A couple months ago I had an outbreak of shingles....in my throat. It was excruciating pain in my throat and ear. With medication, the blisters disappeared, but my sense of taste was all fouled up when I was able to eat again. At first, things tasted metallic or chemically, then that subsided and things tasted like cardboard, and now, I can taste mostly extremely salty or sweet food. In addition, the worst problem I'm having now is that I have the feeling that there is something stuck in my throat...something big. And I have a cough and a constant need to clear my throat. The ENT stuck a scope down my nose and looked around and saw only inflammation. I'm taking meds for acid reflux, but it keeps getting worse. Today I heard from two friends that their blood pressure medicine caused that same sensation. I was taking the blood pressure meds (Atacand) long before the shingles outbreak. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but I have for years had a problem with feeling a continual need to "clear my throat", but it wasn't painful or annoying as it is now. Could the shingles have "triggered" something that would make me sensitive to the BP medication? I'm at a loss for what to do. It's driving me bonkers.