Terbinafine Loss of taste

Yes, I'd seen your other posts.  I think I just had to get it off my chest - this really is miserable.  Funny thing is that it sounds sort of minor...I don't think I would have appreciated how awful it is if a friend were to try to describe it to me.

I'm glad I stopped taking it within a few days of the taste thing arising... Perhaps it will clear up more quickly than it would have done if I had tried to bear with it.  You're absolutely right that GPs should discuss this, however rare it is.  The much more common GI upset isn't nice for the people it happens to, but this really is god-awful and I probably woulnd't have started if I'd known this was a possibility.

Anyway, fingers crossed it returns.  Thanks for your supportive reply.

I think my sense of taste is nearly back to normal.  I'd say 90%?  I stopped taking it only a few days after the symptoms appeared, which was I think around the middle/end of May.  It was dreadful, really.  But like others on here have said, each main 'flavour'...salty, bitter, sweet, came back slowly, one after the other.  Sweet was the last to reappear.  That was probably about 3-4 weeks ago.  It seems like I can taste pretty much everything now, and discriminate between subtle flavours, but not quite back to normal yet.  It's like the intensity is all just turned down a bit.  The really horrible persistent tastes in my mouth - salt, even though I couldn't taste salty things, etc, lasted about a month, and then over the following month things started getting back to normal.  Like I said, not all the way back to normal yet, but nearly.  It doesn't help at all, but hang in there....it really will get better.

Interesting about age and BMI as factors.  I'm 44 and my BMI is about 21....I wonder how that compares to you?

Andrew --

How old are you?  I'm going through the same awful situation in May of 2017.  I'm 56 years old.  I think my BMI is probably 26. I weighed 152 lbs. before this happen and now I'm 145. Quit the Lamsil medication after 5 weeks, exactly. And it's been three weeks with only some improvement.  Overall, I still have a terrible taste in my mouth most of the time and can mostly only taste very hot or very cold food/liquids.  I can eat cereal, fried chicken and a chargrilled burger. But no bread, crackers, cheese or anything sweet.  How long did it take you to get your taste back?, assuming you can remember from three years ago.

Not at all.  I'm glad it helped because I *really* freaked out as well.  It is a horrid horrid experience that I think you have to experience yourself to understand how awful it is.

It's funny you mentioned sweet - that's the one I missed the most as well.  Not because I have a huge sweet tooth, but it's really part of the, I don't know, freshness and enjoyment of things like fruit juices.  You're right about appreciating things.  I can't believe how much more attention I pay to the taste of things now....really savouring things.  Maybe it did take losing it to realise how important and pleasurable it is.

Glad you're making a good recovery.  I hope it continues.  All the best.

J

Yes, I think everything is back to normal.  It's a bit difficult to say whether I'm back to 100% as having everything completely disappear makes it difficult to benchmark, but yes, I think everything is back to normal.

If it's happening to you, hang in there, your taste WILL come back.  I know how distressing it is, but given time, it'll come back.

Good luck

J

taste the butter! Very mild, but it's something! Thanks again!

Dinner with a cheese sauce last night was quite tasty but a bacon sandwich with Heinz Tomato Ketchup today was totally bland.

Been 4 weeks since stopped Terbinafine now. :0((

We are on the same timeline (4 weeks and no change). I am trying to stay positive, but it's been a challenge. Please keep us posted if any change.

Hang in there!

Laura

Laura05231

Could you tell me how long it took you to regain your sense of taste?  And how long did you take the Lamasil before you quit it?  I've contacted several physicians and not been able to find anyone in the city where I live who has gone through this.  I noticed this happened to you 3 years ago. But it's happening to me in May of 2017. And I'm starting to feel like I'm going crazy! I'm headed into my fourth week without much sense of taste. I can taste a few things such as hot/cold tea, green (vege/fruit) smoothies from the Juice Bar, hamburger, chicken and flavorful soups such as ham/white bean with veges and strong chicken broth.  But I can't taste chocolate or any sweets. Nor can I taste things like bread, cheese, peanut butter or crackers.  On top of the loss of flavors (sugar, salt), I also constantly have a sour taste in my mouth as though I have been sucking on citrus candy.  I've been trying to combat the taste with Biotene and hard candy.  But it only helps a little.  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.  I'm very frightening by this medical predicament.

I went through this around Christmas time 2016 I took lamisil for 5 weeks with no issues then literally overnight my taste completely disappeared. It started to come back gradually after about 7 weeks of being off lamisil, was around 10 weeks before I got my total taste back. I had all the things you have described, a very worrying time but your taste will come back. If I can help in any way just let me know, Allison

What would help me more anything (I think) is to be able to talk to a real person about all of this!  Unfortunately, we are not able to do that through this media outlet.  I have not been able to find anyone (in my age group-57, BMI, 19-24) where I live who has experienced this. How old are you? Do you know your BMI? (that seems to be a factor) and is it safe to assume that you quit the lamasil as soon as you noticed the taste change? I stopped it the day I noticed the taste change.  My internist said she had a 70 year old patient who has gone through this.  It took him two months to rebound but he was also on the Lamisil for about two or three months. I was only on it for five weeks.   He also complained of a metallic mouth like you get with chemo treatment.  Mine is not metallic.  Was yours? I would describe my taste issue as virtually no taste of sugar, a slight taste of salt and slightly more sour taste. And nothing tastes normal.  I also often have a salty or sour/hot taste in my mouth which is extremely annoying.  Did you experience that? I've been using Biotene and sucking on hard candy to help.  But it offers little relief.  Thank you so much for responding.  Thank God for websites like this that provide opportunities for people to learn about the ill effects of some drugs.  Look forward to hearing back. 

Hi dee

I'm 39 and bmi 22, I took lamisil for 5 weeks and stopped as soon as I lost my taste. Initially I had a salty taste constantly in my mouth for probably about a month, this eventually subsided but still no taste, savoury were the first tastes to come back, sweet stuff took the longest. I felt like it would never come back and then after around 10 weeks just suddenly started to taste fruit again. This has to be one of the worst experiences I have been through. I read somewhere that zinc supplements helped so i took those after about 8 weeks, two weeks later my taste returned however I think this was just coincidence. Your taste will return

Me, too - on the worse experiences I have ever been through and I've been through cancer treatments!!  But I at least knew what to expect with chemo side effects and the metallic mouth only lasted about a week after treatment. I immediately started taking zinc and another drug, alpha lipoic acid.  Both of which are recommended in medical journals and by some physicians.  They definitely can't hurt you.  And I do credit the zinc for what little bit of taste I have recouped.   Thank you for your encouragement.  I remain concerned but hopeful.

After 6 weeks of lamisil (terbinafine), suddenly lost all sense of taste in early May 2017. I'm 67, BMI 24. Stopped med the next day. Everything tastes horrible, even water! After 1 week, water is 50% better. Drinking lots of water (urine is clear) in the hope of getting this toxin out of my system asap. I don't have a metallic taste, it's a horribly bland after-taste that also makes my stomach feel queasy after trying to eat. I have a constant thick feeling in my mouth & the back of my throat, no matter how much I gargle or brush teeth. Lost 4# in last 8 days. Bread, cheese, butter, peanut butter, crackers, fruit, & anything sweet are the worst. One thing that's OK is plain mashed potatoes. Will try soup & broth tomorrow. I totally understand your frustration, this is a very dibilitating experience that I wouldn't wish on anyone. We really take for granted our sense of taste & never could imagine how terrible it is without it. Doctor never warned me about this & now she prescribed a topical lacquer. Only have mild toenail fungus. Should have prescribed that first! Not looking forward to 2 months of this, but hope plenty of water helps. Good luck!

I am currently experiencing the same no taste problems after being on Lamisil for 5 weeks. Discontinued taking it May 5, 2017. I have the "salty" taste in my mouth and nothing helps!!!!  Hard to eat when everything is like chewing cardboard. It's very depressing and so wished I had never even heard of this drug. Do you have any satisfaction from anything?

All of us who have been through this, FEEL YOU PAIN and disappointment, frustration and depression.  I'm headed into week seven since quitting the drug, April 23 and taking it for five weeks prior to that.  I can taste more foods and almost all liquids (shakes, smoothies, tea, italian soda, San Pellegrino flavored sodas, juices, Boost/Ensure -- coffee is okay but not as good as normal).  But I'm still dealing with weird mouth experiences.  I seem to vaccilate between a dry mouth and a sour mouth.  Sorry about the salty mouth!  I think that typically happens more in the beginning.  My best advice is to start with liquids.  Try smoothies (fruit and vege), home made milkshakes (fruit/veges with ice cream/yogurt-Kifir drink) and nutritional drinks.  At any rate, if my experience is like others, you can usually taste liquids before solid food.  I've found that the taste of a lot of bread (sandwich style, toast, biscuits) and sweet items (donuts, cookies) is still bland. And thanks to the bad tastes in my mouth (dry/sour), other foods are still somewhat altered.  This is truly a horrible experience. And my heart  and prayers go out to you.  Are you taking a zinc supplement?  You could also try an antioxidant support supplement (over the counter) called Alpha Lipoic Acid.  But FIRST go to your internist or general practictioner.  If they are not familar with this reaction to Lamasil, encourage them strongly to study up. I think it's ridiculous that so few physicians even know about this debiliating side effect.   Other solid foods to try out in the beginning include: hamburger or cheeseburger (no bun!) with mustard, fried chicken and hearty/flavorful soups.  I lived off a ham and white bean soup for a week!  It tasted so good even when nothin else had any flavor.  I think the key is to find very strong flavored foods and drinks.  By the way, soda pop typically doesn't take good so I wouldn't even bother trying.  It's also not healthy so that's another reason to avoid it.   Keep me posted!  Again, I know exactly how you feel. And I have wished desperately that I could find someone local to speak with in person about this experience.  But to no avail, so far.  Neither physicians or pharmacists have been any help.  Only this patient.info sight has provided any real encouragement or guidance.

Hi Allison --- I'm on track with taste coming back during this week, week #6. What I'm concerned about is the wacky tastes and sensations that are still going on in my mouth.  Do you recall if you experienced dry mouth or a sour taste when you were in week 6 and/or 7?   It comes and goes. And it actually went away for a few days during week 4 or 5.  I was so hopeful that I'd never experience it again.  But this drug doesn't seem to want to let loose!  It tends to interfere with the enjoyment of the solid foods I'm now able to eat.  So I feel like I've taken two steps forward but one step back. Hope my description  of the recent issue makes sense.  I'm using Biotene and ACT mouthwash each day -- you can take Biotene up to five times a day, but it doesn't help that much no matter how much I take it. I've also tried rolaids and I'm still taking a zinc and alpha lipoic acid supplement, which are recommended by physicians and medical journals for regaining the taste buds.  I'm thinking of dropping the alpha lipoic acid to see if that helps with the dry mouth and sour taste.   Thanks!!

In the UK I was prescibed DAKTARIN  CREAM to treat Nail Fungus. After two treatments I lossed my taste buds. Everything I ate felt slimy and greasy! I immediatly stoped taking the DAKTARIN and was given DAKTARIN ORAL GEL to reduce my swollen lips, tougue and loose teeth. I Lost four teeth and the Dentice said to me not to come back for any dentistry till my mouth was heald. I regained gradually my taste buds over two years. The mouth Gel cleared my lips, then my gums and gradually from the tip of my tougue backwrds till it got to my tonsils.As it progressed backwards along my tongue i could feel a raging resistance as the el worked backwards. I stopped at the tonsils as I was afraid the gel was pushing down into my lungs I have had a croaky old throat now for three years. I talk indistinctly and high pitched and strained. When the gel seemed to threaten my lungs I went back to my Doctor with this story and he gave me a new presciption, the usual indecipherable hieroglyphics. I got the prescription from the Chemist and It was for DAKTARIN ORAL GEL! I took ie back to him and he just look blakly at me. Imagine that stuff getting into my lungs - a death sentence. In the UK we do not sue Doctors even though what was in my mind was more terminal. Seems too much like a paralel don't you think? 

Do not come to the UK for help, I think they all have an affiliatship with their local  mortician? an body donors.

Hi Brent I went through this 3 years ago.  Took Terbinafine and on day 10 lost my taste and instead got a horrible bitter taste in my mouth.   Stopped taking the medication immediately and called my doctor and pharmacist who had NEVER heard of it.  Thought since I stopped taking it so early my taste would come back right away.  It was 16 Long weeks before it came back.  The worst part was the constant bitterness in my mouth.  I lived on Listerine strips which gave me canker sores in my mouth.  I am going to a new doctor and was taking metformin and now have gotten the exact same problem.  I can't believe I have to go through this again!  I don't know how they relate to each other than they both have the word "hydrochloride" after them - maybe that is the part that is affecting everyone's taste?  So, I think in the future any drug that has that listed, I'm not taking!

I never lost all my taste but I did notice some of my taste is muffled, this is really terrible. some people said it took them 9 months from using Peridex mouthwash, some people said years, some people said 2 weeks some people said a month. This is really driving me crazy, even though I didnt take lamisil like you guys Im suffering from peridex, a mouthwash, i guess its pretty strong. I only used it 4-5 times. Im really scared it wont come back..

Hi Dee, 

I am going through the same hell right now. I am also 39, don't know my BMI but I'm fairly small. 

I wonder, did your toe get better after all that at least?

I'm on my 4th week of medication, no taste, only weird salty taste in my mouth even when i drink water... it just taste like a salty water. Awful. But i'm terrified to stop taking this awful med before completing the treatment as my toe is equally as disguisting as the taste =- I want to get something out of this horrible experience. 

Hi Dee, i am sorry that you are going through that. Have you regained your sense of taste?

i stopped it immediately. when i saw "permanent" taste disturbance, i freaked out!! think I would rather lose a few fingernails than this nasty foul taste when eating or drinking ANYTHING!! Lost 4lbs in 5 days, just cant make myself eat disgusting food. with the help of this forum i have a little hope that it will subside. And agree with you, hopefully you got something out of the experience. like a healthy nail AND your taste!