Mouth Ulcers and Taste issue

[BigH63]

Hi all.

I’ve not long been a member here I’ve wrote of my Journey so far before but these issues are a few lingering amongst others.

When I eat the food I can eat ( explain that in a minute ) I get pea sized and smaller pimples/ blisters on the roof of my mouth and at the entrance of my throat. It’s so off putting and makes me reach when I try to eat any of my foods. I’ve been seen by the SALT team about swallowing issues and they don’t know what it is, I’ve seen a consultant for ICU and he doesn’t know what’s causing it. The other thing is I’ve suffered since discharge from ICU with taste issues. These are not the same as this, I have now and are not covid related as I was hospitalised with Covid pneumonia and embolism’s on both lungs in 2021 and had taste issue for a little while after that.

So let me explain there are a myriad of foods I just can’t eat now, so anything with sugar in it from a cake to bread, then there are meats, baked beans, cheeses, fruit, sweets as in rice pudding etc I won’t bore you but the list is long. All I can say is when I try to eat these foods they all taste of the same disgusting taste. This is now 8 months down the road and not getting better.

I carried out a little research and I found one person in the USA who has something like my issue and sort of explains what I’m experiencing and her diagnosis was a thing called Parosmia. And none of the above people have heard of this either.

So I’m hoping but not hoping one of you have this and have a diagnosis and a treatment plan fingers crossed.

Well bye for now

[Sepsur]

Parosmia is quite common after a viral infection like Covid. Many of us experience certain foods & drink that are intolerable to ingest, either because of taste profile or texture ( especially if you’ve had trachy).

Couldnt drink coffee for ages, tea always without milk ( can’t drink white tea) , olives, I now hate. Parosmia usually wears off over time.

Many of us ( because of being immune compromised by our experience in ICU) are prone to community infections - fungal ones are really hard to shift - like toenail etc etc. I caught aspergillosis somewhere. could you have a fungal oral infection - similar to thrush ?

[BigH63 in reply to Sepsur]

Hi Sepsur

Thank you for your reply. I’m up to 30 odd foods that I used to eat but can’t now through this, I was as you might know Intubated and had Tracheotomy and had CAP with StrepA amongst a myriad of other stuff. As I say 8 months down the road and it’s not going. Plus the Ulcers/ pimples. Still it’s the least of my worries along with everything else I’m going through from ICU but thought it would be good to ask the community and see.

Thanks again for replying.

[Sepsur in reply to BigH63]

Coffee used to taste like a chemical - some people get a taste like rotten fish with stuff - whilst it might not be the most significant legacy post ICU, it still affects our quality of life.

[downthemoor]

As Sepsur says...could you have thrush? I couldn't taste anything at all ..or things tasted vile. Eating was just a nightmare. After the amount of antibiotics I'd had the GP thought it could be thrush though my mouth wasn't showing as many symptoms as she'd expect . However after a course of Nystan it was a lot better. Not perfect...but a game changer for eating . As you say there's a lot of post ICU issues ..this was one of many but I found it quite distressing so t totally understand.

[BigH63 in reply to downthemoor]

Hi Downthemoormoor

Thank you fir you’re reply.

Yes it’s a good call but I’ve been down that avenue with my ICU consultant, and no it’s not Thrush

Thanks again

[Rhyl1 Partner Moderator ICUsteps]

I wonder if anyone has checked your vitamin B12 levels? Vitamin B12 can cause symptoms that include mouth ulcers. It might be worth taking a supplement and seeing if they heal up.

[BigH63 in reply to Rhyl1]

Hi Rhyl1

That is an option I’ve not tried I will get some and let everyone know the result, it can’t do any harm to try. I’m taking B3 / Vit C/ NAC at the moment

Thanks

[ForMyPapa]

Some people I know are experiencing similar taste issues after covid and they say it is long covid.... I am so sorry you have these issues. I hope it gets better.

[BigH63 in reply to ForMyPapa]

Hi. Thanks for replying. This is definitely not long Covid. This is ICU related only but no one’s sure of the cause of both. Ulcers and taste