Anyone else completely lost their sense of taste & smell due to the virus?

[tidyupandeatyourgreens]

I'm really struggling with the symptom of a total loss of smell and taste (it's day 4) as I have Covid-19 (my husband had it first and brought it home from work we think - he's a nurse)...it's the 7th day since my symptoms began but this is the one symptom I'm really struggling with which is accompanied by sinus pain and frontal headaches. I'm just so worried in case these senses don't return and nobody can really say if they will (although from what I've heard hopefully they will!). There is simply no enjoyment from anything I eat or drink and I love food and cooking! And not being able to smell a thing is awful too. Is anyone else experiencing this symptom and how are you coping?

Oh and I had a runny nose but I get hayfever so might be that

I'm convinced I had it back at the end of February, along with all of the usual symptoms I lost my sense of taste and smell for 24 days. I began to get anxious after a fortnight because although loss of senses is a common side effect with a nasty cold I had never experienced it for as long as that before.

I've not been tested and didn't have high temp or cough so am not convinced I've had it,but I lost my sense of smell and taste, along with fatigue, aching, headaches and general cold symptoms etc. My sense of taste was lost for about 10 days and is now about 85% returned. Sense of smell is still very poor after 14 days, albeit returning slowly.
At its worst I couldn't smell essential oils, inhaled straight from bottle, I was crushing fresh mint and basil and couldn't even get a vague whiff and couldn't smell food as it was cooking on the stove. All very bizarre! I'm much relieved that it is returning.

Well possibly, but if I had it then it's been very mild so may be wishful thinking.
I started with a dry cough, then lost all sense of taste and smell. I was also wheezy, had a headache and a woolly feeling in my head, nose and throat and I completely lost my appetite and had spells of upset stomach.
The loss of taste and smell lasted a full 7 days. Smell came back first and taste is only just approaching normal now, 3 weeks later. It was odd but didn't bother me as I ate loads less, which is a good thing. Hope you feel better soon though.

I’m pretty sure I had it. I had quite a few of the symptoms for about two weeks, but the no taste and smell has lingered on. I think I’m about day 22 since symptoms started. At it’s worse I couldn’t taste or smell anything, it was bizarre. It has started to come back but progress is super slow!

My sense of taste hasn't come back, but my sense of smell has started to, I could smell the chicken tonight while I took it out of the oven. For the last few days I haven't had any sinus pain but my symptoms started a month ago so it's taken a long time. I'm underweight now, I've gone from about 9 stone to about 8 stone and I'm 5'8" but I can't taste anything so eating just seems pointless. Generally my symptoms were mild (compared to dh) but this is really lingering. Dh didn't lose his sense of taste or smell but had it much worse overall (we think he brought it home from a visit to family in Milan in February).

I know five people from different households who are reporting this symptom but none of them believe it to be covid, as they don't have a cough or a temperature. They all seem to have aches and headache, sometimes a sore throat and this loss of taste an smell but not what we are being told are the main symptoms.

So, is the cough and temperature thing not far reaching enough or is there something else doing the rounds?

I've just regained my smell and taste after 2 weeks with nothing. It just started with slight runny nose for a couple of days. I posted on here last week as there have been lots of people saying the same thing. It is bizarre. I have never lost these senses except with a heavy cold and then only for a couple of days. It all came back very gradually though. Don't despair.

I lost my sense of taste and smell completely, almost overnight, same day as a temperature (obvious but not that high). Several days of extreme tiredness. No cough. Started to come back on about day 7. Still not completely back but I’m getting there. Once I realised it was coming back it was interesting to suddenly notice whiffs of eg bread toasting. It’s made me really value my ability to smell things!

At no stage was my nose blocked at all. Slight sniffle at the beginning but no sinus pain or similar.

I would be interested to know whether there is another (non-cold related) virus doing the rounds that attacks your sense of taste and smell. My nose was clear the whole time.

I've woken up with a cold this morning. Classic cold symptoms, sore throat and runny nose. How is that possible when I haven't been in contact with anyone in weeks?

@Makeitgoaway nobody at all? Do you live alone, no shopping or exercise? Nobody in your household going out for shopping or exercise?

Yes, sorry I wasn't being entirely serious. I haven't been shopping for 10 days and neither has anyone else in the house. We've only been out for exercise and followed all the social distancing guidelines, never touch anything and handwash immediately on return, that's all.

I'd have though if all these "rules" worked, I'd be pretty safe from a cold.

Could be hay fever

I lost mine about 3 weeks ago now and although I can slightly smell now it is only very very slightly. I didn't notice it going at first and only noticed it back when there was a particularly strong smell but I'm still not quite smelling right

It’s very clearly not hay fever.

A runny nose and sore throat couldn't be hay fever? Why not?

I lost my taste and smell a month ago. I’d had symptoms for the week before, chills, aching, slight sore throat and cough, but nothing much.
The worst symptoms for me and a week later DH, was the sinusitis which made us very ill.
Feel we’ve turned a corner this week, smell is there slightly but still no taste. Not sure whether or not we had Corona, but it seems odd we’ve had exactly the same symptoms for so long.