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Feels Sour, Bitter And Salty Taste In What Ever I Eat. Treated For Acid Reflux. Help?

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Posted on Tue, 24 Sep 2013
Question: Severe SOUR BITTER SALTY taste with EVERYTHING I eat..... I am being treated for Acid Reflux. But IF that were the case, WHY are my Taste Buds totally haywire. I have had this since the end of last May, 2013. I weighed 198 1/2 when all this started. I am down to 186. It's NOT that I've stopped eating.... I just eat less because it ALL tastes like Burnt sawdust and water is the WORST!! I am SO THIRSTY!! And it tastes like SALTY Ocean water!!
Thank you for any help or advice you can give me. I have been taking 3 prescriptions for Acid Reflux and it has done NOTHING to help this condition...... Thanks again!!
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sriram Nathan (32 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Reflux Treatment takes time and patience

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to XXXXXXX

I am Dr Sriram Nathan and I am an ENT consultant and head and heck surgeon who has been treating patients for close to a decade now.

I have understood your concern about the reflux medication not working and why your taste has gone haywire!

You should understand that reflux treatment involves both medications and more importantly lifestyle modifications. While medications can offer you good temporary relief, the lifestyle modifications give you a permanent relief which takes times to achieve.

Meanwhile your tongue is reacting to the reflux in a way which we call "the mucositis" and also since am sure nothing tastes good you are unable to eat sufficient greens which has led to a vitamin deficiency. One of the foremost indicators of such deficiency is altered taste of the tongue. There can be many other causes also; but this is one of the commonest.

Coming to your treatment as such:
1. Continue the anti relux medications in proper dosage as advised by your doctor (you may send me a list if you have any doubt regarding the same)
2. Start a multivitamin tablet like Zincovit twice daily for two weeks after food for two weeks and then once daily after food for one month or so. Your doctor will know about this.
3. Avoid anything which is spicy, Oily and high flavored
4. Take lots of green leafy vegetables in any form like salad, soup, side or main course even if it tastes bland or salty.
5. Take an exercise regimen to achieve and maintain your ideal weight. You should remember that even weight loss can cause or aggravate reflux.

Wait for at least two weeks after you do the above religiously before you panic, as I have mentioned before that these take time to manifest. If you do not feel better at the end of that time then we may have to consider other causes and start with an Upper GI endoscopy and complete blood analysis and take it from there.

Hope I have answered your doubts and I will be more than happy to answer any more.

Take care and get well soon

Dr Sriram Nathan
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sriram Nathan (7 hours later)
Thank you for your prompt reply. I understood when I paid the $15.00 I would be able to ask questions until Oct. 6th....
Since I'm on a count down I'll try to think fast!! I understand the diagnosis of Acid Reflux. However I did NOT have ANY symptoms. NO burning in my stomach, NO pain in my stomach, NO burpees, NO feeling of anything wrong when I laid down, sitting up or walking around. What I mean is, I NEVER felt ANY acid build up coming up my throat to my mouth.
I have trouble swallowing but I have had that problem since I was a child. One of my memory's of my Mother is her yelling at me to "SWALLOW IT!!" And I can clearly remember saying, "I can't, I've forgotten how to swallow" And I remember being in a high chair so I HAD to be really small.
I can just take a deep breath and it will CHOKE me so bad I have a coughing fit until somebody hits me on my back several times. I have always joked that I have two throats and the flap that closes one from the other forgot to close OR didn't close fast enough.
I am taking Amoxicillin CAPSULE 500 mg 2 capsules 2 times daily
Omeprazole capsule 200 mg 1 tablet 2 times daily and Clarithromyc tablet 500 mg 1 tablet 2 times daily.
I also take Losartan Hctz 50 12.5 mg tablet for High Blood Pressure
1 Bayer Baby Aspirin 81 mg daily, Melatonin tablet 3 mg (to help me sleep through the night. If I don't take this regularly I seem to wake up anywhere from 3 to 5 hours and I'm WIDE AWAKE and ready to start the day from 2:30 AM on...
Lots of times my husband and I get up, have a cup of coffee and we're up for 4 to 6 hours and then I'm sleepy again. I have found that taking Melatonin daily helps with those episodes.
I also take a Equate vitamin (from Wal-Mart) for Women age 50+ and lastly I take Nature's Bounty Fish Oil 1200 mg (both of these 1 time a day.

Approximately 4 1/2 years ago I had to have a my 2nd molar on the upper right of my mouth taken out and the dentist put a cap in. The oral surgeon HAD to have done 'something' WRONG when he did the root canal because I was in PAIN that did NOT stop OR diminish.
I was under the impression that when "they" did a root canal there wasn't anything in there any more to hurt. I had to go back 3 times because it hurt clear up to my right eye.
EACH time they would say... "no... The X-rays don't show anything! Maybe you just need to get used to the cap? I've had these before! You do NOT need time to get used to the cap! At least I never did...
Anyway, AFTER 4 1/2 years of trying to deal with this toothache that hurt CLEAR up to my right eye, I went BACK to the dentist and told him, "I want this thing out!"
I asked him IF this bitter, sour, salty taste could be from bacteria eeking out of the tooth? He assured me it wasn't the cause.
I had the tooth taken out and he gave me a prescription to take. Hydroco/apap tablet generic for Lorcet Plus 7.5-650.
After the tooth was taken out, I called back to ask them why it was taking so long to stop bleeding. The dental assistant told me that this medication was supposed to do this to help draw the infection out.
What infection? I thought the X-rays didn't show anything in there??
I am dealing with a very sore tongue because of the two teeth on either side cutting in to my tongue when I talk too much.

One more thing, I do HAVE to clear my throat MANY times after I eat. Almost as if there is a build up of something in my throat. It gets annoying because I am constantly umm, umming trying to clear it out.
I guess you can tell I am a talker? My ONLY other vice is Quilting... And in my defense, MOST woman love to visit, sit down and talk over a Hot cup of tea and a Fresh XXXXXXX Muffin.
So, my questions FINALLY is! Could the BAD ROOT CANAL that wasn't done right in the first place have ANYTHING to do with this BAD SOUR SALTY Taste?
You are RIGHT though. I have avoided salads (which I DEARLY Love!) But it wasn't because of the horrible burnt sawdust taste.... It was because of having a hard time chewing. I will buy the makings today and have Salad TWICE a day from now on. And I will try to do at least 1/2 hour of exercise daily.
Thank you for listening to me.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sriram Nathan (12 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
very good history!

Detailed Answer:
hello,

As far as your reply is concerned let me tell you that your extensive history is simply awesome!

coming to your problems
Like i mentioned before, reflux need not have any symptoms so don't worry if you do not have any. The medication for reflux is safe and you must continue the omeprazole which you are already taking for at least a month or so

regarding the amox and clari tablets which are strong anti biotics you can stop them after seven days course in consultation with your doctor.

since you have restarted on greens then am sure you will feel better in two weeks or so

The tooth removal will not have any permanent effect on your taste. A temporary taste change is seen but not for so long so don't worry about that...

If the teeth is hitting in the edges of the tongue then you must consult a dentist

Like i mentioned before, it will take some weeks for your symptoms to become better.Have patience and am sure you will be fine..

i would be happy to answer any more doubts you may have but please do not worry and increase your stress....

regards


Dr Sriram Nathan
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sriram Nathan (33 minutes later)
Thank you again for your prompt reply!!
Gonna go exercise..... I'd RATHER quilt!! LOL!!
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sriram Nathan (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Keep a good diet....

Detailed Answer:
Hello

Glad that you feel like exercising...

Do everything in control and do not strain yourself

take care

if you have any other doubts you may Ask

regards

Dr Sriram Nathan
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Sriram Nathan

ENT Specialist

Practicing since :1996

Answered : 1028 Questions

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Feels Sour, Bitter And Salty Taste In What Ever I Eat. Treated For Acid Reflux. Help?

Brief Answer:
Reflux Treatment takes time and patience

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to XXXXXXX

I am Dr Sriram Nathan and I am an ENT consultant and head and heck surgeon who has been treating patients for close to a decade now.

I have understood your concern about the reflux medication not working and why your taste has gone haywire!

You should understand that reflux treatment involves both medications and more importantly lifestyle modifications. While medications can offer you good temporary relief, the lifestyle modifications give you a permanent relief which takes times to achieve.

Meanwhile your tongue is reacting to the reflux in a way which we call "the mucositis" and also since am sure nothing tastes good you are unable to eat sufficient greens which has led to a vitamin deficiency. One of the foremost indicators of such deficiency is altered taste of the tongue. There can be many other causes also; but this is one of the commonest.

Coming to your treatment as such:
1. Continue the anti relux medications in proper dosage as advised by your doctor (you may send me a list if you have any doubt regarding the same)
2. Start a multivitamin tablet like Zincovit twice daily for two weeks after food for two weeks and then once daily after food for one month or so. Your doctor will know about this.
3. Avoid anything which is spicy, Oily and high flavored
4. Take lots of green leafy vegetables in any form like salad, soup, side or main course even if it tastes bland or salty.
5. Take an exercise regimen to achieve and maintain your ideal weight. You should remember that even weight loss can cause or aggravate reflux.

Wait for at least two weeks after you do the above religiously before you panic, as I have mentioned before that these take time to manifest. If you do not feel better at the end of that time then we may have to consider other causes and start with an Upper GI endoscopy and complete blood analysis and take it from there.

Hope I have answered your doubts and I will be more than happy to answer any more.

Take care and get well soon

Dr Sriram Nathan