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 0158

I cleaned my house with a combination of bleach, vinegar, and bicarbonate soda. After the third cleaning session I found that my sense of smell had declined by perhaps 80%. The difference is extremely noticeable because my olfactory senses were so pronounced that sometimes their sensitivity would cause discomfort. For instance, if someone walked outside of the house with a cigarette in their hand, I would notice the unpleasant smell even if they were on the other side of the road and I was in the back bedroom. Friends would ask me to detect the specific spices and seasonings they'd used in foods and I would pick out elements such as certain types of brands of sauces and types of soy sauces. Now, I can barely tell what I'm eating. The other day I was about to call back a waitress and complain that she'd served me the fish dish, when I came across a tell-tale bone that revealed she had actually served me the chicken dish I had ordered. It's driving me crazy!

case 0159

Four years ago I had a bad cold and as a consequence my sense of smell was reduced by about 80% and never recovered. The doctor said he didn't know when or if the sense would be restored. I was left with the impression that it was something I just had to accept and deal with. Currently my main concern is for my children — I am unable to tell if lunch meat, milk or other perishables are spoiled, and I wouldn't be able to smell a gas leak or other olfactory hazard if I had one. I want to do what is necessary to restore my sense of smell.

case 0160

When I was 20 I noticed that my sense of smell is bad in the winter but normal during the summer. After a couple of years I realized that I had some problem with my sense of smell. Doctors were no help. Five years later my sense of smell was gone in summers as well. Now I am not able to smell anything. This doesn't mean that I can't smell at all. What I have observed is that after a workout or a sudden change in temperature my nostrils are back to normal. Within a minute or so it is gone again. I desperately want it fixed. I want to smell flowers, I want to smell my soap, deodorant, aftershave and I want to taste the food I eat. I want to be able to distinguish coffee from tea.

case 0161

I fell and hit the ground with the back of my head. I was severely concussed for days and only noticed after a week when I was spraying on deodorant that I couldn't smell anything. Due to the trauma the nerves connecting my nose to my brain were severed and I no longer have a sense of smell, although by some small consolation my sense of taste has not been affected.

case 0162

I have a very sharp, keen sense of smell. I have used a neti pot occasionally in the past but recently began using it twice daily. The last week I've been experiencing phantom smells upon waking in the morning. I have smelled toast, breakfast sausage and most recently a strong maple syrup scent. When I get into the kitchen, no one is cooking.

case 0163

I lost my sense of smell as the result of a common cold. The smell loss occurred over a period of 3-4 months and is now complete. I have been unable to smell for two years and it is incredibly upsetting.

case 0164

I had a bad cold which was followed by a much diminished sense of smell and taste. This went on for a month after my cold was gone but then I started to notice a mild weird taste in coffee. Within a few weeks the weird taste got stronger and started to affect more foods, including chocolate, yogurt, cottage cheese, fried foods, onions, green peppers, pancake syrup, beer, wine, grape fruit juice, and most snack foods such as chips (potato, corn, tortilla), crackers, pretzels, plus cakes and candies of all kinds. I could not even eat my birthday cake. Fruits of all kinds are at least a little bit weird with the taste becoming worse when the fruits become overripe. Water, skim milk, eggs, honey, and some cheeses taste normal. Most types of beans have a generally normal taste. It is difficult to describe the type of smell/taste other than it is unpleasant and not like anything familiar. At first I described it as somewhat of a moldy/mildewy smell and taste though I don't know what mold smells or tastes like so that probably is not quite accurate. Most fragrances, aromas, and odors all have the same weird smell to me. Examples of things that smell very bad to me are coffee, chocolate, smoke from a wood fire or from cigarettes, most perfumes and room fresheners, many lotions, hand sanitizer and soaps including dish soap. The distorted smell is so disappointing. It used to be that whenever my husband would grind coffee beans or when the coffee is brewing, I would inhale to take in the wonderful aroma. Now, I leave the room to avoid the unpleasant smell. When I take the bed sheets off the clothesline they no longer have that wonderful fresh scent. As I cooked up apples to make applesauce, the formerly delicious scent of cooking apples spiced with cinnamon and cloves now has that same weird smell like so many other things. I went to see an ear nose throat doctor who found no abnormalities and referred me to a neurologist. The neurologist is confident that this is due to damage from the cold virus. He called it dysosmia and told me there is really nothing he or I can do about it. It may heal up completely, partially, or not at all and if it does it will likely take a long time to heal. He assured me it will not get worse.

case 0165

My sense of smell diminished rapidly at age 48 or so. I noticed an increase in what appeared to be cold sores in my right nasal passages. After several bouts back to back the outbreaks stopped. During this time I noticed smells changing. Several odors were noticeably distorted before becoming almost undetectable. I have had a medical exam. I was told my condition is age related with no treatment available. To me, this is an unacceptable diagnosis. I believe this condition could be slowed or possibly reversed with proper nutrition.