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 0422

I smell toast. Today I was sitting at my computer and the smell was so strong that I thought it was being made right next to me. This has happened a few times in the past.

case 0423

After having surgery to repair a deviated septum I noticed that I had a greatly enhanced sense of smell. This was particularly disturbing when I was riding on public transportation, where I was bombarded with dirty hair smell, underarm and genital body odors, strong colognes and especially bad breath and garlic odors emanating from my fellow passengers. At work the solvent smell from the copier was unbearable, and even seemed to stick to the newly printed paperwork after it was carried away from the machine. I smelled cigarette butts on the sidewalk as I walked from the bus to my office and rancid grease as I passed by restaurants that were not yet open for the day. When I mentioned this phenomenon to the surgeon he said, "That sounds like a good thing to have." Believe me, it isn't. Soap, shampoo, cleaning supplies and candles that used to smell good to me were overwhelming and cloying. The one smell that didn't bother me, surprisingly enough, was the smell of my dog. I wash him once a week and I was happy when a day or two after his bath the shampoo smell had faded and his doggy smell had returned. This situation lasted almost two years, but thank goodness my sense of smell has now returned to normal.

case 0424

I have had a sinus infection and lost my sense of smell. I have very bad panic attacks over this.

case 0425

I had severe bronchitis and sinus infections for a period of six months. Over that period of time I noticed that even when my nose was not blocked, I could no longer smell anything. My sense of smell has not returned.

case 0426

About one year ago I began noticing that in the first moments when I wake up, I have a very keen sense of smell. It doesn't happen every day, but occasionally the scent of a candle four feet away strikes my nostrils a moment or two after waking up. Similar things happen with other lightly scented objects nearby. This heightened sense fades after about a minute of being awake.

case 0427

I had a bad cold four months ago and noticed I couldn't smell when the cold was over. Then my smell came back gradually and only partially. I experienced weird smells, and still can't smell some things at all. It is selective smelling. This condition is really very annoying. Luckily I have partial smell and not all smell is gone, I guess it could be worse.

case 0428

A year ago I suffered severe liver damage due to an infection. One week after the onset of the attack my sense of smell heightened to the point of being dizzying. It remains hyper acute. My doctors never asked about it, and when I told them they didn't seem to care much. Three hypotheses were offered by three different doctors. That's as far as it went: a mere curiosity.

case 0429

I lost my sense of smell and taste several years ago and it drives me insane. I sometimes smell a certain smell and it stays with me for several days. Even my skin smells of it. It is depressing that all the pleasure of eating and smelling is taken away.

case 0430

I think I inherited a smell disorder. My mother, her sister and my two sisters, we all can't smell anything...

case 0431

I noticed a sudden and complete loss of smell five months ago. It was accompanied by a reduced ability to taste. I have type 1 diabetes and often experience acetone-like smell when blood sugar levels are absolutely normal. My enjoyment of cooking and eating — even socializing — is now greatly reduced. I have been advised by my ear nose throat doctor that the ability to smell is unlikely to return — how depressing.

case 0432

I had a mild cold for a few days ten months ago and when that was over I noticed that I could no longer smell or taste anything. I also suffer extremely from gastroesophageal reflux disease.

case 0433

I had a flu-like sickness and discovered afterwards that I had lost about 85% of my smell capability. An MRI showed no irregularities and the doctor said that there was nothing she could do. It may come back or not and if it comes back it could take years.

case 0434

I recently caught a bad cold. I was sick for about two weeks and it was so bad I almost completely lost my voice. I have gotten over the cold three weeks ago but my senses of taste and smell have not returned yet.

case 0435

I developed a sinus infection that was treated with antibiotics. Within a few days I had the most awful bitter taste in my mouth. After a few more days I lost my sense of taste and smell. Now three months later it has not come back. Even if I do still have a sinus infection, I believe I lost my smell/taste because of the treatment with antibiotics, and I don't believe it's coming back. I always had a keen sense of taste/smell, and this has just devastated me.

case 0436

I fell and fractured my skull five months ago. Afterwards, my sense of smell and taste was gone. Three months ago I started having dreadful tastes and smells in my mouth which affect everything I eat and drink. No doctor can seem to help. It is depressing me.

case 0437

I have a long history of nasal polyps and have had three operations over the past 15 years to remove recurrences of the polyps. After the first two operations my sense of smell would return soon after, however in the 24 months or so since my third surgery I have had no sense of smell at all. I do — very occasionally — get brief bursts of a full sense of smell. On examination it seems my sinuses are entirely unobstructed. However, with the exception of those brief bursts, I have no sense of smell. The biggest impact is on my sense of taste, and I'd dearly love to be able to get the full experience of eating.