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Original poster

What the hell is going on with my sense of smell…

20 replies

Elerandooo · 08/04/2023 22:32

This is a weird one…

For the past few days, there’s been this unbearable smell of smoke in my house. No one in my house smokes, it’s just me, my partner and our almost 2 year old. It’s definitely not my partner.

This is where it gets weird, my partner cannot smell it, at all. He thinks I’m going mad. I can only smell it in two rooms in the house, the Livingroom and my bedroom (both of which are at the back of the house, bedroom is on third floor) I just went into the kitchen and can’t smell it there. None of our immediate neighbours smoke, same neighbours on street for 3 years. No windows open for the smell of smoke to get in. I’ve sniffed all the radiators in the rooms, although we don’t have the heating on now anyway.

I feel like I’m going insane, it’s absolutely overpowering and I’ve always hated the smell of smoke- I’d say it’s definitely a cigarette smoke smell.

Any ideas?! Sorry if I sound batshit, but it’s so strong and I can’t understand how my partner isn’t smelling it- please no one suggest it’s him secretly smoking, we both wfh and pretty much spend 24/7 together 😂

OP posts:
EssexMamisoa · 08/04/2023 22:34

Covid?! I could strongly smell rust everywhere for about a year.

Sherrystrull · 08/04/2023 22:35

Covid. Everything smelt of parsnip for months.

StillMedusa · 08/04/2023 22:36

I smelled smoke after Covid too... for months!

Original poster
Elerandooo · 08/04/2023 22:36

Do you mean Covid currently or like lingering effects from it?! I’ve no Covid symptoms and only had it once a year ago. This smell is pretty new, over the last few days.

OP posts:
Exhibity · 08/04/2023 22:37

If you can only smell it in certain rooms and not others it must be something in those rooms. Maybe there are spirits in the rooms that used to smoke (joking) .

stepstepstep · 08/04/2023 22:37

I’ve had the same since covid in October except for me it is a cross between incense & weed! It’s so bizarre - I was in a work meeting with someone very senior when it first started happening & was convinced they had been having a quick smoke just before…

ShandaLear · 08/04/2023 22:38

COVID test or pregnancy test.

greenlychee · 08/04/2023 22:39

Are you stressed or anxious? I've found phantom smells sometimes go with periods of stress and read it can be a thing. Mine went after a bit.

It can also be a symptom of epileptic seizures or brain issues so might be worth chatting to the gp. Unlikely but worth a chat if you're worried.

Original poster
Elerandooo · 08/04/2023 22:39

ShandaLear · 08/04/2023 22:38

COVID test or pregnancy test.

Hahaha! Definitely not pregnant… have to do the deed for that 😂 I guess I’ll take a Covid test to be sure!

OP posts:
northeasrer · 08/04/2023 22:39

It's covid.

I had it months after I had covid.

Original poster
Elerandooo · 08/04/2023 22:41

Another weird thing is that after I’d gone into the kitchen where I couldn’t smell it, when I came back into the livingroom, I had about 10 minutes where I couldn’t smell it. And now it’s back. It’s making me feel sick to be honest.

OP posts:
GastonHaugh · 08/04/2023 23:19

You need to speak to your GP. It’s a thing.

Original poster
Elerandooo · 08/04/2023 23:21

GastonHaugh · 08/04/2023 23:19

You need to speak to your GP. It’s a thing.

Do you mind me asking you to elaborate?! All I’ve read online is that it’s Phantosmia which isn’t really anything to worry about. Or it could just be a long Covid thing… or all in my head 😂

OP posts:
northeasrer · 09/04/2023 00:33

Lots of people have had this after having covid. It may not happen the days after covid, it could be months after.

thaegumathteth · 09/04/2023 00:35

The fact you can only smell it in some rooms is reassuring BUT it can be a sigh of a serious health concern so I'd ask for medical advise if I were you.

It's probably NOT this because you don't have it all the time but my best friend had phantom smoke smell and had encephalitis.

TheCentreSlide · 09/04/2023 00:37

My GP sent me for a brain scan because of my phantom smoke smell. Brain fine, they just need to check it’s not a tumour (vanishing small probability so don’t worry). Much more likely to be covid or sinus infections. It’s common with sinus infections. Steroid spray up the nose and/or antibiotics help. It’s gone now thankfully. You have my sympathies. It will pass!

frustratedtenant · 09/04/2023 00:39

It's might be parosmia, it developes a few months after having covid. I still have it. :(

Not phantom smoke, but coffee and onions smell awful.

SNAFUED · 09/04/2023 00:48

I’ve had this after a bad cold a couple of times. It was on and off but lasted about a week.

northeasrer · 09/04/2023 00:49

frustratedtenant · 09/04/2023 00:39

It's might be parosmia, it developes a few months after having covid. I still have it. :(

Not phantom smoke, but coffee and onions smell awful.

Oh god yes coffee smelt differently!

EmilyEmmabob · 09/04/2023 02:15

I get this before I get a migraine sometimes, it can be an aura which doesn't always develop into a typical migraine (pain).
Sometimes it becomes a 'silent' migraine where the symptoms are different

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