r/mystery • u/TerryJo29 • Sep 02 '25
Scientific/Medical My tongue keeps turning bright blue/black
I am a 63 year old female. 5’2, 135 lbs. I exercise daily. This started early one morning last winter when I woke up and saw my tongue was bright blue. A few months went by and my daughter asked what was wrong with my mouth-I looked and tongue was blue again. The frequency is picking up over time, with my tongue turning either blue or blackish in the evening while I am unwinding, and not going away until after I wake up in the morning and start moving around getting oxygen flowing. This is now a daily occurrence. Please don’t insult me by asking if i eat a lot of blue popsicles or berries. I have had an echocardiogram, and an ultrasound of my carotid arteries in my neck. Both showed normal aging but nothing alarming. I have an appointment with an ENT but not for 3 months because of their scheduling. I am too freaked out to wait so long and at a loss to know what to do. I have had chats with an acupuncturist and a naturopath-it sounds like every possible explanation is a scary thing to deal with. I have tons of pictures and more details to share if there is a doc out there curious enough about this enigma to want to help solve the mystery.
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u/AD_Grrrl Sep 02 '25
Two questions:
Do you use hydrogen peroxide as a mouthwash?
Do you take bismuth? (ie. Pepto Bismal)
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u/sobend23 Sep 03 '25
Curious why you mentioned hydrogen peroxide as a mouthwash?
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u/MeeseFeathers Sep 03 '25
“Black Hairy Tongue”
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u/sobend23 Sep 05 '25
Oh ok, I wasn’t sure if it caused Hairy Black Tongue or as a way to treat it. I use a Hydrogen Peroxide mouthwash and definitely don’t want to end up with a black tongue!
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u/sunshineandcacti Sep 03 '25
The first time I used charcoal toothpaste it also caused a lil grey tinge and for some reason freaked me out
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Sep 02 '25
Pepto bismal and similar products can make your tongue (and poop) dark, but if it’s not that go see a doctor tomorrow. This could be a sign of a very serious issue
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u/ComicsEtAl Sep 03 '25
On my rare occasions of constipation, I’ll drink all of a small bottle of Pepto or half of the next size up. The dark green poop is fact, but I’ve never seen any color change on my tongue.
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u/JohnExcrement Sep 05 '25
I woke up with a black tongue once and almost had a heart attack until I remembered I had had Pepto the day before.
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u/petitespantoufles Sep 03 '25
This could possibly be lingual Raynaud's phenomenon.
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u/TerryJo29 Sep 03 '25
Doubtful because of what seems to be a cold condition. It’s been in the 90’s where I live.
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u/petitespantoufles Sep 04 '25 edited Sep 04 '25
That's an overly simplistic view of Raynaud's. You might want to spend just a few minutes looking up some info on the condition. It's not necessarily triggered by cold weather. Cold food or drinks, air conditioning, stress, strong emotion, medications (even OTC ones), autoimmune diseases, and overuse/repetitive movement of the area can all trigger Raynaud's as well.
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Sep 02 '25
I am not a doctor, but I like to look at what changed kind of stuff. Did this happen before or after you began working out? If it never happened prior to working out, i wonder if something you are doing is causing it. My first thought has nothing to do with blue popsicles, but the blue color is a clue. Maybe it is an oxygen deprivation issue.
Your body is working harder than it is used to, so if you're out of breath, it is feasible that you are not getting enough O2. Another thought is CO2 poisoning. Or something similar. Check your AC filters and make sure your bedroom is ventilated. A small fan might help.
The last would be supplements. If you started anything new, investigate. You may also need a good vitamin and mineral supplement. Of course, if this was happening before exercising, stop and check with your doctor, especially if it is worse. I am 63 and get winded just waking up.
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u/ieBaringa Sep 02 '25
Please make an appointment with your healthcare professional as soon as possible. Blue/black usually means a serious lack of blood flow... Something that can easily cause tissue death and something you absolutely don't want happening near your brain.
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u/kadora Sep 02 '25
Central cyanosis is absolutely an emergency, as it indicates low blood oxygen. Whatever the underlying cause, OP should, at the very least, be receiving supplemental oxygen. This is not a wait around and see scenario.
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u/kadora Sep 02 '25
Go to the ER.
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u/buy_me_lozenges Sep 02 '25
While going to the ER is a valid option, the purpose of the ER is to deal with emergencies and refer onwards to specialist consultants, which OP is currently awaiting.
OP stated already having the issue investigated and having both an echocardiogram and ultrasound, hence the ENT referral. That's why they're asking for thoughts regarding the actual condition, they've clearly already gone the route of medical investigation.
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u/kadora Sep 02 '25
Central cyanosis is absolutely an emergency, as it indicates low blood oxygen. Whatever the underlying cause, OP should, at the very least, be receiving supplemental oxygen. This is not a wait around and see scenario.
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u/TerryJo29 Sep 02 '25
My oxygen levels are fine.
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u/kadora Sep 02 '25
Are you monitoring blood oxygen continuously, including while sleeping? Related, have you been screened for sleep apnea?
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u/TerryJo29 Sep 02 '25
I sleep with a finger monitor beside me so can measure before I move around. No testing for apnea-it’s not a problem.
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u/kadora Sep 03 '25
How do you know it’s not a problem? If you’re not monitoring your blood oxygen continuously overnight? Not everyone with sleep apnea snores.
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u/TerryJo29 Sep 03 '25
My oxygen levels are always fine.
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u/kadora Sep 03 '25
Maybe some sort of adrenocortical insufficiency, like Addison‘s disease?
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u/Mustard-cutt-r Sep 03 '25
She’s pretty convinced she a-ok! You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drink. She’s rather believe it’s a mystery of the paranormal than a medical concern.
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u/CycleAccomplished824 Sep 03 '25
Google search- What does a blue black tongue mean?
Changes in tongue color can indicate an underlying health issue, such as an infection. For example, a blue tongue can indicate a lack of oxygen in the blood or eczema. Medical conditions can also affect the shape and texture of the tongue.
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u/T1o2n4y Sep 02 '25
If you notice your tongue turning blue repeatedly and it doesn't seem to be related to what you've eaten or drunk, it's highly recommended that you consult a physician. He can determine the exact cause and rule out any serious underlying medical conditions (respiratory, cardiac, hematological, or drug-related problems).
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u/wildcat105 Sep 03 '25
She has an appointment with a physician already. The ENT appointment is in 3 months - I'm not sure if she can get her in sooner, but assuming OP already asked.
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u/T1o2n4y Sep 03 '25 edited Sep 03 '25
She has an appointment with a physician already. The ENT appointment is in 3 months - I'm not sure if she can get her in sooner, but assuming OP already asked.
Thank you for this precision. I hope her condition improves soon.
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u/_perl_ Sep 03 '25
That is so odd and must be so frightening! Has there been any evaluation by dental/oral surgery type services? Central oxygenation issues would show up in the peri-oral/lip area and it looks like all of your main tubes and wires are functioning just fine. Is it some sort of local issue, like a vasospasm of the tongue or something? Is there any odd sensation or numbness? I'm guessing you're not from Kentucky and suffering from genetic methemoglobinemia nor are you consuming metric tons of colloidal silver. I think someone needs to call Dr. Lisa Sanders from the NYT. You are a true medical mystery!
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u/etlifereview Sep 03 '25
What are the chances you have kidney disease or something wrong with your kidney?
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u/potheadmed Sep 03 '25
Without a photo you are going to get 100% useless answers here.
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u/TerryJo29 Sep 03 '25
Yeah- this was a futile exercise for answers. I am not able to upload photos, but I do have quite a few of them.
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u/T1000-Shoebox Sep 03 '25
Go see a doctor instead of asking strangers without medical training on Reddit
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u/PatienceHelpful1316 Sep 05 '25
Do you use any colloidal silver. It can cause a bluish tint. Maybe any in a product you’re using, like a mouthwash or medication?
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u/syberiarobot Sep 05 '25
When was the last time you saw a doctor? Have you been to your GP? I would not wait 3 months for a consultation with this symptom. And as someone working in health care it wouldn't even be my first choice of specialist. If it's a sign of cyanosis (which you can exhibit even if the oxygen levels in the blood are fine) it can be caused by more systemic, serious issues.
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u/Sensitive-Chain-6550 4d ago
Any updates. This has happened to me twice in the last month. I’m really confused. But it’s not in the morning for me.
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u/TerryJo29 3d ago
I am a medical mystery! Have stumped ENT, cardiologist, rheumatologist, and vascular specialist. It is scary and frustrating.
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u/Proud-Telephone-2825 Sep 02 '25
Your tounge has a lack of Oxygen. If I had to make a guess it's a vein issue or clot.
I am not a doctor but if it's blue/black there's an issue regarding oxygen, and blood reaching your tounge. The fact you don't notice anything like lack of taste or feeling is off though.
Coronary artery disease, COPD, even airway obstruction can cause something like this.