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 0166

At the age of 35 I started to realize that I am not able to smell. Several physicians were not able to find a physical cause despite detailed investigation. They could not suggest a course of treatment. I am living with this.

case 0167

When I was about 30 I noticed that smells seem to change and then change back. Grapefruit juice would smell delicious, the best thing in the world; then a few weeks later it would be nauseating. The same thing would happen to the bouquet of white wines. My then husband actually wrote down these changes and noticed that they happened on the same cycle as my menstruation. This phenomenon seemed to fade by my late 30s. In my late 30s I was pregnant and smells took on an entire new level of intensity. Much of the pregnancy I could not bear to eat meat because so much meat smelled off, then I would have a day clear of rottenness and could eat meat. Other smells either faded or took on great pungency; I particularly recall pickles and cucumbers smelling totally wonderful.

case 0168

About ten months ago, after a regular cold, I noticed that I could no longer taste food or smell anything!

case 0169

I suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage ten years ago. Since then I noticed a progressive disturbance in my sense of smell and taste. In more recent years I have been suffering from olfactory hallucinations. These seem to occur mainly during the night time and are always unpleasant smells.

case 0170

As a teenager, I frequently suffered from a running nose and sneezing and coughing. I also had allergies. My sense of smell came and went over the years. Nasal polyp removal surgery brought temporary relief (for a few days). Currently I have no sense of smell or taste.

case 0171

Twenty years ago, when I was thirteen, my sense of smell started disappearing and reappearing. The occasions on which I can smell became rarer over the years and now I can only smell once a year.

case 0172

I started to notice a smoky odor a number of years ago. It's not a cigarette smell but rather kind of a burnt wood smell. It comes and goes and it stays around for quite some time. I am currently experiencing a really strong bout of it. Added to the smoky smell is what I can only describe as a really unpleasant "stale old lady" perfume odor. Plus, this time I seem to have a burning sensation in my eyes at the same time. I believe what I have is "phantosmia". I mentioned it to my doctor a few years ago during a physical and he looked at me as if I were crazy. I haven't really said too much to people about it because how strange it seems. If I take several deep breaths through my mouth it will subside for a short time but returns quickly. I seem to be able to smell other odors okay along with the phantom smells.

case 0173

Perhaps I have had this condition all my life, but only started noticing it. It seems that at times my smell has a "memory" and if I am exposed to certain smells, they linger with me for the rest of the day. Once I have gone to sleep they are gone by the following morning.

case 0174

I didn't notice that I lost my sense of smell until one day when I went into a perfume shop to buy some and noticed that even though I didn't have a blocked nose I couldn't smell any of the perfumes! That's when I realized that I couldn't remember the last time I smelled something. I went to a homeopathic doctor and he diagnosed me with anosmia and gave me medicines. After seven months I regained my sense of smell but I have lost it again.

case 0175

Since last year I have chronic sinusitis. My sense of smell has gradually deteriorated, and while I can still discern smells from one another if examined at extremely close distances (read: sniffing distance) my ability to smell has certainly diminished from what it once was. My olfactory memory has also been profoundly affected by this loss of scent, and I can no longer recall the smells surrounding intimate and sentimental moments of my past. Frankly, the loss of my sense of smell and the effect it has had on my perception of things has dampened the colors of the world for me.

case 0176

I have never, for as long as I can remember, been able to smell. Not even the strongest of scents. I can still taste fine, but I love strong tasting foods for example curry, so I may not be able to taste as well as everyone else.

case 0177

About 10 years ago I started to notice that when the dogs farted it did not have an unpleasant smell, rather a vaguely metallic odor, a bit like a lit match. Over the last few years it seems that my sense of smell has deteriorated considerably. Now I can smell very little; escaping gas, grandchild's dirty diapers, and other normally unpleasant smells pass me by. It has not reduced my appreciation of food, though I can't smell cooking unless something is burning.

case 0178

For the past few months I have started to smell something burning, sort of like a cigarette smell, when there is nothing burning at all. I wake up at night thinking there is a fire in the house due to the smell but it is all in my head. This is getting worse all the time. I have more phantom smells at night but it also happens several times a day and will last for 5 to 10 minutes at a time. It is always the same smell. The problem seems to be getting worse.

case 0179

I am really not sure exactly when I lost my sense of smell. I did however notice that when anyone said "that smells great" that I couldn't smell it. I cannot smell coffee brewing, bacon frying, chicken soup, or anything else. I am worried that I will not be able to smell a gas leak, as I live on my own. I have had sinus problems for many years, and have a nasal drip every morning, and sometimes my nose gets stuffed up. I used nasal sprays for years. I long to smell what others can smell. Because I have no sense of smell I have no appetite and all food tastes the same, unless it has a spicy taste, but I cannot distinguish what spice was used.