Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Has anyone lost their taste and smell for just a brief period?

25 replies

opalescent · 21/07/2021 23:27

My son is recovering from covid and has zero taste or smell.
All I can find online is awful stories of months without these senses!!

Can anyone reassure me it was just brief for them?

Thank you 😊

OP posts:
BackforGood · 21/07/2021 23:30

My 19 yr old.

Lost her taste for about 3 days and smell came back after about a fortnight

Original poster
opalescent · 21/07/2021 23:31

@BackforGood thank you 😊

OP posts:
ChooChu · 21/07/2021 23:32

My 16 year old has only had a sore throat and brief loss/change of taste.

Porcupineintherough · 21/07/2021 23:32

Me - 12 hours (I was ill for a couple of weeks but these symptoms were really fleeting).

RoseRedRoseBlue · 22/07/2021 00:15

All back within 3-4 weeks

Maggiesfarm · 22/07/2021 01:17

I did for a while, can't remember how long but senses came back. There were far worse symptoms, especially my feet and toes. However that went eventually though took longer.

Fl0w3ry · 22/07/2021 01:33

It started coming back after about 10 days from complete loss of taste. It came back gradually after that starting point, but going from zero to some taste was amazing so I'm not sure how long it took to fully come back. But think it was not long after that.

LatinforTelly · 22/07/2021 02:11

About a week for me. I didnt lose taste completely but did lose smell.

Lindy2 · 22/07/2021 03:19

I lost my sense of smell. It came back after only about 4 or 5 days. It was a gradual return though so it was probably about 2 weeks to be mostly at full strength again.

DH lost smell and taste. Again though it was only for about a week. Strong tastes like mustard returned first and then everything else followed although the strength fluctuated a bit to begin with.

I think it does return for almost everyone in the end. I hope he recovers soon.

Grellbunt · 22/07/2021 05:54

About 12 hrs yes

QueenStromba · 22/07/2021 06:46

Never lost my sense of smell, if anything it might have been heightened. I did lose most of my smell linked sense of taste though - sweet, salty etc seemed fine but I could barely taste anything else for 3-4 days.

unidentifed · 22/07/2021 06:57

It's been 13 months for my healthy, 30 year old sister, and no, her taste and smell are still not all the way back, maybe 80%?

But Covid totally doesn't affect young people HmmHmmHmm

Sisisimone · 22/07/2021 06:59

Yes lost sense of smell and it was back within 3 days. Buy him some zinc supplements, its supposed to help the process.

Livebythecoast · 22/07/2021 07:25

I'm worried about this too OP. My 17 yr old DD tested positive on Tuesday and has completely lost her taste and smell. We had a 'guess what it is' test last night putting mustard, ketchup, mayo, lemon juice and brown sauce on a spoon (not altogether!) and she couldn't taste a thing bless her. I've made some lovely salads the past couple of days and tried not to comment on the lovely taste as it seems cruel!

StealthPolarBear · 22/07/2021 07:28

Yes me for just a couple of days. I realised when I had a salad which was watery things and crunchy things covered in gritty stuff (houmous) and absolutely no taste. Couldn't smell vapo rub.
Taste came back after a day or two and smell a day or so after that.

olidora63 · 22/07/2021 07:29

Taste and smell improved over 10 days . Even now 7 months later I definitely have days where my taste and smell briefly disappears and can honestly say that coffee has never tasted the same!

Summersdreaming · 22/07/2021 07:53

I'm about 5 days in, it's quite a shock to lose all enjoyment of food! I've got quite a few restaurant vouchers that need using which I'd been saving for restrictions being lifted, but I can't imagine going to a restaurant again until my taste is back! I'm far too tight to pay for a meal I can't taste 😩

StealthPolarBear · 22/07/2021 07:58

Yes I've had a few odd things since smell and taste returned. I ate hula hoops which tasted like grapes and last night I could smell washing up liquid everywhere.

Mumski45 · 22/07/2021 08:09

I lost smell for a short while but only slightly and not taste. Only realised my smell was gone when I went to have a bath using a lush bath bomb and realised I couldn't smell it at all. All back to normal now after only a few days of being ill and maybe a week or 2 of lost smell.

PeonyTime · 22/07/2021 08:12

DS couldn't smell for about 2 days. He was barely eating, so limited info on taste.

29ac · 22/07/2021 08:16

My OH lost his taste and smell for about a week and then it came back, he’s 30. He’s not had any changes in taste since either which other people have experienced.

Lampzade · 22/07/2021 08:25

Came back in two weeks

Yika · 22/07/2021 09:10

About a week for me, though I couldn’t bear the taste of coffee for about a month.

Havehope21 · 14/12/2021 12:10

@Sisisimone - what strength of zinc did you take?

Lockdownlucy76 · 14/12/2021 12:26

Me. Disappeared on around day 3. Couldn't smell a thing. Was fully back a couple of weeks later.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread