Newbie - Sweets Taste Salty?

[Mcspire]

New to this board, but have been reading for a couple weeks and got great insight.  Thanks to all of you for sharing information.

I cannot find this is a side effect from the generic Plaquenil or Salagen, but suddenly I have a horrid salty taste in my mouth?  Is this part of Sjogren's?  This is particulary noticible with sweets.  A cup of cocoa tasted like warm saltwater.  Kind of sacreligious to mess with a gal's chocolate.

[Joe S.]

Welcome McSpire. I hope the meds work for you. There are alternatives and supplements. The sweet as salt may require a specialist.

[A66eyroad]

Wow, that's a new one on me!   

I've had the taste of salt or the taste of copper pennies in my mouth before. And I don't eat sweets anymore because they taste so cloying and overpowering.  But never something sweet tasting salty.

Sounds like you might need to mention that to your rheumy or G.P. next time you're being seen.

[Luna]

I agree with the other two posts. Please let us know what you find out..

Luna

[Jellyb]

Hi Mcspire,
I wonder if it something is going on with your sinuses. Sometimes that can effect how you taste. Very strange. I hope you get it figured out, we cant have hot chocolate taste like salt water, thats just wrong!

[Bucky]

A cup of cocoa tasted like warm saltwater.

Hi Mcspire - welcome!

You don't by chance have a water softener that needs salt added to it, do you?  Some times we'll get the "salty" taste from our tap water if salt is needed for our water softener.

Other than that, I've never heard of that before.  I agree - salty chocolate is just not right! 

If there is a particular subject you are interested in, just put that word(s) in the search box to the top right of this page and it will take you to previous threads about it.

I hope you find this site helpful to you as you begin your Sjogren's journey.

Bucky

[vtmommy]

I didn't think it was a Sjogren's thing, but lo and behold:

from:  http://www.riversideonline.com/health_reference/Ear-Nose-Throat/AN01411.cfm

"Taste changes are rarely a sign of a serious underlying problem. However, they are annoying and can impair your enjoyment of food. A persistent salty taste in the mouth can have many possible causes, including:

- Dehydration. This may be due to inadequate fluid intake or excessive fluid loss. Review your diet. Excessive intake of alcohol or caffeine can cause fluid loss, resulting in dehydration, which can make saliva saltier.
-    Side effect of certain medications, such as anti-thyroid medications and chemotherapy drugs.
-    Salivary gland diseases, such as Sjogren's syndrome or bacterial infection of the salivary glands (sialadenitis).
-    Post-nasal drainage, such as with a sinus infection (sinusitis) or allergies.

Rarely, a salty taste in the mouth is due to a nutritional deficiency, endocrine disorder or neurological disorder, such as epilepsy or migraine."

[Sadie963]

When I was taking higher doses of Prednisone, foods began to taste much saltier to me esp. foods that are not normally salty.

My rheumie dr. said it could be a side effect of taking larger amts of steroids. I was taking Prednisone due to a bad flare. 

The saltiness went away when my Prednisone was tapered to lower amts.

[Mcspire]

Thanks, everyone, for the responses.  Not sure how to respond inividually, so in general, here goes.

No water softener, nor prednisone.  That was interesting about the infection of the salivary gland, though.  I will definitely mention at my next appointment which is on the 27th.  That is like a month in on the meds I started.  After that, how often do you usually see your rheumatologist?  Hoping just when symptoms are worse or meds don't work?

Great message board!!

[Mcspire]

Another weird question, why does everything seem worse on the left?  lots of posts mention symptoms on the left, which is my worst side as well.  Headaches start on left, left eye is always dryer, left knee is the the worst of the two, etc.

Strange.

[gurs]

due to my Sjogrens...I can hardly taste anything anymore...I load my foods up with salt, which is ok for me since Im sodium deficient(prob due to POTS).. and have very low BP...wish I had some tastbuds left.....If i try to eat something with more spices, ends up hurting my tummy. Ive been on 20mg of pred/medrol for years now.

My left side is also the worst for everything?  uhmmmm..ive heard with before with many of us? interesting?

gursie

[Jenny]

There might be something to that. I have been complaining lately that every time we go out to eat my food is way too salty and I can't eat it. My husband or someone else will take a bite and love it. I thought it was just me, but probably Sjogrens related like most of my other problems.