New Topamax prescription. Weird side effect, is this possible or my imagination?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Hello Everyone,
I’m looking for a factual answer so I don’t think this is a IMHO question, so here it goes.

My pain management Doctor has put me on a drug called Topamax to see if it will help with nerve pain. She said it’s a drug similar in effect to gabbapentin.

I’ve just started it and can’t tell if it’s working for the pain yet. However yesterday I had my morning Monster and noticed it tasted very flat. Then lay night I had a Dr. Pepper fountain drink with dinner and it too tasted flat to me. Hmmmm. I didn’t think much about it until this morning. I opened my morning Monster (yeah it’s not good for me, it’s what opens my eyes in the morning) and it also tastes flat. Weird

So, I find it hard to believe that 3 seperately purchased carbonated drinks were all flat and devoid of bubbly goodness. Is it possible the Topamax is causing me to not taste or perceive the carbonation?

2

Finally, the drug may cause carbonated beverages to taste “flat.”

3

I’ve been on this drug for a long time for insomnia. A lot of foods tasted weird at first, but they went back to tasting normal after a few months.

4

How’s your sense of smell right now?

5

I find it interesting that such a specific symptom is mentioned. Usually side effects use more generic terms.

Looking at a more generic list, I would guess this is officially a paresthesia, with your tongue going ever so slightly numb to light touch, so the sensation of the bubbles is lessened.

6

Smell seems to be unaffected as far as I can tell.

7

So probably not COVID then. At least it’s not the taste and smell symptom from that.

8

Wow, thanks. I would have never thought this could have been a side effect.

9

Medical questions belong in IMHO. This is to make it very clear that this message board isn’t offering professional medical advice, you are just getting the impressions of a bunch of people on the internet.

So I’ve moved this topic.

10

While I’m not taking it for this I have to say I’ve been falling to sleep much more quickly than I normally do.

11

“Flat” isn’t the term I would have used. I would have said “Stale.” I know it’s hard to imagine exactly how a soft drink could go stale, but for one thing, they all tasted the same. Normally, I can tell them all apart-- Coke, Pepsi, RC, etc. I lost the ability to do this.

12

It’s definitely a “take at bedtime,” not “first thing in the morning.”

13

I never had any taste issues with it, but I also don’t drink soda. However, I thought I read somewhere that it screws with your ability to taste either sugar or (certain types of) artificial sweeteners. Without that taste people report sodas tasting either flat or chemically.

Is it in common for that to happen on your tongue? I think extremities was common, my fingers would usually get tingly (occasionally my feet or even my nose) particularly if they were adjusting the dosage.