My tongue has had a tan coating since the day after I had the VSG 1 month+ ago. Does anyone know what this is? Google searches seem to suggest maybe ketosis tongue? My surgeon seemed surprised and suggested that it was just bone broth. (Which I know it is not because it started before I could even get bone broth down.)

I bought a flexible plastic tongue scraper, which is useless in removing the coating. The only thing I've found that works so far is to put baking soda directly on my tongue and a brand new, stiff brush head on my electric toothbrush and brush it off. I don't mind doing this except for that I am changing brush heads every few days (after a few days they are too soft to "sand" it down) and they are expensive!

Anyone else have experience with this and an effective way to remove it?

Shortly after my surgery, I developed an orange coating on my tongue. Based on my research, I believe it was a fungal infection in my mouth due to overuse of breath freshening products (Listerine strips). Apparently, if you kill off the good bacteria in your mouth with things like breath strips and mouthwash, it can result in the fungal population getting out of control.

On the advice of Dr. Google, I started using a warm salt water rinse (1/2 tsp salt to 1 cup warm water) a few times per day. In the meantime, I had an appointment with my doctor and she prescribed Nystatin (an antifungal mouthwash), but by the time I was able to get the prescription filled, the salt water rinse actually did the trick and I ended up not using the prescription.

2 hours ago, MiraMar said:

My tongue has had a tan coating since the day after I had the VSG 1 month+ ago. Does anyone know what this is? Google searches seem to suggest maybe ketosis tongue? My surgeon seemed surprised and suggested that it was just Bone Broth. (Which I know it is not because it started before I could even get bone broth down.)

I bought a flexible plastic tongue scraper, which is useless in removing the coating. The only thing I've found that works so far is to put baking soda directly on my tongue and a brand new, stiff brush head on my electric toothbrush and brush it off. I don't mind doing this except for that I am changing brush heads every few days (after a few days they are too soft to "sand" it down) and they are expensive!

Anyone else have experience with this and an effective way to remove it?

Sounds like thrush, ask your Primary physician

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/thrush-the-white-stuff-growing-in-your-mouth-and-how-to-get-rid-of-it/amp/

I also assumed thrush (thinking back to when my kids had it on their tongues as babies) but I saw an ENT and he said no and just recommended the tongue scraper! I actually begged for a Nystatin prescription which he gave me saying I didn't need it. I tried using it for a week and it did nothing so I stopped.

I'll try the warm saltwater rinse!

Thanks for the replies!

Thankfully it’s not thrush. That takes forever to go away and often comes right back, it’s so annoying.
Are you currently drinking more protein shakes than clear fluids? The protein shakes can cause a coating too because they are so thick. This happens to me when I drink too much tea w/cream and not enough water. It does go away if I brush after each drink.

Good Luck!

Edited March 2, 20215 yr by GreenTealael

On 3/2/2021 at 9:14 AM, MiraMar said:

My tongue has had a tan coating since the day after I had the VSG 1 month+ ago. Does anyone know what this is? Google searches seem to suggest maybe ketosis tongue? My surgeon seemed surprised and suggested that it was just Bone Broth. (Which I know it is not because it started before I could even get bone broth down.)

I bought a flexible plastic tongue scraper, which is useless in removing the coating. The only thing I've found that works so far is to put baking soda directly on my tongue and a brand new, stiff brush head on my electric toothbrush and brush it off. I don't mind doing this except for that I am changing brush heads every few days (after a few days they are too soft to "sand" it down) and they are expensive!

Anyone else have experience with this and an effective way to remove it?

I definitely have this too. I wondered if it had anything to do with Ketosis as well as my breath has a ketosis funk to it. I can't brush it off but boy do I try!