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Burnt smell

14 replies

tostaky · 23/07/2026 17:46

Not sure if I am going crazy or what but i sometimes smell some kind of burnt toast smell. This is often in the evening (round 6-7pm) and until late during the night (3-4am)
we are in the loft and because it is warm the windows are always open. We are in london. I smell this outside too, in the street, away from home. I even smell this when the air con is on “warm” in the office (outside of london)

should i buy a tin hat? Or can this be explained rationally? DH thinks i have an overdeveloped sense of smell and he cannot smell anything….

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 23/07/2026 17:49

If no-one else cam smell it I think you need to see your GP as it could be indicative of a medical issue.

Carsexitthroughthecarpark · 23/07/2026 17:56

I had this.

Two things helped. HRT and a steroid nasal spray from GP.

It was so bad I had to sleep with my head under a sheet. It's the only time I got respite from it.

Mine was cigarette smell. It's a common phenomena

tostaky · 23/07/2026 18:00

Ooh! So it is not some kind of air pollution or any special power either….
i thought this was a light-hearted question, but now i am getting worried.
I am 50yo, could it be linked to peri?
i am in shock! I did not tealise it was a me problem, i thought it was some kind of pollution outdoor
Glad i asked and i will speak to my GP very soon

OP posts:
redhatpurplehair · 23/07/2026 18:11

It’s called olfactory hallucinations. I have it, cigarette smell usually but sometimes other things too.

CoraPirbright · 23/07/2026 18:13

I thought I had this too - it turns out that the coffee machine needed cleaning. Are you near a coffee shop?

CarrieMoonbeams · 23/07/2026 18:18

I get an exhaust fumes type of smell sometimes @tostaky . It started off a few years ago at a time of horrendous personal stress for me, and I still get it now when I'm a bit stressed. It's sometimes more of a cigarette smoke smell, sometimes like burning plastic, but it's mostly settled on exhaust fumes now. How bizarre!

I think it's actually fairly common - I've certainly replied to a few threads on here in the past saying the same kind of thing.

trainedopossum · 23/07/2026 18:23

My phantom smell is car exhaust or sometimes a more general burning smell. Our neighbour smokes and it can be hard to tell if I’m smelling her cigarette smoke or my phantom smell unless DH is around to say if he can smell anything or not. Like you I only experience this at night.
I think it started after I had covid (despite never having smell-related symptoms) but who knows, it could be menopause. HRT hasn’t helped, nor does the steroid spray I use for hay fever.
I’ve got so used to it I almost don’t notice anymore.

Carsexitthroughthecarpark · 23/07/2026 18:34

Op. There's been a few threads about this over the years. Comes up as a symptom for Peri in lots of places!

FredaMountfitchet · 23/07/2026 18:37

Seriously this should be reviewed by a medic . Olfactory hallucinations need checked out .

hansenhen · 23/07/2026 18:40

Do you have a cat, more specifically a Feliway plug in? I can smell ours but no one else in the family can. It smells a bit burny to me.

grafittiartist · 23/07/2026 18:44

Do get checked out- it can be a symptom of Epilepsy.
Probably not, but worth knowing- sorry.

KayFabe · 23/07/2026 18:59

Exhaust fumes here, sometimes for weeks on end 😖Thankfully it hasn't happened in a while.
I'm relieved to read this (as a menopausal woman myself) because my GP had no explanation for the weird phenomena. She wasn't the least bit concerned either.

15minutesaday · 23/07/2026 19:13

RampantIvy · 23/07/2026 17:49

If no-one else cam smell it I think you need to see your GP as it could be indicative of a medical issue.

Absolutely this.

I clicked on the thread because I had exactly this, a burnt taste/smell.

Turns out I had a sinus infection. Got that sorted (antibiotics and a nasal cream) and no funny smells up my nose since.

tostaky · 23/07/2026 21:10

Thank you so much! I did mention it to a friend but she did not know. I really appreciate the hive mind of mumsnet! I will book an appointment with the Gp asap

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