Tongue Problems

I had gastricbypass on July 25th and am down 70 pounds.  I have developred a nasty little problem with my tongue.  I was wondering if anyone else may have had this issue also.  The doctor's said I have geographic tongue.  They thought it was thrush, but the tongue is red and brown now.  My labs came out great and in fact my B12 is above normal.  I can't get this taste out of my mouth.  I don't even want to eat.  It is not sore or anything.  Has anyone else had issue like this?  They want me to see a dermatologist next week.

Thanks!

Julie

 Geographic tongue is a harmless condition, but it can be persistent and uncomfortable.

No treatment is needed, but antihistamine gel or steroid mouth rinses may help with discomfort.

Geographic tongue is a harmless condition, but it can be persistent and uncomfortable.

Just copied and pasted this directly off the Pub Ned Health website.


NO STEROIDS for us though!!

 Have you been using a lot of Pepto-Bismol? It can cause a dark color to develop on your tongue. 

The bismuth found in Pepto-Bismol reacts with sulfur found in the mouth to form bismuth-sulfide, a compound with a distinctive black color. 

I don't know if it pertains to your situation, but It might be helpful. 

Hi Julie,

I have geographic tongue. I've had it for about 7 years. It is harmless, but anoying at times. I get the "off" taste, sometimes my tongue gets sore, but it resolves itself in about a week or 2.

The way I found out was when I was working at our local hospital, I was talking with one of the doctors....he got a glimpse of my tongue and asked me to stick it out. He thought I had Scarlett fever...he asked if my tongue always looked like that and I said yes. He told me that I had geographic tongue. First time I had ever heard of it.

Like I said it's annoying, but there is no cure. Benadryl will help the "flare up" resolve faster, but the dermatologist can't cure it. I don't even see a dermatologist....I don't want to pay money for something I can treat myself.

I know having everything tasting "off" is frustrating, but it will go away. Try some benadrl for a few days...see if that helps. If you have any questions I haven't answered, just let me know. I'll do my best to help.


Beth

Thanks so much Beth.  It does come and go.  Did you get it after weight loss?

No, I haven't had my surgery yet. It will be interesting to see if anything changes after my surgery. It really is just an irritation...I would guess that so far this year, it's "flared up" 2 maybe 3 times, lasting about a week each time.

Benadryl seems to help. I suppose I could check with a dermatologist about an antihistamine mouthwash, but benadryl is cheap. However, don't let me deter you from checking with a dermatologist if it's been recommended to you. Maybe they've come up with new treatment for it. If they do, let us know, ok?

Geographic tongue: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

Here is  a link about geographic tongue - your b12 level may be fine but there are other b vitamins that are important for us - what is your B1, B6 and folate level?

Any issues with my tongue are directly related to naicin deficancy for me.  I have been through this twice now.  My tongue gets red, sore and swollen and sore start to devlop - however the first sign for me is always a red tongue with swollen and raised taste buds.  A nice big dose of Niacin (Vitamin b3) takes care of it very nicely.  

PM me if you have any questions....