Sense of smell disorder

[Piet]

Hello all !
I am new here. I am 42, live in Poland. In january I had AVR and ICD implantation done in Gdansk Medical University. Now, after three months I feel much better then before surgery. I can say that doctors did the perfect job. All is very fine except small issue: my sense of smell. One month before OHS I had a flu. I lost my smell at all. I thought that it happend due to flu and will come back.
After AVR my smell came back - partially. I recive properly most of smells except all substances containing artificial flavours. They smell awful - all cosmetics (even soap) and food with additives have the same, unknown earlier, unpleasant, chemical smell and taste. I associate this effect with warfin (european version of coumadin) becouse during hospital stay I ate fruit yoghurt very often. When I switch from clexane heparin) to warfin this yoghurt became horrible - my diet then was rather poor. Afterwards I discovered other such substances and food. Has somebody had similar adventure ?

Best wishes and best regards,
Piet

 

[Missy]

I don't know if the old posts are still available from the old site but if they were you would find where I complained about the chemical smell and taste that I had. It was awful and so very hard to describe. This doesn't happen as much anymore and my doctors seem to think it was more the lanoxin along with the coumadin. They let me split my lanoxin dosage between morning and night and it went away. Occasionally, I will still have the experience but on a milder level. I have many issues with medications. Some of us are just more susceptible to meds than others and we get the side effects of things. I have learned to overcome and deal with many of the things that I had trouble with. Some I have learned to live with.
I hope this goes away because I know it is irritating.

 

[Freddie]

I don't mean to change the subject, but is it possible that warfarin can change your sense of smell?

 

[Philip B]

Post Op Senses

Post Op Senses

I can't really address the sense of smell issues you're encountering. Like others have reported, my sense of taste was really messed-up for months after surgery. Nothing tasted good and wanting to eat was a real chore.

-Philip

 

[Piet]

Of course, I can live with this disorder although in my catalogue of bed smelling things now contains among others all cosmetics, beer, whisky,chockolate bars, biscuits, oranges,flavoured tea, most of packed fruit juices (except limon, black-currant and black chokeberry), all strowberry tasting things...
I have considered interactions with other meds I take every day with warfarine; It is Tritace (Ramiprilum) 10 mg and Concor (Bisoprololi fumaras) 12mg and Furosemidum 40mg. Frankly speeking I am afraid to perform an experiment with they dosage. Also I have not found any information in medical leaflets and in the net about potentiality of such interaction.My cardiologist has never been told about sense of smell and taste defects.

Piet

 

[catwoman]

Piet:

Have you talked to your surgeon about this problem? I would definitely do so, and also with the cardiologist and your family doctor.

Below are links to articles I found on a quick search. Flu will cause a loss in sense of smell, which in turn causes a loss of taste. Other causes should be ruled out.

http://www.american-rhinologic.org/patientinfo.loss.phtml

http://www.american-rhinologic.org/patientinfo.loss.phtml

http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec19/ch221/ch221j.html

 

[Missy]

I believe it can be caused from Warfarin. I was never really sure what had caused my taste and smell to be that way. Doctors really don't know some of these things and if it is not on the list of interactions they are not sure what to do.

I wouldn't go off any medications without consulting the doctor though.

But to tell you the truth, my pharmacist was the most knowlegeable and his input is what finally got me under control. Together working with the cardiologist. So your pharmacist might be a starting point.

 

[catwoman]

I believe it can be caused from Warfarin. I was never really sure what had caused my taste and smell to be that way. Doctors really don't know some of these things and if it is not on the list of interactions they are not sure what to do.

I wouldn't go off any medications without consulting the doctor though.

But to tell you the truth, my pharmacist was the most knowlegeable and his input is what finally got me under control. Together working with the cardiologist. So your pharmacist might be a starting point.

Warfarin has a bitter taste and that can cause some taste perversion. Taste perversion is listed as one of the "adverse reactions reported infrequently" to Coumadin, according to the prescribing information at www.coumadin.com. Others have explained here that "adverse reactions" covers any far-fetched symptom experienced while on a drug, even if it may actually be unrelated. It's just a way of CYA in the Rx industry.

However, sense of smell and sense of taste are two different things, although often connected. Sense of smell does contribute to full sense of taste. If you can't smell foods, they don't taste as appealing. That's why babies with stuffy noses don't eat as well and you have to work at getting nutrition in them, as well as liquids to thin out the mucous membrances. (I've had to do this with cats and have used a syringe to squirt food in until antibiotics, increased fluids and nebulizing treatments kick in.)

 

[Piet]

Catwoman, it's a quote from one of linked articles: "It is estimated that more than two million Americans have a smell and taste disorder. Because of this problem, approximately 200,000 people visit a physician each year". So, I am in good society. Thanks a lot !
I have asked a few doctors, as Missy said no one knew. They pointed many factors: narcosis, blood circulation machine, transfusion, side effects or interactions of meds... Never mind what is a real reason I hope it will get fixed soon.

 

[Ross]

I know you have me scratching my head. I looked up all your drugs and can't find any connection there, but it doesn't mean it's not possible.

 

[catwoman]

Piet:

I just found a website for a clinic in Washington, D.C.:

http://www.tasteandsmell.com/clinic.htm. Click on "research." Very interesting site. Maybe this might help you.

 

[prdraper1]

Check out to see if you have any anaemia, I had and my sense of taste was particilarly diminished. It is 13 weeks since my op and some thing still taste odd, it may be that I stopped smoking 6 months ago and things taste differently. My nurse says that mild anaemia can affect te taste buds just as ladies sense of taste changes in early pregnancy. I have had to alter my weeks from 113 to 13, a typing error. It is now 17 weeks.

 

[Piet]

My blood tests are perfect, I don't suppose that its anaemia but I have read about importance of microelements for senses. So I decided to take zinc which is reponsible a/o for smell. Will see.
Catwoman: interesting, thanks. But I am arfaid that dr. Henkin is too far for me and I am out of american insurance system

Piet

 

[catwoman]

Catwoman: interesting, thanks. But I am arfaid that dr. Henkin is too far for me and I am out of american insurance system

Piet

Piet:

Of course. I posted the link because of the research articles, albeit some of them are 35 years old. Your doctors might want to go through them. There might be something of benefit to you. Your doctors might be able to get copies of the articles.
There is also information about treatment tools that your doctors might be interested in taking a look at, if they haven't already utilized similar ones:

http://www.tasteandsmell.com/treatment_p.htm

Perhaps the kits are available much closer to Gdansk.
I had never heard of a clinic that specialized in taste and smell disorders until finding this clinic's website.

 

[Piet]

Catwoman: many many thanks! I will relay these informations to my doctors, mayby it can help somebody. Next week I have meeting with my cardiologist (due to ICD check) and again I am going to discuss my sense of smell issue. In fact, I was not aware that so many people have such problems with senses!


Piet

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi piet,
my husband, joey, is the patient here. he definitely had some difficulty with smells and tastes.
i remember buying a case of diet coke and returning it to the vendor 2 or 3 times because joey thought it had no taste. needless to say, there was nothing wrong with the soda, it was joey who had an altered sense of taste (and smell).
this was post surgery and we never knew if it was as a result of the surgery or if it was any of the meds he was taking.
it was very funny though.
stay well,
sylvia

 

[Piet]

Hi Sylvia !

yeah.. Taking new kind of food or drink I am asking my wife to teaste and to confirm ediblity (I am no sure this word, you know what I mean).
But I guess that Joey finally recovered his senses ? I hope so, and hope that me too.


Piet