... everything looked good. except the dr said it won't come back. i ask if there was away to do a test on my tongue for taste and smell all he said was it won't come back i need help in finding someone else for better results
Side Effect - I was given citalopram 40 mgs and lost my taste and smell. went and had an mri and?
Question posted by snowball66 on 14 June 2013
Last updated on 21 January 2022
Added 14 June 2013:
i had my taste and smell before i was put on citalopram and then lost both taste and smell. this happen 3 years ago. i was in a state of depression because i lost my son to brain cancer.
3 Answers
Kadams19
29 Aug 2018
I’m wondering if your taste ever returned as the same thing happened to me with 40mg a year ago.
Lashanna
21 Jan 2022
My husband is now experiencing this after coming off a 40mg dose as well. He was tested for covid a dozen times and that wasn’t it. He’s had a ton of neuro symptoms coming off it as well.
Anyone find answers?
endlessPred
14 June 2013
Go to an ENT at a big clinic. Ask for the one who specializes in taste and smell. This is common and often is temporary. I have been on prednisone for eight years and lost those senses. Once the dose came down to a lower level it all came back. My doctor would never say something that removes hope. One can't know, just guess.
Will be interested in what you find. Your onformation could be very helpful for others. Hang in there. Laren
endlessPred
14 June 2013
I was thinking how you can do your own taste test. Plug your nose with a clip. Take a bit of sugar and see if it is sweet. Take bitters or lemon juice and see if it is sour or bitter. Take salt for salty. You probably taste these. If so try tiny bits of other items. With the nose blocked you are missing half of your taste.
Now unplug the nose and do it again. Then try garlic, fragrance, whatever you have, one at a time. If all this fails you need to get to the ENT doctor.
Also, if you really think it is the citalopram then get switched to something else. Give it a month and see if things have changed.
snowball66
14 June 2013
i went to ent here in town and he said it won't come back i ask for test and all he said was it won't come back
endlessPred
15 June 2013
Gee, I am so sorry this has happened to you. I have read a lot on citalopram and there has been a report of this dysfunction. Very unusual. If it were me I would switch off of this medication to a similar one.
"Other
Several side effects on senses have been reported. Taste perversion has been reported frequently. Tinnitus has been reported infrequently. Taste loss has rarely been reported."
Be careful coming off this med. many side effects possible. Karen
snowball66
15 June 2013
when i was on the meds dr had me break the meds down to half tablet for a few days and the 1/4 tablet for a few days and then stop the meds and said it should come back. i was seeing a shrink at the time and she ask my other dr who perscribed the meds if she wanted to see me and she said no. like i mentioned it still didnt come back.
endlessPred
15 June 2013
Hi. Ok. Time to find another doctor. Someone is not taking your health seriously. Perhaps the therapist has a suggestion. You can check with your licensing board and find out who is good with this. University medical schools and huge clinics, like Mayo, John Hopkins, etc., make sense for you to explore and get help. They love the odd diseases and they will take you seriously.
There is one other possibility which I hope you have explored. There is such a thing as hysterical illness. Because of your deep grief and all the time leading up to your sons death, you may have developed this condition as a response to the stress. It is not uncommon to respond with a physical response. Perhaps the smell of the hospital, etc., triggered the response. Not saying it is, but it does happen. Doesn't mean you are crazy. Your body was protecting you. Anyhow, I hope this is/was explored. Wishing you wellness, Karen
snowball66
15 June 2013
my son died at home. when my ex came up stairs and said we lost victor i just stood there and watched him being taken out in a body bag.its still hard to talk about with out tears.
endlessPred
15 June 2013
So sorry it was like that. Tears are fine. Grieving takes time. We do it at our own rate. Write me anytime, if you wish. Karen
Delila
14 June 2013
Hi, loss of your sense of smell CAN be reversed, & in turn increase your sense of taste. There have been studies in America in 2011. You need to find someone who specialises in olfactory senses that may be able to help you. Sorry for stating the obvious! Where do you live?
snowball66
14 June 2013
fairbanks alaska
Delila
15 June 2013
Hi, add this information to your question, or ask a knew question,,, "Does anyone know of someone who specialises in olfactory senses (sense of smell & taste loss), in Fairbanks, Alaska"? Hopefully someone will be able to recommend someone to you! Don't accept that there is nothing that can be done. I honestly believe that someone can help you!
snowball66
15 June 2013
i went to my regular dr and he sent me to an ears nose throat dr and he is the one that recommend an mri. which like i said i had done. once the mri came back to him i went in couple days later and he showed me the mri and said no tumors sinus are fine an it won't come back. i did take the results to my regular dr and let them know the results and i thought he would call me back to talk more on this but no appointment as of yet. . you know im also wondering in 2007 i was on lorazepam. and in 2009 the citalopram if the two combined could have done this? i was told lorazepam is highly adictive. but to be honest delila i don't remember if i had refills of the lorazepam. my family said they noticed i was also having memory loss. see my son died of brain cancer and i went thru alot of.
Delila
17 June 2013
I'm really sorry to hear about your son. Knowing this, i am glad that you were given an MRI scan. The results are clear, so although that doesn't help with the issues you are currently dealing with, you know there is nothing to worry about regarding your brain. I'm not a doctor, but i would be very surprised if you loss of taste & smell is due to an interaction of these 2 medications, several years ago. I know what it is like when you have something wrong with you & you don't know why it happened. You clutch at straws hoping to find answers. I do this! I'm so sorry you still don't know what has happened & if it will improve/subside? I wish you all the best though, & feel welcome to keep in touch! If i find out/think of anything to tell you, i'll write asap!
snowball66
18 June 2013
thank you very much.
Related topics
citalopram, side effect, tongue, mri
Further information
- Citalopram uses and safety info
- Citalopram prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Citalopram (detailed)
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