Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
What's Your Ailment?
- Thread starter Huntn
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
The first thought that popped into my mind was: "Morton's Toe." That is when the second toe is longer than the big toe and all the other toes, and although you wouldn't think it would make any difference, it actually can.
Lately I've notice a metallic taste in my mouth on occasion. Anyone experience this? I have had a dentist consider the possibility of a tooth infection, except I have no symptoms of an infection. Just thought I'd ask. I'd describe my oral hygene as good and I take a multivitamin. 
Article:
8 Possible Causes for That Metallic Taste in Your Mouth
Article:
8 Possible Causes for That Metallic Taste in Your Mouth
- Poor oral hygiene – If you don’t brush and floss regularly, the result can be teeth and gum problems such as gingivitis, periodontitis and tooth infection. These infections can be cleared up with a prescription from your dentist. The metal taste typically goes away after the infection is gone.
- Prescription drugs – These medicines include antibiotics such as tetracycline; the gout medicine allopurinol; lithium, which is used to treat certain psychiatric conditions; and some cardiac medications. Your body absorbs the medicine and it comes out in the saliva. Also, medicines that can cause a dry mouth, such as antidepressants, can be a culprit. These can affect your taste because they close your taste buds.
- Over-the-counter vitamins or medicines – Multivitamins with heavy metals (such as copper, zinc or chromium) or cold remedies (such as zinc lozenges) can cause a metallic taste. So can prenatal vitamins, and iron or calcium supplements. Usually the taste will go away as your body processes the vitamins or medicine. If not, check your dosage and make sure you are not taking too much.
- Infections – Upper respiratory infections, colds and sinusitis change your sense of taste. This is temporary and usually ends when the infection does.
- Cancer treatment – Patients being treated for cancer with chemotherapy or radiation may experience a metallic taste.
- Pregnancy – During the early stages of pregnancy, some women find that their sense of taste changes. One of those changes may be a metallic taste.
- Dementia – People with dementia often have taste abnormalities. The taste buds are connected by nerves to the brain. Taste abnormalities can occur when the portion of the brain related to taste is not working properly.
- Chemical exposures – If you are exposed to mercury or lead, inhaling high levels of these substances often can produce a metallic taste.
Congratulations on your pregnancy!Lately I've notice a metallic taste in my mouth on occasion. Anyone experience this? I have had a dentist consider the possibility of a tooth infection, except I have no symptoms of an infection. Just thought I'd ask. I'd describe my oral hygene as good and I take a multivitamin.
Article:
8 Possible Causes for That Metallic Taste in Your Mouth
- Poor oral hygiene – If you don’t brush and floss regularly, the result can be teeth and gum problems such as gingivitis, periodontitis and tooth infection. These infections can be cleared up with a prescription from your dentist. The metal taste typically goes away after the infection is gone.
- Prescription drugs – These medicines include antibiotics such as tetracycline; the gout medicine allopurinol; lithium, which is used to treat certain psychiatric conditions; and some cardiac medications. Your body absorbs the medicine and it comes out in the saliva. Also, medicines that can cause a dry mouth, such as antidepressants, can be a culprit. These can affect your taste because they close your taste buds.
- Over-the-counter vitamins or medicines – Multivitamins with heavy metals (such as copper, zinc or chromium) or cold remedies (such as zinc lozenges) can cause a metallic taste. So can prenatal vitamins, and iron or calcium supplements. Usually the taste will go away as your body processes the vitamins or medicine. If not, check your dosage and make sure you are not taking too much.
- Infections – Upper respiratory infections, colds and sinusitis change your sense of taste. This is temporary and usually ends when the infection does.
- Cancer treatment – Patients being treated for cancer with chemotherapy or radiation may experience a metallic taste.
- Pregnancy – During the early stages of pregnancy, some women find that their sense of taste changes. One of those changes may be a metallic taste.
- Dementia – People with dementia often have taste abnormalities. The taste buds are connected by nerves to the brain. Taste abnormalities can occur when the portion of the brain related to taste is not working properly.
- Chemical exposures – If you are exposed to mercury or lead, inhaling high levels of these substances often can produce a metallic taste.
If that's not the explanation, then it might be worth noticing what you've consumed on the days it happens. And if it happens quite frequently then you could skip your vitamins for a few days to see if the symptom disappears on the same schedule.
I notice that in the list, the possibility of vitamins. I'll try that and see.
So you are getting to enjoy it for another day.
I've always disliked anchovies.
Hey, don't knock anchovies! Can't imagine pizza without them! And, yes, they do add a surprising touch to spaghetti sauce,which I had not known until a couple of years ago......and of course they are delightful in a salad, too!
Recently I've had problems swallowing food if I'm sitting down. I'm making a point to eat slowly and chew thoroughly, but sometimes it feels like the food is sitting right below my sternum and chest pains from hell follow until I stand up and am able to get it down. Anyone else?
Lately I've notice a metallic taste in my mouth on occasion. Anyone experience this? I have had a dentist consider the possibility of a tooth infection, except I have no symptoms of an infection. Just thought I'd ask. I'd describe my oral hygene as good and I take a multivitamin.
Article:
8 Possible Causes for That Metallic Taste in Your Mouth
- Poor oral hygiene – If you don’t brush and floss regularly, the result can be teeth and gum problems such as gingivitis, periodontitis and tooth infection. These infections can be cleared up with a prescription from your dentist. The metal taste typically goes away after the infection is gone.
- Prescription drugs – These medicines include antibiotics such as tetracycline; the gout medicine allopurinol; lithium, which is used to treat certain psychiatric conditions; and some cardiac medications. Your body absorbs the medicine and it comes out in the saliva. Also, medicines that can cause a dry mouth, such as antidepressants, can be a culprit. These can affect your taste because they close your taste buds.
- Over-the-counter vitamins or medicines – Multivitamins with heavy metals (such as copper, zinc or chromium) or cold remedies (such as zinc lozenges) can cause a metallic taste. So can prenatal vitamins, and iron or calcium supplements. Usually the taste will go away as your body processes the vitamins or medicine. If not, check your dosage and make sure you are not taking too much.
- Infections – Upper respiratory infections, colds and sinusitis change your sense of taste. This is temporary and usually ends when the infection does.
- Cancer treatment – Patients being treated for cancer with chemotherapy or radiation may experience a metallic taste.
- Pregnancy – During the early stages of pregnancy, some women find that their sense of taste changes. One of those changes may be a metallic taste.
- Dementia – People with dementia often have taste abnormalities. The taste buds are connected by nerves to the brain. Taste abnormalities can occur when the portion of the brain related to taste is not working properly.
- Chemical exposures – If you are exposed to mercury or lead, inhaling high levels of these substances often can produce a metallic taste.
There are sooo many drugs out there with the potential side effect of metallic taste by a variety of mechanisms from as simple as being relased to the saliva to inhibiting taste receptor cells and their communication.
Another common cause is xerostomia, aka dry mouth, which is a side effect of many drugs. Zinc deficiencies are another common cause, again which can be precipitated by medications.
Common drugs like ACE-inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers/HMG-CoA Reductace Inhibitors "ARB's", Antihistamines, Antipsychotics, Lithium is a well known offender, Sulfa Drugs, many Antibiotics (Penacillins, Bactrim, Metronidazole, Tetracyclines), some drugs that affect sodium or calcium channels, chemo drugs, anticholinergic/antimuscarinic agents or alpha-2 agonists... the list goes on.
I've had patients in some cases who found the taste of certain drugs so unbearable that they had to discontinue. I've taken at least one drug that caused an awful taste. It was only short term but I would get annoyed too if I had to take it on a chronic basis. Not only do you have this distracting an fowl taste, but food tends to not taste the same either.
What can help in some cases is treating the underlying issues. If it's caused by a zinc deficiency or a drug that caused the zinc deficiency, then supplement. If you have xerostomia or drug induced xerostomia, drink more water, chew sugarless gum, use a product like biotene- which comes in many forms but is basically a saliva substitute. If that still doesn't work, or you have severe sjogren's or other xerostomia inducing pathologies, there are some medications that will increase salivation.
Hey, don't knock anchovies! Can't imagine pizza without them! And, yes, they do add a surprising touch to spaghetti sauce,which I had not known until a couple of years ago......and of course they are delightful in a salad, too!
Like eating a block of fishy salt. My first experience was when Dad insisted on ordering pizza for the family and one was half anchovies, along with other more tradional toppings. To each his own.
[doublepost=1477733863][/doublepost]
Thanks for the info. The day I was prompted to write that post, the taste was zinc-like or How I imagined zinc might taste. I've noted it to different degrees. Right now, it's not there. It's been on my mind since the dental hygienist asked me if I had a metal taste in my mouth when she was trying to rule out an infection in my tooth/gums. I have a little white spot on my gums that they have decided is not an infection as there are no other symptoms.
[doublepost=1477734158][/doublepost]
Hmm, does drinking liquid with the food make any difference?
Dysphagia
Last edited:
I can think of several conditions that could cause your symptoms. My advice is to go see a doctor, who will probably order some tests to determine what's going on. I hope it works out well for you.
At my most recent physical in March (2018), a urine test revealed blood in my urine, a week later, it’s still there. My family physician has set me up to see a urologist.
https://simplyhealth.io/15-causes-b...eQ8sw1Qe1DwpcsCEhM--cPdjjOP4DMR8aAkvnEALw_wcB
https://simplyhealth.io/15-causes-b...eQ8sw1Qe1DwpcsCEhM--cPdjjOP4DMR8aAkvnEALw_wcB
Last edited:
Good luck with it.
Do you always have an annual check up? I very rarely go to the doctors.
Thanks! I follow up after I’ve been seen.
I was in a profession that required physicals every 6 months, so I’m used to this routine except on my own, I get an annual physical. If you want to beat something, it’s vital to catch it early.
Some brief research on my part indicates it could be spectrum from low level urinary tract infection to bladder cancer. The latter would be a case of it being vital to catch early. If there is something small, they cauterize it and it can be beat. The same goes for polyps in the colon. Catch them early before they turn into cancer and spread.
I have an annual blood test for my thyroid condition and that's about it.
My wife hasn't been in years. She refuses to go.
Complicated mate. That's how I'd best sum it up.You are both in the take your chances mode. That’s one way to approach it.
Huntn,
Your post above was alarming, with possible causes ranging from mild to serious.
Did you find out what condition you have?
I have an appointment set for 15 May, the soonest available. A different urologist, the first available date was 30 May. Will report back. Thanks for asking!
I'll mention another health item. For this last physical my blood pressure was 135 over 85. After my physical, I came home and checked it myself, it was 130/85. The doctor told me that reading (135) used to be considered borderline high, but new guidelines now recommend that anyone with blood pressure over 130 should be on medication to lower their blood pressure. I've never been plagued with this in the past, it's just kind of developed over the years. And this is with my regular exercise routine in the pool!
And yes I'm seeking medical advice on MacRumors! Is there any risk of taking blood pressure medicine (losartan)? I have read what it says online, increased chance of kidney issues, stay well hydrated. The bottle just arrived today waiting for me to start taking it.
[doublepost=1524705349][/doublepost]
And yes I'm seeking medical advice on MacRumors!
Is there any risk of taking blood pressure medicine (losartan)? I have read what it says online, increased chance of kidney issues, stay well hydrated. The bottle just arrived today waiting for me to start taking it.[doublepost=1524705349][/doublepost]
This is a slightly late reply, but my sore big toe went away after a couple days.
Last edited:
Since I,m a doctor... Oops, wait, I'm not the medical kind of doctor. Nevertheless, I can offer some comments.I'll mention another health item. For this last physical my blood pressure was 135 over 85. After my physical, I came home and checked it myself, it was 130/85. The doctor told me that reading (135) used to be considered borderline high, but new guidelines now recommend that anyone with blood pressure over 130 should be on medication to lower their blood pressure. I've never been plagued with this in the past, it's just kind of developed over the years. And this is with my regular exercise routine in the pool!
And yes I'm seeking medical advice on MacRumors!
Hypertension (high blood pressure) commonly shows up as people age, so even if your routine hasn't changed, your body may "evolve" anyway. However, blood pressure can vary quite a bit from test to test, depending on time of day and other factors, so I'd measure it frequently over many days or weeks to see if it's only over 130 on rare occasions or on a regular basis. I wouldn't start the medicine just because two tests found it to be over 130. (And, of course, 130/85 isn't over 130.) The act of going to the doctor raises some people's blood pressure, so that may be the worst place to get evaluated!
The new guidelines take the risks of hypertension medicine into account. Systolic pressure over 130 is a risk (although not as risky as higher numbers) and drugs have risks too. On balance, the latest advice for the average person favors this particular medicine. But nobody is exactly average, so your own physician's recommendation usually carries more weight.
Losartan has been studied for years (example from 1997) and it's known to help most people when prescribed. The most common side effects are minor annoyances (various ways of making you uncomfortable) rather than life-threatening.
It would probably be smart to have blood tests more than once in the coming year to check that your liver counts are fine and that you don't accumulate excess potassium.
One possible downside to taking blood pressure medicine, even if it helps you, is that insurance companies may put you in a "less desirable" category and charge you more. And of course you may have to budget for yet another prescription medicine for the long term.
Thanks for this info! I'm now on Medicare with Supplemental and I assume Medicare is neutral about risk, or am I mistaken about that?
I'll mention another health item. For this last physical my blood pressure was 135 over 85. After my physical, I came home and checked it myself, it was 130/85. The doctor told me that reading (135) used to be considered borderline high, but new guidelines now recommend that anyone with blood pressure over 130 should be on medication to lower their blood pressure. I've never been plagued with this in the past, it's just kind of developed over the years. And this is with my regular exercise routine in the pool!
And yes I'm seeking medical advice on MacRumors!
[doublepost=1524705349][/doublepost]
This is a slightly late reply, but my sore big toe went away after a couple days.
Well, I am a pharmacist. But I can only provide hypothetical opinions. I of course don’t know your whole situation so I can’t comment directly. But speaking in generalities...
The blood pressure guidelines recently changed due to a ton of analysis on blood pressure and health outcomes.
Losartan is a good drug, very popular, and generally very well tolerated. I’m a little curious why he would pick Losartan as a first line option (Are you under 55, Black, or have tried other drugs that haven’t worked?). Typically the standard first line agents are thiazide diuretics or an ACE inhibitor, not typically an ARB/Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker (the class of Losartan), though it’s not a “wrong” choice- maybe just a prescribing preference thing. It might be worth asking why your doctor chose that medication as there are a ton of options.
There is some variation in blood pressure from environment to environment, and from sphygmomanometer to sphygmomanometer. I would be more inclined to trust the doctors equiptment and skill (manual or automatic) versus a consumer-level automatic cuff (I assume that’s what you’re using). It is possible your BP is slightly higher in the doctors office due to anxiety. It’s also important when you take your BP to sit comfortably for a moment with your feet on the ground before testing.
Technically geater than/equal to 130 systolic or diastolic equal to 80-89 is considered Stage I Hypertension based on the new guidelines.
Stage I suggests medication therapy only if: “patient has already had a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack or stroke, or is at high risk of heart attack or stroke based on age, the presence of diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease or calculation of atherosclerotic risk*”
*If your ASCVD risk score is greater than 10%, then medication is recommended. You can calculate this online (you’ll need your cholesterol levels). If your risk is lower than 10% then lifestyle changes are reccomended. In that you are exercising and presumably eating healthy, then it might be a debatable topic whether to take the meds or not.
Personally I am going to slightly disagree with @Doctor Q and would suggest following the guidelines- though it might be worth double checking if you really fall into the “treat” group for Stage I. I’d argue you have multiple tests over 130/80 (remember it’s 130+ or 80+) and so 130 itself counts as Stage I, not to mention the 85 diastolic readings. The guidelines are based on a lot of research and the best practices come from this evidence. The study found that for every 20mmHg/10mmHg systolic/diastolic over 115/75, you double your risk of death from MI, stroke, and vascular disease. It also puts you at higher risk of developing such cardiac problems and others (ie heart failure, PAD, angina, etc).
I assume your doctor took your lifestyle and other risk factors into consideration. I trust the judgement of the guidelines as it’s the most up to date information we have. Generally not working from guidelines is seen as not the best idea unless there’s a good reason to do so.
I suppose if you are super adverse to the medication you could try to make additional lifestyle and diet changes. It might also be worth taking your BP over time to see what your results are. I’d also suggest perhaps talking to your doctor more to understand his decision making. If you take any other medications (including OTC or herbals), this also may affect your BP.
The guidelines inherently suggest that the risks associated with not treating the HTN is far greater than any risks the medicines pose. Many of the BP drugs have been on the market for a long time and are some the most widely prescribed and studied in the world.
At the end of the day this a decision between you and your doctor. If you trust him I would follow his advice. If you want more info on the protocol, lookup the SPRINT study.
Last edited:
Found this article, I had no idea there were so many types of blood pressure medicines. I had no discussion with the doctor about what type of medication I should be on, just an observation that I qualified to be on blood pressure meds. And I don’t feel like I’m knowlegible enough to question his choice of one medication over another. What kind of questions would you ask and why?
https://www.webmd.com/hypertension-...blood-pressure-medicine-how-can-it-help-you#1
Yeah, there’s quite a number of options when it comes to blood pressure medications. There are some guidelines on which meds to use where. There’s also considerations based on age, race (ACE-Inhibitors don’t well great in Black people), comorbidities, existing risk factors, drug allergies, other prescribed drugs, side effect sensitivities, interactions with other drugs, genetics/what is effective in your body, etc. At the end of the day there are still a lot of options to choose from even with those considerations in mind.
As a clinical pharmacist part of my job is consulting/educating patients on their condition, meds, lifestyle changes, plus optimizing their drug therapy. Part of promoting food compliance and outcomes in engaging patients in their treatment. I’m not a big fan of the old school model of prescribing without engaging the patient, including them in the decision making process, etc.
I’m not privy to your health status and I’m not your healthcare provider so I can’t really comment on specifics. But I wouldn’t be afraid to consult your doctor further if you have concerns on your mind or perhaps discussing the feasibility of any non-pharmacuetical interventions (though I presume you eat healthy and I know you exercise).
In general I can say the long term effects of hypertension are detrimental and can be serious. The good news is HTN can be managed, you can reduce your risk of cardiovascular events and conditions. Plus the medication is generally very cheap, safe, and well tolerated. If the research reveals treating HTN now at a lower level to profoundly reduce your risk of future CV problems, I think it’s strongly worth considering. The risks associated with. hypertension over time are severe- the cons associated with these drugs is far les severe and if the do present are generally reversible. Emmb iAgain, the guidelines are based off of statistics, so it’s not like they’re just pulling numbers out of their butt.
Since you’re questioning whether or not you should take the meds, maybe you would be more comfortable understanding your prescriber’s decision making process- why he thinks treatment would be beneficial and why he chose the drugs he did. I guess you also have to ask yourself the question why you’re questioning taking the medication and think about the risks and benefits of taking it.