Are You a Picky Eater?

[Seeking_Nirvana]

I am having a horrible time finding food that I like these days. It seems that everything tastes bad.

I have never been able to cook a meal and really enjoy it because I can't cook. Also, I can't eat anything without dumping a ton of salt on it.

I don't know why or what is causing me to have such difficulties finding something I like, and it's getting very irritating.

I thought it may be a medication or maybe just a phase? I have Acid Reflux and thought that could be a possibility, but it doesn't state that as a side effect.

When I was younger I was extremely skinny to the point one could see my bones. I refused to eat anything that didn't taste good. It was so bad that we didn't have any food for two days due to being poor and when I was finally offered some oatmeal without sugar I wouldn't eat it. I was having severe hunger pains too.

Could this be some psychological problem or do I have messed up taste buds? Any thoughts or shared experiences here?

Tammy

[linasmom]

Tammy, quick question -

Do you like your food extremely hot? I have this "thing" about hot food - if it's not right-out-of-the-oven-hot, I won't eat it. In doing this, I know I've damaged some of my taste buds - my great Aunt did the same thing to her tongue, she would only eat her food extremely hot, and after years and years of literally "burning" her tongue, she lost close to all of her sensation in her taste buds and couldn't taste food anymore.

[2quilt]

When I am having medication problems, all food tastes like it has a metallic taste. I also have reflux and take Prilosec.
I won't eat okra because it's slimey. I am alergic to tomatoes. I won't eat lima beans or sauerkraut. I don't like the taste of jello or marshmellow.
Every year people ask me what I am giving up for lent, and I say turnips. I hate turnips.

[Seeking_Nirvana]

Hi Rachel,
No the food doesn't have to be hot. But sharing this theory brings up a situation that may have ruined my taste buds.

I had thresh mouth when I was about 4 years old and had to go to the emergency room. I had tons of canker sores in my mouth. Now I still get severe cases of canker sores and I bet they have destroyed my taste buds over the years. I get these canker sores in every possible place you could imagine. I've had them on my tonsils, in the back of my throat, in the back of my tongue on my taste buds, on my gums. I have had 18 canker sores in my mouth at one time. It's horrible pain. I bet they leave scares in my mouth, which would numb that place they were at. Hmmm!

Thanks for sharing Rachel and 2quilt, because I bet the canker sores is what the problem is along with my medications.

Tammy

[Lucky Laser]

I like a huge variety of food. There are times when nothing sounds good (during stress or when depression hits) but usually I'm up for almost anything, and I love trying new foods.

[2quilt]

Tomatoes and bubblegum give me canker sores all over my mouth. Tomato acid is the cause, but I have no idea what it is in bubblegum that causes that reaction.

[Cecilia]

OMG! I have horrible canker sores and so did my mom; now my 6 year old gets them. Maybe it is genetic? Mine seem worse during times of stress. I have 3 as we speak.

[Cecilia]

As far as food goes: I have NO problem eating, hence 3 evenings a week at the gym. :smile:

[Cindy]

I have a terrible time eating. I just don't like to do it and consciously have to make myself eat. I have been anorexic in the past and although I do not restrict my intake I simply don't enjoy food. Very rarely do I care what it tastes like. Once in a while I may crave a good steak or pasta. I also have the family addiction to the liberal use of salt (my siblings also use excessive amounts).

You're right sometimes a medication can change the taste of food or change your apetite. But my guess is the history of thrush and canker sores. Are they caused by a viral outbreak - like cold sores? Could you rinse with peroxide or something to reduce the bacterial or viral flaura in your mouth and keep it in check? Ask your dentist?

When I am really having a tough time figuring out what to eat - sushi almost always works as a flavor explosion.

[Anonymoose]

Sometimes my eating behavior verges on anorexia. I find that when my eating declines in frequency and amount, it helps to choose foods and beverages that really agree with me at the time (ie I really feel like eating pizza) instead of thinking about which foods I think that I should be eating instead.

[becvan]

Well, I had major issues with food. It's the texture that gets to me. Turns out.. it was from anxiety. It was causing a kind of anxiety attack. Certain foods just set it off. I would get one bite in and that's it I was done. Forcing myself would make me puke. Now that I'm on a med that has reduced my anxiety I can eat again. And I can eat foods I thought I didn't even like!

Maybe explore your reactions to the food? It could be anxiety... just a thought.

bec

[Roo]

Oh Lord...yes! My pickiness drives my husband bonkers!:eek:

Anything like sweet potato ... eggplant ... mushrooms ... most seafood ... organ meats ... lots of nuts ... the list is long!

Roo

[goingonhope]

Ditto, to what Lucky L had written,......all precisely true for me as well.

Hope

[Seeking_Nirvana]

I appreciate all of the responses and I'm wondering if anxiety could be part of it like bec stated. Also, medications do cause problems, and in part I think it could be the canker sores. Maybe just a combination of all of these things?

Thresh mouth was a virus from putting my mouth on a drinking fountain. It was very painful. This could have caused the eating problem because I didn't have anorexia when a child and I was on no medications but very picky and couldn't find taste in food. But now that I'm older I wouldn't be surprised if the combination of the 3 relate to my inability to find food to taste good at this point in time.

This has happened in the past too, so I doubt the canker sores numbed my taste buds completely because I can enjoy food at times, but it comes and goes in phases.

The whole thing is very strange! I will strike it up to a mystery I guess.

Thanks everyone
Tammy

[Seeking_Nirvana]

Good Grief, I just woke up with a fever blister on my bottom lip this morning. I am sick of these viral things that doctors can not cure. *VENTING*

Tammy