Completely lost taste and smell

[jitterbug5]

Hello!
I'm not entirely sure if this is the correct section to post on but any advice would be appreciated!

About 4pm today I completely lost sense of smell and taste. Very suddenly. The last thing I remember tasting was a cup of tea about 4pm and since then, absolutely nothing! I mentioned to my Dad that I couldn't smell anything (he said he could smell burning and I couldn't but that's a different matter haha) and then DH gave me a candle and I couldn't smell that either. We then tried with deep heat and I'm even sat drinking a wine now and absolutely nothing. Not a single sniff or taste at all!!! (Still drinking my wine, obvs...) it's like when you have a bad cold and lose sense of smell and taste except I haven't got a bad cold at all! No blocked nose either!
Anyway I've since been told it could be a new symptom of corona. I'm not unwell. I've had a persistent headache all day but that's it. However my worry is I work in a nursing home. I'm meant to be in tomorrow for a night shift but now I'm panicking I'm about to walk it into work?! How cautious is too cautious? It could (and probably is) nothing but working with the elderly is worrying me!

Any advice will be great, thank you!!

As soon as I posted this I saw another thread saying similar so I think I'm gonna have to self isolate

Absolutely self-isolate.

An ear nose and throat doctor was on Sky news today saying this was a symptom in those who are contract the virus but don’t get sick.

Self isolate, if possible, please!

I'll ring and speak to work tomorrow. I've only been there a month so it was the last thing I wanted to do but I don't think I have a choice! I can't even think about passing it to the residents!

Thanks for your replies!

Yes, I've heard it's a symptom so you need to self isolate. What I'm not sure about is how long it lasts.

I keep reading things about this. I still have smell/taste but one side of my nose, across the bridge and down the side feels like I've been punched, has been like it for a couple of days. I was just thinking it may be a sinus infection, but starting to wonder

@LynetteScarvo what a username!!
Without sounding dramatic I really hope it doesn't last long!! It's so disorientating, for some reason!!

I thought everyone was self isolating anyway

How old are you OP?

You work in a nursing home?

Please, please don't go in!

My parent's care home has banned visitors & my fear is that the risk from staff & health care visitors.

I've had exactly the same for 2 days now. Completely lost all smell and taste out of the blue.
Had a bit of a cold earlier in week and have stuffy sinuses now.
It's not a nhs isolation symptom though, so i don't know what to do with work on monday or anybody else in our household tbh

This was circulating yesterday: twitter.com/ENT_UK/status/1241063677186449408

May not yet be widely recognised as a symptom but I would definitely take it as a sign to isolate.

@IWantToBreakFreee I am, except I have to go to work. Unfortunately the residents can't look after themselves 🤷🏻‍♀️

@TeethingAgain

26. How come?!

I keep reading things about this. I still have smell/taste but one side of my nose, across the bridge and down the side feels like I've been punched, has been like it for a couple of days. I was just thinking it may be a sinus infection, but starting to wonder

That is definitely a sinus infection. It’s not a common presentation but it’s happened to me more than once. Feels exactly like you’ve been punched.You can probably sense or feel some crackles on the side that hurts.

@sniffysnifferson don't tell me that!! I can't get over how miserable I am just from losing my taste and smell!!! And it's only been a few hours, I can't take 2 days!!

How worrying that this has only come out in the past day or so. What else don't we know about this fecking virus?! It's weird that all these reports have started around the same time.

Nadine Dorries said this was one of her symptoms (and she was confirmed CV19) so please self isolate immediately.

Sorry jitterbug.
It's showing no signs of returning either. I cannot smell anything at all. Barely eaten as i can't taste anything and nothing seems appealing

How can I tell my employer I'm self isolating? There is zero nhs guidance on it only temp ans/or fever

I thought everyone was self isolating
No, everything is practising social distancing. Self isolating is staying at home for 7 days. You only do that if you’ve got symptoms .

Everyone

I had symptoms of COVID starting this time last week. I've been feeling better since about Thursday but have totally lost my sense of taste and smell. I didn't have it that bad, I had a dry cough on sat, coughed a bit more on sun, then on Monday and Tuesday felt really fluey, like shivery and just ill, weds felt slightly less grotty but very tired and slept all day, Thursday just felt tired and not ill, the had no sense of taste and still haven't.

Loss of taste & smell is a specific symptom of COVID, particularly in the absence of other symptoms. You must self isolate (along with your family) for 14 days. Do not go into work.

Because they say this a common presentation of the virus in young people so that would make sense if you are just 26.

@TeethingAgain ah I didn't know this! Yeah still none of either I called work and I'm not going in!