[NaoSky]

Does anyone else experience an altered sense of taste where some foods taste bad? I thought it was the medication (lithium 900mg), but not sure if it’s that or just being in the bipolar depression. When I was going through hypomania everything tasted so good... so I’m wondering if that’s why good tastes bad now. I couldn’t even enjoy Thanksgiving. The potatoes, macaroni, and even the fruit salad tasted like something was wrong with it. Even breakfast sandwiches taste bad to me. Candy and some sweets are fine, but actual food can taste pretty bad. Even coconut used to be my favorite, but I can’t eat anything with it. This sucks. Anyone else go through this?

[daladico]

That has happened to me with some meds... I think lithium was one of them

[*Beth*]

I have experienced the weird taste thing from meds, too. Definitely from lithium, which caused many foods to taste metallic. It makes sense, though, that depression could effect a person's sense of taste.

[Soupe du jour]

I experienced that to a very noticeable degree on Depakote. I don't remember it as much when I took Lithium. What you wrote about foods tasting better or not as good, when hypomanic/manic, or depressed, is also something I relate to.

My very worst depression was when I was on Depakote and Invega. So, how much of it was Depakote and how much the depression, I'm not sure. Like you, I still had plenty of desire for sweets, and compared to other foods they did taste good. I gained the most weight ever (quickly) when on that combination. While on Lithium, I was mostly more on the "up" end, or more or less stable. Lithium did not increase my hunger or make me gain weight.

Just today, I mentioned to my husband that the meal I made last night did not seem as yummy as it did when I made it about a year ago. Hubby disagreed. That does happen to me with other dishes. This may seem odd, but I wonder if my current sinus congestion played a part. Off and on I have sinusitis flareups. I also think that when I have sinus issues, I smell smoke a lot. That's not unheard of.

I sure do hope you don't have covid, but really I think many of the already mentioned are more likely culprits.

[Blue_Bird]

Yeah I dealt with that when I was on Lithium. Things tasted like metal and I could hardly eat it was so bad

[Mountaindewed]

For awhile things have tasted spicy to me. I was drinking a vanilla weight loss shake and I told my mom it was spicy. But I think plain vanilla stuff is supposed to be a bit spicy.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by Soupe du jour

I experienced that to a very noticeable degree on Depakote. I don't remember it as much when I took Lithium. What you wrote about foods tasting better or not as good, when hypomanic/manic, or depressed, is also something I relate to.

My very worst depression was when I was on Depakote and Invega. So, how much of it was Depakote and how much the depression, I'm not sure. Like you, I still had plenty of desire for sweets, and compared to other foods they did taste good. I gained the most weight ever (quickly) when on that combination. While on Lithium, I was mostly more on the "up" end, or more or less stable. Lithium did not increase my hunger or make me gain weight.

Just today, I mentioned to my husband that the meal I made last night did not seem as yummy as it did when I made it about a year ago. Hubby disagreed. That does happen to me with other dishes. This may seem odd, but I wonder if my current sinus congestion played a part. Off and on I have sinusitis flareups. I also think that when I have sinus issues, I smell smoke a lot. That's not unheard of.

I sure do hope you don't have covid, but really I think many of the already mentioned are more likely culprits.

Ugh - yes, Depakote for sure. I'd forgotten about that.

[NaoSky]

Originally Posted by daladico

That has happened to me with some meds... I think lithium was one of them

I would really think it was the lithium but when I first got diagnosed I was on it for 3 weeks and it never altered my taste. I was going through hypomania....

Then when I started losing sleep and getting depressed I told my psych and they put me on syraquil... shortly after that my tastebuds changed. I remember eating a breakfast sandwich and I spit it out. I thought it was rotten. I was going to take them back to the store... but then I tried another sandwich and it had the same bad taste. But with all the meds I’ve taken so far I keep tasting bad tastes... so I’m wondering if it’s more the depression than it is the meds? Or am I just affected by any med?

I was also thinking about how amazing food tasted when I was in the hypomania so maybe it is my depression? I just don’t know but it does keep me from overeating!! It’s just that I do eat more sweets because those taste more normal to me.

[NaoSky]

Originally Posted by Soupe du jour

I experienced that to a very noticeable degree on Depakote. I don't remember it as much when I took Lithium. What you wrote about foods tasting better or not as good, when hypomanic/manic, or depressed, is also something I relate to.

My very worst depression was when I was on Depakote and Invega. So, how much of it was Depakote and how much the depression, I'm not sure. Like you, I still had plenty of desire for sweets, and compared to other foods they did taste good. I gained the most weight ever (quickly) when on that combination. While on Lithium, I was mostly more on the "up" end, or more or less stable. Lithium did not increase my hunger or make me gain weight.

Just today, I mentioned to my husband that the meal I made last night did not seem as yummy as it did when I made it about a year ago. Hubby disagreed. That does happen to me with other dishes. This may seem odd, but I wonder if my current sinus congestion played a part. Off and on I have sinusitis flareups. I also think that when I have sinus issues, I smell smoke a lot. That's not unheard of.

I sure do hope you don't have covid, but really I think many of the already mentioned are more likely culprits.

I hope I don’t get Covid either. I’ve been having this issue since August... that’s the first time I remember it happening.

Interesting, so maybe it could be the depression then.

[NaoSky]

Originally Posted by Blue_Bird

Yeah I dealt with that when I was on Lithium. Things tasted like metal and I could hardly eat it was so bad

Ya so maybe it’s the combo of lithium and my depression

[*Beth*]

I have definitely had times when food tasted odd. I always assumed it was from some med or another, but maybe it was mood-related.

I know that psychosis can sometimes cause food to smell or taste bad.

Anyway, that doesn't sound at all pleasant. Hopefully, it will pass.