“Metallic Taste After Heart Valve Surgery?” Asks Robin
I just received a set of emails from Robin about a metallic taste in her mouth after heart valve surgery. So you know, Robin is not the only patient to send me questions about this strange, surgical after taste.
In his first email, Robin writes, “Ever since my aortic valve replacement surgery I have had a nasty metallic taste in my mouth. It gets especially bad if I eat anything sweet. The cardiologist theorizes that it is a by product of the heart-lung machine. Anybody else experience it? Anybody have any ideas of how to get rid of it? Thanks, Robin”
Then, I received a follow-up note from Robin with a short-term remedy to this issue.
Here is what Robin writes, “Since I last wrote to you I found a website that suggested gargling with water and a 1/4 tsp of baking soda. It worked!!! It brought relief at least for a few hours. Ultimately, the bad taste did go away on its own, but the baking soda gets a great assist. Robin”
Thanks Robin for sharing your remedy!
Keep on tickin!
P.S. To leave a comment, please click here.
About The Author: Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient’s Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. This unique book integrates the clinical facts of heart valve surgery with the personal experiences of 78 former valve surgery patients to help patients and caregivers better understand the problems, the opportunities and the realities of heart valve surgery. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here.
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October 23rd, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Robin,
I had my aortic valve replaced last Feb. I still don’t have my normal taste back, but it is better. I had the metallic taste for about a month and then just weird stuff like chocolate tasted horrible… anything alcoholic tasted like bad medicine… coke was putrid… you get the picture.
Hang in there.
Steve
October 23rd, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Hi Robin,
I too, had the metallic taste problem, after my AVR surgery. Wish I would have known about the baking soda solution. Glad you are doing better.
Dave
October 23rd, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Robin,
I too had a metallic taste in my mouth. It was like biting on a piece of tin foil. It lasted about two to three months. It’s been 5 months since my Aortic valve replacement and most of the side effects have subsided and life is very much back to normal.
Sincerely,
Neil
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:55 pm
I noticed all of you had aortic situations. Just so you know, I had Mitral Valve Repair & I had that metal taste for a good 2 mos. as well. AAAHHH to be able to look BACK now & almost having forgotten part of the “fun”
October 24th, 2009 at 7:57 am
hi
I had the same prob still do feel like that taste, being used to spicy food i could not taste anything i still have prob with coffee and my op was avr 17 months ago
fazilat
October 24th, 2009 at 8:41 am
After mitral valve replacement (mechanical) alcohol tasted revolting for a month. I put it down to 12 weeks on antibiotics to treat the endocarditis that finished off my valve. So interesting to see that this is not the case.
Andrew