Taste?

[Sailorsong]

Does anyone know if MS can effect your taste?

For the last three days I ability to taste sweetness has been gone. Iy didn't just fade but was more like a light switch. One day I could detect sweetness in things and the next nothing sweet was sweet. I first noticed this while at a restaurant when drinking some sweet tea. At first I figured they had given me unsweetened ice tea instead of sweet tea, but there were sugar packets on the table so I started adding packets of sugar to the tea. After I had added 5 packets I decided something was wrong.

I sure hope this is a temporary thing. As a confirmed chocoholic that can't taste sweetness is fate worse than death since chocolate is naturally very bitter. Oh I have tried some other things that should be sweet Sodas, Butterscotch candy, plain sugar. So it isn't something about the ice tea.

Dennis

[Sailorsong]

Thanks...That must have been the post Paula mentioned but neither of us could find.

I wasn't worried about the diabetes since I did those tests over the 3 days that I had lost my sense of sweet. The main thing that helped with my diabetes was dropping of all of those cans of soda I use to drink ( 6 or more per day). I'm actually more worried about becoming hypoglycemic hence the supply of hard butterscotch candy I keep on hand.  

You don't have to worry about me using the tequila as a remedy for spicy foods. I'm hypersensitive to alcohol just 1/2 of a normal  drink for me would be like someone else having several within an hour. Several of my doctors have wanted me to have a small glass of wine each day but after telling them how sensitive I am they would all say "Well I guess that isn't a good idea" LOL.  My mom was the same way, she would have a 1/2 glass of wine before dinner ( per doctor) and would be too drunk to make dinner. I guess it is good that I'm not an alcoholic! LOL I even react to those alcohol wipes they use when taking blood. If they sick the needle in before the alcohol evaporates I will get a large rash in the area.

I knew about the milk as well ( sorry to spoil your day ). But I love having the burn of spicy food. So I don't really drink to put out the fire, just dampen it a bit so that I'll get the full effect of the next bit. Do you think my love of spice is because I was born in a Latino country ( Panama) when spices are the norm? LOL

Dennis
  

[twopack]

Oops, I forgot something.

The best thing to put out the fire is milk!  It neutralizes the oil of whatever spice is causing the burning.  Another option is tequila (because it's a solvent).  I don't really recommend that remedy but it's no surprise that it is a popular drink with Mexican dishes.

Mary

[twopack]

Aren't you diabetic Dennis?  All this testing with sweet food and drinks and sweet tea could get you in trouble that goes so much deeper than paresthesias.  I know you keep a close eye of various aspects of your health but we do read here - and worry.

The sense of taste is closely linked to your sense of smell.  So I searched that combo in the MS community.  I came up with an interesting discussion that includes a Quix explanation.  I hope something in there helps.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Multiple-Sclerosis/Symptoms-Increased-sense-of-smell--loss-of-sense-of-taste/show/1198656

I don't know what caused your recent inability to taste sweet but I'd agree that the spicy food reawakened the system.  No doubt the stimulation to the sensory cells in your nose kick started full taste again.

Here's something else to read that might help in understanding how we taste things, how the sense of smell and taste work together and possible causes of temporary taste loss.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/loss-of-taste-causes.html

One more thing.  I know that fluctuating values of body proteins and chemicals change how well we can taste sweet, sour, bitter or salty foods.  Many people say foods don't taste right for months after receiving anesthesia or when they are one pain pills.  

I've read that type of thing happens when leptin is released from fat cells and decreases the perception of how sweet foods taste.  It was suggested this mechanism makes sweet foods less appealing than usual - therefore informing the body that sweet foods aren't needed at the moment (and inducing us to stop eating them).  Unfortunately, I don't have the source handy to post here.

I've noticed over and over that people who cut foods out of their diet will eventually lose their desire for the very foods they once craved constantly.  Then, if they decide to re-indulge after a time-out period, they are overwhelmed by the taste of once loved tastes and can't tolerate more than a bite or two.  I wonder where THAT fits in here?  Ahhh, anyone think I over-think things?

Bon appétit.
Mary

[figuerpa]

Dennis,

I know what you mean about not sure if your posts are being read or not. I have had the same questions sometimes. It is like one post will get 10 responses where as another post wont get but one if that. Things seem to have slowed down since I went MIA for a while. But thats ok there are still a lot of people here that were here before I dissappeared.

I am glad your senses came back to life. It had to be tough not being able to taste sweet. Heck not being able to taste anything would drive me insane.

I did a search too but all I found was the ones from 08 and 09 but I know that at one point there was a post and everyone was talking about it, maybe it was a question asked inside a different post but I am glad you found the health page.

Take Care,
Paula

[Sailorsong]

Yes I know I should know your name, but when I have trouble remembering my own name who can blame me. LOL

That reference makes a lot of sense to me as I have had several bouts of TN in the past, have periods where I smell something that is not there, I also feel that my sneezing fits are also related. Darn that Trigeminal Nerve anyway. LOL

Yes I have had a love affair with nature since I was 10. I detest city life and is one of the main reasons I bought this home. I live on 10 acres out in the country with another 30 acres of woods behind my house.  But my dream house would be at the base of a waterfall so that I can be lulled to sleep by the sound of the water every night.

That MO is only for Mexican food. When I do Chinese I go to a place with all you can eat buffet. There I will have at least 2 egg rolls each topped with 2 tablespoons of the Hot Chinese Mustard. I love the way it makes my brain tingle and I feel so alive. I just wait until that feeling fades away before I will drink anything. I will also eat about 2 dozen fried shrimp with a mixture of the hot mustard and coktail sauce. With other foods I don't drink anything until I have finished the meal...Don't want to dilute the flavors. LOL

Dennis

[Guitar_grrrl]

Hey, Dennis!  Sorry you're going through this.  I found this little tidbit on a cool site/blog.

From:http://www.mymultiplesclerosis.co.uk/impaired-taste-smell.html

Impaired sense of taste or smell

There are many nerves involved in transmitting taste and smell information to the brain. Taste receptors are found within taste buds, not only on the tongue, but also on the soft palate, pharynx, larynx, epiglottis, uvula, and the top third of the esophagus.

Complete loss of taste is very rare, even in multiple sclerosis, but impaired taste or distorted taste may occur with demyelization of any of the nerves involved. In particular, the Trigeminal Nerve or 5th Cranial Nerve plays an important part in the taste and smell process.

There's a cool graphic on the page, as well.

I totally "get" being with nature when I'm feeling low.  Being out there in the wide world kind of puts everything in perspective.

I'm glad your sense of taste has returned.  I like your MO: A bite of something spicy, followed by a swallow of sweet tea to put out the fire!  LOL!

[jonlovesbenz]

I went from eating mild spice to being able to eat habanero peppers whole. I don'thave a dx yet. But my spine MRI shows spots, optic nerves are swollen, slow reflexes, bladder issues,balance issues, right leg pain. Oh I can're leave out my friendly tingles...so I don't know if this is MS but new for me.

[Sailorsong]

That is Sweetwater Creek one of the many stops along the Trace that I go to. It is about 45 minutes from my home and I go there when I get to feeling down in the dumps. There is just something about nature that lifts my spirits.

If I remember correctly I sat there for about 3 hours that day waiting for just the right lighting for the picture. Well I was also hoping a deer would come by as I have often seen their tracks along the creek. :)

Dennis

[Mand125]

Thanks Dennis, I often wondered - one more question, the beautiful photograph that appears in your profile, is it one you have taken or have you downloaded it?  It sure looks like a peaceful place.

Mand

[Sailorsong]

The "trace" in the Natchez Trace. It is a national park that runs from Natchez MS to Nashville TN (about 460 miles). Most of the time it is only about 300 yards wide. It was the trade route used in the 1800's for transporting goods.

Dennis

[Mand125]

Hey Dennis

Your posts are always worth reading, you would probably be surprised how many of us read them - I suppose if there's not many answers it looks like they haven't been read much but like JJ says you come up with some doozies and if I can't help or add anything worthwhile do the discussion I don't say anything.

I love to read your posts, I know all about your friend Dave, your love of wildlife and the deer you see on your journeys - I'm trying to remember the place that you often see them - is it the "trace" or something like that? (I was never sure what the trace is) I know about the battle you have with the VA. Believe me Dennis your posts are always interesting.

Now I am going to try and work out what you get when you cross a budgie with a shark!

Mand

[Sailorsong]

No new medication here.  In Quix's Health page "Things that go buzz in the night" she talked about how MS can change your taste of things due to Partheses (sp). I never could pronounce or spell that word. :) So I'm sure it is MS related.

Dennis

[supermum_ms]

Hey Dennis,

hmmm I think half the problem regarding your posts, is that you keep coming up with some doozies, that has got us scratching our collective heads and not if anything much to add to the discussion.

Did you by any chance start a new medication? I only know of it being a med reaction but can't remember anything about MS specifically. Do you want me to do some searching, if its out there i'm bound to find it, lol i'm like a dog with a bone :-)

Cheers........JJ

[Sailorsong]

Thank you for your response to my question. Sometime I wonder if anyone reads my posts because I don't get many responses even during the middle of the week. It sure would be nice if Med-Help showed a count of how how many times a post was read.

I did a search for posts made here about taste and found some from way back in 2008 probably about he time I joined the club here. Not much was said but there was a reference to a health page written by Quix. That didn't have much to say about taste either but enough that makes it seem like this was yet another MS thing for me. I sure am getting tired of all of these MS things happening to me every other month.

On the bright side it seems to have resolved tonight and sweet is now sweet again. I went out for Mexican for dinner and ordered sweet tea as usual. I then loaded up my meal with a lot of Habernaro sauce just to make sure the signals would get through. After a few bites of my dinner that way I drank some of the tea to put out the fire and it was sweet. It was like the heat of that sauce reminded my brain that it is suppose to get the messages from my tongue. :)

Dennis

[figuerpa]

Dennis,

I remember people on here talking about how MS can cause change in taste. I have never personally had it happen to me but they were talking about it before I went MIA so it was a while back. I will look to see if I can find the thread and post it for you if I can. If not then hopefully someone else can lead you in the right direction.

How frustrating that must be!
Paula