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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Phillipa on December 31, 2013, at 11:20:02
I keep searching for why l0 years ago my taste began to fade till it was non-existent. This may not seem a loss to you but to never ever taste fruit, salads, all my favorites and just eat to survive is the only thing that is depressing to me. First one doc thinks virus to nose, then infection doc says biaxin xl, then google says Alzheimers, Parkinson's , or MS. I live in constant fear and feel like exist in a bubble when others say "oh how good this tastes" Or smells. Please anyone any other ideas? Medical problems hasimotos thyroiditis, osteoporosis, osteo arthritis, all I eat it enough to stay alive. Meds, luvox, Lexapro, valium, Xanax, synthroid, And vitamins. The dentist recently said zinc 10mg twice a day. And thought maybe a consult with a dental specialist? One time an ENT said I had varicose veins on back of tongue which is ridiculous. So help me have some quality to my life. I ask you from the bottom of my heart for some help if there is any. I refuse to accept it isn't something. Thanks Phillipa
Posted by johnLA on December 31, 2013, at 12:58:39
In reply to 10 years no taste/smell Please Ideas?, posted by Phillipa on December 31, 2013, at 11:20:02
i got it too jan.
4 ways you lose your sense of smell;
1. congenital
2. head injury
3. virus/sinusitis/polyps/nasal inflammation
4. ageit sucks.
please don't panic about alzheimer's/etc. loss of the sense of smell is more common than you would think. both my therapist (head injury) and primary care (congenital) are anosmic as well.
have you tried a week long steroid run of prednisone ever? i have had 3 nasal surgeries for removal of nasal polyps. i do a 2 week run of low dose prednisone and i actually get a bit of smell back for a few months after surgery.
i just had bronchitis. i got a 20mg shot in the butt of prednisone. i am smelling a bit the past 2 weeks. (that sounds funny. no, i am not smelling my rear. lol) i am actually thinking of going on a super low dose (3mg) of pred for a while and see what happens. it also helps with my depression.
just a thought.
i have researched the heck out of it. in my case it's the polyps. and, there is no cure. they just keep growing back and fast.
i have mentioned to you before; the tongue can still 'taste' 4 things. sweet, sour, bitter and salty.
work on texture. color, and temperature regarding food. it's hard, but i have found some times there is real pleasure in eating something that has a interesting texture. like a red delicious apple. or, a fuji apple. a lite pasta w/olive oil and grilled shrimp. a really good steak.
a once a week savory bacon cheeseburger with really good meat really hits the spot. not fast food, but from a good steakhouse or made at home from top grade meat.
also, think about how you feel AFTER you eat. meaning; when you eat something healthy it 'sits' well in your stomach. you digest it well. i think you need to 'enjoy' food in this way too.
i know how hard it is to not be able to smell. it's a lot like depression. people just don't realize how important it is until it is gone. i think my mild depression started years ago when i lost my sense of smell.
don't dive up. i have an 87 year-old neighbor that lost both taste and smell for about 20 years and she just got it back a few years ago. no lie.
jan you will have to do some work and accepting. try some different foods too. sometimes you'll surprise yourself. it's easy to just give in and eat the same stuff. i do that and it usually leads to sugar which makes me feel like crap after.
there are some support groups online. i know there is one on yahoo. though people just seem to complain there.
finally, go to a really good ent. have a cat scan again. every once in a while look at some of the smell/taste clinics. not that guy in dc though. i hear he is a rip-off and i think you went to him already? there is one down in san diego.
if you have asthma, you can also try aspirin desensitization. this seems to help some with allergies/etc and opening-up the sinuses.
hope this gives you some ideas/hope.
john
Posted by Jeroen on December 31, 2013, at 17:33:34
In reply to Re: 10 years no taste/smell Please Ideas?, posted by johnLA on December 31, 2013, at 12:58:39
thanks JohnLA for helping Philippa
Posted by SLS on December 31, 2013, at 17:48:10
In reply to thanks JohnLA for helping Philippa, posted by Jeroen on December 31, 2013, at 17:33:34
> thanks JohnLA for helping Philippa
Ditto!
- Scott
Posted by Phillipa on December 31, 2013, at 20:56:14
In reply to Re: thanks JohnLA for helping Philippa, posted by SLS on December 31, 2013, at 17:48:10
Thanks John. I have also researched the cranial nerves that deal with both issues. Dentist said try l0mg of zinc twice a day. I may try this too. Also the is is orolaryngial docs are supposed to deal with this. Yes did the prednisone prescribed at first taste & smell center at Wake Forrest. He first though could have sjounes autoimmune but test was negative. Studies show that depression is very common as well as marital discord. So all I ask for in the New year Is my taste & smell back even half would do. Oh to smell a rose again. Also the dangers of not smelling & tasting are gas leaks, fire, infections can't smell exudate. Taste can eat spoiled foods. It's amazing how these senses impact ones life. Phillipa
Posted by bleauberry on January 6, 2014, at 12:00:43
In reply to 10 years no taste/smell Please Ideas?, posted by Phillipa on December 31, 2013, at 11:20:02
Phillipa, I thought you already knew that loss of taste and smell are very common in Lyme disease, and are also potential risks with some antibiotics and some psychiatric meds too.
I don't know if you will ever get taste and smell back. At the present age and with disease having been so long, I'm not sure that is a realistic goal. Not trying to sound negative. Just trying to stay real.
If it were me, I sure as heck would not be looking to Western medicine for the answer to that. I would look East. Chinese herbal medicines and/or homeopathy. In either of those approaches, no one knows how they work, and no one cares how they work, just that they do work and have worked for thousands of years. Just no profit in them, which is why we don't know about them in USA.
I do remember reading the other day about a specific herb that was specific for restoring taste and smell. Or maybe it was a homeopathy? Can't remember. But I did see something recently. I know there is stuff out there. Not sure if it will be easy to find or if you'll have to dig deep, but it's there.
Your supplement list looks extremely light, nothing of any good there that I can see. Look at your vitamin bottle and scroll down to B6. Does it say it is "P5P" or is it just plain B6? Does the B12 have the word "methyl" in it? Folate, does it say "methyltetra" before it? Any of the minerals bound to cofactors such as malate, picolinate? Vitamins without these are fairly junk when it comes to any kind of therapeutical value. Store vitamins might be ok for helping to maintain general health, though recent research suggests not, but for any kind of therapeutic purposes very high doses are required and specific cofactors are required. The dentist's suggestion of 10mg zinc a day....that's nothing. Did he tell you about the balance between zinc and copper? Taking one without the other is not a great idea, can make things even worse than without either of them.
We have to hunt for what we want. Answers do exist. God already put them there. We just have to look for them. In that hunt, I do not believe the Western world has any hope for your taste/smell symptoms. Waste of time and spirit. I do believe Eastern medicine likely has something for you. What it is, no clue, I have only the Lyme herb familiarity in that regard.
But again, loss of taste/smell is consistent with Lyme disease, psychiatric meds, other meds, hormonal disfunction, and longterm chronic conditions, as well as simple ole age. I'm not sure that is curable, but I would be willing to bet there is something out there in the plant world that can revive some of what is not working.
Posted by Jeroen on January 6, 2014, at 15:46:24
In reply to Re: 10 years no taste/smell Please Ideas?, posted by bleauberry on January 6, 2014, at 12:00:43
please dont
Posted by Phillipa on January 6, 2014, at 21:00:41
In reply to To Phillipa dont give up hope please, posted by Jeroen on January 6, 2014, at 15:46:24
Jeroen know what? I care for you Phillipa
This is the end of the thread.
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