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 0026

Years ago I started to smell smells that I thought were real. However, others could not smell those smells. As this problem began to occur more frequently, I began to wonder why only I can smell it. I investigated it on the internet and found out my brain is making a phantom smell, it's not in the environment and that is why no one else could smell it. I haven't approached a doctor about it yet, out of fear, because I don't want a label. Now the smell comes at least monthly and it can linger for a day or up to a week. I cannot identify the smell; I try to associate it with something but I come up empty.

case 0027

I realized that my sense of smell had changed when I could not tolerate certain smells that are usually pleasant, for example coffee, cut grass, celery (absolutely the worst), butter (especially buttered popcorn), apples, peaches, cucumbers, melons, perfumes, shampoos, soap, grilled meats, and poultry. I also discovered that I could no longer stomach certain related tastes, such as vegetable juice, carbonated beverages — especially colas, orange juice, red wines, anything melony, pretty much anything that smells bad to me I cannot stand to taste. I can drink coffee as long as I don't have to smell it brewing. This happened to me over the past eight months or so. My quality of life is suffering badly. No one can understand how badly this weirdness affects me and how miserable I feel.

case 0028

I fell and my head hit the ground. I was unconscious for around 20 minutes. About two weeks later, I started to notice a weird smell around my house, like nothing I had ever smelled before; slightly aromatic and pungent. A couple of weeks later I visited somebody and they apologized for the strong curry smell in their house as I walked in — I could smell nothing!! For some weeks, all I could smell was the weird pungent smell - it drove me nuts. I would wake up with it and go to sleep with it but, at this stage, I still didn't realize I was also losing my sense of taste. An ear nose throat doctor explained what had happened inside my skull when I hit the ground. He also told me the strange smell usually kicks in almost straight away and forewarned me that it was unlikely I would ever regain my senses. In the ensuing months I came to realize how serious this condition was. On one occasion I forgot that I had a pan on the simmer until I saw smoke. On another occasion, I was told that there was a very strong smell of gas in the neighborhood which everyone was worried about; again, I could smell nothing. The only enjoyment I get from food is if it is highly spiced, i.e. with chili, horseradish, tabasco, etc. I am unable to differentiate between types of meat so have to rely on texture, if possible. I get some tang from strong, blue cheese. The sad thing, I find, is not being able to appreciate the everyday smells which we take for granted: perfume, freshly mown grass, freshly baked bread, scent of bluebells/roses/flowers in general. Living by the sea, I used to love the smell of the seaweed around the tide pools. The list is endless.

case 0029

I lost my sense of smell during a cold ten years ago. Life can be hell sometimes but no one seems to take it seriously. It is a disablement that is invisible. People are always saying "smell that", "taste this". It is very annoying; you wouldn't tell a blind man to look at the lovely scenery.

case 0030

I developed anosmia after suffering from severe nasal congestion about six months ago. The medical profession does not seem to think that this is a significant problem and offers no help or suggestions as to how or indeed if it can be treated. As a keen amateur cook, I can no longer tell how food tastes or smells and need to rely increasingly on my partner to help me. The loss of two of the five major senses is a strange phenomenon and puts you apart from others. Taste and smell seems to be replaced by texture in finding foods that satisfy - this may be a great thing as I no longer have sweet cravings and would now prefer food such as celery, toast and crunchy nuts than sweeter foods. So perhaps this is a blessing in disguise. Roll on a dropped dress size!!

case 0031

As far as I can remember, I first noticed that I am not able to smell at the age of six. I would often react the same as friends and family to bad smells e.g. flatulence, but I could never actually detect the smell. Later in life I discovered that head trauma could often cause the loss of smell and was told that before the age of five I was almost knocked unconscious by a blow to the head. Throughout my teenage years the inability to smell would often cause angst with me as I was unaware of my body odor as a result of exercise or perspiring. Equally, I can also recall a number of occasions throughout my childhood at which I made myself physically ill from overexposure to chemicals, glues and cleaners. As I've grown older the anosmia has been the subject of conversation a number of times with friends and family and often leads to the subject of taste. As reported in a number of related articles, loss of smell is directly connected to taste. I believe this may be the reason for my fondness for very spicy foods. Should I have the full range of taste, my palate may lead me to dislike a lot of the foods that I currently enjoy. Of particular interest for me was a recent comment I saw online about anosmia causing depression. I have been recently diagnosed with depression and now believe my long standing loss of smell may have been a contributing factor to my illness.

case 0032

I had the flu. For a couple of months afterwards I didn't notice that I couldn't smell anything. However, eventually I started experiencing the smell of something like onions and garlic, but not as I remembered them, but as intense, horrible smells that I did not want to be anywhere near. After another three months I became aware of the fruity smell of a shampoo that I was using — I named it "chemical fruit", it was harsh but not unpleasant. In the meantime things I had previously enjoyed such as wine and chocolate had become completely unpalatable, vinegar and margarine tastes respectively. I didn't eat chocolate for over three years. About 18 months after the initial loss I was able to smell roses, which was wonderful, I could smell a bar of rose scented soap as if a whole roomful of roses were present instead of a tiny bar in the bathroom. As each smell returns, I am overwhelmed by the intensity of the odor, when fish came back I was unable to eat fish for a couple of years and I still find it a bit too strong. Two and a half years ago, after a lifetime of drinking coffee, I found myself unable to even take a sip of coffee and have been unable to drink it since; all I can smell is the burnt part. I think of myself having a sense of smell a bit like a piano keyboard where some of the notes don't work. If an odor is a tune then I can only hear certain notes of it, so sometimes I have no idea what I am smelling. I still can't smell smoke, gas, burning, manure, and probably lots of other things that I am unaware that I am supposed to be detecting.