Metallic, salty taste and too much saliva on AN side

[PatSal]

Five years after gamma knife surgery, my my left sided AN grew and I had it surgically removed in May, 2013.  Three days after surgery I developed left facial paralysis. I just had a platinum eye weight implanted in my left eyelid as my eye was still not closing completely.  I had tried plugs in my tear ducts and bot-ox.  I had a platinum weight after reading the gold weights included nickel in them, and I have an allergy to nickel.  MY PROBLEM: I've had a metal taste in my mouth which has become somewhat salty. I create too much saliva on the left side of my mouth and sometimes it drools out.  I'm constantly "slurping it up" to swallow.  I had the upper tear duct plug removed after one month as it was irritating my eyelid causing swelling.  The lower plug has been in three months now, and I'm wondering if this could be the cause of the excess saliva.  Every normal swallow has a little bit of extra saliva on the left side going down.  Because I had gamma knife, I was told my nerves were very raw, and it would take a little longer for me to heal.  The surgery was considered a success. I came out with 30% hearing; however, lost it about two weeks later.  Has anyone ever experienced this taste and/or drool

[Tod]

Ayup. And today was one of those days. For me, almost four years post surgery/two years post radiation, it is an irregular occurrence. No real patterns, and sometimes swings to overly dry. Also, my taste for sugars is impaired, but that has mostly healed.

To my knowledge, there is a not a lot to do about it. It has improved for me.

-Tod

[maxine]

I am having a lot of brain edema 14 months post gamma knife.  Along with this, I also have a salty taste in my mouth all the time.  I have gained a lot of weight from steroids and I realize part of it is the steroids, but part of it is  eating to get rid of the taste.  Jelly beans help, also drinking flavored water.  I am hoping this eventually goes away.  Good luck with yours, and if you have any tips for how you handle this, I'd love to know. Best,
Maxine

[leapyrtwins]

Never had the drool, but had metallic mouth post op.  Can't recall exactly how long it lasted, but it was definitely several months.

Some say that taking zinc will help, but I don't know if it will or not.  By the time I started taking it I was already several months post op so the "issue" may have just been ready to stop on its own.

That said, zinc won't hurt you and it could help; might be worth a try.

Good luck,

Jan

[maxine]

Thanks  Jan. I haven't heard of trying the zinc. Definitely worth a try. 

At 14 months post-gamma knife, and having dealt with the hearing, synkinesis, done vestibular therapy, etc. only to be even worse now with balance problems, spilling things, having a salty taste in mouth, having facial spasms all day, being on steroids long-term for brain as well as tumor swelling and asymmetric face now I am feeling a bit beleaguered.  I guess I was not prepared for things to get so much worse more than a year later, but I am hoping this is all temporary. Maybe the zinc will get rid of one more issue for me.

[leapyrtwins]

Maxine -

I'm hopeful the zinc will help.

Before I chose surgery my doc and I talked GK.  He told me that if I chose GK I could expect side effects for as long as 12-18 months post radiation.  So I guess side-effects at 14 months aren't unusual.  That said, I hope you are all "done" with them by 18 months.

Keep the faith!   

Jan

[Kristena]

Hi Pat,

I have been having an off-putting taste in my mouth since my surgery last June 2013. The taste changes and is sometimes barely noticeable, but at its worst is a very tart/acidy taste and makes me feel like gagging. Candies and flavored waters just make it worse for me, and I haven't really found a "magic potion" other than water.

I have just recently begun drooling, but I think it's due to my cheek muscle getting tight and having my lips oh-so slightly parted on that side (or certainly looser). It can be horribly embarrassing at work, and I hope no one has caught me suddenly wiping my mouth with the back of my hand!

Keep us posted on your journey!

[neetze1]

No drooling but definitely the salty, metallic taste.  It has been 11 months since translab surgery and it is still bad.

[dvPete]

I have the salty taste as well.  I'm 8 months post translab surgery & still have 30% of the tumor in my head.  All my other numbness/weakness issues were resolved immediately after surgery.  But the salty taste remains.

On the upside, I don't have to salt my food as much as I used to 

[dslifer]

I am 3 months translate post-op and have a bitter/salty/metallic taste on one side of my tongue.