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 0833

Three weeks ago I fell and had a concussion and a fractured skull. I have no sense of smell or taste now and am wondering if it will return.

case 0834

I suffered severe traumatic brain injury after an accident. The recovery was quite remarkable with nearly all functionality returning about two weeks after the accident. Approximately two months afterwards I was made aware that I had no sense of smell when I was asked if I smelled something. I also noted that my sense of taste had recently departed. Seven months after the accident there is little progress in smell or taste. Nose spray and nose irrigator (salt solution) have not brought improvement. Recently I tried a faint sniffer over the counter medicine (ammonia based-15%) and that seems to have sparked a smell improvement, which also led to an improvement in taste.

case 0835

All my life I have had severe nasal allergies and used nasal spray several times a day to relieve the congestion so I could breathe. Over the years I gradually became less sensitive to odors of every kind and about four years ago I started noticing a major loss of smell. Now I can't smell anything.

case 0836

Since I had a an accident during which my head hit the road my smelling capability is gone. Now, after one and a half years, there is no improvement.

case 0837

Three months ago I had a severe sinus infection/cold/flu that was treated with antibiotics. Afterwards I could initially not smell anything but within the last week or so there is a specific smell in my nostrils. It is a burning sweet smell. If I wash my hands, take a shower, use a sanitizer, eat food, it all smells the same. Most of the time it intensifies if the smell of the item is strong but the true smell is never detected. I am afraid at this point that my sense of smell is not coming back and I will still have this sickly sweet smell forever.

case 0838

I have occasional events of "phantom smells" ever since I completed chemotherapy and radiation for breast cancer. The smell is always the same... an acrid burning smoke... but it has different intensities… sometimes faint and lasting a few seconds, other times stronger and lingering for many minutes. It seems to ebb, building up over several days and then it begins to dissipate. At this point I don't experience it all for several weeks and then it begins again. The pattern is best described as a bell curve.

case 0839

About seven years ago I realized that sometimes I cannot smell. My sense of smell sometimes returns for a short while then goes away again. I have had an operation but it didn't help. I still do not know the reason why I lost my sense of smell. It disturbs me.

case 0840

Fourteen years ago I noticed that everything started to smell bad (like sewage). Water from the shower, outside, inside, everywhere and it affected my ability to eat almost anything. After the torture of this for six months my neurologist put me on seizure medicine. Within three days I could tolerate smelling most things. Problems are burning fires, cigarettes, car exhaust, and oily substances. Food has remained a problem... especially eating a balanced diet. I find something I can eat and usually eat it until I just cannot eat it again. This can last from six months to several years. The drug dose doesn't change this. I am unable to eat any poultry, seafood, ham, hotdogs, and very little beef within the last year. There are some things I can eat if I wear a swimmers clip on my nose. I can't tolerate vegetables, especially tomato and onion.

case 0841

Many years ago I had a very bad sinus infection and it was a few weeks later that I started noticing that I couldn't smell scents. It eventually got so bad that you could put a gasoline can under my nose and I wouldn't be able to smell the fumes. I just got used to the idea of not smelling. However, I have noticed in the last few years that I am able to get faint scents of certain smells like grape bubble gum or if someone is wearing a certain smell that maybe is really strong I will get that smell up my nose for several hours and can't seem to get rid of it. I have never lost my taste; only my ability to smell.

case 0842

About a year ago I realized that I have problems smelling when I didn't notice the smell of burning rice. After that I started noticing all the things I couldn't smell. I can't seem to smell what I'm cooking, which is irritating. Some really sweet smelling perfumes I can smell very faintly.

case 0843

When I was 15 I injured my head. One of the results of the accident was that I lost my sense of smell. I only noticed it months later. At first my family didn't believe me but it later was confirmed by a doctor.

case 0844

I have been diagnosed with depression in my early teen years. Later this developed into bipolar spectrum or schizoaffective disorder. In addition to many other symptoms, I experience phantom smells. They only became apparent in the past few years. The one interesting thing about it is that the false aromas are not nasty or putrid. Most times the odors were exceptionally fruity smells. Two smells in particular that I recall are an intense lemon smell and the distinct candy-version of what grape smells like.

case 0845

Sometime around age 70 I began to lose my sense of smell and taste. I can smell some things like burning grass and gasoline. I can taste only some things like sweet and sour spices and some candies.

case 0846

I used to be very sensitive to smells. But now I can't smell anything. Sometime when coffee is grinding I can smell it a little. But other than that I can't smell anything. My 76 year old husband lost his sense of smell about the same time that I did. I sure wish we could get it back.