Do u think loss/change in taste/smell includes a foul metallic taste?

[EllenRipley]

Just wondered if anyone has had the no taste/smell symptom? My friend tested positive, with no symptoms other than that (frontline worker, partner had symptoms so both got tested).

I've had a sore tongue and a totally foul metallic taste in my mouth for about a week. I know this could be down to many non-corona things, but when the announced the smell/taste thing as a recognised symptom, I googled (of course) and the metallic taste comes up in a lot of reports from here & US. Essentially I have altered taste which does seem to come up in more detailed explanations of the new guidelines. I had some very mild sniffles/headache last week which I put down to hay fever. None of the other classic corona symptoms. Did a HIIT workout earlier, lungs feel fine...

Not very sure what to do or think. This whole thing is becoming a massive exercise in health paranoia!

Could you be pregnant?

I was also going to mention pregnancy...

My friend tested positive, with no symptoms other than that

This has been covered on the press conference today, I'm sure the professor said that loss of smell/taste being the only symptoms was incredibly rare, some minuscule %age so for both you and your friend to both experience that would be almost statistically impossible if I understood him correctly.

I think I had it in March and one of my first symptoms was a metallic taste in my mouth plus weaker sense of smell. Lasted only a few days.

I also had chills, sore throat, heavy feeling st top of chest, itchy eyes, but all of these were slight. They came and went over about two weeks.

Another one about to ask if you’re pregnant!

Oh god I'm 49, so definitely (hopefully) not pregnant! Cripes. I have about one period a year. Sex slightly more often, but still... 😆 Maybe more likely to be another fun menopausal symptom. It's just weird though, and very annoying.

Think you're right about the near zero chances of myself and friend having the same, with the incidence of it being an isolated symptom being so low. Unless it's the start of symptoms.

Thanks all!

@StrawberryJam200 sounds like you did have it, and seems you got a mild case which is good.
I had a horrible lurgy at the beginning of March that doesnt seem to fit the official corona time line, unfortunately. I still wonder though.

Roll on the antibody tests!

Round about lockdown I had a week where everything tasted foul, not metallic but like it was bad, sour milk for example when it wasn't. Not sure what it was but actually given how much I've eaten during lockdown a week of not eating was probably a good thing.

I came down with a virus (but wasn't convinced it was Covid) a week before lockdown. Played safe and isolated. I had the metallic taste in my mouth and my sense of smell has been really poor ever since. When I saw the reports about sense of smell/taste, I discounted them because they all gave the impression that both senses were affected and that it was a complete loss. Does any one know if it's been clearly stated if it's either/both/full/partial that's a definite symptom? I'm going round in circles trying to find out on Google

I had a foul metallic taste in my mouth for a couple of days.
It was preceded by sore throat, a bit of a cough with a bit of breathlessness and a temperature of 38 for about ½ a day.

The whole lot lasted about 2 weeks and started at the beginning of April.

I'd love to know if that was it 🤷🏼‍♂️

@1forsorrow that sounds very unpleasant. I've put on nearly half a stone since lockdown, mostly from eating bags of Revels whilst lying in the bath. It has crossed my mind that my tongue is beginning to revolt against my over-eating.

@BamboozledandBefuddled all I can find are doctors or professors talking in more detail about it including 'a change' in sense of smell and/or taste (the change in taste can be a secondary cause of smell loss I think?), not just a complete loss. But there are so many possible reasons for that.

I'm generally nose blind anyway so it's hard to judge whether I have both. There's quite a few things online about the metallic taste being a symptom or precursor. It's very frustrating, and difficult not to attribute every symptom you wake up with to corona!

@JimMaxwellantheshippingforcast front of the queue for antibody testing for you!

I'm technically allowed to get a test as I'm a third sector volunteer. I just don't know if I can be arsed making the trip and using resources for one symptom. Local GP told a friend they reckon there's a 20% false negative outcome for the tests too.

I've just eaten a veggie chilli and feel like my tongue wants to leave my mouth and lie in a cold bath.

My DM had this through menopause.

Thanks Ellen I've been thinking about splashing out on one of the home antibody tests but as there's still no real answer about immunity it doesn't seem worth the money. Why couldn't the dratted virus have one clear, distinctive symptom that everybody gets? It would make things so much easier if it turned your skin green or your hair purple! Or both

I had an awful virus early March. Fever, muscle aches, cough, sore throat, chest tightness, conjunctivitis, lethargy, dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite...
still don’t feel 100 percent now.
My sense of smell was reduced but didn’t fully disappear. I had a metallic taste in my mouth.
I didn’t have a test. Other members of the house were poorly with similar symptoms.

I used to get really awful chest infections. One of the first things I noticed was that foul metallic taste.
A friend of mine had confirmed covid and had the same taste. She said everything tasted vile.
I’ve seen many mention on this forum that they had the same strange metallic taste

I am pretty sure I had it in March - heaviness in chest, persistent cough, temperature, metallic taste in mouth and food/drink just tasted different. Didn't think I'd lost my sense of smell but my cat had had an operation and when she was getting used to the litter tray as not allowed out she pooed. My daughter could smell it really strongly and I couldn't at all.
I was ill for two weeks and the cough didn't go for about six weeks (still have it slightly) but still have the really heavy feeling in my chest as though my lungs are damaged.
I also had a really weird thing that my eyes were sort of red, kind of bloodshot. Not sure if that was a symptom or not.
Was not tested but sure I did have have it.
So yes, to the metallic taste.

TheWordWomanIsTaken, I can completely relate to what you describe. I keep debating if it is some subconscious anxiety but I genuinely don’t feel anxious. I still have tightness bruising. The cough intermittently went on for weeks. My heart feels like it is working that bit harder, a little like it did when I was pregnant.

Last week of February I started getting a headache that lasted two weeks. A couple of days of getting shivers, never took my temperature but it kept randomly spiking making me feel shivery. Metallic taste, and a dry cough. Itchy eyes like I had conjunctivitis, and they were a bit red. I didn't really feel unwell. The cough was irritating and I couldn't stop it. Lasted about two weeks. I carried on as normal because i didn't know not to. No test. But the metallic taste, makes me think it must have been it, because I'd never thought to mention it to anyone, because I've never seen it listed as a symptom.

I had similar; an intermittent cough and minor cold symptoms. No temperature at all. But I did have that yucky metallic taste in my mouth and slightly sore / blood shot eyes.

Would have said that I wasn’t unwell enough to have had Covid, except that I visited DM in hospital 2 days before she developed a cough and 4 days before my own minor illness started. DM subsequently tested positive, so the timing fits. I would like to have a test at some point to see if I have antibodies.

Same as Minitheminx - although I also had ulcers/sores on my gums and mouth. Constant headache, red eyes, sore throat, horrid taste in my mouth and some other minor complaints but nothing I attributed to the severe warnings. I’m in Scotland and it was the start of March. I didn’t even think covid as it seemed there was no connection to the symptoms they were talking about other than sore throat and tight chest I never got the cough or fever which is what I was looking for. I’ve had the flu before and that’s what I was expecting. The more symptoms they talk about the more I think maybe.... I went about my normal routine and was feeling better just after lockdown came in so I truly hope I wasn’t spreading it around.

Back in February I had the worst cold of my life; banging headache, fever and overwhelming tiredness for about 4 days. One of my most predominant symptoms was an awful metallic taste in my mouth. The only thing I could even remotely taste was bitter lemon drink.

Sounds like acid reflux, maybe brought on by stress?

www.nhs.uk/conditions/heartburn-and-acid-reflux/

I get it terribly if I eat anything peppermint flavoured, randomly!

I had this 2 weeks ago.
Loss of taste for 24 hrs
Metallic "taste" on either side of my tongue (not the middle bit)
Felt a bit sick
Glands mildly swollen and felt meh for a few hours

Seems to mild to be actually it though!