Medication affecting the taste/sensation of acidity in wine?

[Jenise]

For the last week and a half, wine has not tasted as good to me as usual. Whites are kind of okay but seem sweeter, while the reds mostly taste too sweet, too heavy. "What's happening to me?," I said to my husband. "It's like wine doesn't have acidity any more." Every glass poured was flat and dull.

So yesterday my brother arrived from California for a visit. We were discussing our adult trevails with asthma last night (we both suffered as children) and, comparing treatments, I mentioned the new regime I'm on as of exactly two weeks ago which includes a daily Prilosec or actually a generic equivalent called Omeprazole which somehow helps an asthmatic cough, which I've been plagued with the last couple months. .

And while talking, and holding in my hand a glass of red wine I wasn't enjoying, I noticed the parallel.

Does this make any sense? That a pill designed to kill the physical effect of acidity actually kills the taste/sensation of it, too? Has anyone had anything similar happen?

[Robin Garr]

Both Mary and I take a round of generic Prilosec on occasion - the travails of The Baby Boom Gets Old - and neither of us has noticed any effect on taste at all. Teh Google isn't coming up with anything on it either.

Is it allergy season in that neck of the woods? I'm wondering if it could be a seasonal effect rather than a medication effect.

I use Prilosec and it doesn't affect my enjoyment of wine other than making it more possible to enjoy acidic wines because without the Prilosec I would be bothered by acid reflux.

Omeprazole can certainly cause the sensations you describe, it is not common, but it can. Considering your getting it not for the standard therapeutic indications, i e gastroesophageal reflux disease, there should be alternatives. Ask your doctor!

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

[Jenise]

Is it allergy season in that neck of the woods? I'm wondering if it could be a seasonal effect rather than a medication effect.

No, not for me. I don't have any known seasonal allergies. I am allergic to dogs, porcini mushrooms, dust mites (isn't everybody) and I occasionally react to wine. A recent allergy test confirmed this and uncovered nothing else typical and local.

[Jenise]

Omeprazole can certainly cause the sensations you describe, it is not common, but it can.

Trust me to get what's not common. I'll ask my doctor. Was at a pharmacy today; should have asked the pharmacist if he has any anecdotal information about it. .

Btw, today I forgot to take the omeprazole this morning and guess what, wine tasted the way it should tonight. Wouldn't have expected such an immediate result, and wasn't even trying for it--I've got a house guest just now, though, and am not quite keeping to my usual schedule. Only realized it when I noticed how good a good wine tasted.

In your case Jenise, is it only wine that taste different or does the food you consume taste different? Some medication could cause a condition known as “dry-mouth” in some individuals. For your taste buds to function properly they need saliva. Prilosec is listed as a possible “taste perversion”.

Salute

[Jenise]

In your case Jenise, is it only wine that taste different or does the food you consume taste different? Some medication could cause a condition known as “dry-mouth” in some individuals. For your taste buds to function properly they need saliva. Prilosec is listed as a possible “taste perversion”.

Salute

No, food didn't taste off but food doesn't normally contain much acid. And I didn't notice anything I would call dry mouth. The problem was 100% restricted to the fact that every single bottle we opened over the last week and a half tasted wrong. "Flat and sweet" was my complaint, over and over--the way low-acid wines normally taste to my acid-loving palate, except that these weren't across the board low-acid wines.