When does/did your sense of taste come back?

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kimpossible

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post-CI surgery, about how long did it take for your taste to come back completely? I'm just slightly annoyed because, although the half of my tongue definitely isn't as "numb" or taste-less as it was for the first week after the operation, a lot of foods taste significantly less strong than before. In particular, my favourite foods, ie. most desserts, chocolate, cookie dough!!, as well as yogurt, some fruits, and my absolute favourite drink coca-cola (and I would notice if coke started to taste different, and it does) taste kind of mild. So do some alcoholic drinks. It's been almost four weeks, is that normal? I hope I'm not being paranoid =) or should I expect coke to never taste the same again? IMO being able to hear is NOT worth being unable to taste coke properly!!!

(on second thought I just randomly stuck a paper clip to the side of my head and I'm starting to think that just having a magnet makes it worthwhile?)
 
kimpossible said:
post-CI surgery, about how long did it take for your taste to come back completely? I'm just slightly annoyed because, although the half of my tongue definitely isn't as "numb" or taste-less as it was for the first week after the operation, a lot of foods taste significantly less strong than before. In particular, my favourite foods, ie. most desserts, chocolate, cookie dough!!, as well as yogurt, some fruits, and my absolute favourite drink coca-cola (and I would notice if coke started to taste different, and it does) taste kind of mild. So do some alcoholic drinks. It's been almost four weeks, is that normal? I hope I'm not being paranoid =) or should I expect coke to never taste the same again? IMO being able to hear is NOT worth being unable to taste coke properly!!!

(on second thought I just randomly stuck a paper clip to the side of my head and I'm starting to think that just having a magnet makes it worthwhile?)
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It's hard to say, really. Not to scare you or anything, it could take a while, or it could change soon. You might just simply get used to it and not notice it anymore. It all depends on what exactly happened with those nerves, and to what extent.

Just like I had a lower wisdom tooth extracted a few weeks ago, and was advised that the nerve in my jaw was very close to the root, and that there was a risk that pulling the tooth could bruise that nerve, causing that side of my jaw to have paralysis. I had to sign a release stating that I acknowledged the risk. Luckily that did not happen, though I still have a feeling of just 'odd' on that side. Not quite numb, but different somehow.

And I had to laugh at the magnet comment. Hehe.
 
It took a few weeks for taste to come back. I was told to drink grape juice to help speed it along. I found even almost a year later, my taste in food has changed some. I enjoy more spicy food then I use too. I also don't enjoy chocolate like I use too.

How else are you feeling?
 
Most sense of taste came after 4-5 days , but there is still a distinct difference in taste..I want my meals reinforced with more salt , pepper etc..

As for coke or other caffeinated drinks , I don't drink these , so I don't know!!

Chocolate feels a bit..subsidizing for sure..I've noticed that I need more amount of it to be satisfied.

And I've cut down on some things that I think now tasteless!
 
It took me a while..I was just recovering from bad taste in my mouth for a week or two, then I got implanted again. LOL!

So yeah, it varies from person to person. I had dry mouth for a couple week. I still have a slight dry mouth, but not too bad. Taste is coming back...

My doctor did suggest that I take B vitamins because that will help speed up the bad taste and nerves healing on the side...

So..yeah. :)
 
whoa.... i did not realize at all that you could temporarily lose your sense of taste from CI surgery :-o
 
I must be one of the lucky ones, no loss of taste and the only numbness was tip of ear, which I still have to feel for to put CI on.

However my sister still hasnt got her taste back after 2 years, still complains about half her tongue being numb, tho thats probably an extreme case.

She had a different surgeon to me and I did wonder if that made any difference.
 
After my surgery, I lost sense of taste in my right half of the tongue for about 3 months until it started to come back, slowly. After almost 6 months, I got it mostly back however in the very rear back of my tongue, still no taste. There are a few specific food that has changed in the taste and texture that sometimes bothers me. I'm used to it now.
 
Was the procedure done carefully? I never experienced a loss of taste sense. I do know that when nerves are directly dealt with, changes occur.
 
vallee said:
I found even almost a year later, my taste in food has changed some. I enjoy more spicy food then I use too. I also don't enjoy chocolate like I use too.
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That's what happened to me too. I seem to stand sugar very much now. It's been good though, I've lost a lot of weight once I cut a vast amount of sugar out of my diet.
 
I only lost the sense of taste in my left side of my tongue and it came back about two months later. It wasn't really a big deal.
 
I will always eat dark choc.. even if my tongue is numb lol.. Two months post op as of today and I only had a very slight lost of taste today to sharp foods. I am GLAD I don't have facial paralysis though . WHEW.. Everything healed well and very little dizzy spells nowdays..
 
For me it was a partial lost as things tended to taste metallic more or less. Took several months for it to come all the way back. Wasn't a big deal.
 
SCBassist said:
Was the procedure done carefully? I never experienced a loss of taste sense. I do know that when nerves are directly dealt with, changes occur.
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Yes. When surgeries are performed, the surgeons want to avoid the facial nerves at ALL costs. However, to go to the area where to avoid the facial nerves, are where the tongue nerves and taste buds. It's easier to "touch" those instead, as they will be temporary issues.

It does vary from person to person. Some surgeons are very very careful, so the patients don't have any issues. Most do.

I did have metallic taste from my first one for a week, but then it went away. Same with the numbness. For the second one, I had the bad taste (not metallic though), and dry mouth for a couple weeks. It's going away now.

It's just something that CI'ers know and just put up with it.
 
My surgeon explained the exact same thing, especially during the time prior to the surgery with explanation of all the possible risks that may come as a result of the surgery. Lost of taste buds was one of them. I have been implanted with Nucleus Freedom as of recent January, three days after New Year's Eve. For a week or so, everything I have tasted, it come off as metallic like others have experienced. I hated it so much, that I didn't eat anything much for days. THen it went away, and half of my tongue, couldn't taste anything. After 5 months, most of my taste came back.
 
when I had my CI done in my left ear, my sense of taste came back in like a month. In my right ear it came back in a week. Everything I ate tasted like I'm licking the bottom of my change purse.
 
Hey there. My surgery was 5/8 and I'm still experiencing the tasteless crap. I'm very annoyed. Certain foods like p'zones [from Pizza Hut, which I love, but can't taste very well, and it leaves a strange feeling in my mouth for awhile. . . kinda like when I eat something spicy. That's how it is when I eat just about everything and I don't even eat spicy food as I don't like them so yeah I'm highly annoyed and want my taste to come back, now!!! heh. I don't remember it taking this long with my 1st CI but then only half of my tounge was like numb while the other half wasn't. This time, however, both sides weren't numb at all, just tasteless, so it may be different. I don't know.
 
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