MMH ~
Thanks for the kind words regarding this forum. Our members make it what it is and they're a great bunch.
As you know from reading the posts here, every AN patient has a slightly different experience but there are many constants in the recovery period. The 'tight' feeling in your head will probably diminish as everything heals, which can take many weeks. The loss of taste is more problematic. From my understanding (based on other people's experiences) it will go away eventually. 'Eventually' meaning only that the metallic taste very likely won't be permanent, although with AN recovery, there are never any guarantees. Prior to my AN diagnosis, I lost the sense of taste but instead of a metallic taste, all food seemed tasteless, even foods that I once loved. My appetite quickly diminished, my stomach actually shrunk and I lost over 35 (unwanted) pounds. Within 48 hours of my AN debulking surgery (the surgeon reduced the size of the tumor to get it off my cranial nerves and brainstem...it was later irradiated) my sense of taste returned and was actually enhanced a bit, although I retain a very small 'numb' spot on the side of my tongue, which is only a very minor annoyance. I've managed to keep the lost weight off in the 3 years since my surgery. Smaller portions and much less 'junk food' are a big part of that success. My pre-diagnosis months of having no appetite seems to have altered my desire for big meals and empty calories. I jokingly called it my 'AN diet'.
My point is that we all have a slightly different AN experience but from what you've written, I believe you're going to come through your recovery - which takes months for some issues to resolve - just fine.
Jim
