OK....calling all of our Psychics!!!

[JanusAscending]

As many of you may know, I've been having problems with dry mouth and dry eyes, following a case of oral Thrush. I've been to three Dr.'s, two of them specialists, and so far they have no answers for me. Something happened just before all of my problems began, and it's been weighing on my mind ever since. I haven't mentioned it to another soul yet, because I was worried people would think I was crazy. I am a client of our local food pantry, and once a month I go in and supplement my pantry with dry goods they offer. Just before all of my problems started, I had stocked up, and one of the items I chose was Banana flavored Cheerios. I love them, I've purchased them before, so I was excited to find them. Thing is, when I got them home, I noticed they they had been opened already, and someone scotch taped the inner package closed. An inner voice said to me "it isn't wise to eat opened food", but then my reasoning kicked in, and I thought, who would tamper with food intended for poor,elderly people??? I was hungry, so I poured myself a bowl. They instantly caused a burning sensation in my mouth, but I finished the bowl. I however never ate any more, and still have the remainder of the box. When I went to my Dr. the first time regarding my problems, I told him my mouth felt like someone had poisoned me, and that my mouth burned and everything tasted "metallic". He looked at me funny and said"poisoned"??? like I was nuts!! It was at that first examination he diagnosed Thrush, so I chalked it up to my imagination. Does anyone get the feeling that perhaps that cereal had been tampered with, and if so, how do I report it without coming off as a paranoid lunatic? What kind of labs could test the remaining cereal to see if it was??? I'm at my wits end here, and tired of playing my own detective. I just want some answers, and to be able to taste my food, and eat without my tongue feeling like it's on fire!!! Anyone who can HELP, please....I'm desperate!!! JA

[Cleita]

1. I'm so sorry that you are a victim of our system.

When I find tampered food boxes, I take them to the checker at the supermarket and tell them. I didn't realize they were giving them to food pantries. I will buy them from now on and figure out a way to dispose of them that doesn't poison either people or wildlife. What did your doctor do for you to get the poisons purged from your system? Also, you can write the Cheerio company and tell them what happened to you. Send them the label, if you kept it, which has the most information, like lot numbers and such. Usually, the companies will send you a coupon to buy fresh product from them. I hope you feel better.

[JanusAscending]

2. He didn't take me seriously about being poisoned!

Just so happened that I did have thrush, at that point. That's all he's treated me for, with Nustatin oral mouth rinse. I've been checked by an ENT since then, who said there were no signs of any remaining thrush. He also put a scope down my nasal cavity and into my throat. He said I had no signs of esophogeal disease,or cancer. I have BAD acid reflux, and take Nexium daily for it. I'm calling my PCDr. tomorrow, to see if I can push up my appt. that I have towards the end of the month to this next week. The eye specialist mentioned a med. that might help. He has sent his report to my Dr. and I want something done....now!

[elleng]

3. Awful story, Jan Asc.

I'd walk away from MD with such an attitude (she said, crossing her fingers.)

Seems to me that such an instantaneous reaction really does say something. I'm sure there are labs that could check out the cheerios, but I don't know where. Sorry.

[JanusAscending]

16. My daughter has been bugging me to change Dr's

for a while now. Thing is, he is the only game in town, and I've been with him since I moved here after my husband passed 7 yrs. ago. He's been very good with most things, but he's paranoid about Med. liability, and has me running to a specialist every time something comes up he feels he can't handle!! The MAIN reason I haven't changed is because there are too few Dr's. in the area that will take NEW Medicare patients. I got in with him just under the wire,as when I started with him I wasn't on Medicare yet, and once a patient, he had to keep me! I have a transportation problem preventing me from doing a wider search for a new Dr.

[rumpel]

4. I would take it to the County Health and ask them to test

and say something does not feel right. But not blurt out it is poisoned - just facts, but add you hope this is not a "widespread problem" (ehem :evilgrin:) and whether they had other such reports.
They must investigate...

[JanusAscending]

18. Hey rumple!

Thank you for your words of encouragement! This morning, first thing, I called the Director of the local food pantry, to give her a heads up on what's going on. She is a friend, a fellow Democrat, and I don't want to get her in trouble. She told me that she was going to contact her superiors at State level to report this, and find out where to go from here. She said it's important to them as much as it is to me, to get to the bottom of this. I told her that I hold them blameless, and just wanted to find out for a certainty if this could be the cause of my medical problems. I have a friend from the Dem. Town Commitee (Second Selectman, outgoing)who is a Detective with a nearby Town Police Dept. who would be far more able to help me than our local 4 man police dept.!! (shades of Mayberry RFD!) I will be mentioning this to my Dr. when I see him hopefully this week. Once he knows of the "possibility" of food tampering, he make look at me in a different way....other than crazy!!!

[northernlights]

5. I 2nd what Rumpel said

Your doctor should have taken you seriously. I've run into the same sort of attitude, sometimes, though. Nobody believes you when you say something may have been done deliberately, even though the evidence points to it. So you need to be careful with language you choose. Keep it totally unemotional, stick to the facts and let people draw their own conclusions works best.

Try the country or state health dept. and instead of saying that somebody may have "poisoned" you, say that you think the box of cereal may have been "tampered" with or had something wrong with it. (it's possible that somebody else tried the cereal, said 'yuck', taped it shut and gave it to the pantry :( so there could be a manufacturing process issue).

Explain that it had been opened and taped shut, that when you ate the cereal your mouth burned and everything tasted 'metallic" and that you've had specific health problems ever since eating it.

By "everything tasted metallic" do you mean the cereal tasted metallic, or everything you ate for some time after that tasted metallic?" Metallic taste generated by your body points to a specific issue -- I can't remember what, but we covered it in hematology a few weeks back. Hopefully I'll find it again in list of symptoms while studying (multiple exams this week) and get back to you.

[JanusAscending]

19. To answer your question about the "metallic" taste....

The cereal itself had a metallic taste, and EVERYTHING since has tasted metallic. Everything I eat, tastes the same, and if I eat "roughage" ie cereal, toast, bread, crackers, it hurts my tongue and tastes like I'm eating sawdust! My mouth is so dry, I wake up with my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth. My Dr. has me sucking on hard candies (sugarless) as I can't chew gum because of my dentures. My eyes are still very dry, and the Retinolgogist said "from the tear test" I don't have Shojgren's Syndrome. Plus my bloodwork read neg. for it, as well as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Diabetes and Lupus. I do have cataracts that I can have removed at my discretion and timing. When I look at my eyes in the mirror, I see my Mom's "dead" eyes as they were in the nursing home in the last stages of Alzheimer's. They look like they are half shut, with no sparkle of life in them at all. This drastic turn around in my health has me really discouraged, because even with all of my other problems, at least I was able to enjoy eating my food!! I'm a coffee lover, and couldn't even tell a good cup of coffee from dishwater now! I'm not looking forward to Thanksgiving this year, when I can't tell my daughter how great the gravy or the stuffing is!!!

[northernlights]

25. did you have a urinalysis?

If so, what were the results?
You mentioned bloodwork -- presumably a CBC? What were the *red* cell results? Did they do red cell indices? Morphology?

I can't find the "metallic taste" in my notes. But did find glossitis (painful tongue). As Dora wrote, that can be associated with B12 and/or Folate deficiency.

Also, are you drinking and peeing a huge amount?
Is there any change to your skin color? Pallor? Dark areas?

Re: the cereal: have it checked for heavy metal contamination

[JanusAscending]

27. OK ....

lots of questions, some I can answer, some I can't. Yes they did a urinalysis, to check for diabetes, came up neg. As far as bloodwork, they did a complete fasting for cholesterol, thyroid(all three types), Sojgren's Syndrome, Rheumatoid and Lupus. All negative. I don't know the red cell count, but I know that my hemoglobin is good. No anemia. Yes to drinking and peeing, because I am constantly "sipping" water and drinking tea or coffee. Not so much as to induce water intoxication. As to pallor, I do have dark circles under my eyes(always have, but worse now)and I look pretty sallow, but no jaundice. I am going to ask the Dr. about the B12, and when they test the cereal(I'm not sure how soon) I will request that they test for metal cont. I may even take a small sample of the cereal to the Dr. to see if he is interested in testing it! Phew! Thanks for doing this!

[northernlights]

33. urinalysis tests for more than just diabetes mellitus

but it sounds like all the tests on it were negative, so it doesn't matter.

I'd back off the coffee and anything else with caffeine if possible. Coffee is diuretic -- makes you pee and will ultimately leave you dehydrated and can hurt your electrolyte balance. Since you're already having problems with being too dry, coffee will make things worse. Stick to electrolyte drinks for now, such as fruit juice, or herbal teas.

Glossitis (painful tongue) is a symptom of B12 and Folate deficiency anemia. I was thinking maybe lead poisoning, which can cause certain anemias as well. But if hemoglobin is ok, guess not.

I would definitely get the cereal checked. Anything that goes through lots of processing has the opportunity for contamination.

[JanusAscending]

37. I really, really appreciate all of your hard work

on my behalf. I am fervently praying for an answer, and will keep you all posted on the outcome of the cereal thing. Love ya! JA

[Dora]

6. B12 deficiency

I'm inclined to suspect there's something else going on. You mentioned that your tongue feels like its on fire. Burning tongue is a symptom of B12 deficiency, which is a common occurrence in the elderly. I have b12 deficiency and I had to do a lot of self-educating. Ask your doctor for a CBC with a serum b12 test. This is not an expensive test.

B12 deficiency can lead to serious complications that are often misdiagnosed - the symptoms of depression, irritability, and anxiety are often confused as dementia in the elderly. The numbness and tingling in the fingers and hands can cause clumsiness and falls. The fatigue can be overwhelming. The deficiency can be easily treated with sublingual supplements and/or injections. I do both.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B12_deficiency
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/vitamin-b12-deficiency-anemia-topic-overview

Good luck. I had depression and fatigue, which is what tipped off my doctor to test my b12. I also had the burning tongue, clumsiness, and bleeding gums, but for some reason I didn't think of these things as symptoms.

[JanusAscending]

20. Thank you for this info!

I will bring it up at my next Dr.'s visit. I have some of the other symptoms that you mentioned, so he make take my request seriously. I had been on anti depressants for years after I lost my husband, but this past year I stopped taking them (Zoloft) because they were causing extreme bowel problems, and incontinence. Very embarrassing to say the least. Another problem I'm experiencing is extreme cold in my hands and feet and my arthritic back! My eldest daughter, a nurse, has the same problem with cold in her back which was injured at work. She said it's because wherever there is inflammation, you feel the cold more.
I still have to take an anti anxiety med. to be able to get to sleep at night. (Xanax) I'm just a mess ain't I??? Thanks again,JA

[Why Syzygy]

24. I just got

a nudge to suggest ginger tea and mint tea, or ginger mint tea! Of course follow through with your medical doctor. And take my nudge as you are led.

[JanusAscending]

29. I'll try anything!

How about green tea too?? Might as well , because the coffee I so love, tastes like dishwater, no matter how strong I make it!! OH,OH,....I just thought of something!!! I know how many of you here are against using art. sweeteners. Because I am supposed to be losing weight for my back, and breathing problems, I've been using Equal for years. Would that "suddenly" cause my problem. Dr. told me to suck on hard candy artificially sweetened, to avoid all the sugar intake. It helps moisten my mouth. I only use it for coffee other than that.

[Why Syzygy]

32. Aspartame

actually makes you gain weight. Stevia is a better choice. I don't find anything specific to it in regards dry mouth/metallic taste.

Green tea is always good, but I was thinking of ginger and mint to actually counteract your symptoms, which green tea isn't targeted for. Of course if that's all you have on hand at the moment, why not. You can find ginger and mint tea at most groceries, not having to seek out a health food store.

http://www.organicnutrition.co.uk/aspartame-side-effects.htm
It is not a diet product
It is NOT A DIET PRODUCT!! The Congressional record said, "It makes you crave Carbohydrates &will make you FAT." Dr. Roberts stated that when he got patients off aspartame, their average weight loss was 19 pounds per person. The Formaldehyde stores in the fat cells, particularly in the hips and thighs. Aspartame is especially deadly for Diabetics. (...)

http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/aspartame.html
* During a lecture, I said, "If you are using ASPARTAME (NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc.) and you suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms, spasms, shooting pains, numbness in your legs, cramps, vertigo, dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, joint pain, depression, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision, or memory loss - you probably have ASPARTAME DISEASE!" People were jumping up during the lecture saying, "I've got this, is it reversible?" Some of the speakers at my lecture even were suffering from these symptoms. In one lecture attended by the Ambassador of Uganda, he told us that their sugar industry is adding ASPARTAME to the sugar! He continued by saying that one of the industry leader's son could no longer walk - due in part to product usage! (...)

ETA: I looked up side effects for Xanax. Dry mouth is listed as one. Why not google all your medications for possible side effects? You didn't say, have you started a new supplement or prescription recently?

[JanusAscending]

36. OK, no more aspertame for me!!

The only new script was for the Nustatin for the thrush, which I'm no longer taking. I'm off two of the drugs I had been taking, namely Advair inhaler and Zoloft for depression.I've been on the Xanax for over two years now, 0.5MG (1 tablet at bedtime) Another inhaler I still use is Spiriva, one capsule in the inhaler in the AM. I have to have something to control my COPD, but this also reads that it could cause dry mouth. I recently started taking Zinc tablets otc per someones advice here, along with my Caltrate+D that my Dr. ordered. I have a "rescue inhaler" that I barely ever have to use, Albuterol.

[Why Syzygy]

38. LOL!

That's a brave statement. Aspartame is also addictive. You may have withdrawal symptoms. Maybe do a google for "aspartame detox" for some ideas. You'll feel better once it is cleared from your system. Your doctor probably will not know anything about it. After my sister had been treated for a DECADE for bladder cancer, she finally asked her oncologist if she should give up aspartame. He said, "it couldn't hurt" (to give it up). She lost about 15 pounds.

[JanusAscending]

39. Can't be any more addictive than cigarettes!

....can it?? Maybe I should try some medicinal "hemp". Thay say it helps chemo patients get their appetites back! lol , but hey what good is an appetite when you can't taste anything??

[MorningGlow]

7. Ugh--doctors can be like that

It's the down side of the m.d. confidence training/ego development. They're encouraged to be soooo strong and certain at all times, to inspire confidence in their patients. But when they take it too far, they stop listening to patients (especially *cough* women *cough*) and dismiss their concerns.

Anyway, do you still have the box of cereal? You should show it to someone. Would the doctor be open to that, or perhaps somebody else? I agree with NL--even if it wasn't poisoned, there could have been a problem with the way it was produced. Or perhaps you had an allergic reaction to something in it? Banana-flavored Cheerios likely involves using artificial flavoring--have you ever had a reaction to artificial flavoring?

[Sienna86]

8. Did some checking

You may want to refer the matter to law enforcement. Metallic aftertaste can be a symptom of arsenic poisoning. Perhaps law enforcement can send a sample of the cereal to a lab and have it tested to rule out this possibility.

[JanusAscending]

21. Hi MG!

Up until this time, I've never had a problem with artificial flavorings. I've used them often in baking (when I used to bake) I've always loved bananas, and never had a problem with them. I've had this particular cereal once before , purchased from the market, and other cereals with banana flavoring with no problem. I usually eat Honey Nut Cheerios every morning or instant oatmeal (the cream and fruit variety pack) to lower my colesterol, even though it's not really that high. If you read my added posts today, they will answer the rest of your questions. I'm running out of steam already, so looking forward to reading some responses before I post agian. Love ya girl! JA

[southerncrone]

23. Just for your info, instant oatmeal does NOT lower cholesterol,

only the Old-fashioned kind does this. I encourage you to check this out yourself. Although at this point in time, I suspect this would be the least of your concerns. :hug:

[southerncrone]

9. I agree w/Sienna86, you should take to law enforcement & tell the story.

I would also let the food bank know immediately of this problem product which they unwittingly dispensed. They may have received other complaints about these Cheerios.

Was the outer box glued as if done in the manufacturing process, or did it have the appearance of being RE-GLUED?

The answer to this question could determine at what point the inner product was tampered with.
If glued by factory, then obviously it was tampered with at the manufacturing source. The product code would be able to tell authorities & General Mills which plant manufactured it.

If it was re-glued, the ANYONE could have done this.

Your best hope I think is that someone opened them, tried them, did not like them (perhaps because of the bad sensation), taped the bag up & gave them away thinking they were doing a good deed.

It also could be that YOU just had a reaction to whatever chemical compound they use to create the "BANANA" flavor.

I'm so sorry this has happened to you, JA. But I believe you should take action immediately. The longer you wait, the less likely they will believe you.

[JanusAscending]

22. They were definately opened

by someone before they were donated. The inner bag was taped closed, and the outer seal was opened, and because it wasn't torn, I didn't even notice it until I got it home. I don't believe this was from the factory.I've alerted the food pantry, as I've posted above, this morning.Thanks for the great advice!

[Why Syzygy]

10. You've got good advice here.

Are you allergic to any of the ingredients?
http://www.generalmills.com/stream_image.aspx?rid=36117

Did you start any new supplements recently? What have you tried to get rid of the metallic taste? A few things I could think of, lemon water, hydrogen peroxide (rinse only!), tsp of vinegar in a glass of water, yogurt, salt, green barley drink ...

We've got a lot of smart members who have done excellent posts advising you. I hope you follow up.
Just wanted to let you know I'm in your corner.

[OneGrassRoot]

17. I echo Why Syzygy's thoughts and recommendations...

and that the other advice is sound.

Big hugs to you!!!!! Be strong and follow up. It's important to know the source of what you're going through. Let us know if we can follow up on anything on your behalf by finding out more information.

:hug:

:grouphug:

[obliviously]

11. If you can get a hold of them

Ketaconazole may help! you best see your doctor.

[JanusAscending]

30. What are they?

I've never heard of them? Should I just ask my Dr. about them? He's going to be so sick of me by the time I'm done ! I sense he resents it whenever I try to do my own diagnosing already. I have a daughter who is an R.N. and she feeds me a lot of info too. I'm pretty up on things pertaining to medicine after all of the years tending to my sick parents and husband. I've also been through a lot of OB- GYN problems in my life that taught me a lot about MY OWN BODY, Why can't Drs. grasp this concept, that a person knows their own body?? Lord knows I've been in it for almost 71 years!!!!

[obliviously]

34. Believe it or not I got a yeast infection in my mouth and throat

I thought i had a bad cold but it didn't go away. I had a canker sore in my throat that felt like a severe sore throat. My mouth and throat were dry and burned. Ketaconazole is an anti fungal that also kills yeast. There is also a similar drug to it that is even more effective.

[JanusAscending]

35. See, this is the thing..

I started off with an oral yeast infection. It's called Thrush. However this came about after I had eaten the suspicious cereal in question. I was treated for the Thrush by my Dr. with a drug called Nustatin. The thrush has been cleared up for over two, maybe three weeks now,but yet my tongue still burns like it's raw, and my mouth is so dry at times, I can't even talk and it's hard to swallow. This is why I suspect there is more going on, and why I want to get that cereal tested. Other things that can affect the taste buds are radiation, and chemotherapy, but I've had neither. So it will remain a mystery until we rule out other things like food tampering, allergies and other possible causes. My Dr. thought that perhaps I got the initial yeast infection from using my Advair inhaler, which contains a steroid. He took me off that med., cleared up the infection, but I still have NO sense of taste!!?????

[obliviously]

43. It may take some time to get your taste back

there is a possibility the yeast is not gone. I have been plagued with this since I was a child. It comes and goes. I believe the yeast stays in my blood stream mostly dormant. Another thing that helps is taking beneficial bacteria a natural enemy of yeast.

[Flying Dream Blues]

12. I'm sorry this is happening to you, JA...

I just wanted to add that when I was suffering with dry eyes/mouth, it turned out to be about the foods I was eating. I had to elimate wheat, yeast (and all fermented stuff like vinegar, soy sauce, etc which pretty much rules out anything that makes food taste good :)) but the problem went away, along with the random itchiness and achiness I was so used to having. This may not pertain to you, and either way I hope you find the answers you need to feel better soon.
:hug:

[JanusAscending]

31. Thank you

Would foods that I've always eaten suddenly cause this reaction? Maybe I should be tested for allergies? I'll ask the Dr.when I see him.

[winyanstaz]

13. I would want to know first..are you still suffering from the thrush ?

Or has that cleared up?
Thrush can be caused by many things,..stress and antibiotics and sugar are all big culprets. It could also be a sinus infection or even your current medication which could cause both problems.
Please see a different Dr if the one you are seeing cannot diagnose this problem right away.
A calendula tincture seems to work best I have found or unfiltered apple cider vinegar to also help if it is simple thrush...however first always ask a Dr if using these will help you or not....
I will take a look and see if I can see anything after I know the answer to the thrush question.
You see, by using the Light fibers, I can see or know many things but...sometimes it will only tell me of an inbalance when I do this long distance and not what the imbalance is. I am still learning all that in my own lessons at this time.

[JanusAscending]

14. Hi, I'm sorry this will be quick

'cause I'm feeling lousy. The ENT said I no longer showed any signs of thrush. I'm going to try to answer everyone's post tomorrow if I feel better. I haven't been able to eat much of anything except soup, and also have no appetite. Kind of weak in the knees, so I'm going to bed. Just took my melatonin and Xanax. I plan on taking much of the advice I've read so far. Talk to you Sunday, and Thanks to all who responded! JA

[rumpel]

15. sending you healing vibes, JA...

:grouphug:

[winyanstaz]

26. I dont see any more posts...I hope you are alright Janus...

I shall send you some energy for your mouth problem right away today.
Let us know if your doctor has found out anything to help you.
I also agree you should take the cereal to the law and see if they will do something about it.
It could be just cereal gone bad...or it could be contaminated and there is only one way to know for sure.

[JanusAscending]

28. Thanks!

Didn't you get my post about the thrush? My ENT says I'm clear of it. I will keep you posted for sure, and thanks for the input and healing vibes! I posted quite a bit more info today, to answer everyone's questions to the best of my ability. I'm really sooooooo tired of this. Rest assured, that cereal will get tested! and I'm still open to other suggestions to "help" my Dr. I must say, he's not the best diagnostician!! He's not the detective type!

[Digit]

40. You may have seen this already, but...

I was researching your symptoms and found this:

"Burning mouth syndrome (BMS), popularly called burning tongue, is an ailment commonly found among people in the middle age group. While the exact cause of the ailment is not known, people suffering from it experience a burning sensation on their lips, gums, tongues, inside their cheeks, etc. Burning tongue can be acute, lasting for a few weeks, or chronic, lasting for months at a stretch. Some of the symptoms of this problem are dry/sore mouth, thirst, burning sensation in mouth, lips, palate, gums and tongue, loss of taste, numbness on the tip of the tongue and metallic or bitter taste in the mouth. The right kind of diet, combined with some conscious efforts, can cure a person suffering from this ailment. Read on to explore home remedies for treating burning tongue."
If you go to the site (see below), it goes on to give remedies.

http://www.iloveindia.com/home-remedies/burning-tongue.html

While the cereal may or may not be related to your ongoing symptoms, the experience you had immediately upon eating the cereal makes me wonder what was in it. You said you loved Banana Flavored Cheerios so obviously you have had them before and never had that type of reaction.

By all means, get the cheerios tested. Something could have happened to it in the manufacture and the prior consumer purchased, tried, did not like it and donated the opened box or something else entirely.

I hope you get some relief (and answers) soon!

[JanusAscending]

41. Thanks Digit!

I just wanted to let you all know that I will being seeing my Dr. tomorrow afternoon. (armed to the hilt with all my info) I am waiting to hear back from the gal at the food pantry. We'll see how far they are willing to take this. I am also reserving some of the cereal to take to my Dr. Perhaps he will see fit to have it tested. I'll let you all know how it goes. Thanks again for this new info digit! Now I'm going to back up and read the entire thread you gave me!!! JA

[crikkett]

42. Tell your food bank about the opened box.

Make sure it goes to the supervisor. If you feel like they're ignoring you then PM me (I know people who work in the food bank at a state level. maybe not your state, but they know people too).

Take care.