Lost sense of taste after surgery

[AnnTH]

I really don't know which subject to put this under, but "Body and Mind" seems somewhat appropriate.

So here's the thing: I have lost all sense of taste since undergoing general anesthesia for laparoscopy  surgery.  Or rather, everything tastes about the same...bitter. And yukky.
(And while lack of taste is a symptom of having Covid, I assure you I do not!)

I thought this lack of taste was weird, since there was nothing in the patient warning information that indicated this could happen. And most doctors apparently aren't aware this happens.

So I did some research...and found scientific papers that revealed about 2% of the population will have this reaction to the use of Propofol-based general anesthesia. 

Lucky me...

I am in the 2nd week of recovery from surgery and hope at some point this strange effect will wear off so I can enjoy a cup of coffee again! So if anyone has had this happen, please let me know how long I will have to wait to get back to normal taste again! 

[bflbarb]

I had surgery 3 weeks ago and lost my taste. This was my 20th surgery and it was the first time it ever happened. While I miss it, I've lost seven pounds so that's the one good thing about it. Good luck.

[Richben132]

Hello @AnnTH  are you still here

my name is Richard Bennett my username is richbenn am an orthopedic surgeon add me by username on the app 

[taj1955]

Hello

I had cochlear implant surgery on 9/2023.  I was under a general anesthetic for the surgery.  My sense of taste has not returned. Water doesn't even taste good,  Nothing tastes as it should.  I have had no luck with the surgeon.  Currently I'm trying acupuncture to stimulate the nerves.  There has been minimal changes to my sense of taste.  

Any suggestions would be helpful!

[AnnTH]

Hi taj1955, 

The surgery I had was for prolapse, so far away from the mouth. It did require a general anesthetic which I think was the culprit in the lose of taste. However, that sense came fully back (very gradually) over a period of several weeks...without any intervention on my part.

I'm certainly no physician, but from what I researched, in your case it's probably not the anesthetic that caused the lost of taste. Check out this info: https://academic.oup.com/chemse/article/30/suppl_1/i220/270327

[taj1955]

Thanks for the link but from my little knowledge and what I could understand from the link middle ear surgery and cochlear implant surgery are different. I know that my "loss of taste" is due to the surgery....I was just hoping to pick up some ideas on what others have done to stimulate the nerves to regain their sense of taste. Currently I am taking herbal supplements and acupuncture. Am glad to know you are able to "taste" again!

[Hawaaaa]

Hello Ann,

I'm back, and just wanted to give an update. Although I thought my taste was improving, it wasn't. I can taste strong flavors like coffee or citrus, but I am barely able to taste mild flavors like bread or chicken. So after 6 months post-op, my neurosurgeon did an MRI, see if there is any brain changes. They found nothing, and told me everything looks fine. They kind of brushed it under the carpet telling me it was probably covid. However, I did 2 covid tests at the hospital which both came back negative. No symptoms of any sort. I went to see my neurologist for a follow up last week, and told her about this. So she referred me to another specialist. But on a positive note, I've been seizure free 2 years!

[AnnTH]

Are you using a mouthwash on a regular basis? If so, it might help to stop for a while.

I lost the sense of taste twice in my life, the first time the result of a much-too-strong mouth wash.  I had been using one regularly and changed to a stronger version with the idea that if a particular strength did some good...then a stronger strength would do even better! Boy, was that the wrong choice! Apparently something in that "stronger" mouth wash must have burned most my taste buds, because for weeks everything tasted salty...and salty coffee is really yucky! I stopped using that brand and taste came back gradually over a  few weeks.

This was some years ago, and I don't remember the name of the mouthwash but it was likely one of the Crest products. Reading up on it, some people are very sensitive to chemicals used. IE, Crest Pro-Health Rinse apparently contains something called CPC, to which some people will react with a change in taste...

 

[Hawaaaa]

Hello Ann,

No I don't use mouthwash. I only brush and floss. The thing is right after surgery, when I woke up and had a my first meal try, I said I couldn't not taste. The losss of taste didn't occur before or several days after my surgery, it was right away. I'm just going to learn to live with it.