The dreaded "Taste Bud Wall"

[DoctorJ]

Today marks 3 weeks of being analog free and the start of my vaping adventure (YAY ME ) HOWEVER, I've reached that point of the "taste bud wall". Nothing tastes right now. My favorite vapes taste like crap; that is if I can taste them at all. Even my own creation that tastes like an Almond Joy bar, which I absolutely love, tastes like crap.

I know this is part of the effects of coming off of analogs. I was beginning to think I'd brushed my tongue so much that I'd brushed my taste buds completely off But I went to my dentist yesterday for a cleaning and told him about my switch from analogs to ecigs. He told me one thing that might help is to mix about 2 tbsp of hydrogen peroxide with a small cup of water and swish with that. And of course, brush my teeth and rinse with mouthwash as usual.

I'd read in some older forums about this and the suggestion of vaping a strong menthol. Well I have a creme de menthe flavor which is relatively strong and that's about the only thing that tastes as it should.

I really hope this taste bud thing clears up soon or even my wife's cooking will start to taste good (JUST KIDDING )

Anyone have any other suggestions? Thanks in advance!!

 

[Rachy_B]

There's a colgate mouthwash called peroxyl which my dentist recommends anyway...not only will it mildly whiten your teeth but its really good for cleaning out the gunk in your mouth...its on the pricy side but its a safe way of buying and using such a chemical...x

 

[Rachy_B]

P.s. Im three weeks and one day today! I bet I'll stay on the ecigs longer than you... (not being mean, just trying to spark a friendly competition ;-) )x

 

[StereoDreamer]

Rachy_B may be on to something with the toothpaste idea--any REALLY strong, minty flavor will usually clear out your tastebuds, and a thorough brushing (brush your tongue and inside your cheeks too--not just the teeth) is ALWAYS a good thing...

I use a DIY creme de menthe when I feel like I'm getting tastebud fatique, but I don't seem to experience it much because I change up my flavors pretty regularly. Fatigue seems to happem more to people who vape the same flavor all the time, so something else to try is to pick two or three flavors you like enough to vape daily and rotate through them, instead of just vaping the same thing (or flavors that are very similar) all the time.

Good luck! Don't worry--your taste will come back. Tastebud fatigue is common, and is a temporary situation, and is easily fixed...

 

[Jackstraw]

About 3 weeks in for me too. 24 days actually. I have the same problem. Put my fav RY4 in today and it just tastes like steam. I taste nuthin.

 

[Robino1]

Also Biotene is a mouthwash for dry mouth. If you have any problems with PG, use with caution. It is mostly PG based. I've found that it works for me. I had seen people use this with success in the forum, I thought I would give it a try. I don't know if that is what did it, or if it was time for my buds to come back to life.

It's surely frustrating when they go south I hope they come back for you soon!

 

[tommyfinger]

Lmao... I just hit this same problem. Everything that I have that is a "tobacco" flavor tastes like a dirty ashtray! Menthol and bubble gum are the only flavors I can tolerate right now.

 

[d9mel]

Congrats on the three weeks!

I've been vaping for a little over a year and regularly rotate my flavors to keep things fresh.

I've been rotating ry4s and menthol (koolada) sweet fruits lately.

 

[DoctorJ]

You're on Rachy!! But I may have an advantage. My wife is still on analogs and it reminds me of what I was doing to myself before ecigs. I can smell the smoke on her and her breath when she kisses me. I can even smell the ashtrays when I walk by them. I received a few disposables as freebies and I gave them to her. She puffs on them occasionally and said she might try ecigs more if I find a Mountain Dew flavor. So I did and it's on the way. Maybe that'll get her to switch!

Thanks for the other suggestions. I did find out about the PG being problematic with the taste bud problem and have since ordered my juices at a 60pg/40vg ratio. And I have plenty of flavors on hand. I have six that I'm rotating now and 8 that are in the steeping process and a few more on the way. Like tommy, I tried a tobacco flavor and BLEH! Disgusting! So I'm avoiding tobacco flavors and sticking with the sweet and flavored juices.

As a side note, my sense of smell has dramatically changed. Seems I can smell almost everything now. I never realized how muted your sense of smell was with analogs. Sometimes this is a good thing; such as actually smelling the rain yesterday. As odd as that sounds, I did! And on the other hand it can be a bad thing. For instance, we live in a rural area with a lot of livestock around. I thought I could smell the "fragrances of nature" before, but now, HOLY CRAP, literally!! Geesh!! Also, I'm a professor, and now when I'm walking around my classroom teaching, I can tell which students have good hygiene and which don't. Oh well, a good sense of smell is a double edged sword I guess

 

[eHuman]

Alas, poor dreaded Taste Bud Wall, I knew him, Horatio:
a fellow of infinite jest mocking me, of most horrible fancy:
he hath borne me on his back a thousand times;
and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! My mind reals at it.
Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know
not how often. Where be your gibes now? Your
gambols? your songs? your flashes of merriment,
that were wont to set the table on a roar? Not one
now, to mock your own grinning? quite chap-fallen?
Now get you to my lady's chamber, and tell her, let
her paint an inch thick, to this favour she must
come; make her laugh at that. Prithee, tell her that
Taste Bud Wall is no more!

 

[robotox]

I'm only just now off of analogs. I've not heard of the Taste Bud Wall. Wouldn't quitting smokes actually enhance your taste buds?

 

[Kable]

Also, I'm a professor, and now when I'm walking around my classroom teaching, I can tell which students have good hygiene and which don't. Oh well, a good sense of smell is a double edged sword I guess

This is what bothers me sometimes. I find it harder to be around some people now, because I can smell them, and it's not good. But I know people put up with me smelling like nasty tobacco, so I try to be tolerant.

 

[rcpcdude]

my loss of taste buds happened early around day 5 and lasted close to 4 days. the only thing that remotely worked for me was a good minty toothpaste and it was very temporary. I didn't have any menthol juice yet (because i'm not a fan but now i have some as a just incase lol) and it would only last about 1 hour or so and back to dull so i brushed my teeth more times in one day than i ever have before lol. once taste came back i had better taste than ever before, it was like a complete revival lol

 

[fourthrok]

One tip I read about on a vaping forum last year for the "taste bud wall" was to sniff (not snort!) an open can of fresh coffee grounds. Not positive it works...but it does seem to help a bit. Maybe it's just the power of suggestion. But now and then I try that. Doesn't hurt.

 

[Rachy_B]

About 3 weeks in for me too. 24 days actually. I have the same problem. Put my fav RY4 in today and it just tastes like steam. I taste nuthin.

We have another contender in the race! I shall catch up with you!!!x

 

[The Ocelot]

ECBlend calls it "Vapor Tongue," which I find rather creepy. Taste Buds and Vaper's Tongue

ETA: It took me about 2 months before I could taste anything other than menthol and mint. Some of the subtle flavors still elude me and certain fruits take like plastic, but after trashing my taste buds with 40 years of smoking I'm not surprised.

 

[TBPlayer2112]

This is something that I've been going through too off and on for the past week. I find that a good brushing and a cinnamon type vape is what I need to 'wake up' ye 'ol taste buds.

 

[Grimheart]

I haven't had this happen with vaping but it did occur while on nicotine gum. Everything either was tasteless or tasted like rotten lemons. I swear it was the funkiest taste you could imagine. I went to the Dr. and he suggested to stop the gum, a few days later everything was back to normal.

 

[Robino1]

I'm only just now off of analogs. I've not heard of the Taste Bud Wall. Wouldn't quitting smokes actually enhance your taste buds?

Yes, quitting smoking does. I will post a portion of what I put together in a blog:


Taste is an elusive and a subjective thing. Think about it. We are getting flavor from wet AIR. We are not chewing something that is filling your mouth with a tangible food that gives your senses the texture, the wetness the flavor as you bite down on something. The flavor in the juices are trying to trick your mind into remembering those feelings of that certain food it is trying to mimic. When the taste buds go wonky, they can no longer make the mind remember what it is supposed to remember about that flavor since the taste buds can no longer send the flavor signal to the brain. It is just WET AIR at that point.

There have been many discussions about what to do when that happens all over this forum. There is NO stock answer that works for everyone. Plenty of suggestions where some worked for some people but not for others. For some it is time that heals. For others it is more water. Yet for others it is lime juice or something that zings the taste buds back into shape. And for some other people it is simply smelling something strong that whips those pesky buds into shape.

Yes changing up different juices throughout the day minimizes the chances of the old taste buds from going south, but it is not 100%.

The above is what I have put together from things I have observed in the forum. I hope this explains some things for you. Your taste buds go through a healing time and sometimes you lose that sense of taste for the subtle vapor.

 

[OBE1]

This thread is interesting. I noticed today that my favorite juice Renegade from Nite Lite Vapors was tasting irregular. Throughout the day I noticed it was getting worse. I just walked in the door from work and filled up my atomizer with my RY4 and it tastes funny to me as well. The smell is the same but the taste is very bland. I am 2 weeks into into vaping and three weeks off of analogs. I may be running into the wall as well... and I am not happy about it. I really hope this passes since all of my juices are tobacco flavored and I wasn't too crazy about any of the other juices I have tried.. What flavors do you all suggest?