ElectrojcrJul 28, 2023

So it is in the fine print on paxlovid, a common side effect cited is an "altered sense of taste" (dysgeusia, for those in fancy pants.) It slips past the liver warnings and contraindicated drugs.

On the first day I was too miserable to care about it, by day 4, that taste is something I think about... What is it really? #paxlovidmouth

Show threadElectrojcr
First, the taste appears maybe an hour after taking it with no hint beforehand. It is reported by 6 percent or so, so a far amount. At first thought, a focused bitter cottony grapefruit with a hint of metal; but with further reflection, decided more like slightly metallic quinine from tonic water, but not quite, couldn't put my finger on it...
Jul 28, 2023 at 6:46pmWeb
Show threadElectrojcrJul 28, 2023

While brushing my teeth, the taste was intensified and a light went off... Probably thanks to the sodium lauryl sulfate.

#cynar

I ran downstairs and dug it out from deep within the bar and tried a little and that's it! The bitterness in here with just a little metal (not copper, more zinc-y, maybe?). The taste may have been more intense due to the sodium lauryl sulfate and whatever is going on with the antivirals.

Show threadElectrojcrJul 28, 2023

So we've evolved to have a lot of different senses for bitter, because bitter tend to be the things that kill us. Not as many varieties for the stuff like sweet. So it makes sense: if something goes off-kilter with taste, bitter will be in involved.

It seems ritonavir is the actor, just based on reports for its other uses over the last 20 years...even a paper published in 1999.