Can't taste anything whatsoever.......

[GreatSoprendo]

Just wondering whether this is worth a trip to the GP or not?

I've got a bit of a cold which started on Friday. Nothing drastic, but very runny nose. I've had far far worse before. But the cold brought a sore throat with it on Sat, and by Sun a revolting bitter taste right in the back of my throat and a deadening of my sense of taste.

By Monday morning my sense of taste had totally gone - I don't mean the normal 'stuff isn't as tasty' feeling you normally get with a cold. I mean completely disappeared. To the point that when I try to eat it makes me gag because food feels and tastes just so wrong. I'm not sure how to explain it but everything is like cardboard or wax in my mouth. Even water is gross - it just tastes off. Since Monday all I've eaten is weetabix and glasses of water - and I have to gulp even the water down with my breath held as it tastes so bad.

Saw a pharmacist yesterday who said it was just normal with a cold - but I've had a lot of colds in my 38 years and never had this! Has anyone else had the same? Trying to decide if I need to see a gp or not - pharmacist said not. I need to be able to eat and drink particularly as am BFing my DS and don't want my supply to suffer.

Anyone?

I forgot to say, I also have a sore tongue with sore patches and the whole tongue feels like it's burned. And my gums feel sore too.

It's tricky for me to get childcare for a gp trip, but could manage it Fri if needed but the pharmacist said not to bother.......

It does happen occasionally with a cold. You sense of taste is linked to your sense of taste ie you need both to be functioning to taste food.

I have only had it happen once but it was over Christmas one year and was miserable. I cooked a fantastic leg of lamb and spent the whole meal apologising to everyone because it tasted like cardboard. They all thought I was loosing the plot. Interestingly my sister in law had the same cold and agreed that it tasted of cardboard.

It is likely that some cold viruses cause loss of taste rather than cold in general. Give it a week or so to get over the cold and then consider visit to GP.

Thanks willdo - that's reassuring. How miserable to have it over Christmas . Poor you.

Will continue with the weetabix diet for a few more days then

I get that with most more serious colds. The sense of taste usually comes back within a few days. I tend to use the time cutting down on coffee or other things I mainly consume for their taste :)

GreatSoprendo - what you are writing is exactly how I have been feeling for 3 weeks now!!!
sore tongue and gums
sense of taste gone
feel run down and exhausted

I wonder if it is some virus?

My GP said it is thrush but I don't think I do.
I have - Teethmarks around the sides of the Tongue and Crack down the Middle of the Tongue
as on those photos:
www.berrydiaries.com/2013/01/what-your-tongue-says-about-you-updated.html

The discomfort and pain comes and goes

I had a very bad cold about 3 weeks ago and this is exactly what I had. It started off with normal cold symptoms for a few days, started to feel exhausted/run down and everything started to taste off. Lost some sense of taste. Then had sore patches at roof of my mouth and at the side where it felt burnt. It hurt to eat anything. Also developed little ulcers on my tongue. My throat felt incredibly sore. Not sure what it was but felt very miserable throughout it!

So glad I'm not on my own! Thanks antimatter and gem!

The pharmacist I spoke to seemed to say it's very very common and just get on with it - but I've asked all my family and friends and nobody has had this with a cold before! You both sound exactly like me - little ulcers on the tongue and roof of the mouth, and the sides of my tongue are all crinkly. Ive looked at my tongue and I do have a line like that in the middle, and one off to the side too. It's making me really miserable as food is just making me retch as it tastes all wrong.

Fortunately I've discovered this morning that I can manage to eat dry toasted pitta bread, so I'm not living on just weetabix now! Will keep going til Monday and try to go to the GP then if no better. I agree though - I think it's some kind of virus

I went to chinese doctor - he said I was well, just run down. I think have rest, take paracetamol (it takes edge of the pain away).
I also started taking minerals and vitamins to build my strength up.

I don't know if any of that helps (and bitter med from chinese doc) - but I am feeling much better today.

I had this a couple of years ago. I remember my sense of smell and taste were non existent even though the cold symptoms had pretty much gone. I kept inhaling soap and other perfumed things in the hope I would get just a tiny whiff to reassure myself. It took a week or so before I was back to normal, but felt like longer. It was miserable. Smell and taste are so closely linked to mood and, let's face it, eating is one of life's greatest pleasures.

I hope you start enjoying your food again soon.

my freind who is a GP suggested I ask my doc to have Iron and vit B12 checked (blood test) - I will be at it on Monday!

Thanks Fred for the sympathy - it really is miserable. Must get it back by Christmas or I will be unbearable!

antimatter - funnily enough I was just looking up symptoms of anaemia and yes this does come up as a possible indication of low iron. I have a history of anaemia so based on that I'm definitely going to try and see the GP on Monday too. Will report back!

And here's something interesting antimatter - there is a lot of stuff on the internet about people suffering mouth ulcers, sore tongues etc after using toothpastes that contain sodium laurel sulphates. I switched to a new toothpaste over a week ago and guess what it contains...! Might be worth checking your toothpaste.

I have this but I'm stopping using it from today to see if it makes a difference.

I've had a cold and lost my sense of taste (or probably more accurately my sense of smell). It was quite disconcerting as my inevitable reaction what "what if it never comes back?" But it did come back and I haven't had the same thing since.

Antimater you are wise to have Iron levels checked. As your symptoms are not linked to a cold they point more towards anaemia. I suffered from chronic anaemia as a result of endometriosis and oral symptoms are very common. Commonly you can experience a metallic taste as well.

Many years ago I worked on an oral medicine clinic and noticed that of the patients we saw complaining of sore mouths (burning mouth syndrome) almost all of them were women in their 40s and 50s. I suggested to the male consultant that perhaps it could be linked to menopause but he dismissed it totally. Guess what it is now a recognised side effect of peri/pre menopause and menopause.
What a joy it is to be a woman!

I think I know what we are suffering from!
eruptive lingual papillitis

dermnetnz.org/site-age-specific/lingual-papillitis.html

which usually causes the development of enlarged and inflamed fungiform papillae on the tip of the tongue, and also on the sides. They are often observed to be associated with fever and an enlargement of one or more lymph nodes.
www.buzzle.com/articles/transient-lingual-papillitis-causes.html

fungiform papilla are responsible for registering touch and burn sensation, so I guess as they get inflamed we feel burning sensation and also sensitivity 9it hurts when tongue hits gums or teeth whilst talking)

suggested treatment - salt water gargle and
www.healthexplores.com/healthcom/eruptive_lingual_papillitis/home-treatment-for-a-black-or-coated-tongue_9606.html

I will search more tomorrow as lack of taste is not mentioned so far

the good thing is - I am suffering from it for nearly 3 weeks now - so hopefully I am on the mend!

How is everyone feeling. My condition improved ever so slightly, but is still there some days.

I wanted to add my update - I went to see a specialist, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon
my diagnosis is most likely to be “scalloped tongue”, related to stress and perhaps will need mouth guard to wear at night to ease pain I am inflicting on my tongue whilst pressing it against my teeth.
Apparently this is quite common condition.

It's back again . The scalloped tongue.
I am going to ask GP for test on my thyroid.

Did it go away entirely? I had it for a week and so did my partner. It went away for a week and now I have it again and a head cold/virus too.