Sounds like you may have it much worse than me, NJ. Coffee is a weird one for me. I do enjoy my coffee in the morning but it definitely does not taste right. It’s almost like I am enjoying the memory of the taste.

But surprise evolved into concern and then enormous concern as time passed. I could, with accuracy, distinguish btw. solid & liquid, hot & cold, crunchy or not. Period.

I lied. I could detect salt a bit, so I craved salt to where I thought of looking up a livestock supply firm and ordering a salt block just so I could get some kind of feedback occasionally by licking it.

Two years went back that way. Couldn’t tell a raspberry from a Brussells sprout except by texture. I felt SO DEPRIVED!

I cruised through cupboards & the fridge looking for something that I could put in my mouth that didn’t give me a read-out of “nothing”. Medium salsa at least gave me the mouth feel of heat, and I had to settle for that as as good as it gets.

It was such a misery, ordering or preparing or purchasing something I knew I loved an getting a consistent read-out of “nothing”.

Except occasionally there would be “undefinable really bad taste” that would remain in my mouth all day, through all meals and snacks.

I went to an ENT who said I could try smell retraining although the odds of success are low, spending 20 sec. several times daily sniffing cloves, citrus, coffee grounds, and some perfume or cologne. I cont’d that for years. Get something recognizable from cloves and, in the 3rd yr., from orange peel.

In the past 6 mo. I have been able to taste some things some days, usually early in the AM, which is a blessing since I am a passionate lover of good, rich, dark roast black coffee, so being able to taste it just a little is so wonderful!

But once my taste buds have reported something, they tend to be through for the day and after detecting one or two things, slightly, go on strike the rest of the day. I bravely smile across the table at the few times I’ve shared an outdoor restaurant meal w/ a friend once fully vaxxed, admiring what I ordered, but having to settle for enjoying its appearance.

No sense of smell has ever returned except for cloves detection.

The impact on QOL is so enormous that I doubt anyone who hasn’t experienced it can conceive of a world w/o aromas or flavors. So, as Bill Clinton said, “ah feel yo pain!” I truly do.

The biopsy doesn’t sound like fun at all, but perhaps while they’re in there you could request they locate the switch and turn taste and smell back on or, at least, switch off “dead sheep” & “dog treats”.

I’ll raise a glass to useful info. coming from this, although I’ll have to look at the vessel from which I pour to see what it is, since my taste buds and olfactory epithelium will give me no clues.

TO YOUR HEALTH!

BTW, I still never get notifications of any of your new posts. Had to go find an old post w/ a link and go look to see if there were any.

NJ in CA

I was using The Royal You/Your lol I’d gladly take some of Mrs. Clown’s nervousness off her shoulders if I could. Glad your Zen is holding firm so far ??

I’m pretty calm actually, Janet. But thank you!

Mrs Clown maybe not so calm.

Thank you, Dianne!