CancerCompass message board discussion started by brennie on 6/15/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25057,0.htm Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ I a beginning my 5th week of radiation for oral cancer. Has anyone had ink excessive salt taste in your mouth from the treatment?  Does anybody have any solutions for this? I have a feeding tube and have been using it for 3 weeks now due to the excessive salt taste in my mouth.  I am now unable to drink because of the severe salt taste.  Can anyone help?  If you had this side effect did it go away after your treatments?  We think because I quite sweating approximately 20 years ago that the radiation is activitating a gland causing this terrible side effect. I have 3 more weeks of radiation to go. I am 50 years old and just want some advise,.Thanks brennie Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi Brennie,         I don't remember having a salty taste other than when I would rinse and gargle with the baking soda and salt solution that I used during and after Radiation treatments. The solution that I used was 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of salt in 1 quart of room temp water. It would numb my mouth and helped heal the sores in there. I could drink water after gargling and some soft foods ( yogurt,etc )        Although I tried to eat, I used the PEG tube allot in the weeks you are at now. When I was able to eat, everything tasted either like cardboard or aluminum/ metal taste.         This taste lasted until about a month after Radiation for me, but I have heard others on this board state that they got their taste back quicker. As mentioned many times here, each person is different, so you have an estimate to go by.         My Best to everyone here Pop-Pop Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi I am 7 months post radiation and chemo for cancer in my left tonsil.  I used a PEG tube from my second week into treatment and only became able to eat a couple of months ago.  I also used salt and baking soda rinses during treatment for mouth sores; however, anything I eat now that is salted taste almost gritty w/ salt.  I use very little salt now - of course, other food items taste extra spicy also (I used to love hot and spicy) even ketchup almost burns my tongue.  I have finally come to the conclusion that my eating will never be quite the same post radiation.  Dlynn1210 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT I had a horrible 'burnt salt' taste from weeks 3-7 of radiation. Nothing helped, just plodded through it.My 'normal' taste bagan to return 2 weeks post-TX, and increased thereafter at two week intervals. I am now 14 months post-TX and everything tastes fine. Girlcat36 Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thank you for your response.  I am four weeks out and still am having the salt taste.  But a new taste began two weeks ago like a sour spoiled taste.  I guess this will get better in time.Again thanks   brennie Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT