Metallic taste in mouth

[LittleWolf]

Hi guys.

I had a bit of a weird episode today and ended up in hospital. Annoying as I'd made extra effort to get to my lecture on time and I have to travel over an hour to university!

When I got home there was still this metallic taste in my mouth that I assumed would go away. I had heard people describe such a taste but I was unsure of what it would be like until I began experiencing it myself.

I was wondering if it had anything to do with my blood sugar (ruled out pregnancy and stuff after a urine test and bloods etc) as my readings were between 3 and 10 today. (they gave me a ham sandwich and my level immediately dropped @_@)

Thanks for any answers, guys.

 

[BaliRob]

Have you just commenced taking Metformin (Glucophage)? This is a common side effect which can last for a number of years.

 

[Daibell]

Yes, if you are new to Metformin then that would be it. My metallic taste lasted for 6 months. I guess that's one way it helps reduce your appetite!

 

[Andy12345]

i had a terrible mettalic taste for years off and on, this was pre diagnosis and never found out why i always assumed it was a filling in a tooth not doing what it should.
strange i havent had it since when i think about it.

 

[LittleWolf]

Hi, sorry I should have clarified, after a forum search I saw everyone discussing the metallic taste had just started taking Metformin.

I am NOT on medication because it seems every pill under the sun I have a bad reaction to and I don't have an official diagnosis. I'm diagnosed PCOS but I'm 'too skinny' for T2 to be a real concern. Just been told to keep an eye on my level and have been doing so with my Grandma who is Type 2 like the rest of my family. Half my hospital stays are extended by the treatment causing me to vomit violently 0_o

Andy, can you elaborate? did you get this taste whilst not on Metformin then?

What's going on, here?

Thanks a bunch again x

 

[Andy12345]

hi, no i wasnt on any medication whatsoever, this was pre diabetes diagnosis, it went on literally for years, it came and went, sometimes it was really potent, before i lived at the doctors after diag i never ever ever went to see him so never asked anyone about it, strangely although i never noticed it until this thread i havent had it in the couple of months SINCE being on metformin maybee just coincidence and i think any teeth left in my head are all filled i always thought one had softened and was slowly leaking (probly impossible but denial has always worked for me until now hehe)
Andy

 

[LittleWolf]

Thanks Andy.

I've been avoiding the doctor's office lately. Perhaps I should just suck it up and go with a list of all my symptoms. Maybe if I get a firm diagnosis and one of those exemption cards I won't have to pay so much for prescriptions and test strips. I hate annoying them with my list and only having 10 minutes to go through it al, then I'm on the waiting list to see someone after like 6 months and that expert shrugs their shoulders and says 'I don't know why the hell you are exhibiting this symptom'. Got to look at the picture as a whole I suppose.

I wonder if the taste is a common warning sign in pre/borderline diabetics. Do your sugar levels fluctuate alot, too Andy? Mine are usually around 7-10.3 and after a big meal it can drop to 3 so both ends of the spectrum. I wonder if the taste is to do with that change rather than hypo or hyperglycemia particularly. When someone starts taking metformin and their blood sugar levels drop to a normal level this is the result???

 

[Montana]

Loneliness and diabetes

:shock: hi LittleWolf. . . Nope cant think what the hec goin on there mate. So me thinks its back to the drawing board. Rewrite your list grouping similar probs together and most important to you at the top-that way if you run out of time then at least you've got the most important ones dealt with. Then make appointment at gp surgery and ask for a double app at end of day. That way you will get a much longer app time-well at least 20 mins and noone else will be waiting either. Tell them why you're worried and unhappy and that you want this thoroughly investigated or at least a second opinion. Good luck an take care. :wave:

 

[smidge]

Hey Littlewolf!

I have had a metallic taste a couple of times - both of which were when I awoke in the night with a hypo of around 2.4. I have LADA and am on the bolus/basal insulin regime. I do not take Metformin.

I am concerned about your blood glucose levels. 7 - 10.8 is out of range for someone with a normal insulin response and a normal ability to metabolise sugar. It might not be quite in the diabetic range (depends when you took the tests - pre or post food), but it certainly indicates a poor ability to metabolise glucose, i.e. pre-diabetes. As for your doctor's assertion that you are too skinny for diabetes, that is absolute rubbish. PCOS is often associated with Type 2 while LADA is a form of diabetes that presents similarly to Type 2 in its early stages, but is actually a slow-onset form of Type 1 - it is not associated with being overweight. I was diagnosed with it 4 years ago and have never been even slightly overweight - in fact, as it progresses, it is often accompanied by unexplained weight loss as your body is starved of all nutrition. As for the BG levels of 3 after a meal, this could indicate that your levels have risen very high with your meal and then crashed in a reactive way - this used to happen to me when I ate carbs. It could be indicative of diabetes or even something like reactive hypoglycaemia. Please go to your doctor and get this checked out properly - and preferably not the idiot doctor that told you you are too skinny to be diabetic!

Take care

Smidge

 

[LittleWolf]

Thanks for trying to help out. I posted another rant earlier today -_- I hit 15.4 today and I am assuming or the most part I'm resistant to whatever Mr
Pancreas is pumping out and then a couple carbs too many and it has a hissy fit making me go super low??

I mean my fasting levels are a bit on the high side upper 5s,6s but not crazy high like an actual diabetic.

Whatever's going on I don't like being low or high much. I also don't like the funny tastes or other weird symptoms. I hate being blown off by the doctor too.

Do you know how many times I tried to kill myself/had panic attacks when I was younger and no one would treat me for depression? Now I'm not suicidal (stomach can't handle pills anyway) and I tell/show the doctor about physical symptoms and she just says 'I think you're depressed' and totally shuts off typing away at the computer. ***...

I'll try again and get back to you if she actually requests any bloods or at least gives me something better for all these rashes and things...


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[smallredsock]

Hi, Hope you get some answers, do let us know... I've been diagnosed with prediabetes by a rather relaxed doctor who didn't know or care why I was getting my metallic taste: the reason I went to the docs in the first place. Have totally cut out sugary treats and trying to cut down carbs a bit (struggling with that but am at least sticking to 'good' carbs). Still have the taste though; I notice it's particularly after meals.
Unfortunately my doc is a totally new GP for me as we just moved house/area. Really wish I could go back to my old doc who had known me for 8 years who I trusted!

Good luck.

 

[LittleWolf]

Thanks for your input.. Even though I am moaning and yelling so much :/ Hi by the way :3

I'm pretty confused. Numbers and going up and up... GP refuses to do a GTT. Don't know what to do but rant on the Internet about how ****** I feel eating/not eating recovering from an eating disorder >_>

If its prediabetes and I got I diagnosis I could have some help and be able to fix some of those problems relatively quick. Also it'd be nice to have an explanation when people ask 'why do you get sick all the time? Why is there always something wrong with you? Why can you eat this?'

Doctor didn't care huh? Seems to be a trend. I only know two GPs who genuinely care about me. One is a gyno and is looking at my chronic pelvic pain (I'm worrying this is a type of neuropathy :/) and the other is sadly always too booked up to see me.

I'm so sorry I've done nothing but spam the boards about my frustration... I will give something back. I will make myself useful here one of these days...


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[czj]

Any chance the metallic taste could be oral thrush? Numbers going up and up would make ideal conditions for it.

I went to my GP recently with what I thought was an ear infection, but I also had a metallic taste. He thought it was oral thrush, prescribed some anti-fungal tables and they cured it.

 

[LittleWolf]

The metallic taste thing seems to come and go for days at a time and the last time I remember was after a hypo I think ... But yes, recently numbers are going up, though I've had recurring thrush down there and white patches in my mouth for years, horrible skin infections where under my arms were just open wounds, tinea versicolor and some 'unknown' infection on my scalp and in my nose from 13yrs old to now at 20. The metallic taste thing has only been recent though. Maybe I should go buy Canisten or something OTC but don't know how long that will last...

The taste is bothering me less that the skin conditions tbh, but I thought it strange. I'd heard of people describing such a taste but couldn't picture it until I was experiencing it myself. Continuing the regime of antifungal shampoo.

Thanks for the response x Whether or not it's causing the taste I should be figuring out how to stop the fungal infections anyway.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App