Strange taste at the beginning of each dialysis session?

[romanyscarlett]

I tried using the search function to see whether this has already been answered but I don't think it has. I found plenty of topics about constant strange tastes/metal mouth/post transplant changes but not this.

I get a strange taste in my mouth the moment the dialysis machine is switched on and it sucks out the first lot of blood. It only lasts a few minutes and does not reappear until the next dialysis session. I can also smell something weird too. It's like a mixture of chemicals and metal with something else mixed in. It's so hard to describe as it's unlike anything I've ever tasted/smelled before.

I've mentioned it to some of the nurses and they said they have never heard anyone talk about it before. I also asked a few of the other patients by they said they've never experienced this.

Does anyone else get this or know what it is?

[Des]

Nope, nothing here.

[YLGuy]

At the beginning they push Heparin in my line and I can definitely taste it.  I can also taste it when they push the iron.

[VictoriaG]

my husband said he can taste the iron. sometimes they do it right at the beginning, sometimes not.

[sullidog]

It's probably the heprin, I can taste anything that comes in the line.

[Zach]

Are you on a "reuse" filter?

[romanyscarlett]

It's definitely not iron I'm tasting because I only have that on alternate Fridays. It's always one hour into treatment and a nurse will check my chart with me before putting it in the machine.

I don't know what a reuse filter is so I'll ask tonight whether they use one.

At least people here know what I'm talking about though unlike when I mentioned it to the other patients at my centre. They looked at me like I'd lost my mind 

[KICKSTART]

I dont know about taste but some days i go in and i can smell blood (the place is spotless) but yet i can still smell it 

[gothiclovemonkey]

I know what ur talking about. Its happened to me. I think its the salene and all the other chemicals, and just the change in our bodies happening or something. No one could give me an answer either. I also do taste the hep and the iron, and the epo and all that other stuff.... It was insane and also smell the blood too...
also my nose would itch it seemed, every other time i had hd.... its the entire time, and stop when i got off. weirdness, and noone knew why "never heard of that before"

[YLGuy]

They can set up your session to step in saline at intervals.  You should ask if that is the case.  They only do that for me when they are taking more that a kilo or two off of me.

[Riki]

I can taste the saline when they put the needle in and flush the line.  I clot easily so they they flush it at least twice between the time they put the needles in and when they actually hook me to the machine. I mentioned it to the nurses, and they thought it was weird to still be able to taste the saline with a fistula.  They said it was common for those who are using a central line, though, to taste all the medications that are going in. I don't taste the iron, but the saline I do every time, and sometimes the heparin too.

I also get the itchy nose thing.. don't get that at all..

[iketchum]

I have a fistula and can taste and smell the saline at the start and the heprin at the start of treatment. I also taste the flush at the end of treatment. I asked them if they could put a better flavor in the saline but they said no.

[romanyscarlett]

I'm going to see if the taste coincides with the heparin.

On a side note, last night I could smell something like burning iron coming from my machine. I asked one of the nurses to check it but she could not figure out what was wrong with it. She called another nurse over to double check. By this point I was on the verge of hysteria as I thought my machine was about to explode.

That's when we realised that the smell was in fact coming from the sandwiches belonging to the crazy lady sat opposite me. I have no idea what was in them but it involved some kind of random Marmite concoction.
 

[Riki]

I used to smell all these different weird smells, until I realized that the nurse's break room is behind the treatment area. I could smell what they were eating.  Also, one of the machines growls.. it kinda sounds like Chewbacca.

[jbeany]

Some combo of saline, heparin and plastic, I always thought.  And epo and iron both have distinctive tastes as well.

[VictoriaG]

mmmmmmm watermelon saline