Life in Lape Haven

The Most Annoying Pregnancy Symptom that I’d Never Heard of

Life in Lape Haven: The Most Annoying Pregnancy Symptom that I'd Never Heard of. When I was pregnant with my first child, there was one symptom - a persistent bad taste in my mouth - that was more annoying and frustrating than any other symptom I faced. Here's how I dealt with it and what I've learned about dysgeusia, the bitter, sour, metallic taste in my mouth when I'm pregnant.

When I started suspecting a few months ago that I might be pregnant, I was hesitant to take a test because my symptoms were a little different than what I’d experienced with my previous two pregnancies.  I mean, being tired and having dizzy spells could easily be explained away as just being an exhausted mom of two active boys. The couple weeks of tenderness in my chest, though, was bit more what I was used to. However, even that wasn’t what I was looking for.

There was one symptom that I KNEW from my previous pregnancies that meant I was pregnant, without a doubt, and I wasn’t experiencing it.

With my first pregnancy, when this symptom hit, I didn’t know what to make of it. I’d never heard it listed among the classic “you must be pregnant” things, such as morning sickness, tiredness, sensitivity to smells, and food cravings. In fact, I’d never heard of it at all.

However, it was one of the first things that I had, and it made me the most miserable. Oh, and it lasted ALL NINE MONTHS!

What was it? A horrible, persistent, nasty taste in my mouth.

Sometimes bitter, sometimes metallic, sometimes sourish or just plain indescribably gross, the taste would cause me to gag or have to spit all day (and night) long. It was only gone when I was eating something. Once I didn’t have something in my mouth, it came back with a vengeance.  Also, I found that eating certain foods, like milk or anything sweet, made it even worse.

From the first time I ate something in the morning, usually a cracker or toast even before I got out of bed (thank you, morning sickness) until I was finally able to fall asleep despite it, the taste was there.

At first my doctor and other experienced mothers suggested it might be caused by acid reflux or heartburn, both common during pregnancy. However, even taking medicine for heartburn didn’t change the taste.

I know now that it is somehow connected to all the crazy changing hormones.

As I started researching how to deal with this gag-inducing taste, I found out that it was way more common than I thought. It’s called dysgeusia.

Even though I also dealt with numerous other common pregnancy side effects: nausea, fatigue, sensitivity to smells, crying way easier than normal, heartburn, and food aversions, the bad taste in my mouth was seriously the MOST ANNOYING, FRUSTRATING thing about being pregnant.

I tried chewing gum, but found out that anything with artificial sugar made me even more nauseated, as did anything bubble gum flavored. Mints aggravated my heartburn.

It was super fun.

When Elijah was born, the taste was gone immediately.

Life in Lape Haven: The Most Annoying Pregnancy Symptom that I'd Never Heard of. When I was pregnant with my first child, there was one symptom - a persistent bad taste in my mouth - that was more annoying and frustrating than any other symptom I faced. Here's how I dealt with it and what I've learned about dysgeusia, the bitter, sour, metallic taste in my mouth when I'm pregnant.

Then, when I woke up one morning a few years later with a horrible taste in my mouth, I knew there was only one thing it could be. Our second baby was on his way, and I was about to face another nine months of yucky dysgeusia.

During that pregnancy, I tried lots of things to get rid of the taste. Lemon drops and cinnamon disks helped some, but the candy irritated my tongue after a while and had a lot of sugar.

Eventually I discovered that salt helped to neutralize the taste for a while, so I began swishing salt water and sucking on sunflower seeds all the time.

Again the taste plagued me for all nine months, and it actually seemed worse than the first pregnancy. However, I took some comfort in its presence after talking with my mom’s neighbor lady.

She was a mother to six children, and she had dealt with the dysgeusia with some of her pregnancies, too. When the taste was there, she had healthy, successful pregnancies. When it was absent, she miscarried.

So, while it was super annoying, it was a sign that things were going well with my baby, which was the most important thing.

Once again, when the baby was born, the taste went away immediately.

Life in Lape Haven: The Most Annoying Pregnancy Symptom that I'd Never Heard of. When I was pregnant with my first child, there was one symptom - a persistent bad taste in my mouth - that was more annoying and frustrating than any other symptom I faced. Here's how I dealt with it and what I've learned about dysgeusia, the bitter, sour, metallic taste in my mouth when I'm pregnant.

Now I know that there are some really rough pregnancies symptoms that I’ve never faced, such as actually throwing up all nine months or dealing with an illness while pregnant. And I also know that some women would happily go through anything just to be pregnant and have a baby.

I’m just saying that for as annoying as this symptom is – having to spend your days constantly battling not to gag on your own saliva – and having heard from several other mothers who have struggled with it, I’m surprised to have never heard about it before I lived with it for nine months…twice.

However, like any mother will tell you, my babies are worth whatever I have to go through to have them. Absolutely.

Which brings me back to my most recent baby on board.

After wondering about my unusual (for me) symptoms for a week or more, I finally decided to find out one way or the other, even though I wasn’t dealing with a nasty taste.

When I took the pregnancy test, I wasn’t as positive this time around that it would positive, and I was a little surprised when it was. (So was Brad. Haha.)

In the back of my mind, I was a little worried due to what my mother’s neighbor had said before, but I was also a little excited to think that I might face a yucky-taste-free pregnancy for a change.

Until about a week later, when I woke up to my old friend, dysgeusia, and it was pregnancy as normal for me once more.

This time around, it seems even more intense, so I’ve had to find new solutions for dealing with it. I can’t even handle the smell of sunflower seeds now, so they aren’t an option. (Nine months of them one time was apparently enough for me.)

Life in Lape Haven: The Most Annoying Pregnancy Symptom that I'd Never Heard of. When I was pregnant with my first child, there was one symptom - a persistent bad taste in my mouth - that was more annoying and frustrating than any other symptom I faced. Here's how I dealt with it and what I've learned about dysgeusia, the bitter, sour, metallic taste in my mouth when I'm pregnant.

(The following links are affiliate links to products that have helped me this time around. This means that at no additional cost to you, I may receive a small commission if you use the link to make a purchase.)

I’ve found that butterscotch disks and Gin Gins candies seem to help some, although not so much on some days as others.  Mostly I’m going with salty things, such as Salt & Vinegar chips, slices of cheddar cheese, or just sprinkling salt into my mouth (I’ve been using Redmond’s Real Salt, which has trace minerals in it), and sipping really cold water.

As annoying and frustrating as it is, I only have a little over six more months to tough it out.  I can handle that. And on the days that it feels overwhelming and discouraging, I just look over at my two precious boys.

Life in Lape Haven: The Most Annoying Pregnancy Symptom that I'd Never Heard of. When I was pregnant with my first child, there was one symptom - a persistent bad taste in my mouth - that was more annoying and frustrating than any other symptom I faced. Here's how I dealt with it and what I've learned about dysgeusia, the bitter, sour, metallic taste in my mouth when I'm pregnant.

I remind myself that I’ve already made it through 18 months of my life with this silly symptom, and the rewards for those months are pretty amazing.

I can’t wait to meet this next one.

 

MOMS, WHAT WAS YOUR WORST PREGNANCY SYMPTOM?

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Kishona

Hi! I’m Kishona. I pour all my heart into creating a happy, Christ-centered home & haven for my sweet husband & our three little ninjas (or super heroes or Jedis…it depends on the day). I dabble in photography, concoct in the kitchen, and love sharing my adventures & the lessons I'm learning as I experience God's faithfulness through the joy & chaos of motherhood.

14 CommentsLeave a comment

  • My worst symptom was actually the combination of increased sense of smell and morning (AKA all day sickness). My weakened stomach would empty at the smell of something (sometimes not very) gross. Then the smell of vomit would make it worse!

    There were times I would have to pull over to be sick on the way to school because every single cars exhaust smelled different!

  • Dysgeusia is definitely my worst symptom. And thanks to your post I now have a name for this disgusting symptom. I am pregnant with #5. Nausea hasn’t been so bad this time around but this taste! I have tried peppermint candies, jolly ranchers, OnGuard throat lozenges, peppermint beadlets. The only thing that really helps is eating but I cannot eat all the time. Or sleeping. My last pregnancy I had to spit constantly and my husband was repulsed.

    • Congratulations on your pregnancy! I’m glad I could give you a name for this crazy symptom (not sure how to pronounce it exactly – haha) and some “you’re not alone” encouragement. (Oh, the spitting – my household knows all about Mommy having to spit lately!) Praying your pregnancy goes well, that baby is healthy and strong, and you have an easy, complication-free delivery! 🙂

  • I’m right there with ya! This taste in my mouth makes me feel sicker than I actually am. And, I think you are right, sugar makes it worse. It’s SO bad. I’m just finishing up my first trimester and I was hoping it would go away but not sure it will. I’m praying I don’t have this for 9months. Last time I think I had it for only first trimester… but it’s not gone yet so that makes me nervous. It’s comforting that I’m not in this alone.

  • I am 39 weeks tomorrow and have dealt with this the WHOLE entire pregnancy. It is so gross and I cannot wait to be able to eat things and enjoy them again!

  • I am currently dealing with this horrible horrible symptom well at least I think I am. However my Drs keep telling me it’s because of acid reflux yet I am taking the medication for this and the taste is still there.
    I’ve had it since 7 weeks pregnant and I’m now 27 weeks so I’m sure it’s here to stay the whole 9months. Like yourself I find when I eat it helps mask the taste but as soon as you stop eating it comes back. I have it during the night to. I’ll wake up and can taste it and struggle to then go back to sleep. My mouth is super dry alone with it. I hope it goes away when when baby is here

  • It’s so satisfying to finally find an article that thoroughly explains and talks about the bitter taste I experienced during my last pregnancy 2020 and what I am experiencing now. During my first pregnancy, it was there in the first trimester and came when I was 27-28 weeks and didn’t last that long until delivery. Fast forward to 2022, this bitter taste has refused to go even after the first trimester. I now think it’s going to be there till I give birth (that’s like 4-5months from now) and I just want to have my taste buds back. It’s so exhausting trying to scrub it off with toothbrush and toothpaste or even using salt water and all because it goes off for some hours and comes back. I chew mint gum a lot cos it takes away the taste but now my gum and teeth hurts and I don’t know what else to do. A whole 9-month yucky-bitter-taste buds is a whole lot of time 🙁 and I am just trying to hang in there till baby arrives because I feel like it’s been there for long time now. I know the hormone causing this is helping my baby grow and that’s what is important as long as baby and I are doing fine. Thank you Kishona for sharing your knowledge and information about dysgeusia.
    Now I just try to enjoy my pregnancy and look forward to the delivery of my baby.

  • I am so thrilled to see that I am not in this alone. I’m 11 weeks and the bad taste in my mouth has started maybe at week 8 I believe so I applaud you for being so strong going through this twice for 9 months straight. I feel miserable most days especially on my hybrid schedule when I have to go in to work just because of this nasty taste. I never know how my day is going to go. Am I going to have to run to the bathroom and gag or possibly throw up? I haven’t even told my team yet that I’m with child so I’ve been going through it trying to act normal but it’s like my facial expression all day looks miserable so it’s just a matter of time before everybody notices I’m not being my true self and why. I love this article it was right on point. I feel sleep has been my only cure to this disgusting taste, either that or continuous eating which nobody has time for. I try my hardest to snack frequently but it’s so hard. I’m going to take the tips you gave and try them. Thanks so much for sharing this!

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