red meats.

Marinate meats in sweet fruit juices, wines, salad dressing, barbeque sauce, or sweet and sour sauces.

Flavor foods with herbs, spices, sugar, lemon, and tasty sauces.

Chilled or frozen food may be more acceptable than warm or hot food.

Try tart foods such as oranges or lemonade (this may be painful if mouth sores are present).

Avoid cigarette smoking.

Eliminate bad odors.

Eat in pleasant surroundings to better manage taste changes.

Increase your fluid intake.

It is probably her medication, that can be a side effect, maybe they could let her suck on some candy or a lozenge. I am so very sorry to hear, we have been question and answering for a couple years now, oh, could also be radiation or chemo with the taste, I will remember her in my prayers-god bless

It could be medication she's taking. My mom too had lung cancer and I don't remember what kind of medication she was on at the time but she constantly had a metallic metal taste in her mouth and it was actually listed a side effect in the brochure about the meds.

While on chemo I found the only thing that helped with the metallic taste was sucking pieces of pineapple; it was more effective if they were frozen.

It's from "her condition"? WTF?! Some doctors are such morons. It's from the chemo! It gives you a horrible metallic taste in your mouth. I think the only thing she can do is just eat foods with stronger flavors to try to overpower it. Chew really strong flavored gum or something.

Try lemon drops.

I know it sounds crazy, but they really helped my Dad with the metallic taste in his mouth.

Taste Changes

There are 4 main types of taste: Sweet, sour, bitter, and salt. Sense of taste is primarily located on the tongue. Each type of taste is located within taste buds on different sections of the tongue. As you chew your food, it mixes with saliva and as it comes in contact with the taste buds, messages are sent to the brain regarding your sense of taste. The brain processes the messages and helps you identify different tastes.

What are taste changes?

Taste changes are common during chemotherapy. The exact reason for taste changes is not clear, although it is thought that it is a result of the damage to the cells in the oral cavity, which are especially sensitive to chemotherapy.

About 50% of patients getting chemotherapy experience taste changes.

Drugs most commonly associated with taste changes include carboplatin, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, dacarbazine, dactinomycin, doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, levamisole, mechlorethamine, methotrexate, paclitaxel, and vincristine.

Most people report taste changes involving a lower threshold for bitter tastes and a higher threshold for sweet tastes.

Some drugs also produce a metal taste during the actual intravenous infusion. These include nitrogen mustard, vincristine, cisplatin, and cyclophosphamide.

In addition, the association between taste of food and chemotheraphy may lead to taste changes. Chemotherapy loss of sense of taste can occur purely from the association of an experience of nausea and vomiting with chemotherapy.

Taste changes may occur during therapy and last for hours, days, weeks, or even months after chemotherapy.

Taste changes are also common in people taking biologic therapies such as interleukin-2, and interferons. Most people report taste changes involving a decreased threshold for spicy foods, describing most food as bland, bitter, like chemicals or medicine. Both the cause and duration of taste changes associated with biologic therapy is unclear.

Things you can do to manage taste changes:

Maintain good oral hygiene - brush your teeth before and after each meal.

Choose and prepare foods that look and smell good to you.

Eat small, frequent meals.

Do not eat 1-2 hours before chemotherapy and up to 3 hours after therapy.

Use plastic utensils if food tastes like metal.

Eat mints (or sugar-free mints), chew gum (or sugar-free gum) or chew ice to mask the bitter or metallic taste.

Substitute poultry, eggs, fish, peanut butter, beans and dairy products for red meats.

Marinate meats in sweet fruit juices, wines, salad dressing, barbeque sauce, or sweet and sour sauces.

Flavor foods with herbs, spices, sugar, lemon, and tasty sauces.

Chilled or frozen food may be more acceptable than warm or hot food.

Try tart foods such as oranges or lemonade (this may be painful if mouth sores are present).

Avoid cigarette smoking.

Eliminate bad odors.

Eat in pleasant surroundings to better manage taste changes.

Increase your fluid intake.

There is no one magic solution for taste changes that suits everyone. Finding foods that taste appealing may be a process of trial and error. Some people who experience taste changes avoid their favorite foods to prevent the possibility of spoiling them for the future.

There are no medications that address taste changes. However, some studies have suggested that deficiencies in zinc, copper, nickel, niacin and vitamin A may contribute to taste changes. Do not take more than 100% of the recommended daily allowance. Remember, you should discuss taking vitamins or any other "remedies" with your doctor before you begin.

When to call your health care provider about taste changes:

If your taste changes have caused you to stop eating and you have lost 5 or more pounds, you should inform your health care provider.

she might have a spinal fluid leak if she has reealy bad headaches consult a doctor emeadently