funny mark on tongue

[miked007]

Hi,
I would really appreciate your help as I have lost hope with the doctors I have dealt with.
I noticed a discoloration on my tongue about 2 months ago.
This mark was rhomboid in shape and looked like a deep red in the medium of my the back 1/3 or my tongue.

To play tricks with my mind I had recently been with a new female partner.
The sign developed within 3 days of being with her sexually so I am not sure if anything related to her could be the cause. Just so my mind could play more tricks we went for an ELIZA HIV test 3 months after our last partners and tested negative.

Anyway, I have moved from South Africa to India.
There is therefore a change in food along with other things which might be related.
I did not do anything about the mark for 2 weeks after which I developed a mild sore throat (no fever, rash, swollen glands) it really was nothing to moan about but I did and paid the price.

I saw a doctor who gave me 500mg Klarythromycin 3 times a day.
This did not agree with me so he changed it to 500mg Augmentum 3 times a day.After three days the throat was 100% but the mark was still there on  my tongue with the normal lovely white that Augmentum can cause.
I then showed the tongue to another Indian doctor who threw the dice at everything and gave me the following:
400mg flagyyl 3 times a day
500mg doxycycline 2 times a day
a cortisosteriod for swelling and itching which I did not have.
Needless to say after 5 days of this I felt much worse.

A mark on my tongue with no associated pain, change in taste or anything was now a sore tummy and a white tongue with a mark.
I stopped the meds, looked on the net and treated myself as a fungal infection......possible oral thrush either from my new partner or the lack of absorption of some vitamins from my new diet.
I tried Nystatin 5 times a day for a week but no help.
Then took 500mg fluconazole with amphoteracin B lozengers for 5 days.

The tongue then went back to how it was before but there is still some white around the red rhomboid shape.
It is now 2 months down the line and there is no change.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Mike

[miked007]

Great,

Will do all of the above.
My only concerns are that the doctors that I saw before were ENT specialists.
And the initial concern was never the white on the tongue as that came with the use of anti-biotics..........the concern was the red rhomboid mark.

I will do all of the above and if there is concern..........consult am ENT when I leave the sub continent.

Thanks again

Mike

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi

Use a tongue cleaner. Use this gently to scrape off residues on the tongue. White coloration of the tongue may be due to lodged food particles in between the papillae ( fingerlike tongue projections). The papillae may also cause whitish color when the they are swollen as in the case after drinking hot beverages. Drink plenty of water as dehydration may also cause whitish color of the tongue's surface. Eat vegetables and other food high in fiber. If this changes in appearance or if you feel any pain or discomfort, have this assessed by an ENT specialist.

[miked007]

Thanks,

I will do so.

In the event of no change then what?
I do practice fairly good mouth hygiene and have found that both brushing my teeth and the use of Listerine make the white more prominent.

Sorry to make an issue of something that you say is not serious and I can understand that as there are no other associated symptoms.
I was just hoping that after 2 months it would get better by itself like most other small problems.

Thanks again

Mike

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi

You are welcome.

Still continue to observe this discoloration. At this point, this does not seem fungal nor does it appear to be anything serious. I know it could be quite discomforting and you have been anxious about it. Avoid taking hot beverages, drink plenty of water and observe good oral hygiene. Some medications and food coloring may actually cause tongue discolorations.

[miked007]

Thank you so much

That is all I need to know and now I will not worry.
It is a little annoying when you two specialists and you placed on three different anti-biotics with a cortisone based drug and there is no change.
And then you rule out the fungal stuff and there is still no change.

Only thing is I just dont trust the system here so if there is an issue I am still stuck.

Thank you though

Mike

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi

I understand your concern . Firstly , do not self medicate. These medications may not be indicated at all and may only cause further irritation or may only worsen the condition. The presence of this red mark may be discomforting. However, it does not seem to change in character or appearance and relatively stays asymptomatic. Thus, I would think that this is not somthing to be very worried about. Continue to observe the condition. If there is any change in appearance or taste sensation then pursue a follow up consult with your doctor.