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 0703

From the age of 22 my nose regularly gets blocked on exposure to cold air or after drinking a chilled drink. I have taken many nasal sprays and I work in the menthol industry. Today I am unable to smell any good or bad smell.

case 0704

My mom was unable to smell and my sister and I are both unable to smell. It is congenital. Sometimes I can smell strong peppermint or perhaps an orange when it is being unpeeled but I can't smell perfume, flowers, natural gas, trash or anything like that. I enjoy food but think I just taste a combination of salty, sweet, sour and bitter. I can't tell the difference in spices or in fruit flavors of candy or soft drinks.

case 0705

Last summer I lost the ability to smell or taste. I have recovered a little, but not much. I still can't tell what ingredients to add to a recipe. I still can't smell perfume unless it is really strong and held under my nose. So I don't know if I am wearing too much perfume or if I stink. But my condition also has advantages; I am a nurse and when changing colostomy bags I don't smell a thing! I have to check my patients because I don't know if my aides are doing their job. I wouldn't be able to smell a gas leak or fire. I miss simple things like smelling fresh cut grass.

case 0706

I was taking nasal spray for about ten weeks. Shortly after I noticed first my smell diminishing and then my taste. It hasn't recovered yet. It's very annoying. I miss the smells around me!

case 0707

Four months ago I had a cold with fever and inflammation of the sinuses. After the cold I thought that my sense of smell would come back. But I was wrong. I smell only things which are close at my nose. Before this cold I could smell always very well but now I don't even smell when I'm cooking. Recently, eggs started to taste sour.

case 0708

I visited my brother and he and his wife could smell something burning that I couldn't smell. That's when I realized that I had no sense of smell.

case 0709

In my forties my senses of smell and taste seemed to diminish gradually. Earlier in my life my taste and smell were extremely acute and precise so not having these senses is a real loss. I occasionally experience smells clearly but more often than not I can only identify a smell as being strong, not whether it's nice. I feel I have lost a lot of memories along with my loss of smell.

case 0710

Twelve years ago, when I was 25, I started to intermittently lose my sense of smell. A few years later I could only smell if I put the smelly item right under my nose. Now I cannot smell anything anymore.

case 0711

I noticed a sudden loss of smell and taste six months ago. There are several things I can smell: smoke, gasoline, strong perfume, and a certain type of incenses that are placed in water. As for taste, I can only sense the texture of foods and feel some hot seasoning like hot pepper.

case 0712

I believe I have congenital anosmia. I don't ever remember being able to smell and just sort of "went along with it" when I was younger. It was in high school that I began to wonder. Once I said something to my mom and she was only slightly surprised because my aunt, my grandpa, and great grandpa also have had anosmia. It seems to hit one person per generation. I grew up next to a dairy and wouldn't notice the cows if I didn't see them. People would comment "oh you can sure smell the dairy today" and it was never different than any other day or place to me. If I don't see what type of soda pop I am drinking I don't know. I can tell if it's regular or diet due to sweetness/lack thereof. But Coke, Pepsi, Sprite and Cream Soda all taste the same to me. I am picky about the textures of food. If it is super strong I can sort of taste mint if there is a lot of it added.

case 0713

I had skull fractures after an accident. Now, four months later, I have largely recovered, but I have lost my taste and smell. I have a constant metallic odor and taste in my mouth. Is there anything I can do to change that and get my sense of smell and taste back?

case 0714

A few years ago I was described a new medication for diabetes. After taking the medication for a month I realized that I lost the sense of smell and taste. I was told that the medication may have caused the problem. It was confirmed after my brain scan that some of my nerves were damaged by the reaction to the medication. I was told that the sense may come back after a few years but it didn't. Life is not the same. Anything I eat is the same as eating or chewing cardboard. My life is now full of depression.

case 0715

I recently realized I can't smell anymore. The last smell I remember smelled like something was burning. A few days later I couldn't smell anything. I still can't.

case 0716

I don't recall ever having a sense of smell. Over the years I have noticed it more at work as people often mentioned the smell of the microwaved popcorn. I also work on a candle business and have no way of assessing the fragrance in a candle...try as I might. I also noticed that when I cook (which I don't enjoy at all), I have to always set the timer because I cannot rely on my sense of smell to tell me when food is done. I burn food regularly and have gotten used to the taste of burnt toast.

case 0717

I recently was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia. I was in the hospital for five days during which time I was on oxygen. Around the third day I noticed I could not smell anything anymore. I mentioned this to the nurses but they said it was probably because I was congested and would be better soon. That was almost two weeks ago and I still cannot smell anything.