Does anyone get a strange taste in their mouth from taking prednisone

Posted , 7 users are following.

This may be just me but been on pred for 1 year with my pmr. But sometimes in later afternoon I get this strange taste in my mouth. Been to dentist and all is good there. Lert me know if anyone has had this. Thank you ahead for any answers.

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Posted

    Yes, many of us do, or did, at first.  There is quite a long discussion on this forum about it - it was about five months ago - scroll down the discussions and you shoud find it.

    Constance

  • Posted

    Funny you should ask about taste , I was only thinking yesterday afternoon that my mouth has always fell thick and have an odd taste since I have started preds . Have been on them 6 months now so I gueess its par for the course . Still have taste though . Carol
  • Posted

    You can also get a nasty taste with PMR alone and I have seen lists of symptoms that mention it. I did. 

    I wonder if it has anything to do with blood sugar levels because I get a similar taste (as far as I remember) about mid-morning having not eaten for over 12 hours. Eating something gets rid of it.

    • Posted

      And yes - I looked it up and, as I thought, it happens at the point where your body runs out of carbs and needs to use lipids (fats) to produce energy. It's called ketoacidosis - it isn't dangerous in people who are NOT diabetic by the way and just happens for a short time unless you are fasting for a very long time when it lasts a bit longer until the body sorts out how it is working so being on a low carb diet isn't a long term problem.

      Pred changes the way your body processes carbs so maybe that is another reason why it happens when you are on pred.

  • Posted

    Yes I get this too. My doctor told me it is part of the acid reflux that I get from taking the pred. 'My answer was 'flipping steroids have got a lot to answer for'! Thank goodness they help with the pain. I sometimes forget that pred is the drug, not the disease! The only thing that helps my mouth is 'Dactarin Gel' that I get on my regular prescription. You could try this. Hope it works for you. Take care, Debbie
    • Posted

      Wonder how he'd account for mine then since I had it even long before pred. 

      I wonder how the Daktarin gel helps - that's prescribed for oral thrush...

    • Posted

      Hi Eileen. I think the Daktarin helps because of the orange flavour. It must be stronger than the 'acid'. I only found out it helped because I was prescribed it for oral thrush some time ago and tried it in desperation a couple of weeks ago when all my food seemed to taste of plastic and I developed cuts and sores on my tongue (another symptom of acid reflux disease apparently). She has prescribed Metoclopramide but they are not helping a lot. Think it might be the dreaded endoscopy next! Ho hum!
    • Posted

      Debbie27473, try Mrs) tip for acid reflux, it has worked for some many of us.

      Put a lemon in the microwave for one minute (yu get more juice) then divide the juice into three and take it three times a day in water.

      Acid reflux gone.

    • Posted

      Are you on any anti-acid medication? Like omeprazole or ranitidine? Don't take the metoclopramide for long though - has some unpleasant potentially permanent side effects which happen if you take it longterm.
    • Posted

      I was on Omeprazole for a year but I thought it might be causing the palpitations so I have changed to Ranitidine. The doctor did say I can't take the Metoclopramide for too long. Since they are not doing a lot she will probably not give me any more. I am a bit worried that my eosophagos is damaged from the acid as I keep choking on my food, my breath is raspy and food feels like it gets stuck in my upper chest as well as tasting of plastic. Upside is, that it is helping my diet lol!
    • Posted

      Thanks lodger. I will give it a go. Also thank you for your offer of help with the med students. I will pm you when I am preparing next week. Take care, Debbie

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