I lost my sense of smell four years ago. The doctors told me that it is natural and that it is not a sickness

case 0096

For the last six months I am smelling only a smell like burning vegetable oil. The smell is so strong that I use a mask, but it is of no help. I tried to smell other smells, but I can't. I am so hungry because I can't eat any food, even without oil. Everything smells the same. My life is hell. An ear nose throat specialist found nothing wrong with me.

case 0097

I've always been sensitive to strong perfume scents and have had bouts of sinusitis throughout my life. Four years ago I started smelling strange smells in my house that no one else could smell. Then I started noticing that my favorite perfumes were smelling bad and were irritating to my nose. Gradually, every scent in the house was irritating my nose and it was even hard to sleep at night as these weird scents were assaulting my nostrils. The strangest thing I've found is that I can fry chicken, steak, etc. and can't even smell it cooking. But I can still taste it and it tastes good. The most irritating part is that when the distorted smells are the worst, I even seem to have an unpleasant chemical taste in my mouth. My mouth is also always very dry and I constantly chew gum for this or to mask the chemical tastes. I try to ignore these things but it does get depressing, especially since I can't enjoy the scents of my favorite colognes or just the simple smell of a rose or the baby powder on my grandchild. I have been to two ear nose throat doctors to no avail. Some days it seems worse than others. Going outside in the fresh air helps but once I'm inside a building or around people, my nose starts picking up strange, unidentifiable, irritating scents and the mystery continues!

case 0098

I had knee replacement surgery two months ago and now I cannot smell certain smells and I have a slight metallic taste in my mouth.

case 0099

I had a head cold 40 years ago and lost my sense of smell as a consequence. I had three surgeries for nasal polyps and used several nasal sprays and drops. All this time my nose was blocked most of the time. The only relief was when I was prescribed prednisolone. After a few days my sense of smell returned and my nose was back to normal. Because prednisolone is only prescribed for one week in 5 mg tablets the effects soon wore off after a week or so. My nose has been clearer for the last seven years, but no smell.

case 0100

I had an accident and the back of my head hit the road. Four days later I realized that I could not smell anything, when I was carrying a bottle of bleach and it felt damp, I assumed it must be water on the bottle as I would have smelled it if it was bleach, but when I saw my coat was white where it had once been grey I realized it was bleach and that I could not smell. Over the last three years I have regained some of my sense of smell in that if there is a strong odor I will know that there is an odor but not usually what it is. It often smells unpleasant. Taste has been dramatically affected and so has my enjoyment of food and cooking. My life is far less rich and my enjoyment of things (food, going to the seaside, pretty much anything) is often greatly reduced. You don't know what you have until it is gone!

case 0101

I suffer from allergic rhinitis and had several sinus surgeries. 15 years ago I lost my sense of smell. My sense of smell now comes and goes. When I take steroids my sense of smell comes back. The steroid is working like a wonder drug.

case 0102

I first noticed an odor which I thought was in the house from cooking, etc. When it did not go away I realized it was inside my nose. It smelled like smoke laced with bleach. I even walked up to a lady at a gathering and told her I thought something was burning in the kitchen. Nothing was burning. After about a month of hoping it would go away, I went to an ear nose throat doctor to no avail. The odor is as strong as ever. It is very upsetting to have this odor continuously. I don't know if it is my imagination but it seems to be a little more pungent in the afternoon. Not a soul I have spoken with has ever heard of such a thing. I feel really alone in this!

case 0103

I never have had sense of smell. I call it the hidden handicap. It's difficult at an early age.

case 0104

I have no sense of smell. However, when I take prednisolone for my asthma within a day I can smell and taste again, but once the dose is completed, I lose the senses again. I have also had occasions where after eating garlic I have had a slight sense of smell. I would dearly love to be able to enjoy smells and food again.

case 0105

I quit smoking five years ago and my sense of smell returned in all its glory within three years. A few months ago l started to smell a burnt smell. I thought it was coming from wood stoves that some people have in their homes. The smell was strongest at night. It was very strong in my living room. Every time I got close to my leather couch it was really strong. I smelled the leather and sure enough it was my couch. My friends say that the couch just smells like leather to them. But to me it gives off a burnt smell. Now that burnt smell can hit me almost anywhere: in stores, restaurants etc. Sometimes it is overpowering and makes me feel nauseous. It is an acrid, burnt smell. I don't understand why I am the only one that smells it and everyone else smells leather.

case 0106

I smell cigarette smoke and no one is smoking but I also actually have the feeling of breathing it in, feeling it in my eyes, and getting a slight headache in the front of my head. It happens more when I work out and when I relax or try to sleep. Sometimes it is stronger than other times to the point of almost taking my breath away.

case 0107

I was addicted to heroin for several years. When in withdrawal my sense of smell came back to the point of making me sick (I had forgotten how bad the world really smells). I am now completely free of opiates but since detoxing I have a strong sense of smell again even though I smoke a pack a day of cigarettes. I have been told by other opiate abusers the same kind of story.