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For two months (Sept-Oct), I was unable to taste anything and I had a slight numb feeling thoroughout my entire body (I could still feel - but all sensation was dimished). During this time, I made an appointment with a neurologist (after seeing an internist and doing lots of tests... she just thought it was anxiety even though I wasn't feeling anxiety). The neurology appointment is not for another month. My taste came back in early November and the numbness went away completely.

Has anyone heard of this happening? I was worried it might be MS or a tumor, as sometimes the inability to taste can be a symptom of these. But I have no other reason to think it is these.

Now that I am feeling 100% better, I am leaning toward not going to the neurologist, especially since my internist wasn't helpful and didn't think I needed to go even when I was experiencing these symptoms. Does anyone have any idea why my taste went away for two months? I hope it's not MS, but like I said I don't really have a strong reason to think it is.

I doubt the neurologist can help. He'll just say it was anxiety, too.

I have had a problem similar to this. Part of my tongue felt numb and my taste was affected for a couple of weeks. I attributed it to my MS.

Alicia

I would keep the appointment and try to get an MRI to see what is going on. If you cancel the appointment and have problems later you may have regrets. I hope everything is okay!

I think I'll keep my neuro appointment for now. My fear really is just having the neurologist look at me like my internist, cardiologist, and endrocinologist did... like I was crazy and my symptoms were in my head and caused by anxiety. It's a terrible feeling.

My internist didn't want to send me to a neurologist. So confused right now.

Keep the appointment. It sounds like you know that your symptoms were real. Anxiety is also a symptom of MS, as are symptoms such as numbness that come and go. An MRI and a neuro exam would both be helpful in ruling things in or out.

I never knew that I had diminished sense of taste until after my CCSVI angioplasty, when my ability to taste improved.

Thank you.

Of course I hope that this is all due to anxiety (and not anything worse like MS), but it just seemed to me that there was no way this was anxiety related.

paul2008 wrote:i have RELAPSING/REMITTNG MS and have lost my sense of taste for 7 or 8 weeks on 1 occasion. i coudn't eat because everything tasted disgusting and was so relieved when it finally came back!

That reminds me of a story I heard on NPR not too long ago about a woman who lost her sense of smell from taking a Zicam OTC cold remedy containing zinc. She stated that without a sense of smell, her brain manufactured smells that were putrid.

Five Senses, Minus One: Living Without Smell - Bonnie Blodgett
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... =127905543

Here's an FDA warning on Zicam products from June 2009.
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/Dru ... 167282.htm

Drugmaker Can Be Sued Over Tardy Disclosure Of Adverse Reactions
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/03 ... -reactions


NHE

Just thought I would post as I lost my sense of taste for about two months last year and at the time I could find very little information relating to it. One day a numbness crept down one side of my head and my sense of taste disappeared. I had a vague perception of bitter, which meant that was all I could taste when I ate anything. My sense of smell remained and this confused the doctors that I spoke with. Thankfully it came back, slowly at first but steadily. Such a small thing but at the time the concept of the rest of my life being unable to taste had me so depressed. I will never forget cooking Christmas lunch and having no idea whether it tasted okay. Glad yours has come back!

Oksan,

I know the feeling. I was making food for my father and realized I couldn't tell how it would taste. Yours came back, too I hope.

I don't know if I have MS. I hope not. I have a neurology appointment in January. Who knows what will happen.

Darn. I can't get into neurology until March. I realize there's nothing I can do here but vent. I just need to vent a little.

Hey IceSkate,

Vent all you like it's so frustrating to be wondering if there is something seriously wrong with you and have to wait months to see a specialist. I don't know what the situation is where you are but when I did finally get to see a neuro there was then a further 6 week wait for a MRI. Check on the wait time now and if it is similiar push to get a booking slotted in after your neuro appointment. Usually they need the neuro to request it but use the obscenely long wait for appointment as leverage.

I was able to see my neurologist. First he is testing for porphyria. If not that, then he might do an MRI. Not really sure what's going on right on right now

Hang in there! I changed my whole diet after that bout and up to this point...touch wood! I have been feeling fine in fact better. Basically avoiding all the inflammatry foods...however I haven't surrended my morning coffee. Nobody else was offering a solution and I thought that it was at least something I could do whilst they tried to figure out what was happening. Maybe even the sense of doing something to assist my body helped contribute to my system righting itself.

Iceskate,

is the feeling or lack of it, a bit like being wrapped in clingfilm, its not numb but not true feeling either


By the way our user names are quite appropriate today seeing that it has snowed here overnight in England and big snow to.

Icecube2

Hi Icecube,

That is a good description of the feeling. It wasn't tingling or like when your leg is asleep... but like my entire body had a layer of clingfilm around it.

I haven't been able to describe it properly before.

I am waiting on tests for a condition called porphyria, and then maybe an MRI next.