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Anyone else with Altered Taste All Day Long?
Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) | Last Active: Sep 15 10:54am | Replies (49)Comment receiving replies
I don’t regret my attempts to get answers. I had other symptoms appear around the same time as the bitter taste appeared. And, it was right after covid. But…..it’s not certain. I was diagnosed by the second neurologist with Vitamin B12 deficiency. I went on mega doses by injection, then sublingual. (I don’t absorb it well.). I also had paresthesia in hands and feet, hair loss, fasciculations throughout my body, internal vibrations and sleep disturbance, So….it seemed like a lot going on. I had emg, brain MRI, blood tests, etc.
The ENT looked at everything and diagnosed post covid as cause. I took the smell tests twice. I learned smell and taste are related. Initially, I didn’t realize I had smell disorder, but when I began the smell test I was shocked that I could barely recognize any of the samples! I failed it miserably. It then made sense why I had easily lost so much weight. I was trying to lose, but had an easy time.
At the same time, I had a recurring, intermittent phantom smell. This frightened me since it can be due to brain disorder. It was a pleasant smell similar to fabric softener. It hit randomly. Thankfully, it faded away and I no longer have it!
My other symptoms have improved too, though I still have some symptoms. I could get hardly any information from any if the doctors about the odd taste. It hit suddenly after I took an antibiotic and antifungal med. Coincidence? Idk.
I would keep up hope. I have to believe it will recover. A second smell test months after the first one confirmed my smell had returned.
Please post your progress. I sure hope yours improves.
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Again thank you for your very detailed response. Your findings have given me more things to discuss with my various specialists. Since I didn't have Covid I don't think they are connecting my disorder to that, but I did read in the news so often how Covid patients lost their sense of smell completely and it also greatly affected their taste. I did go to my kitchen spices to see if they smelled like they used to, and I could small them alright but of course this was not a true medical test so I will definitely ask the ENT about that at my next visit. Your phantom smell was very interesting to read about and at least it was a pleasant smell but still very odd!!! I did have one smell that occurred a few months ago but that went away. I have lost some weight also and I'm sure it's because food is just not that interesting anymore. When I eat, some of it doesn't taste 100% like it used to but it's more that after I eat, I am even more miserable since most foods make my taste buds hyper reactive and the sour or salty taste is worse than before I eat. We attend a monthly dinner and I notice too that even between course I have to somehow mask my taste buds with a drink or piece of bread just to get to the next course. When we are done I rush to pop a mint or piece of gum in my mouth and can't wait to get home to brush my teeth to get rid of the taste. Even brushing though only gives relief for a short time, but believe it or not, the only way I have survived this whole taste issue is to put in my old orthodontic retainer. I discovered it by accident. I don't know why I decided to wear it but it actually helped. I have googled it and there are multiple reasons why it can provide relief....the plastic could change the sensation in my mouth or it may keep my tongue quieter, etc. etc. but at least it gives me some relief during the day and I wear it for hours at a time. The problem is that I really can't wear it if I am going out to be with others since it slurs my speech. I do have neuropathy in my lower legs but have had that for years but I definitely want to ask about a Vitamin B12 test and maybe Zinc too since I have read that low levels of those can cause taste issues. Interesting that you did have a major lack of Vitamin B12 and needed infusions. I guess I'll continue to just keep ruling things out but at least you are giving me more questions to ask. Well have a pleasant week-end and again thank you so much for your support.