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 0062

Last year I had the flu. Since then, I have had no sense of taste or smell except for the smell and taste of metal. The doctors say that there is nothing they can do. I am devastated and don't know which way to turn. Everything I eat and drink tastes of metal sometimes stronger than other times. It makes me feel sick. I'm thinking of seeing my doctor for some antidepressant because I feel so depressed and miserable.

case 0063

I don't remember ever having a sense of smell, but sometimes I look at something and an odor memory comes to me. I assume it is because I could at some point smell. I can detect very strong odors, however, they coat my mouth and I taste them. I could walk into a perfume store and be hit with a nasty taste in my mouth, but never be able to say, "that's a vanilla perfume". It is depressing to never smell a flower or my babies. It is also scary to know that there could be a fire right under me and I wouldn't know until it was too late. It makes me angry to know that people don't consider anosmia a real disability. People forget about my condition and shove things under my nose "Here, smell this... oh.... yeah, oops". But alas, I have lived with this for as long as I remember, so I have come to accept it by now. Besides, what if I got my sense of smell back, and couldn't stand the scent of my partner?!

case 0064

Ever since I was born I noticed something is weird. I remember that when I was four I realized that I can't smell and thought about telling somebody but then decided against it. I even remember me pretending having a sense of smell, although I don't know why. Only when I grew up it started bothering me again. I heard about anosmia for the first time on a TV show. Since then all became much clearer to me. Finally, someone performed some smell tests on me and I now have proof that I can't smell anything. For now, as weird as it sounds, only my family knows about that, not even my closest friends or extended family.

case 0065

I smell caramelized sugar. Three months ago I was at a friend's house while they were making fudge. The smell of burnt sugar permeated the house. When I came home I continued to smell sugar. I still experience that smell. It's not constant but at times it's a strong smell. I did have a cold with weak flu like symptoms prior to that visit but was feeling good. The smell disorder does mask some odors but I can smell coffee, soap, but most odors are barely recognized. It's starting to get me concerned, what could it be?

case 0066

I lost my sense of smell five years ago and have not smelled anything since. I first went to the doctor when I experienced a strong smell like Christmas: oranges and cloves mixed with mulled wine. This was in the middle of July so there was obviously something wrong. My doctor said it was an infection and prescribed the antibiotics which did get rid of the Christmas smell but it was then that I noticed I could not smell anything. I used to work in a pub and was told my condition may have been caused by the line cleaner or gases used, but tests at the hospital showed that nothing was wrong with my nasal passages or brain; just a perfectly healthy nose with nothing wrong except it was not smelling!!! The doctor gave up on me. I had to give up my job in the pub because of my condition. Many times I have been ill with food that looks okay but is actually out of date or gone off, milk especially! I have realized how much smell affects your daily life and cannot believe the lack of research into it, considering it is one of the five senses. It is definitely the least understood. I have tried zinc, vitamins, cutting out various food groups, and nasal sprays with no result and feel I am at a loss as to what to do next! The doctors do not help as they do not know how to and there is very little research on the problem!

case 0067

I've never had a sense of smell. When I was little I used to pretend that I was able to smell because I thought I had to be able to "learn" how and I just wasn't good enough at it yet. I recently took a comprehensive smell test at the doctor's office and was diagnosed with anosmia. My identical twin sister is not anosmic.

case 0068

I have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. I have had a bad smell in my nose like a smoke or insecticide for about three months now. It seems to be worse at night. I can go outside and the smell is not there. I sprayed bug spray in my bathroom for ants and my oxygen concentrator was in there. I had it replaced but the smell is still in my nose.

case 0069

Three years ago I suffered a series of colds/flus/sinus infections. I noticed when these all eventually cleared up, that my sense of smell and taste had diminished. In the following months, the deterioration continued. I now have virtually no sense of smell and a very diminished sense of taste. I saw an ear nose throat specialist and was told, more or less, "tough luck, it is possible that your sense of taste and smell might improve, but there are no guarantees and you may never get them back." When I asked if there was anything I could do to improve the situation, I was told there isn't.

case 0070

About a year ago I started smelling a strong unusual smell that I had never smelled before. At first I thought it was my urine. Then I thought it was my cat that had an abscess. I started smelling it more and more. I thought it was from the cat sleeping on the couch or my bed. I bought a rug shampooer and shampooed my carpets, upholstery, and washed all the linen in the house, but the smell continued. Then I started smelling it at work and on the bus; so I figured it was me. Recently, I had the nerve to start asking people if they could smell it on me. No one could. I started researching olfactory hallucinations. This smell was also associated with the sensation of menthol in my nose prior to the strong smell (but without the menthol smell). In the last two days I have noticed a loss of smell. Today I noticed I cannot smell perfume, lit matches, candles, basil or basically any smell in my environment. If the strong smell that I originally smelled a year ago disappears, it might not be all bad.