Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Anyone else lost their smell and taste with covid?

32 replies

Scotabroad24 · 16/07/2021 14:39

Just that really. Currently on day 5 with absolutely zero sense of smell or taste and its really starting to get me down. I didn't realise how many of life's small pleasures come from smelling clean laundry, or my DS 7mnths head, or fresh coffee in the morning.
When did everyone else's come back? I've thoroughly freaked myself out reading about long covid, and how a year on some people's sense of smell and taste haven't returned yet Shock

OP posts:
ThelmaDinkley · 16/07/2021 14:59

In same boat. Day 12 and still no smell or taste. I’ve been sniffing essential oils but nothing is coming back. Really frustrated so hoping it’s not long haul.

Original poster
Scotabroad24 · 16/07/2021 15:05

@ThelmaDinkley

In same boat. Day 12 and still no smell or taste. I’ve been sniffing essential oils but nothing is coming back. Really frustrated so hoping it’s not long haul.

It's horrible isn't it? I keep taking the lids off perfume bottles and cleaning products but nope, no hint of anything. Do you have any other symptoms?

OP posts:
Unsoliciteddeckpic · 16/07/2021 15:06

Yes, I am one of the unlucky ones that haven't got it back.

I had covid in late Feb 2020, I sometimes get weird tastes or sometimes everything smells the same.

But, its not come back.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Covid-19
Kittyswhiskers · 16/07/2021 15:07

My husband had covid in January (I didn’t catch it) and lost it for a few months. Think by June it was back

Glittertwins · 16/07/2021 15:07

SIL using aromatherapy oils to get her sense of smell back, it's been about 4 months now.

Original poster
Scotabroad24 · 16/07/2021 15:13

Oh wow, well this doesn't give me much hope!
For the people who's smell and taste have been gone months do you have other lingering symptoms? I've never felt this sort of bone crushing exhaustion before. As much as I can't wait for isolation to end and DH to go back to work I'm worried about being on my own with DS. I can barely lift him without getting out of breath ConfusedBlush

OP posts:
Unsoliciteddeckpic · 16/07/2021 15:19

@Scotabroad24

Oh wow, well this doesn't give me much hope! For the people who's smell and taste have been gone months do you have other lingering symptoms? I've never felt this sort of bone crushing exhaustion before. As much as I can't wait for isolation to end and DH to go back to work I'm worried about being on my own with DS. I can barely lift him without getting out of breath ConfusedBlush
At the time I seemed to recover fairly well. I was ill Tuesday - Sunday. Went back to work on Monday. On the saturday I ended up at the hospital and was home that night. By Monday I felt tired, but not ill as such. We were then sent home to wfh. Then I had bouts of feeling terrible. But not breathing problems. Only breathing problems I have are when I take the dogs for a walk.

Its not as bad now. But last year I would have days where I felt like I had flu. Ached everywhere and was completely exhausted. It would last 2 or 3 days.

Still breathless if I try to run or walk too fast. Despite walking everyday.

I have a chest scan next week and my gp is adding me to the long covid clinic we have.

Amammi · 16/07/2021 15:42

That’s awful 😞 such a miserable experience eating food you can’t taste or smell. Might be something useful in this article
www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/why-covid-19-makes-you-lose-your-sense-smell-and-how-get-it-back

Original poster
Scotabroad24 · 16/07/2021 16:16

[quote Amammi]That’s awful 😞 such a miserable experience eating food you can’t taste or smell. Might be something useful in this article
www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/why-covid-19-makes-you-lose-your-sense-smell-and-how-get-it-back[/quote]

Interesting article. I wonder if smell training would really work, probably worth a try. Like you said its utterly miserable eating a meal with no taste, and all I want is to smell my baby's head again 😆

OP posts:
MiloAndEddie · 16/07/2021 16:35

I lost mine, it’s really disconcerting and rubbish!

I had COVID in Oct and strangely it came back about 2 weeks later, no problem. Then around Christmas it went weird again, things I’d previously eaten ok tasted rank. It’s still not 100% back to normal.

marmaladehound · 16/07/2021 16:51

I had Covid way back in March 2020. Totally lost my sense of smell and taste. My daughter even had to tell me when my 2 yr old had done a poo!! So on the bright side it made nappy changes easier!

Gradually returned after about 2 months. Was quite a long time. All normal now 16 months later!

Sparkles512 · 16/07/2021 17:45

Yes!

My husband and I had covid in January 2021 both Young and healthy, 30&26.

Neither of us can smell or taste properly yet.

We can both smell and taste disgusting things and finding something edible is becoming a nightmare!

Hope you get better soon

StrangeAddiction · 16/07/2021 17:53

I've lost mine and while I'm isolating (day6) and eating normal food I'm rather gutted to not be able to taste and smell it but I'm hoping it lasts a bit longer so I can eat these meal replacement sachets I've got that I normally can't stomach so I can lose some weight quickly (morbidly obese) and do myself a favour Grin

modgepodge · 16/07/2021 18:23

I had covid in March 2020. The lack of smell and taste was the last symptom to disappear (though my only other symptoms were a slight cough and sore throat, and a rash a week or so later which may or may not have been related) but it was only about 2 weeks. My husband was the same, he actually got his back a bit sooner.

I do know of one person for whom it lasted over a year but I think the majority it’s just a week or two.

ahoyshipmates · 16/07/2021 18:35

I lost most of my sense of smell about 6 or 7 years ago after several really bad bouts of sinusitis. It still hasn't come back.

By the way, if you have recently lost your sense of smell, you can't smell gas. If you have any gas appliances in your home, you need to be extra vigilant!

Original poster
Scotabroad24 · 16/07/2021 19:00

@marmaladehound

I had Covid way back in March 2020. Totally lost my sense of smell and taste. My daughter even had to tell me when my 2 yr old had done a poo!! So on the bright side it made nappy changes easier!

Gradually returned after about 2 months. Was quite a long time. All normal now 16 months later!

Glad to hear your back to normal 😊
Yes the only upside is i can't smell DS pooey nappies, which my DH is taking great advantage of so I'm on changing duties!

OP posts:
Original poster
Scotabroad24 · 16/07/2021 19:02

@Sparkles512

Yes!

My husband and I had covid in January 2021 both Young and healthy, 30&26.

Neither of us can smell or taste properly yet.

We can both smell and taste disgusting things and finding something edible is becoming a nightmare!

Hope you get better soon

That sounds awful 😕 I hope it gets better for you soon!

OP posts:
spookybitches · 16/07/2021 19:20

It took me about 3 weeks for it to come back. Quite a bit of time in between when I couldn't decide if my full taste and smell was back or if it was only marginal. It was a gradual thing so it was confusing for me as I was wondering if there was more to come!

DwangelaForever · 16/07/2021 19:23

Day 6 and it was going slowly but iys gone fully today. Absolutely horrific. I can tell if something is supposed to taste sweet/sour/spicy but nothing beyond that and absolutely no sense of smell. Which isn't great with a toddler in nappies lol.

GinTonic123 · 16/07/2021 19:27

I had COVID in April and have not regained taste or smell. I can however distinguish between sweet, salty, bitter, sour and spiced. The most recent development has however been that lots of food and drink items taste like cigarette ash. It’s just gross.
I also miss smelling my babies head, and the smells of my other children….advantage is not smelling nappies….however the longer it takes, the more it bugs me. My neighbour had COVID in Oct 2020 and has still not regained either sense, so I realise it is going to take a while.

ThelmaDinkley · 16/07/2021 19:29

Scotabroad I’ve been using loads of olbas oil but nothing is coming back Sad. Other symptoms are headaches, tiredness and awful lower backache and pains in legs. It’s not pleasant at all. I am double jabbed pfeizer. I do feel vaccination helped stop it going onto my chest. Hope you feel better soon.

gogohm · 16/07/2021 20:02

Yes last year. Took 2 full weeks to get any smell or taste back. Four weeks to be almost back to normal but never quite the same 15 months on

GetTaeFuck · 16/07/2021 20:06

Tested positive 3rd January.

Still can’t taste much.

Etulosba · 16/07/2021 20:08

Yes. It’s a pretty normal thing with covid, nothing unusual. Both came back fine within a couple of weeks of shaking the inflection.

BadgerFace · 16/07/2021 20:19

I’m on day 20 of no taste or smell. The last few days sweet/salt has come back. I’ve heard good things from friends about trying aromatherapy if things don’t improve.