Inability to taste with slight full body numbness

[IceSkate]

From early September through mid November, I was unable to taste and I had a slight numbness throughout my entire body.  One day I woke up with a numbness in my mouth.  By afternoon, it had spread throughout my body.  It was not a tingling feeling, but like my skin was a little less sensitive.  A doctor poked my skin in various places, and I was able to feel them all.  If I pinched my skin, though, I couldn't feel the pain.  I could not taste at all, but I could smell fine.

In mid November, the taste came back and the numbness went away.  I feel completely fine.  I had made a neurology appointment for January (it takes that long), but I'm not sure if it's necessary since I feel fine now.

One odd thing that also happened was during the summer I had a lot of lightheadedness and fatigue.  I was having trouble even standing without feeling sick.  I had a tilt table test, where my heart rate went from 60 bpm to 120 bpm over the 40 minute test.  My cardiologist did not think I had Postural OrthostaticTachycardia (POTS), but did not say why my heart rate went up.  The lightheadedness started going away in October, though.

I don't really know what's going on, and my doctor isn't too helpful.  She didn't think I needed to see a neurologist for this.

Does anyone have any idea why I couldn't taste for 2 and a half months?  The only medication I take is for hypothyroidism (synthyroid), but my doctors say everything is fine with my thyroid levels right now.

I'm 28 years old and don't have a history of any serious illnesses or head injuries.

[IceSkate]

Thank you both for your comments.

I haven't had blood tests since the taste went away for anything other than thyroid-related tests.  My thyroid levels were good.

I did have a test for vitamin D maybe a year ago, and it was low.  My doctor said it was common for people living in cold parts of the country.  I haven't been tested for that or B12 since.  Do you think a lack of these vitamins could produce both symptoms?  It would be nice if that was the cause.  I also have not been tested for zinc or copper.

Hopefully it was that or an infection that is cleared up.

My doctor did think I was dealing with a lot of stress, but do you think that could really cause those two symptoms for that long, or just make the symptoms worse?  I didn't really feel a a huge amount of stress at that time, though.

[TheLightSeeker]

Hey IceSkate.
Welcome to the forum.
Nutritional Deficiencies like, Zinc and Copper deficiencies, Endocrine dysfunction and Fluctuating hormonal levels may contribute to taste changes. Some diseases may affect ability taste also; i.e. M.S.,Cirrhosis, Sjögren's, Diabetes. Synthroid could be a co-factor as a side effect when combined with the effects of any of the above.
Excess stress could be an initiating factor.
There could have been though an underlying infection that caused all this, and your immune system eventually cleared it up. This is my suspicion.
Glad you are doing better.

Hope this helps.
Niko

[sarahw244]

Hello and welcome!  I'm sorry that you are going through this right now.  Have you had any other symptoms?  Has your regualr doctor ran any blood tests or anything to check your vitamin D levels or vitamin B12?  There are some other things that they can look for in the blood tests and blood tests are about as simple a test as they come.

I really don't have any ideas as to why you could lose your taste for 2+months.  I would keep the appt with the neuro, even if you are no longer having symptoms.  Better to have a record with the doctor as to when your having symptoms and what they are...maybe they could see a pattern in them if you continue to have them.  They may be more likely to run tests, too, if your regular doctor won't.

Take care and stick around.  This is a great place for support and advice!
Sarah