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What Causes A Metallic Taste In Mouth And Short Term Memory Loss?
Question: what would cause metallic taste, diaphoresis, syncope, and bradycardia and short term memory loss
Brief Answer:
Please go through list sir, and kindly do respond to my queries
Detailed Answer:
Hello Sir and Welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. Although your symptoms are not straight forward, there is a list of possible causes I have come up with in their order of importance and likelihood:
1. Dehydration: Please do let me know how many litres of fluid you consume in a day ?
2. Medication side effects: Please do let me know if you are on any particular medications
3. Sinusitis: Do you experience cold or flu like symptoms often? Have you been diagnosed with sinusitis before?
4. Hyperthyroidism: Need to check your thyroid profile
5. Anxiety: Are you generally an anxious person? Are you experiencing any anxiety, depression, emotional distress, or such issues off late?
6. Diabetes: Do you have a family history of diabetes ? Have you been diagnosed with diabetes ? Do you urinate frequently ? Feel thirsty frequently? Feel hungry often ?
and a few other conditions (will be important to consider if all those above mentioned conditions come negative).
I'll be looking forward to hearing from you in order to guide you better.
Best wishes.
Please go through list sir, and kindly do respond to my queries
Detailed Answer:
Hello Sir and Welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. Although your symptoms are not straight forward, there is a list of possible causes I have come up with in their order of importance and likelihood:
1. Dehydration: Please do let me know how many litres of fluid you consume in a day ?
2. Medication side effects: Please do let me know if you are on any particular medications
3. Sinusitis: Do you experience cold or flu like symptoms often? Have you been diagnosed with sinusitis before?
4. Hyperthyroidism: Need to check your thyroid profile
5. Anxiety: Are you generally an anxious person? Are you experiencing any anxiety, depression, emotional distress, or such issues off late?
6. Diabetes: Do you have a family history of diabetes ? Have you been diagnosed with diabetes ? Do you urinate frequently ? Feel thirsty frequently? Feel hungry often ?
and a few other conditions (will be important to consider if all those above mentioned conditions come negative).
I'll be looking forward to hearing from you in order to guide you better.
Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
He has been on Effexor for anxiety. He first started passing out over a year ago and has been happening with more and more frequency.
Starting a couple months ago, he was observed to have episodes that looked like seizures with wild movement of his limbs and incoherent speech. On one occasion the paramedics were called and they first noticed that upon awakening his heartrate was approx. 40 bpm. He was taken to the hospital and was referred to a neurologist who did an EEG, head CT. He ruled out seizures, brain tumor or brain bleed. He wore a 24 hr monitor which apparently showed nothing, and did see a cardiologist who did an echo which was normal. Unfortunately, he has not memory of that apt so I don't know for sure what the outcome was but I was told he came back from the appt and said the Dr said nothing was physically wrong. After one episode now about 2 weeks ago, he said he vomited twice and knows the exact time of those 2 episodes. He had a metallic taste in his mouth before losing conscientiousness for several hours. When he awoke he remembered what happened in detail just before passing out, but has lost his short term memory as to where he has been, such as whether he was at work or not, and no recollection of Dr appointments such as the cardiologist appt, or any upcoming appts or meetings he has scheduled. This has continued and he has not been able to remember many events that have been occurring since that initial event.
He had been having significant emotional stress because his marriage has been tumultuous for the past few years which has escalated over the past 4 months or so because his wife is divorcing him and not allowing him to see his 6 mo old daughter using his blackouts as a convenient excuse to say he is unfit.
We have considered it could be a result of extreme emotional trauma because he is not accepting the inevitability of a divorce he does not want. However, we have witnessed how extremely cruel and manipulative his wife has been to him and are not ruling out the possibility that she may either be poisoning him, or drugging him with something. Also we are wondering if it could be an environmental cause in his house such as lead poisoning, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde or mold? His wife and baby are living with her parents, so are not being exposed to any possible toxins in the house.
FYI, this man works for my husband and is also a good friend as are his parents who are extremely concerned.
To answer your questions, I doubt it is medication because of the length of time since the first occurrence which was witnessed by a coworker/friend. He has seen a counselor for anger management, hence the Effexor, and all agree his wife is the source of his anger and depression. He was temporarily on anti-seizure meds with no change.
No diabetes. He does have a peculiar digestive problem which no doctor has been able to diagnose. He lost a massive amount of weight in his late teens due to this problem. After every time he eats he has diarrhea almost immediately. He had his gallbladder removed when this problem first occurred with no relief. He has been to several doctors with no diagnosis or treatment.
I would have said no to dehydration, but in light of the above condition, maybe there is a connection. I don't know if his thyroid has ever been checked.
What would you suggest?
Starting a couple months ago, he was observed to have episodes that looked like seizures with wild movement of his limbs and incoherent speech. On one occasion the paramedics were called and they first noticed that upon awakening his heartrate was approx. 40 bpm. He was taken to the hospital and was referred to a neurologist who did an EEG, head CT. He ruled out seizures, brain tumor or brain bleed. He wore a 24 hr monitor which apparently showed nothing, and did see a cardiologist who did an echo which was normal. Unfortunately, he has not memory of that apt so I don't know for sure what the outcome was but I was told he came back from the appt and said the Dr said nothing was physically wrong. After one episode now about 2 weeks ago, he said he vomited twice and knows the exact time of those 2 episodes. He had a metallic taste in his mouth before losing conscientiousness for several hours. When he awoke he remembered what happened in detail just before passing out, but has lost his short term memory as to where he has been, such as whether he was at work or not, and no recollection of Dr appointments such as the cardiologist appt, or any upcoming appts or meetings he has scheduled. This has continued and he has not been able to remember many events that have been occurring since that initial event.
He had been having significant emotional stress because his marriage has been tumultuous for the past few years which has escalated over the past 4 months or so because his wife is divorcing him and not allowing him to see his 6 mo old daughter using his blackouts as a convenient excuse to say he is unfit.
We have considered it could be a result of extreme emotional trauma because he is not accepting the inevitability of a divorce he does not want. However, we have witnessed how extremely cruel and manipulative his wife has been to him and are not ruling out the possibility that she may either be poisoning him, or drugging him with something. Also we are wondering if it could be an environmental cause in his house such as lead poisoning, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde or mold? His wife and baby are living with her parents, so are not being exposed to any possible toxins in the house.
FYI, this man works for my husband and is also a good friend as are his parents who are extremely concerned.
To answer your questions, I doubt it is medication because of the length of time since the first occurrence which was witnessed by a coworker/friend. He has seen a counselor for anger management, hence the Effexor, and all agree his wife is the source of his anger and depression. He was temporarily on anti-seizure meds with no change.
No diabetes. He does have a peculiar digestive problem which no doctor has been able to diagnose. He lost a massive amount of weight in his late teens due to this problem. After every time he eats he has diarrhea almost immediately. He had his gallbladder removed when this problem first occurred with no relief. He has been to several doctors with no diagnosis or treatment.
I would have said no to dehydration, but in light of the above condition, maybe there is a connection. I don't know if his thyroid has ever been checked.
What would you suggest?
Brief Answer:
?? Strongly suggest psychological help and management of depression
Detailed Answer:
Hello ma'am.
Well that was elaborate, but it certainly helps.
Let me start by saying that the mind is the single most powerful part of the body, it can make or break a person. If the body is ill but the mind is fit, an individual can get through anything. But if the body is fit and the mind is unfit, it can cause the entire body to feel and behave ill.
Keeping that in mind, symptoms like syncope, bradycardia, mood swings, episodes that looked like seizures but were not, memory loss, loss of consciousness, vomiting, etc; can all be associated with an unwell mind primarily with a condition like depression.
The diaphoresis can be related to stress and/or mood swings, and the metallic taste in his mouth can be a result of weight loss.
As for the digestive tract, experiencing diarrhoea soon after eating and having his gall bladder removed are a positive in that department, which can also contribute to a metallic taste.
Honestly speaking I cannot rule out poisoning or him being drugged (can be checked with specific blood tests), but in my opinion his mental state is what is causing majority of his symptoms.
The best advise I can give right now is for him to start counselling, that is the only way we can work towards improving his mental state, and probably also helping him get in touch with reality (to accept the inevitable divorce). The doctor may also start him on anti-depressants (which can later be weaned off), but right now I would say his mental state is the culprit and the ongoing emotional trauma is just going to make things worse, he needs help, and he needs it fast ma'am.
Best wishes.
?? Strongly suggest psychological help and management of depression
Detailed Answer:
Hello ma'am.
Well that was elaborate, but it certainly helps.
Let me start by saying that the mind is the single most powerful part of the body, it can make or break a person. If the body is ill but the mind is fit, an individual can get through anything. But if the body is fit and the mind is unfit, it can cause the entire body to feel and behave ill.
Keeping that in mind, symptoms like syncope, bradycardia, mood swings, episodes that looked like seizures but were not, memory loss, loss of consciousness, vomiting, etc; can all be associated with an unwell mind primarily with a condition like depression.
The diaphoresis can be related to stress and/or mood swings, and the metallic taste in his mouth can be a result of weight loss.
As for the digestive tract, experiencing diarrhoea soon after eating and having his gall bladder removed are a positive in that department, which can also contribute to a metallic taste.
Honestly speaking I cannot rule out poisoning or him being drugged (can be checked with specific blood tests), but in my opinion his mental state is what is causing majority of his symptoms.
The best advise I can give right now is for him to start counselling, that is the only way we can work towards improving his mental state, and probably also helping him get in touch with reality (to accept the inevitable divorce). The doctor may also start him on anti-depressants (which can later be weaned off), but right now I would say his mental state is the culprit and the ongoing emotional trauma is just going to make things worse, he needs help, and he needs it fast ma'am.
Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Dr XXXXXXX
I would sincerely like to thank you for your advice. I agree whole heartedly and will share your observations with him, his family and friends to help him through this crisis. Part of his problem has been poor and disjointed health care and that is something we can rectify, I hope.
Thank you so very much. XXXX
I would sincerely like to thank you for your advice. I agree whole heartedly and will share your observations with him, his family and friends to help him through this crisis. Part of his problem has been poor and disjointed health care and that is something we can rectify, I hope.
Thank you so very much. XXXX
Brief Answer:
I am glad I could help, wish I could do more, best of luck
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again.
I am glad I could be of assistance, although in such cases I like to overlook the proceedings of treatment and management myself, because I only find comfort once the troubled individual starts to recover, but I am confident because he has such loving and caring people around him (like yourself), and I am hopeful he shall soon be over all of this.
Please do not hesitate to write to me anytime in the future, I am always here to help ma'am. My best wishes to him, your family, and especially you.
God bless.
I am glad I could help, wish I could do more, best of luck
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again.
I am glad I could be of assistance, although in such cases I like to overlook the proceedings of treatment and management myself, because I only find comfort once the troubled individual starts to recover, but I am confident because he has such loving and caring people around him (like yourself), and I am hopeful he shall soon be over all of this.
Please do not hesitate to write to me anytime in the future, I am always here to help ma'am. My best wishes to him, your family, and especially you.
God bless.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
Answered by
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