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Terbinafine Loss of taste

Posted , 110 users are following.

jonathan21989
jonathan21989

I had taken terbinafine for about six weeks for a toenail infection when my sense of taste pretty much completely disappeared over the course of 3-4 days.  I have a vague salty/bitter taste in my mouth, but nothing tastes of anything....sweet, salt, bitter...all gone.  I can put pure sugar on my tongue and not taste a thing.  That refreshing zing you get from toothpaste?  Gone.  Everything tastes grey at best, or just nasty at worst.

The infection responded well to terbinafine - I have about 4mm clear nail now, but I've decided to stop taking it as nothing is worth this cost.  I've switched to Loceryl lacquer but I don't even care about the nail anymore.  I just desperately want to be able to taste things normally again.  I can completely understand how this can cause weight loss and depression.  My advice would be to avoide terbinafine.

13 likes, 364 replies

364 Replies

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  • Bj11912
    Bj11912 jonathan21989

    Posted

    I lost taste after 35 days on terbinifine. I am at exactly 6 weeks from taste loss and and I feel that my taste is back about 20-25%, all tasted very muted. Absolutely no sweet taste yet. Better than the awful salty taste that plagued me the first week or so. I appreciate others posting on this site. It has been most helpful and hopeful.

  • steve65703
    steve65703 jonathan21989

    Posted

    I found myself in the same situation after 31 days, 250mg. Morning coffee wasn't quite right and later pop was off. It wasn't until I couldn't taste my burrito I realized I had a problem. Cookies the night before were good, lost taste overnight. I had taken terbinafine for 3 months about 20 years ago and worked great with no side effects. Googled symptoms and found the threads here. Thanks all for sharing their stories as it has definitely eased my mind knowing the cause. Today is my second day off the pills. I am not aware of anything but time for taste to return. Looks like I have a several weeks ahead of me.

    • steve65703
      steve65703

      Posted

      Today I discovered putting a couple drops mint extract in my water, not bad. A pack of artificial sweetener makes it all the better.

  • DebLegs
    DebLegs jonathan21989

    Posted

    Took a good six weeks or more for mine to return, and it came back slowly Mexican (my fav) had no tasteSorry, it's pretty miserable!

    • steve65703
      steve65703 DebLegs

      Posted

      Thanks for the update, I am finding this thread to be my support group. Never imagined that a loss of taste could be so bad. Beer tastes like water which tastes like metal, oh my.

  • claude63447
    claude63447 jonathan21989

    Posted

    Hello, similar experience for me, 250mg each day for 30 or 31 days after my taste buds decided to quit on me overnight. A freaking out experience when you realize that ice cream has absolutely no flavor, only some greasy white stuff. Salt and sugar tasting buds are the most affected ones in my case. The next 3 days were not pleasant at all and I realized that my temper changed since I felt like depression was around the corner (I am a always in a good mood !!!) and decided to stop treatment on the fourth day , a bit less than 5 weeks after the first pill. It is been now almost 2 weeks and tasting slightly again salty food but sweet has not come back yet . thanks to all for your messages, I am happy to see that I am not alone having this issue.

    • claude63447
      claude63447

      Posted

      hello , a follow up on my situation . My taste is back to normal or very close to, about 2 months after stopping treatment. It feels sooo good (sugar and salt) and for those who are currently in the treatment or right after the end do not get discouraged , it will come back .

  • stephen89367
    stephen89367 jonathan21989

    Posted

    I used Terbinafine for 8 weeks, and now have complete loss of taste. I stopped taking it after the 2 months. I am 64 years old and just wondering if my taste will ever return, I have been off the medicene now for about 4 weeks. Feeling very depressed.

    • brent42485
      brent42485 stephen89367

      Posted

      You are experiencing the same as me when I was on it. I found this forum to be helpful and positive. Your taste will return. It takes time. I stopped taking it at the 60 day mark. Just about 3-4 weeks later all was well. l lost a lot of weight from it, but having my sense of taste gone was mind blowing. It will return for you. I completely understand your plight. Along with the rest of us, it did cure somewhat my big toe of fungus, clear nail. But to lose my sense of taste, was just plain awful. Hang in there!!

    • rob87282
      rob87282 stephen89367

      Posted

      Hi same thing happened to me about three years ago try not to worry. It took about two months after stopping the drug for my taste to fully recover,

    • stephen89367
      stephen89367 steve65703

      Posted

      Hey Steve, when your taste came back did it happen gradual, or all at once?

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