Strange taste in mouth - bitter, like a not-quite-swallowed paracetamol. What could be causing this?

[ChattyCat]

I first noticed it on holiday about a month and a half ago. I thought it was the foreign food/water. But it's still happening six weeks later. Not all the time. But quite often - certainly at some point every day.

And I've noticed that if, say, I get up in the morning and clean my teeth, my mouth tastes neutral. I only get this funny bitter taste after eating something - and it doesn't seem to be any particular food that's triggering it.

I'm not aware of any belching or heartburn, which might suggest acids were coming up from my stomach. I just can't understand it, and it's spoiling my enjoyment of food.

Anyone got any ideas what could be causing this? Thank you.

are you pregnant?

I get this and I am pregnant - I only get it when I am.

I would do a test.

I've had it for six weeks, though, with two periods in that time. It's impossible! But hell, I'm going to do a test anyway ...

Thanks, BTW.

Is it that pine nut thing - do you eat a lot of pine nuts?

There's a thing - andI'm calling it a thing because I have no idea how to descibe it - where either you react to pine nuts or the pine nuts are a particular sort or something, and you end up with a vile taste in your mouth for ages.

Apologies for the above, I sound like a lunatic . I'm off to google.....

Not a lunatic, as it goes

And from Wiki:

Risks of eating pine nuts

A small minority of pine nuts can cause taste disturbances, developing 1?3 days after consumption and lasting for days or weeks. A bitter, metallic taste is described. Though very unpleasant, there are no lasting effects. This phenomenon was first described in a scientific paper in 2001. Some publications have made reference to this phenomenon as "pine mouth". This is a relatively newly noticed phenomenon, which might be caused by the nuts spoiling and having gone rancid. It has been also hypothesised that this bitter side effect is caused by an allergy that some people may have to pine nuts, but this does not explain the recent appearance of this syndrome. Another theory attributes the phenomenon to nuts imported from China. It has been hypothesised that the nut trees are absorbing something and passing it on to the nuts, or the nuts themselves are being treated with something before packaging. Metallic taste disturbance, known as metallogeusia, is reported 1?3 days after ingestion, being worse on day 2 and lasting for up to 2 weeks. Cases are self-limited and resolve without treatment.

ooooooooooooh

Do you have a filling that could be crumbling or breaking down?

Ooh. How very interesting. I eat a lot of pine nuts - at least a few times a week, and tons of pesto. Could be that then. I'll try a pine nut ban for a few weeks and see what happens. If I had just one dodgy batch, it shouldn't be going on for six weeks though, should it?

Pine nut thing happened to me this summer - I eat them regularly but it was a particular variety in an Asda mix that did for me. Took ages to go - weeks and weeks - and was most disconcerting. Sympathies OP

mn is AMAZING

Pine nut thing also happened to my husband, at least we think that is what it is. That is what I thought of when I saw your post.

either that or he's preg.

My first thought was the pine nut thing too as I've had it.

Its definitely worse after eating something.

I hope not, cos so am I and we wouldn't be able to cope.

I get the pine nut thing too
I could NOT believe it when I googled (I thought I had an infection). Especially as the main source seemed to be the DM.
But, sure enough, had some pesto and a couple of days later, bam.
If you eat them regularly then you are probably always in a state of reacting to them. Yeuch. It is the foulest taste!

Mumsnet is indeed amazing! I had never heard of this pine nut thing, but it would make a lot of sense - I do eat them regularly. Yay! No more bitter taste in about two weeks' time ... :)

Thank you.

I haven't experienced this but I am thinking it could be a diet aid? Everything tastes bad so you only eat a little bit.

I am only half joking. I might try it!