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 0005

For at least 20 years, I have had seasonal allergies. When affected by the allergies, I often suffered from a diminished sense of smell — but only temporarily. The sense would return, much like many people encounter when hit with a common cold. Then about six years ago, I noticed my sense of smell wasn't bouncing back as quickly or as completely when my allergies subsided. At first, the difference was barely perceptible. Eventually, the bounce back never really happened. My sense of smell just kind of faded away. Other than very minor hints of smell/taste that on rare occasion occur first thing in the morning, my sense of smell has yet to return after six years. Years ago, I went to an ear nose throat doctor. I then went to a neurologist. He was utterly unprepared to deal with the issue. He started searching the web for information on anosmia while I was in the office. It's a huge loss. I fully understand the risk of depression from this condition. Besides the loss of smell, I've suffered a complete loss of flavor-tasting ability. That is an immense loss as well. Even more so is the loss of memories that smell used to so vividly unlock. I so miss the fragrance of a pine forest to take me back to my childhood camping in the mountains. I want to smell the turkey cooking on Thanksgiving. I want to smell the chocolate when I walk into a candy store! It's a weird affliction. People don't really get it. They think it's not as big a deal as it is. After all, they figure anosmics aren't disabled. We don't need seeing-eye dogs or sign language to interact with our environment. And they are right -- partly. We can function without drawing attention to our plight. We can do virtually everything we could before we lost our sense of smell, except enjoy the immensely important aspects of human life that most people take for granted.

case 0006

About ten years ago I started to strongly react to different smells. I particularly react to chemical odors, but also to spearmint. One odor, I don't know what is, I noticed in church so I had to sit at the back to make a quick getaway if needed. I smelled the same smell in a public toilet, so I am guessing it's a cleaning agent. I can go for weeks without encountering the odor and then it hits me again. I usually sleep with the fan blowing on my face and Vicks plugged up my nose. I haven't told my doctor as I have always thought I was alone in this.

case 0007

For about a year I get these clouds of smell (as I call them). No one else smells them, but they are very real to me. They are very different and then at times all the same. At times it is like the room is filled with cigarette smoke so full it burns the back of my throat. No one in our house smokes and no one else smells it. Other odor variations are cherry pipe tobacco, the smell of brick being cut with a brick saw, jasmine, a smell so sweet it makes me sick. All body washes and shampoos make me sick; they smell like poop. I know that sounds crazy. Some food, Asian food especially, just reeks like an outhouse.

case 0008

Nine years ago I was in a serious car accident. In the hospital, I realized food tasted different, but I thought that it was just because it was hospital food. When I got out of the hospital, it took maybe a week or two for me to realize that I couldn't smell anything. All I could taste was salt and sugar. Sometimes I thought I could smell lemons. A CAT scan showed that I had sheered the olfactory nerves completely, and that I would never smell again. It took a long time to stop feeling like a freak. But now, almost 10 years later, people still don't understand what it's like for me. I'm constantly asked to smell things, by people who know I can't smell, but forget. Some people don't believe me and try to force me to smell things. I have a two year old daughter and I've never been able to smell her. I miss the smell of pickles, early September mornings, the ocean, gasoline, matches and garlic; I could go on and on. I would do anything to stop having to fear smoke or fire or spoiled milk, to feel like a normal person again. There isn't anything I wouldn't do.

case 0009

At an early age I realized I couldn't smell. My parents were skeptical about it when I reported it. They didn't follow up. I pretended to be able to smell, rather than tell people. It was like a point of shame, oddly. I used to pretend I could smell, mimicking disgust when bad smells were detected by my friends. I have come to rely on my vision, and taste to detect spoiled food. I have been fooled, and gotten sick a few times, however. I have managed to compensate for the lack of a working nose. I had an undetected kitchen stove fire and gas leak. I detect ammonia, and very strong cleaners, but mainly from the effect of the vapors which invade my mouth, rather than my nose. I visited an ear nose throat doctor who examined me a few years back, but nothing came of it. A co-worker went to an ear nose throat doctor recently, and endured a surgical procedure which restored her sense of smell.

case 0010

I do not have any idea when I actually lost my ability to smell but first noticed it when I was about 20. I can't actually remember smelling any odor, so onset is hard to pinpoint. It has definitely affected my taste. All food is bland (unless it's salty, bitter, sweet, or sour). It is hard to describe the effect on my eating. My enthusiasm for food has almost vanished with the exception of my unhealthy love of very salty food. Conversations about food are weird and I often pretend to taste things. My wife is aware of my disability but she can't quite understand it. My sleep is impaired sometimes because I wake up fearing a house fire and can sometimes convince myself that I can see smoke. I often need to get up and check the house for fires or gas leaks. I cannot eat leftovers unless my wife smells them first and when I cook meals I am usually guessing with many of the ingredients and sometimes overdo things. I have not found anyone else who has this problem and have not been able to talk about it with others. It's good to write this at least. Thanks for the opportunity.