foul taste in mouth and urine odor?

[composition]

This is driving me crazy.......Is prednisone the culprit? Or is Leflunimide? or the combination? very strong and strange.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Any other symptoms of an infection? Eaten anything different?

They are listed a possible side effects of leflunomide in the Mayo article

mayoclinic.org/drugs-supple...

but they could also be signs of infection - and pred plus leflunomide make that more likely.

Off to the GP I think - don't leave it until the weekend!

[composition in reply to PMRpro]

oh, oh, this has been going on for at least 2 months..........

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to composition]

Oh well - then even a BH weekend probably won't matter! But a bit of thought by someone is called for I think.

[SnazzyD]

Does the urine smell just strong or foul? Is it a nice clear pale yellow? How much fluid do you drink? I found that the immune suppressing effects meant I had to drink about 1500-2000ml to keep from getting UTI’s. A doc can check it but sometimes it is just there are more of the wrong sort of bacteria rather than an full on infection that needs treating, so even if the doc says it’s ok, it’s still worth living like you have one. Don’t make your urine too dilute before seeing the doc but see one soon.

[composition in reply to SnazzyD]

strange medicinal odor for month or more...

[SnazzyD in reply to composition]

Perhaps it’s something you take then. As PMRPro asks, any other symptoms?

[composition in reply to SnazzyD]

have to get up multiple times at night........hope it isn't blood sugar. I've never had a weight problem or sugar problem but once i started Prednisone: 4 stress fractures and pre diabetes........is there no end to this. Started all of this in October last year and do see an endocrinologist next month.

[Pristina in reply to composition]

Hqve you cut out carbs? Maybe in Ketosis and that makes breath/urine smell?

[YuliK in reply to Pristina]

Ketosis. That would be a sweet smell

[SnazzyD in reply to composition]

It can be sugars but there are other reasons. If you have any fluid retention then the body finds it easier to reroute it via the kidneys at night. Pred can cause fluid retention, especially if you take salt as well. As we get older we are less efficient at sending fluids back up to the heart when standing up so when we lie down, gravity is no longer hindering the process. Are your HbA1c results Ok?

[composition in reply to SnazzyD]

Hba1c scheduled for next month.......

[Megams in reply to SnazzyD]

~Most interesting Snazzy D - thanks for that.

Slight swelling R ankle by days end but thought it was due to that leg with its defective varicose veins being culprit for not removing fluid build up. Had peraneous tendon repair (almost 12 months ago) in same area so we add that in too.

Magic - gone by morning, bathroom stops during night.

Also ticker not ticking as well so maybe also factor this into mix .

[SnazzyD in reply to Megams]

Yup, it adds up and I’ve found that people seem to have one side that’s dodgier than the other when it comes to veins.

[Megams in reply to SnazzyD]

~Well that's interesting too as my R leg was the one worked on with sclerosing chemicals to no avail really in the end. This is my stronger side. Left leg not as bad yet my weaker side ~

[Woolyhead in reply to composition]

Mine too. It smells sort of like disinfectant and not the perfumed kind.

[Hidden]

Drop a Urine Sample into the Surgery for them to check & then make an appointment as you might need a mouth/throat swab taking as well.

Good Luck 🍀

MrsN

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi,

This might be of some help on the urine front!

nhs.uk/conditions/smelly-ur...

And this for mouth -

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

[Marijo1951]

I haven't had a problem of a foul taste, but when I was on higher doses of pred, my urine was noticeably smellier than normal, less so now that I'm down to 7 mg per day. It sounds horrible but it sometimes reminded me of the stale pong I've experienced occasionally when walking past the door of a men's urinal in a pub, not very pleasant.

[Megams in reply to Marijo1951]

~Understand that comment entirely - I'm not even incontinent~

[Daffodilia]

Don’t think it’s pred

[Megams]

~Hi composition - I think it could be a number of possibilities & maybe not actually one specific culprit.

I have noted of late my urine has a musty smell - I swish my mouth & swallow Nilstat oral drops most nights & note that when I eat a bit more fruit (constipation) its a little more noticeable.

Watch my sugar intake as best as poss & follow low carb diet - drink filtered water most days & love my cuppa - so who knows.

Good luck ~

[lcove]

I've been on prednisone for 3 1/2 years now and have the same nasty, foul urine smell and taste in my mouth. Urine tests are fine. I find that I have no appetite for most foods since I have almost no taste in my mouth. I only like very spicy foods or sweets.

[Hidden in reply to lcove]

Have you thought about thrush/candida? My craving for sweets only comes with candida. It can make everything tasteless and my urine smells beyond the sweet of diabetes.

[Iwillwin123]

Please check your Uric acid levels in blood. Often the ailment one has can start bothering the kidneys and simply taking drugs to lower the Uric acid levels does the trick . I spent 6 months where even my sweat and my clothes used to have a faint urine - like odour.