TASTE CHANGES
About 20%
of terminally ill patients complain of taste changes. Commonly
there is an aversion to meat (which tends to taste metallic),
or sweet food becomes more difficult to taste. Zinc deficiency
has been implicated as a cause. Cytotoxic drugs (especially
cytarabine) can affect taste. Aberrations in taste are not
necessarily permanent and even after many weeks taste can
return to normal.
Management options:
A bad taste
in the mouth may be due to gingivitis and slight bleeding.
Examine for thrush.
(see Candidiasis,
Mouth Care)
Extra
seasoning (herbs and spices) can help. Try adding salt if food
is too sweet, or sugar if too bitter. It can help to change
the temperature at which food is normally eaten.
Learned
aversion may occur to food eaten around the time of
chemotherapy. Avoid favorite foods at treatment times.
The author and publisher have taken
precautions to ensure that the information in this book is
error-free. However, readers must be guided by their own
personal and professional standards of good practice in
evaluating and applying recommendations made herein. The
contents of this book represent the views and experience of
the author, and not necessarily those of the publisher.
