Thursday, May 17, 2007

My Famous Taste Buds

Ever since I started going to doctors over a year and a half ago (how long ago was Katrina?), my taste buds have been abnormal. At first, I was fairly unaware of them and just didn't feel compelled to eat. After I was going to doctors and taking lots of pills, I became aware that nothing tasted normal and almost nothing tasted good. I had lost a tremendous amount of weight and was down to 145, approximately. I've gone along at least a year like that, until just lately. A month or two ago, some things have begun to taste good again, though I'd still argue that nothing has begun to taste Normal. I'll settle for what I can get, of course. Suddenly (to me) some things taste good enough that I start to want more or even get hungry for extra snacks. While my taste buds were ill, I didn't do that much. My weight is about where it should be (though still way down from the good ole fat-man days. I need the weight to stay nearer to the 160 lbs. than to rise again to the 200's and more. But it is interesting to think how obviously better or normal my taste buds were back when I was 200 to 245 lbs. When food tasted "normal", it was so good that I guess I couldn't stop eating. Though it is now starting to taste so good that I am beginning to have various snack yearnings, I am yet able to think how fucked up it would be to lose track or lose control. I don't wanna be a fat man again.

There may be metabolic things at work on us other than taste which increase our appetite, I'm no expert, not even a doctor. I find I can still watch other people eat and not get hungry, and that's good. But I do have an appetite of my own again, even though I'm mostly following the clock-schedule that I set up. I'm used to eating at noon, for instance, so that's when I eat. Some foods had gotten to where they were almost repellent, but that has changed, partly. Last year I couldn't stand one of my old favorites, Picante Sauce, but this past month I've relished it again! From having none in the house, I've moved to buying the half-gallon size. I don't eat it on everything, but I love it on Chee-toes! That's something else I had ceased to eat until lately. Hamburger meat became repellent for a long time, but less so now, and I'm willing to cook that or even buy a hamburger. That's a big step. I'd gotten to where I'd only eat chicken, and sometimes I'd be sick of chicken and only eat salads.

Things have changed. I still can't eat all the crap that's made with sugar or with too much salt, but I'm hopeful the Bad Old Days are over. I'm still sick, but maybe that mysterious metabolic change my body subjected me to isn't necessary any more and will eventually pass. If it does pass, I'll have to worry about gaining weight like anybody else. That'll be new. I didn't worry about it most of my life; that's the advantage of being fat, you don't have to be a worrier. For the first time since I was a teenager, I'm not really fat; if my taste buds get normal, I'll be fighting the same devil as everyone else, I guess. For now, I'm in a safe zone, I guess. I wonder how long it'll last?


8 comments:

  1. Just go with it...a little more weight should bring your strength back, just don't let it get out of hand.

    Recently, in a vets office, I overheard a conversation about a "tape worm" and I almost asked if I could have it! However, I've decided that life is too short to always worry about my weight.

    I've been lucky to remain fairly flexible and able to walk considerable distances while being 20 to 30 pounds over weight. It can't be good for my knees, but I'll worry about that tomorrow!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Maybe ya have a zinc deficency? I've read that can affect your taste buds.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The nephrologist said the other day that I was about at a perfect weight, all things considered. That agrees with what I had already concluded. So, I'll be avoiding 170 like the plague and try to hold it at 160. It's not that I look very slim, because there's so much loose skin. That won't go away on its own, and I doubt that I'll ever be both vain enough and rich enough to have cosmetic surgery. With so much extra skin, I still look a little pudgy. Isn't this fascinating?

    Zinc? Yeah, and maybe I have a Think deficiency, too!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Ron, thanks for the comment on my last post. I just wrote another one about J. Falwell that you might want to check out. Anyway - about your appetite problem...there could be many reasons for this. I thought you might like reading about Gourmand Syndrome - kind of the opposite end of the spectrum - http://www.sciencenews.org/pages/sn_arc97/6_7_97/food.htm

    Usually when brain damage causes a behavior, the damage was to an inhibitory system. For another example, sometimes people who sustain head injury can suddenly have a near perfect memory. It doesn't make them happier - in fact depression often follows.

    Anyway, good luck.

    http://old-things.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm glad to hear that you're getting some of your tastebuds back. :)

    Like Mushy said, some more weight will bring some of your strength back and eating again will help with that.

    ReplyDelete
  6. When I was in hospital in March this year I was craving coffee, but when I finally got a cup it tasted vile. I still crave it, but the smell just is "off". I still can't drink it. :P

    My mom keeps losing her sense of taste. It comes and goes by the day.. or hour! The drs don't seem to have a clue why, but somone did suggest zinc as well

    Everything AND the kitchen zinc?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nothing wrong with pudgy, my friend! I sympathise on the elephant skin front. I'm four stones lighter than I used to be, and suddenly my skin doesn't fit.. ah well.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi, Ron. Thanks for your comment on my blog.

    When I was taking psych meds a few years back, everything tasted very bitter to me. The sweeter something was in actuality, the more bitter the taste. Once I got off the meds, my taste buds returned to normal.

    I've been fat my whole life. I would give anything to be back at the weight I was when I was in college and thought I was humongous.

    ReplyDelete

Abandon hope, all ye who enter here! (At least put on your socks and pants.)