Problems with prefilled NS syringes?

[LogCabinMom]

Hello all -

recently a few pts have had problems such as nausea, vomiting, bad taste, discomfort in the back of the throat, after getting a PICC or port flushed with the 10ml NS syringes. Drawing NS from a 10-ml vial and flushing with it does not produce the same effect. Has anyone else had this problem? At first we thought that the difference was preservative, but Covidien's website states that the pre-filled syringes are preservative free - does anyone have any ideas?

thanks -

[Gently.me]

Almost all my patients report a bad taste or smell, must be something in the plastic of the syringe. ?

Yes same here. Quite a few of my patients admit to icky taste in the mouth. Sometimes it makes me feel good because I know I got the vein!!

I think some people are just extra sensitive

[bear14]

Every time I get a picc line I can taste the saline when I flush the line. I thought it was just me but apparently I'm not the only one. Never tasted the meds though.

[StarryEyed, RN]

I've known that some pts can taste it when you flush but I had a pt that would actually have nausea and vomit whenever his picc was flushed ONE TIME he did not (right away) and that was when I did it VEEEERRRRRYYYYY slowly & was at the time asking him about family pictures that had been been looking at on his ipad. but towards the end he was nauseous again

[nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN]

I was told in school that some folks could "taste" a flush, and I honestly thought they were wonky. Until I had surgery last winter, and yup, I could taste salt in the back of my throat every time they flushed my saline lock. So, now I tell folks that if they think they taste something, they're not crazy.

Does make me wonder...since supposedly the tongue can only taste sweet, salty, bitter, and sour, and most "taste" is actually from the sense of smell. Wonder if it's actually being picked up in the mucous membranes of the nares?

[tachybradyRN]

the times i've been an ER patient with severe migraines and receiving IVP medications, i definitely remember tasting that flush. it does taste rather metallic. i never had a taste in my mouth with any of the meds i received, including toradol, benadryl, reglan and promethazine, nor have i experienced any taste while IVF NS ran wide open. strange.

[ArtRN]

Most of my patients report the metallic taste, "like sucking on a piece of aluminum". A few said they smelled oranges =)

[IVRUS, BSN, RN]

Hello all -

recently a few pts have had problems such as nausea, vomiting, bad taste, discomfort in the back of the throat, after getting a PICC or port flushed with the 10ml NS syringes. Drawing NS from a 10-ml vial and flushing with it does not produce the same effect. Has anyone else had this problem? At first we thought that the difference was preservative, but Covidien's website states that the pre-filled syringes are preservative free - does anyone have any ideas?

thanks -

This may be coined as "Dysguesia" which means "a distortion of the sense of taste". There isn't any physiological reason for its occurance. ? medication ? disease process.

Some people taste it others do not, and it's not just Saline which causes this malady.