How long did your Covid anosmia last?

[Rosesandstars]

I've just come down with Covid for a second time and lost my sense of smell (for the first!).

Just wondering how long this lasts? I imagine I won't be able to taste any christmas food!

First time (Feb 2020 I’m an HCP) I only knew I’d had Covid because I lost my sense of smell for 3mnths. Second time (Sept 2021) about 2weeks. Third time (Oct 2022) a few days. I may have had it again in Sept but didn’t notice loss of smell, but then I didn’t notice the first time until I realised that I couldn’t smell the huge wisteria I was stood beneath in full bloom and we had a slight gas leak at work and they kept asking if I could smell it. It was bliss not being aware of my DS’s pungent bedroom throughout the heatwave of the first lockdown.

I could tell when it was returning because I could smell burning toast when I woke up despite the toaster being broken at the time. I was aware of it just as I was waking then it disappeared.

About 2 5 years. Got maybe 20% back. Taste also only at about 40%.

I had covid in August 2020, still can't drink coffee which is depressing, it tastes like metal, and still can't eat curry, also depressing.

2.5 years. Some things still taste disgusting now including egg yolk, some meat and garlic

Took about 2 years to get around 20% smell back, and 3 years later I’ve maybe got 50%. But some things still smell and taste awful, i use to love peanut butter but now it smells vile 🤢 ☹️

The first turn I had Covid it didn’t go completely but was very muted and that lasted about 18 months. I’m never sure if it’s actually fully back or if I’ve just got used to it being like this.

More unpleasant in some ways was the fact certain smells really changed. Things I knew the smell of just all of a sudden smelt completely different. That also seemed to last around 18 months.

I also had about a year of randomly smelling cigarettes or burning plastic like an acrid unpleasant smell but it would happen when clearly neither of those things were in the air eg lying in bed at night or in the supermarket. Really horrible.

I'm so sorry to read that for lots of people this has gone on for months or years 💐. I've only noticed today that I can't smell coffee, my strong smelling shampoo or anything else- weirdly I felt like something was missing yesterday but couldn't put my finger on it!

Took a month to come back fully for me.

11 months. But two years on it is back to normal.

I had Covid in March 2020. My sense of smell came back gradually, but is still nowhere near as good as it was pre-Covid.

My sense of taste is still really bad though. I've more or less stopped doing "proper" cooking, as I can't taste if I've got seasoning etc right.

It took a good while for me.

Lost it very quickly, one meal was fine, next tasted nothing.

I'd say about 4-6 weeks and some smell was back but probably a full 3 months before it was back to normal pre covid levels.

I spent a good amount of time retuning my smell by smelling strong stuff like tea tree oil etc.

I had my second round with covid at the very end of June this year.

I didn't lose my sense of smell, but it got completely fucked up. I think it's called Parosimia. EVERYTHING smelt like a mix of rotting meat and over-ripe fruit. Even outdoors stank.

It was really bad throughout the entire summer.

It started to come and go in waves through September/October. I'd have a while of it being much better, and then a few bad days. And then from November onwards I'd say it was pretty much better. The only thing that's still not quite right is coffee and laundry, but it's loads better than it was.

Oh, and the other thing I've noticed was that my own body odour either changed, got much worse, or my sense of smell changed in that area. I went from being one of those lucky few who rarely needed deodorant, to someone who needs to use it most days.

I'd say it was was BAD for 2 months, tolerable for 2, then quickly improved from there.