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Original poster

Loss of taste and sense of smell. How long?

30 replies

NLW91 · 13/07/2021 08:08

Hi all,

I currently have covid. Probably my first day where I don’t feel too bad. Cough is subsiding, no temperature but loss of taste and sense of smell is really getting to me. How long did it last for you? I know when I’m eating something sugary etc but just can’t get the taste through currently 😢

OP posts:
ThePinkBush · 13/07/2021 08:14

I’m in exactly the same boat, interested to know too…

PeonyTime · 13/07/2021 08:20

How long is a piece of string?
A friend with covid at Christmas still has no sense of taste or smell. Her husband's returned after about a month, I think.

Porcupineintherough · 13/07/2021 08:21

Anything from a few hours to 18 months and counting. Most likely a couple of days.

Original poster
NLW91 · 13/07/2021 08:48

@ThePinkBush

I’m in exactly the same boat, interested to know too…
It’s hard to explain isn’t it? Like I can taste something sugary on my palette but not really taste it and the same with salty things etc. The sensation is there but taste not so. I did have runny nose etc but this has gone now. So I’m hoping it won’t be too long before I can enjoy my favourite foods again
OP posts:
Original poster
NLW91 · 13/07/2021 08:49

@PeonyTime

How long is a piece of string? A friend with covid at Christmas still has no sense of taste or smell. Her husband's returned after about a month, I think.
I know I wouldn’t get a definitive answer, j was just curious as to how it differed between people
OP posts:
thirstyformore · 13/07/2021 08:52

One week for me....my husband still hasn't got his fully back 6 months later (although he can taste and smell strong things).

ThePinkBush · 13/07/2021 09:03

Toothpaste smells really weird and chemically as does vinegar Confused… There have been threads on this before (lots) and it seems like if you’ve had it mildly it comes back fairly quickly. As a generalisation.

Original poster
NLW91 · 13/07/2021 09:13

@ThePinkBush

Toothpaste smells really weird and chemically as does vinegar Confused… There have been threads on this before (lots) and it seems like if you’ve had it mildly it comes back fairly quickly. As a generalisation.
I’d say I’ve been lucky and not been bed bound. Just feels like a heavy cold and a lot more tired than usual. It’s probably been about 4 days now of no taste and smell but other symptoms are improving luckily so hopefully on the mend!
OP posts:
Sisisimone · 13/07/2021 10:48

Mine came back after a day or so. My niece was about 2 weeks and I know of someone else who still has no sense of smell months later. I've read that taking Zinc helps it come back. I was already taking it prior to getting covid and wonder if it was a factor in mine coming back so quickly.

ThePinkBush · 13/07/2021 11:42

I bought some zinc on Amazon yesterday so will let you know!

itchybitch · 13/07/2021 11:50

I had Covid at New Year. Still gradually getting smell and taste back but its not as it was before, still things I cannot taste such as tea. I had it mildly just a headache and tinnitus and lack of smell and taste. I take a good vitamin with zinc in, 1000 mgs vitamin C daily and 4000IU vitamin D3

ThePinkBush · 13/07/2021 11:54

Great! Shock

RoseAddict · 13/07/2021 12:15

I did the smell retraining thing where you sniff essential oils. I thought it was bollocks but my sense of smell did very slowly come back. It took a long time (6 months?) but now things smell more or less normal again and I can smell my roses 🌹

Original poster
NLW91 · 13/07/2021 14:57

@RoseAddict

I did the smell retraining thing where you sniff essential oils. I thought it was bollocks but my sense of smell did very slowly come back. It took a long time (6 months?) but now things smell more or less normal again and I can smell my roses 🌹
You just bought some essential oils and started sniffing them? I feel like I should start doing this to maybe aid helping mine return
OP posts:
ifonly4 · 13/07/2021 15:08

A member of DF's family passed away in March last year - all of her immediate family had symptons and had been in touch with the deceased. No one else lost their taste and smell except her. She's probably the extreme but says it only starting to come back now.

Sisisimone · 13/07/2021 15:43

You just bought some essential oils and started sniffing them?
Anything strong smelling will do the trick. I brought it back by sniffing away at a tub of Vicks Vaporub Grin

CherieBabySpliffUp · 13/07/2021 15:49

It took about 2 weeks for me and it can still be a bit hit and miss 8 months later. For some reason curry is completely tasteless now Sad

ThePinkBush · 14/07/2021 15:45

Mine is back a bit today (went two days ago) but not fully. I’ve been taking zinc since yesterday 🤞🏻

RoseAddict · 14/07/2021 20:50

Yes I already had some but there were 4 essential oils you were supposed to start with I think I had patchouli, lemon, lime, peppermint or eucalyptus rose and clove. Not sure which were the recommended 4 but you can look up smell retraining. To start with I could smell nothing at all, then very very slowly after a few weeks I could smell the earthier smells although they didn’t smell normal and I couldn’t necessarily tell which was this. I remember working really hard at distinguishing between lemon and lime and the last to come back was rose. It took a long time and I have no idea if the essential oils helped but there were some studies supporting the idea and they seemed to say it was more effective if you started sooner rather than later

RoseAddict · 14/07/2021 20:55

I had covid incredibly mildly, almost no symptoms but the loss of sense of smell lasted a few months.

Original poster
NLW91 · 14/07/2021 21:06

@ThePinkBush

Mine is back a bit today (went two days ago) but not fully. I’ve been taking zinc since yesterday 🤞🏻
Today I managed to taste a bit of my dinner. Was mild but some flavours came through. I have like a constant smell in my nose, not sure if that’s just the recovery process of my nose 😂
OP posts:
Porcupineintherough · 14/07/2021 21:10

Watch out for phantom smells as it comes back. I kept smelling burning.

FlagsFiend · 14/07/2021 21:54

My sense of smell is still out after 7 months. Some things smell normal but maybe a bit faint. Some things, like onions and lemons, smell awful. Other things just don't smell at all, I can't smell gas for example - I'm a science teacher so this is a bit of a safety issue, I'm currently banned from using the gas at school so hoping my sense of smell fixes itself soon as lots of practicals need Bunsen burners. I also get phantom smells where I think I can smell burning or gas but it's not really there.

Bobbiebigbum · 14/07/2021 21:55

Personally mine is not properly restored after a year Sad

ThePinkBush · 15/07/2021 09:00

Things do smell a bit of gas but I can’t smell burning Confused
It’s no better today than yesterday, was hoping it would be. A friend who had it in the first wave said her’s and her husband’s took a month. Average is 21 days. 😬

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