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What Causes Altered Sense Of Taste While On Metformin?
Question: Hi, its my husband, he is a 77 yr. old in fairly good health, has type 2 diabetes. He takes metformen and has his blood sugars under control. The problem is he has had a sweet taste with every thing he tries to eat. This has been going on for about 6-7 months. The Drs. here are completly stumped. He has even been to a EENT Dr., ran a bookoo of tests and came up with nothing. Basically said he would have to live with it. He has lost alot of weight. Every time he starts to eat when he gets hungry about half way through the food gets really sweet and he can't eat any more and he gets sick if he tries to force it down. Any suggestions?
Brief Answer:
Unusual
Detailed Answer:
Sorry to learn about your husband's bothersome symptoms.
To my knowledge there is no known medical condition that makes food taste sweet.
Taste sensation may get affected by metformin occasionally so you and your husband can discuss this with his doctor to see if it would be worthwhile temporarily discontinuing metformin to see if the taste problem improves.
Kindly do not stop metformin without discussing with your doctor.
It is possible another type of diabetes medication will need to be prescribed to him while metformin is held off, if that plan is made.
When I see someone like your husband in my practice, I typically order the following blood tests in addition to a detailed physical examination:
CBC (Complete Blood Count, also known as Hemogram; includes Hemoglobin, WBC and Platelet counts)
Electrolytes (Sodium and Potassium in particular)
HbA1c (Glycosylated Hemoglobin = your last 3 months' glucose average). Also known by other names such as GlycoHemoglobin or Glycated Hemoglobin or A1c
Liver function tests (SGOT , SGPT, Albumin, Bilirubin, Alkaline Phosphatase)
Kidney function tests (BUN, Creatinine)
TSH (checks your thyroid)
Free T4 (this too checks your thyroid) Thyroid autoantibodies : Anti Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) antibodies and Anti Thyroglobulin antibodies 12 hour Fasting Lipid profile
Urine albumin to Creatinine Ratio (early sign of diabetes affecting the kidney)
25 hydroxy Vitamin D levels (ideal range 40 to 60 ng/ml = 100 to 150 nmol/liter)
Correct diagnosis and treatment requires the opportunity to examine the patient so you must see an endocrinologist in-person.
Unusual
Detailed Answer:
Sorry to learn about your husband's bothersome symptoms.
To my knowledge there is no known medical condition that makes food taste sweet.
Taste sensation may get affected by metformin occasionally so you and your husband can discuss this with his doctor to see if it would be worthwhile temporarily discontinuing metformin to see if the taste problem improves.
Kindly do not stop metformin without discussing with your doctor.
It is possible another type of diabetes medication will need to be prescribed to him while metformin is held off, if that plan is made.
When I see someone like your husband in my practice, I typically order the following blood tests in addition to a detailed physical examination:
CBC (Complete Blood Count, also known as Hemogram; includes Hemoglobin, WBC and Platelet counts)
Electrolytes (Sodium and Potassium in particular)
HbA1c (Glycosylated Hemoglobin = your last 3 months' glucose average). Also known by other names such as GlycoHemoglobin or Glycated Hemoglobin or A1c
Liver function tests (SGOT , SGPT, Albumin, Bilirubin, Alkaline Phosphatase)
Kidney function tests (BUN, Creatinine)
TSH (checks your thyroid)
Free T4 (this too checks your thyroid) Thyroid autoantibodies : Anti Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) antibodies and Anti Thyroglobulin antibodies 12 hour Fasting Lipid profile
Urine albumin to Creatinine Ratio (early sign of diabetes affecting the kidney)
25 hydroxy Vitamin D levels (ideal range 40 to 60 ng/ml = 100 to 150 nmol/liter)
Correct diagnosis and treatment requires the opportunity to examine the patient so you must see an endocrinologist in-person.
Note: For further follow-up, discuss your blood glucose reports with our diabetologist. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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