I have heard that for many people their taste buds change after surgery, and food doesn't just taste the same. Have you found this to be true?

The change that I have personally noticed is I'm a bit sensitive to sweet things. Even the sugar-free popsicles are sweet to me. Grant it, I was never a sweet eater before surgery, but now some things are just too "sticky sweet" for me.

The best example I can give you is I loved the Special K Protein Water packets in the Lemon Iced Tea flavor before surgery and drank 4-5 16oz bottles per day. Now, post-op, I have to mix them in at least 20-24oz of water to dilute them a bit more.

I'm still on clears so I am not sure what will happen when I progress to full liquids/mushies.

I havent noticed any change at all yet, but it only been about 3 weeks

I have heard that for many people their taste buds change after surgery, and food doesn't just taste the same. Have you found this to be true?

I havent noticed any change at all yet, but it only been about 3 weeks

EVERYTHING seems to taste different to me. I can't stand the taste of my coffee anymore. If it's the least bit sweet to others, it's sickening sweet to me. SF pudding is almost too sweet. I can eat the Crystal Lite popsicles, the others are almost too sweet. I really liked Propel Strawberry-Kiwi in my Water and I tried it yesterday and it was too sweet too -- I'll have to try it again in more water.

I've noticed these changes since my surgery which was 6/12/09. I also seem to have super-sonic smelling - which I could live without.

Things taste VERY sweet to me. Even crystal lite which I've always loved before. Now I have to over dilute them. My premixed protein shakes are too sweet too. I'm adding strong black coffee to them to cut the sweetness. In the long run, this will not be a bad thing.

I wish this had happened to me. So far, everything tastes the same. I still love sweets. I am having my vit D levels tested because one of the symptoms is a craving for sweets.

I experienced taste changes but the worst was smell. I love coffee and the smell of it made me sick. Thankfully, this went back to normal but it lasted a little over 2 months.

I experienced taste changes but the worst was smell. I love coffee and the smell of it made me sick. Thankfully, this went back to normal but it lasted a little over 2 months.

OH so there is hope for me that this super-sonic smelling won't last? Thank GOD!

YES!:tongue_smilie:

And smell.

It is almost like being pregnant in terms of smell.

I had surgery this past Sunday, so this is day 4.

I went home on the plane yesterday and in the airport I could smell all of the food (no interest though).

I am having trouble my first day home finding anything palatable to eat.

I had organic low sodium chicken broth and it tastes like dish water.

I had ordered the isopure blue rasberry drink and it tastes to me like somewhat dumped some dishwashing liquid in it.

I love the chicken broth at the hospital, but it was real food not canned --you could just tell.

I am trying to drink water with a propel mix in it now and am finding it gross.

It's actually kind of posing a problem.

I'm reading all these "issues" after the sleeve procedure, and now getting rather concerned. I was living in la-la-land in my head thinking that nobody had complications (already read that thread) or issues with the VSG procedure as opposed to the band which has lots of complications. However, I read about the heartburn (I've never HAD HEARTBURN or acid reflux and I don't want any) and weird tastes/smells, and now I'm getting nervous about doing any WLS. I'm just spook'n at the gate so to speak. I don't want problems I don't have now after WLS. I have noticed that since I've been fatter my sense of smell has lessened. I even went to an ENT about this but they couldn't find anything wrong after scoping my nasal cavity. The next step was MRI, but I just knew there as nothing really wrong and concluded my head must be too fat (OK, everybody laugh here:001_tt2:) and something is pinching on the smell nerves. How's that for a diagnosis?:tongue_smilie: Anyway, I'm digressing. I just don't want to have to live on antacids after surgery and I don't want any stuck problems, etc., etc., that's why I'm opting for the sleeve and not the band where I originally was starting to go with my research. I need someone to tell me it'll be OK, you won't have these issues, kwim?:huh0:

Edited July 2, 200917 yr by AJW

It's been true for me. I am more sensitive to "artificial" flavors in things and I find a lot of stuff I used to like is now too sweet for me.

I don't find being turned off by sweet things to be a BAD thing.

I didnt mean to scare you!

After all, it's just four days out and most likely this will pass.

I think perhaps it is going to be an improvement. I am noticing artificial food, as MacMadame says. I am really noticing smells and tastes and not interested in eating things that taste bad. I think, before surgery, my palate was perhaps too non-discriminating. Now I am noticing spices and subtle flavors. Perhaps this operation turns you into a real foodie-- appreciating subtle and complex flavoring and noticing when things taste badly. That's not such a bad thing really.

And, my experience only of course, I am not feeling the need for antacids or anything and I did before the sleeve.

But, it is good to be realistic. There will be changes and challenges. Best to know what they are and be prepared.

You didn't scare me, I know it'll be a big change. I've been on Medifast for the last 5 weeks and that's a big change too. Am trying to be realistic, but nobody knows how it'll affect them until they're there, so am hoping for the best.:tongue_smilie:

I have heard that for many people their taste buds change after surgery, and food doesn't just taste the same. Have you found this to be true?

For me it is not a matter of food tasting different, my tastes have changed. Things I didn't like before I like today and vice versa.

I am two months out and I never have heartburn. I have a really hard time remembering to take my medicine that you're supposed to take for it, (for a few short months) until your stomach realizes it doesn't need to make acid because most of it is gone.

None of my tastes have changed. The only difference I notice since I've had this surgery is that I get really full really fast!

Edited July 3, 200917 yr by Oregondaisy