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 0015

As far as I can remember my sense of smell must have deteriorated so slowly that I did not realize that it had gone until it would return very occasionally, sometimes only for a couple of hours. This was noticeable since I was 50. It often returns with no warning and it is as though someone has turned my nose on with the flick of a switch and it disappears again just as quickly. The strangest thing is that following a long haul flight my sense of smell returns sometimes. After the last three long haul flights my sense of smell returned. The first time it took a week after landing to return. The second time it returned within two hours of landing and the third time it returned within 20 minutes of landing. Each time my sense of smell stayed with me for about 6 weeks and then gradually disappeared again. It does not always work, as I make many intercontinental trips and it doesn't come back on every trip.

case 0016

Six months after sinus surgery I started to notice periods were my sense of smell and taste was compromised. The periods would last for a few days. My ear nose throat surgeon showed a complete lack of empathy and said this sometimes happened. Over the next couple of years I saw three other ear nose throat specialists but no one could help. Two years ago my loss of taste and smell was almost permanent, I would regain it every now and again but only for hours up to a day or so. I decided to see another ear nose throat specialist. I had another surgery and afterwards I had a slight return of smell and taste but once more this disappeared shortly after. Since then I have seen my ear nose throat specialist on a regular basis. Nothing has really worked but oddly when I have the endoscopic examination, after the anesthetic has worn off I have had recovery of taste and smell. Out of the last five examinations I have regained the senses on four occasions. It comes back suddenly — like someone has flicked on a switch. The last time I had my sense of smell and taste only for about an hour... the previous time it lasted about a month. My ear nose throat doctor cannot explain it and he does not know why it should be happening. I would love to get my sense of smell and taste back but at the moment I have no clear way forward on how to achieve this. I'm sure it is a physical thing, I mean basically shoving a rod up my nose and wiggling it about (the endoscopic procedure!!) seems to have an 80% chance of restoring my sense of smell albeit temporarily! My ear nose throat doctor says my sinuses are completely open and currently I have no infection.

case 0017

About a month ago I began to sense a constant odor — not sweet, not sharp, not foul. I had never smelled it before. It is dull, most like a medicine smell. It is constantly with me. If I hold my nose I do not smell it. I've thought about seeing an ear nose throat doctor, but in reading up on the net many folks with a constant smell sensation have found a visit to the doctor unhelpful. During the day when I am focused on other matters I am not bothered by it.

case 0018

I first noticed a distinct unpleasant smell rather like smoke when no one else did and I found the smell of grease very unpleasant as I drove past fast food restaurants with fryers. My sense of smell became less acute from that point on. Now I have largely lost the ability to smell certain things. It's not all bad since I can't smell most unpleasant biological odors — changing the litter box or cleaning up vomit is no problem. But this condition can also be dangerous since I don't smell smoke unless it's quite concentrated. I do smell mints, many herbs, fruits, and a variety of other things, albeit less intensely. It seems to have stabilized. I find it disconcerting that in ordinary medical practice physicians appear to be unconcerned and that routine physical exams of elderly people like me don't even include the question.

case 0019

I lost my sense of smell after suffering a concussion due to a fall. I didn't realize it was gone until the day after my injury. When I started to become aware of the fact that I could not smell, I went around my home, trying to smell anything — coffee, perfume, lotion, cat litter. I was quite surprised. I did not know it was possible to lose one's sense of smell, and no one in the emergency room had warned me that it was a possibility. The loss was very hard to take. Not only had I completely lost my sense of smell, but I could not distinguish flavors in food. Going from a world of smell to a world without smell overnight is quite devastating. Without any fragrance, my days felt artificial. But I think the most painful part of the loss was the total lack of compassion from others. The doctors that I visited told me coldly that my sense of smell may return or it may not, as if it were a trivial matter. Colleagues and acquaintances joked that I wouldn't have to smell my daughter's dirty diapers anymore. A family member, upon hearing of my loss, asked me to give her all of my bath soaps. It has been about five months since my injury. I've had the phantom smell, sometimes constantly and sometimes intermittently, for over three months (none of the doctors warned me about that, either). I've adapted to the loss; I no longer feel like I'm trapped in an artificial world. I've found foods that I can enjoy, and stopped drinking soda, which now tastes metallic. I have some hope that my sense of smell will return. I have been greatly disappointed with the information provided to me by doctors since my injury. I have gathered most of my knowledge on head injuries and anosmia from books, articles, and others with similar injuries. The medical professionals seem either clueless about this condition or completely unwilling to offer any information or advice.

case 0020

I lost my sense of smell after injuring my head in an accident when I was 12. I could not smell anything for 11 years, really forgot what "smell" meant not too long after losing my sense of smell. A couple of years ago I started taking medication to treat seizures from the head injury. Since then I sometimes perceive scents. I've "smelled", I think, pizza, coffee, laundry from the dryer, Buffalo sauce, and a cigarette. The smelling sensation is very rare but I haven't had anything like it since pre-head injury. I think I taste quite a bit. I have a hard time naming the flavor of something if the choices are in the same family (i.e. which fruit flavor an unmarked candy is). But I know which ones I like and don't like. I know I like certain brands of coffee and not others. Lack of smell does not decrease my sex drive at all. I worry about smelling genetic differences but that's the only sexual hindrance. I get the feeling that people think I am lying about my smell a lot; especially once they see me enjoy food. That's pretty aggravating. When I was 12 and first told my doctors I couldn't smell anymore they acted like it was impossible. I eventually met a number of other people who lost their smell after a head injury. It didn't make us friends but it helps knowing they're out there. I often feel paranoid about how I smell. Often when people say something smells bad I wonder if they mean me. In fact, my friends tell me I wash clothes too much; that my clothes smell like laundry detergent. I still wash them a lot. I stay away from wearing fragrance. The only things I get really sad that I can't smell are Yankee candles. They have such pretty pictures and colors. I worked at Hallmark at one point and looking at the Yankee candle display could make me cry every now and then. I do get angry that people don't treat anosmia like a real problem. There is very little awareness or acceptance or understanding from many.