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 0549

I am slowly losing the ability to smell. When others complained about foul smells while standing near, say, a public toilet, I felt that there is something missing because I didn't feel anything. Slowly I realized that I couldn't feel foul smells. At first, I could still smell good smells, but gradually that too was fading. After two years I lost all my sense of smell. The problem with that is that I cannot have full taste of any food item except sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. I cannot smell flavor. I cannot distinguish ice cream flavors or juices and I can't tell tea from coffee.

case 0550

I've simply never had a sense of smell. I only really realized this around age 12 or so, when I actually stopped to try and recall ever having smelled anything. After my mother passed her entire spice collection under my nose without the slightest reaction from me, it became clear to us that I not only had limited ability to perceive odors, but none at all. This has never changed throughout my life, and while it has been convenient when driving past ranches, cleaning toilets, and remaining blissfully unaware of someone's impolite public flatulence, it has been occasionally frustrating in preventing me from detecting smoke, my own cologne, or even recognizing whether or not I stink. Also, the many descriptions of the scents of food, perfumes, incense, and natural environments make me lament over the loss of a sense I never even had. Something odd that I have noticed: I am sensitive to the presence of ammonia under my nose. I have been told that this is not really a scent, but more of a chemical reaction in the eyes.

case 0551

I had a bad accident seven years ago in which I hit the back of my head hard. I was in the hospital for one month and after that I found out that I couldn't taste anything. All food and all drinks taste the same. I can't smell and that's really fucked up. I am only eating because I'm hungry, I don't enjoy any food.

case 0552

Sometimes I get the smell of onions and garlic in my nose and I cannot get rid of it for maybe a day or so.

case 0553

I have lost my sense of smell due to head trauma, which also caused me recurring seizures.

case 0554

Since my pregnancy my sense of smell is getting more and more precise and elevated. My husband calls me "super sniffer"! The things I smell are powerful and almost always overwhelming. Things my husband cannot even smell. The smell of cow manure tells me when we are due for a storm. My own breath can distract me. The breath of someone else is usually repulsive. The smell of microwave popcorn makes me want to leave the house and never return. God forbid anyone dares to cook salmon in my house.

case 0555

I notice some kind of smell in the mornings and evenings or when it is hot.

case 0556

Two or three years ago I had surgery to remove excessive flesh in my right nostril. About four months back I realized that I lost my sense of smell.

case 0557

I gradually became aware that I couldn't smell odors as well as I once did. About 30 years later I developed Parkinson's Disease. Apparently, a loss in smell is one of the early symptoms of this disease.

case 0558

I was born with a very good sense of smell, but seven years ago, as I remember very distinctly, I lost my ability to smell anything at all. I think that this was due to a severe head injury that I sustained after being knocked unconscious for a few minutes. I did not notice anything strange until a few days later, when I realized that I couldn't smell my favorite lotion at all. I have since learned to live with it. My friends and family members are worried about this more than I am. Most of the time, I'm really glad I can't smell things like body odor, skunks and the like. In fact, I have noticed that my gag reflex has been greatly reduced, and for that I am grateful.

case 0559

About six months ago I lost my sense of smell. I cannot remember how it happened, all of a sudden it was gone. I wish I had it back.

case 0560

I noticed impaired taste first. One evening I ate prime rib and it had little or no taste. I commented on this to my dinner companions, and they all agreed that their meat tasted wonderful! Someone then tasted mine and said mine was also delicious! That's when I first became aware of developing ageusia and accompanying anosmia. It has gotten much worse over the years to the point where I have no sense of smell at all. It can be very dangerous, especially when smell is nature's way of alerting us to things that could harm us, such as leaking gas. It's the ageusia that is most annoying. Instead of becoming disinterested in food, I find myself eating very spicy things, or sweet or sour, all in the interest of just having a sensation. But nothing much gets through except texture. I keep searching, and have even experienced weight gain since I'm ever looking for something... just some taste that will wake me up again.

case 0561

After an accident I lost my entire sense of smell. I am currently recovering. When my nose is very close to an odor source I can now sometimes smell something.

case 0562

I had a very bad sinus infection. It took some time for me to completely recover and I began to notice that I did not smell things other people did. As years passed it became a family joke that I could handle the "bad smelling" situations because I did not smell a thing! On rare occasions I have smelled things in the air (or I thought I did) and sometimes I have thought that I smelled something that just was not there. I also developed a cough about the same time — maybe just before.

case 0563

For the last two months I have noticed a change in my sense of smell. Smells that used to be offensive are now more sweet smelling. Coffee now smells different and has also some sweet smell to it. I burnt peat and it had the same smell.