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Loss of taste

D

daveduffy

Newbie
Messages
3
Hi
I'm a type 2, HBA1c 6.5 Insulin 4 x daily, metformin 3x daily.

Ive been on insulin for 3 years, but was diagnosed about 13 years ago. (I probably had diabetes long before that, but it was not found before)

I have now got Peripheral Neuropathy which gives severe pain and numbness in my feet and legs and makes walking really hard. It often feels like I am walking barefoot on broken bricks (even though I am wearing shoes)

I find now that most of the time I have no taste buds working at all. I still can smell things, so I went to my GP and he said he had never heard of it before, he looked up the effects of some of my drugs, but he could not find a link. He doesnt think its a problem, but I find it very frustrating because I love to cook and often cant taste anything. I can tell if its hot (like chilli) or sweet like sugar, but could not pick out flavours at all.

Has anybody else on here got the same problem?
I was wondering if it was due to the damaged nerve endings that is connected to the Neuropathy.

I hope to hear from someone soon,

Cheers

Dave
 
My T1 husband has very little sene of smell.
Hana
 
Smell and eyesight are two factors play a part in how we taste our food, if one of these are missing or impaired then this can effect the taste of food...

As we grow older, out taste buds to dismish, several reasons why this can happen, natural process's, or perhaps several too many scolding of them as you've attempted to eat food too hot.. They can dismish because you've got an impairment of eyesight or smell etc..

Or it can be has your doc has suggested it's a side-effect of your medication...

By your HbA1c you've got pretty good control of your diabetes, so this is likely to rule out the effects of runing high BG's effecting your taste buds, as this can happen..

Sorry can't be more help, but hopefully provided an insight!
 
Hi Dave,

If you google "metformin taste buds" it would seem that this is quite a common occurence for people on Metformin.

t
 
I have suffered with sinus problems for a number of years.

Blocked sinuses can lead to not being able to taste food.
 
catherinecherub said:
Hi Dave,

If you google "metformin taste buds" it would seem that this is quite a common occurence for people on Metformin.

t
Click to expand...
Hi Catherine, I looked at the Metformin pages re. taste, but it appears that it was not talking about loss of taste, (like I am experiencing) but an odd, metallic kind of taste caused by the drug or something on the drug.
I am not sure its the same thing,

I shall keep looking,

thanks for the reply.

Dave
 
daveduffy said:
Hi
I'm a type 2, HBA1c 6.5 Insulin 4 x daily, metformin 3x daily.

Ive been on insulin for 3 years, but was diagnosed about 13 years ago. (I probably had diabetes long before that, but it was not found before)

I have now got Peripheral Neuropathy which gives severe pain and numbness in my feet and legs and makes walking really hard. It often feels like I am walking barefoot on broken bricks (even though I am wearing shoes)

I find now that most of the time I have no taste buds working at all. I still can smell things, so I went to my GP and he said he had never heard of it before, he looked up the effects of some of my drugs, but he could not find a link. He doesnt think its a problem, but I find it very frustrating because I love to cook and often cant taste anything. I can tell if its hot (like chilli) or sweet like sugar, but could not pick out flavours at all.

Has anybody else on here got the same problem?
I was wondering if it was due to the damaged nerve endings that is connected to the Neuropathy.

I hope to hear from someone soon,

Cheers

Dave
Click to expand...

There are at least 64 possible causes of Loss of Taste.........see the link:

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/sym/loss_of_taste.htm

Many are nothing at all to do with Diabetes or Neuropathy. If your GP cannot help you with an accurate diagnosis then ask to be referred to ENT Specialist for further investigations.
 
You might have a Vitamin B deficiency caused by the Metformin but only your GP would know (hopefully , some are useless) after blood tests so make an apointment.
 
ShyGirl said:
You might have a Vitamin B deficiency caused by the Metformin but only your GP would know (hopefully , some are useless) after blood tests so make an apointment.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all of the replies,

I will go back to my GP and ask for a blood test.

Cheers

Dave
 
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