# Weird symptoms: Complete inability to taste food and whole body numbness



## IceSkate (Oct 28, 2011)

Last spring I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. My TSH was about 8, but with synthyroid since April it is about 1-2. I have been having weird symptoms for the past two months (the inability to taste anything as well as whole body numbness). I do not know if these are from hypothyroidism (it appears to have been corrected).

I was wondering if anyone knows more about these symptoms. Here is my history of symptoms:
Summer of 2010: Very suddenly starting having bad abdominal pains about 20 minutes after eating that would last a few hours. I could not find a specific kind or amount of food that made symptoms worse or go away. I also had diarrhea or else constipation maybe every other day. I had trouble sleeping on and off until Fall 2011. I also developed sudden eye irration. I could not open my eyes they would hurt so bad. I had to use a ton of eye drops for the first time ever. I previously had excellent vision, but after this I could no longer see the board from the back of the classroom. I had trouble seeing people's faces walking down the street. The eye irration ended after the summer, though. During that summer I worked for maybe 4 hours a day infront of a computer doing data entry, so I thought maybe it was just from that. My eyes no longer hurt and I see fine.

October of 2010: I went to urgent care one evening. I had a high fever, and was growing more lightheaded all day long. I felt too weak to do anything and felt very nauseous. The doctors said I had a virus (they couldn't identify it) that was causing my body to not retain fluids. They gave me about six bags of fluids and ice water. I went home and felt better in a couple of days.

After that, I started having a lot of fatigue. It didn't matter how much sleep I got. I was always run down. I was also having bad abdominal pains and diarrhea and constipation. I saw an internist who did a lot of tests. No celiac disease, no ulcers, no abomdinal cancer (he did a CT of the abdomin and couldn't find any abnormalities). He did find I had hypothyroidism. It has been corrected with levothyroxine since April according to lab tests. However, my symptoms weren't going away.

Summer 2011: I had such horrible fatigue I could hardly carry the laundry basket up the stairs. I would have to sit down and rest. It was like I had just run a marathon. Right before this I had ran on occassion and rode my bike multiple times a day. I was having trouble riding my bike due to fatigue. Sometimes I had to lay down to brush my teeth because I was so fatigued I could not stand. I had headaches, which is unusual for me. I had difficulty doing everyday things during this time due to fatigue.

Fall 2011: I saw an endrocrinologist to see if this was due to hypothryoidism even though it seemed to be corrected according to labs. He did not think it was a hormonal problem. He brought up POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia) when he noticed my heart rate increase upon standing. It seemed to discover this by accident. However, he said he did not know much about POTS. I was having difficulty sleeping. When I lay down in bed, my stomach or my legs would move (like a muscle spasm). This went away after a couple of weeks and I could sleep fine.

My abdominal pains went away around the time. Around the same time in September, I woke up and parts of my mouth felt numb. By the afternoon, the numbness had spread rapidly to my entire body. It has remained this way for two months. I also have not been able to taste anything in this time. It is not a decrease in taste, but a complete lack of taste.

The numbness feels like novacane wearing off. I can tell if something is touching my skin, but the sensation is greatly diminished.

Fall 2011: I saw a cardiologist to have a tilt table test for POTS. They weren't convinced I had POTS, but saw my heart rate went up in the doctor's office when I went from laying to standing. The tilt table test said my laying heart rate was 50-60, and standing was 90-120.

I have never fainted and my blood pressure does not change. My headaches have gone away. The fatigue is bad on some days and not on others. For the past two weeks I have not felt it much.

October 2010: Decided to see a neurologist, although I have to wait until January. No one has a clue what is going on.

So current symtoms:
-Heart rate increases by 30 to 60 bpm when moving from laying to standing
-Ageusia (complete inability to taste)
-Whole body numbness (can still feel some sensation. I'd say it's at least half of what it used to be)
-Fatigue that comes and goes and doesn't correlate with any kind of activity or amount of rest.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

IceSkate said:


> Last spring I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. My TSH was about 8, but with synthyroid since April it is about 1-2. I have been having weird symptoms for the past two months (the inability to taste anything as well as whole body numbness). I do not know if these are from hypothyroidism (it appears to have been corrected).
> 
> I was wondering if anyone knows more about these symptoms. Here is my history of symptoms:
> Summer of 2010: Very suddenly starting having bad abdominal pains about 20 minutes after eating that would last a few hours. I could not find a specific kind or amount of food that made symptoms worse or go away. I also had diarrhea or else constipation maybe every other day. I had trouble sleeping on and off until Fall 2011. I also developed sudden eye irration. I could not open my eyes they would hurt so bad. I had to use a ton of eye drops for the first time ever. I previously had excellent vision, but after this I could no longer see the board from the back of the classroom. I had trouble seeing people's faces walking down the street. The eye irration ended after the summer, though. During that summer I worked for maybe 4 hours a day infront of a computer doing data entry, so I thought maybe it was just from that. My eyes no longer hurt and I see fine.
> ...


Firstly, has your doctor ever run the FREE T3 and FREE T4? These are "essential" tests.

My immediate thoughts upon reading your post are electrolyte deficiency and very low ferritin or "both!"

Zinc which is one of several of the electrolytes (zinc,calcium, magnesium, chromium, chloride, sodium and potassium) could cause you to not be able to taste if low.

Low Potassium

SymptomsA small drop in potassium usually doesn't cause symptoms. However, a big drop in the level can be life threatening.

Symptoms of hypokalemia include:

•Abnormal heart rhythms (dysrhythmias), especially in people with heart disease
•Constipation
•Fatigue
•Muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis)
•Muscle weakness or spasms
•Paralysis (which can include the lungs) :sad0049:

As you can see, paralysis is one of many symptoms.

Here is info on ferritin as well.

Ferritin http://www.thewayup.com/newsletters/081504.htm
(should be 50 to 100; the closer to 100, the better)

I will be interested in knowing what you think and whether or not you will request the necessary electrolyte panel and ferritin tests.










By the way; electrolytes must be kept in balance. Taking only one throws the others off.


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## IceSkate (Oct 28, 2011)

Hi. Thanks for your thoughtful response.

I am not sure if I should ask for these tests. My tests for iron were good. They found I had a carrier gene for hemochromatosis, but tests concluded I did not actually have it. Do you think I should still ask for ferritin and electrolyte tests?

Thanks


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## IceSkate (Oct 28, 2011)

Oh, and I did have a free T4 test that came back normal, but not a free T3 test. I don't really understand T3.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

IceSkate said:


> Hi. Thanks for your thoughtful response.
> 
> I am not sure if I should ask for these tests. My tests for iron were good. They found I had a carrier gene for hemochromatosis, but tests concluded I did not actually have it. Do you think I should still ask for ferritin and electrolyte tests?
> 
> Thanks


I do; ferritin is the protein that stores your iron. Everything is rule out, rule in. If you can have the tests, I would recommend that you do it.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

IceSkate said:


> Oh, and I did have a free T4 test that came back normal, but not a free T3 test. I don't really understand T3.


FREE T3 101..............

Free T3 and Free T4 are the only accurate measurement of the actual active thyroid hormone levels in the body. This is the hormone that is actually free and exerting effect on the cells. These are the thyroid hormones that count.

http://www.drlam.com/articles/hypothyroidism.asp?page=3

http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/freet3woliner.htm


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## titian1 (May 12, 2011)

Could it be pernicious anaemia? This can be triggered by Thyroid conditions apparently.


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## BuffyFan (May 13, 2011)

I would get tested for Lyme disease using the western blot test. a lot of your symptoms sounds like could be lyme and it seems like i've been reading that a lot of people with hashi's/or hypothyroidism also have lyme.

Maybe read up on symptoms of lyme and see if you think it matches yours.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

One thing that comes to mind for me is Multiple Sclerosis. Your neurologist will be able to look into that.

I also like the suggestions that have been offered by others.


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## BuffyFan (May 13, 2011)

Octavia said:


> One thing that comes to mind for me is Multiple Sclerosis. Your neurologist will be able to look into that.
> 
> I also like the suggestions that have been offered by others.


A Ha! Lyme can mimic MS!!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

BuffyFan said:


> A Ha! Lyme can mimic MS!!


And you are so right about the lyme and symptoms as described. Good call on that one!


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## IceSkate (Oct 28, 2011)

I've looked into Lyme, and don't think it is it... but again I'm not an expert. I haven't had stiff neck or muscle pain.

I have come across MS and perhaps that is it. Hopefully not.

I just hope my neurologist can figure out what's going on. And I hope I can get in before 2 months time... If they can't find it then I'm completely lost.


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## Fissy (Sep 20, 2011)

Hi IceSkate, sorry you're feeling so bad! 
Have you had your B12 tested? 
I've recently had a combination of a B12 deficiency and hypothyroidism wreak havoc on my nervous system and it mimicked MS to the point where I was almost diagnosed with it. :confused0018:


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## BuffyFan (May 13, 2011)

I don't think you will always have a stiff neck or muscle pain with lyme. It can mimic so many things. Most people don't recall getting bit by a tick, and most don't get the bull's eye rash. Also, you can even get it if you don't live in an area that has a lot of lyme cases~more and more people are getting lyme. Lots of animals carry ticks,... deer, rabbits, dogs and even birds!! It'd really be a good idea to get tested for this and other things other's have mentioned here, so you can start ruling things out.

Hope you get this figured out!!


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