# Sweet taste?



## Tenzin_Rangdol (Feb 28, 2010)

At all times, I have a very sweet taste in my mouth and on my lips. Its like ive been eating pure sugar or sweetener (which ive not.....really), is this a diabetes thing or is it just me. Ive never ate anything or drinking anything with high sugar since i was diagnosed 2 weeks ago. No sweets, cakes or anything of the like. Im type 2 (they think!) if thats any help


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## Pigeon (Feb 28, 2010)

Do you have any ketostix? I had a sweet taste for weeks in my mouth before I got diagnosed with T1, which was caused by ketones. Sorry, I don't mean to worry you, but it might be worth testing to put your mind at rest. Have you been testing your blood glucose since you were diagnosed? If your sugar levels are still high then you could be at risk of ketones. Go see you GP if it doesn't go away.


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## bev (Feb 28, 2010)

Hi Tenzin,

Do you test your levels? If they are high - it could be a side effect of high sugars. Do you feel thirsty aswell?Do you test for ketones?Bev


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## Tenzin_Rangdol (Feb 28, 2010)

Ive never been told what ketones are or how to test them. I was going to get a blood meter but i read online somewhere that  you only do it if your on insulin but when i was in hospital they tested me 4-5 times a day and was always between 13 and 14. They done a fasting test and said it was 9.8 but within the hour they tested me i was 13.4 and all i had was rice crispies with no sugar or sweetener

As for thirst I could drink for Scotland and still not satisfy it.


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## Pigeon (Feb 28, 2010)

Oh sorry, i just read through your other posts and I see that you're still waiting to see your GP. Ketones are toxins that are produced when the body has no insulin to break down glucose in the blood, and so the body burns fat for energy. People with T1 often have ketones at diagnosis as their body has stopped producing insulin - it's detected with a urine test stick. There's more information on the diabetes uk website. I would pressure to get a GP appointment sooner rather than later (i.e. tomorrow!), just in case you've been mis-diagnosed and you're actually T1. In the mean time, drink lots of water and you could buy some ketostix from a  chemist to check for ketones -and if you do have any then get to A+E!

Please let us know how you get on, and get it seen to as soon as you can. It's probably not ketones, but best to be sure.


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## Northerner (Feb 28, 2010)

Hi Tenzin, your levels are still probably quite high. I'd certainnly recommend getting a meter and reading the two links in our links section on Jennifer's Good Advice and Maggie Davey's Open Letter - they will explain the benefits of testing.

You probably don't need to worry about ketones. These are by products from when the body tries to convert fat to energy when it doesn't have enough insulin to use the glucose in your blood. They are only a real danger for people who are on insulin but haven't injected it, or haven't injected enough. Type 2s not on insulin are at much reduced risk from them.

As for the taste, it may be due to your senses adjusting as your levels reduce from the very high pre-diagnosis levels - things can often become confused until you settle down to more 'natural' levels.


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## Tenzin_Rangdol (Feb 28, 2010)

thanks Ill get some ketone sticks tomorrow, hopefully it'll be nothing


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## Northerner (Feb 28, 2010)

Oops! My post crossed with Pigeon's and has probably confused you! Ketones aren't normally a problem for Type 2s not on medication but can be very serious for Type 1s. Do you have a friend or partner willing to smell your breath? Ketones can be detected in the breath because they smell like acetone, or pear drops.


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## bev (Feb 28, 2010)

As you dont know whether your type 1 or 2 - i think you should ring NHS direct for advice because if your levels are high and you have a sweet taste in your mouth - this can indicate ketones - this is not good and you need to be seen asap. I dont want you to panic - but things can get serious quite quickly with ketones - so dont delay. Let us know what happens.Bev


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## Steff (Feb 28, 2010)

Is the pear drop taste to do with high BS? sorry to hijack


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## Pigeon (Feb 28, 2010)

I think you just get the peardrop taste when you have ketones - which aren't always present when you have high BS, e.g. if you just have high sugar levels for a short while such as after eating then you woulnd't get ketones then.


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## Northerner (Feb 28, 2010)

Steff2010 said:


> Is the pear drop taste to do with high BS? sorry to hijack



It's a smell rather than a taste due to the ketones Steff - the body tries to get rid of them in the urine, but also in the breath. Non-diabetic people with normal blood sugars get the same thing if on something like a high protein Atkins diet - these are called 'dietary ketones' and are caused by burning fat for energy. For a non-diabetic they are not harmful as the body has insulin production and they are removed from the body at relatively safe levels. 

Ketones, like glucose, need insulin to process correctly otherwise they build up to dangerous amounts, hence why people with no insulin can become very ill.


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## Steff (Feb 28, 2010)

Northerner said:


> It's due to the ketones Steff - the body tries to get rid of them in the urine, but also in the breath. Non-diabetic people with normal blood sugars get the same thing if on something like a high protein Atkins diet.



So if i was to go onto insulin being a type 2 and all that ,would getting ketones become more regular because im on insulin?


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## Tenzin_Rangdol (Feb 28, 2010)

I just read that dramatic weight loss is a symptom of type 1 if it happens in a short time 2-8 weeks. Ive lost 16 lbs (1 stone 2 lbs) in roughly 3 weeks, do you thing thats a dramatic loss?. The thing is ive got a major craving for food the past couple of weeks and its still coming off.

Im making a doctor app for wednesday as hes off till then so hopefully i'll get some answers


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## bev (Feb 28, 2010)

Yes - that is a lot of weight to lose! I wouldnt wait until your appointment - ring in the morning and ask for an emergency appointment.Bev


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## Tenzin_Rangdol (Feb 28, 2010)

I Think I will, got myself a wee bit worried. I know I shouldnt worry but its hard not to. Knowing my doctor surgery I'll be lucky to see anyone

Thanks for all the replies


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## Steff (Feb 28, 2010)

Good luck getting appt ,please let us know what happens like Bev said and i think you now realise yourself that is big old weight loss in only 3 weeks.


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## bev (Feb 28, 2010)

Tenzin_Rangdol said:


> I Think I will, got myself a wee bit worried. I know I shouldnt worry but its hard not to. Knowing my doctor surgery I'll be lucky to see anyone
> 
> Thanks for all the replies



If your doc wont see you - go up to A&E - dont panic - i just want you to be seen by someone as i think your suffering high levels and this will make you feel really bad and you desperately need a proper diagnosis and meds or insulin.Bev


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## Tenzin_Rangdol (Feb 28, 2010)

Aye it does seem quite a lot to lose in 3 weeks considering Ive been trying for years to lose weight with no luck. 

I live in a small town and a&e are hopeless in the extreme so any luck and I'll get an app with a doctor.

If i manage i'll let you's know what he said.

Thanks, its good to talk to some one who knows. The diabetic specialist at the hospital walked up to my bed and said "your diabetic heres a booklet" then left, a lot o good that done me so much for the "specialist"


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## MartinX123 (Mar 1, 2010)

Good luck getting an emergency appintment, certainly sounds like you need one! Thats certainly a huge weight loss in that short amount of time. I hope you get some proper care & diagnosis from the Dr.

As an aside I get a sweet taste often in the mornings, usually if I have eaten myself a bit high the previous day. Used to happen a lot at the beginning but now I am more controlled its a couple of times a month. (Not worried as diet controlled T2, just sharing )


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## Caroline (Mar 1, 2010)

If you are type 2 it is lesslikely to be ketones as we have some function in our pancreas. The sweet taste could be the sugar levels are high. I get the taste of coffee sweetend with treacle sometimes when I am running a bit high. If you are very thirsty and keep peeina lot, it is a good sign your sugars are high, and things will begin to settle once you get medication sorted out.

if you are worried, and until you get a formal diagnosis, ask your GP or phone NHS direct and see what they advise from a medical point of view.


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## Tenzin_Rangdol (Mar 1, 2010)

Managed to get an appointment. The good news is no ketones. She said I was still a bit young to get type 2 but from what Ive read it can come at any age. She said because its unknown if its type 1 or 2 they'll have to look into it more and gave me an appointment with the senior diabetic nurse in 2 weeks. Meanwhile she's started me on Metformin 500mg rising to 1500mg over the next couple of weeks. 

It might sound strange to some but Im happy im on medication for it as it'll (or should) stop it getting worse for now and symptoms should improve as blood levels go down


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## Steff (Mar 1, 2010)

Tenzin_Rangdol said:


> Managed to get an appointment. The good news is no ketones. She said I was still a bit young to get type 2 but from what Ive read it can come at any age. She said because its unknown if its type 1 or 2 they'll have to look into it more and gave me an appointment with the senior diabetic nurse in 2 weeks. Meanwhile she's started me on Metformin 500mg rising to 1500mg over the next couple of weeks.
> 
> It might sound strange to some but Im happy im on medication for it as it'll (or should) stop it getting worse for now and symptoms should improve as blood levels go down



Was anything mentioned about your weight loss>?


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## Caroline (Mar 1, 2010)

Glad to hear you have an appointment. I hope it all works out for you. Keep us posted and let us know how you get on.


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## Tenzin_Rangdol (Mar 1, 2010)

She just said its good my weights coming down, even though I never changed my diet when most of the weight come off I think there must be something making it drop. She wasnt convinced it was type 2 though so wants more tests with the diabetes nurse


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## Caroline (Mar 1, 2010)

One of the signs you are diabetic is weight loss, but have the tests done and see what happens.


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## Steff (Mar 1, 2010)

Tenzin_Rangdol said:


> She just said its good my weights coming down, even though I never changed my diet when most of the weight come off I think there must be something making it drop. She wasnt convinced it was type 2 though so wants more tests with the diabetes nurse



Thats good i also had doubts around my diagnosis and thought I may be type 1 , at least your gp wants further tests done , good luck and let us know what they get back from the tests.


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