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Sense of smell and taste

43 replies

OneMorePieceofCheese · 31/10/2021 07:36

For anyone who's had a mild case of Covid, how long did it take for your sense of taste and smell to return?

I started feeling unwell on Wednesday, got a positive PCR on Thursday and realised I couldn't taste or smell on Friday.

I think I'm beginning to feel better

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OneMorePieceofCheese · 31/10/2021 07:37

Posted too soon!

I think I'm beginning to feel better but I'd love to hear how long the total loss of smell and taste lasts. I know it can last for a month but hoping some people will be on to say a few days!

Double jabbed if that makes a difference.

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coconutcurls · 31/10/2021 07:43

I had covid in January and my taste still comes and goes

OneMorePieceofCheese · 31/10/2021 07:50

@coconutcurls

I had covid in January and my taste still comes and goes
Oh no! Poor you!

Is that standard do you think or have you been particularly unlucky? Thanks

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Patters4779 · 31/10/2021 07:56

Covid in July.. smell and taste goes and comes back all the time. Somethings have never tasted the same. Bread tastes like disinfectant and dairy tastes off all the time. I went off coffee and cheese 😮

OneMorePieceofCheese · 31/10/2021 08:19

Noooooooo!

Any happier outcomes? Anyone? Please?!

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HavfrueDenizKisi · 31/10/2021 08:28

I had Covid a month ago. I'd say it's 50% back. I can smell more stuff (but not everything- I still can't smell bleach for example). Taste is partly back but some things taste altered and some I still cannot taste at all (like bread).

There is research out there to say you have to retrain your smell. Use essential oils and sniff them several times a day for a few minutes.

Youremindmeofthebabe · 31/10/2021 08:32

Total loss of taste and smell on Monday (5 days+) Today I’ve just started to have some sense of smell back- onions, bacon, juice. No taste yet. I remain hopeful as it’s awful! My husband lost for about 4 weeks and then around 2 weeks to having it all back. Fingers crossed for you (and me!)

Silkieschickens · 31/10/2021 08:33

I had a bad case of covid, still have symptoms after 6 weeks, started mid September but taste and smell back in around a week. It comes back in stages. I blew my nose a lot whilst eating and you get hints of smell and taste then more comes back gradually.

hattiesmith · 31/10/2021 08:55

I tested positive on Wednesday and lost taste and smell on the Monday. I started to notice it was coming back on Thursday.
It's a bit of a rollercoaster recovery wise. I perked up on Thursday but back to being quite poorly on the Friday and still am today.
Just take every day as it comes.
I really hope it passes soon for you.

Wonkydonkey44 · 31/10/2021 08:56

7 weeks for me

pictish · 31/10/2021 08:58

I’m currently self isolating with Covid and have no sense of taste or smell. I hope it comes back eventually.

Yika · 31/10/2021 09:00

Started to come back after a week or so but I couldn’t stand coffee for weeks after and some other things also tasted strange. After a month everything was normal.

Appliancedesparation · 31/10/2021 09:07

I'm a year on and my sense if smell has never returned, I either smell nothing or a weird chemical smell. Taste is 80% back but there are some foods that now taste disgusting to me. I had a v mild case of covid. Sorry!

Choconuttolata · 31/10/2021 09:11

My taste is back, my smell is back, but struggle to smell mild smells like whether food is off. I also get phantom smoke smells. Mine started to return at month 4. Having discovered smell training, I am now trying to help it along.

[]abscent.org/learn-us/smell-training]]

OneMorePieceofCheese · 31/10/2021 09:27

A really mixed bag then!

Thanks all. I miss food.

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Bobbleka · 31/10/2021 09:48

My taste and smell came back after a week but it’s very much dulled. Glad to have something back though. I remember so well how much I missed food. The worst part was the not knowing how long it would last or what would come next.

BitchIAmFromChicago · 31/10/2021 09:53

Mine started to come back after about 8 weeks, then i developed parosmia which is super shit! I can no longer eat anything with eggs, garlic, onion or meat in it as it tastes absolutely rancid.

OneMorePieceofCheese · 31/10/2021 09:55

Currently I can just about discern salty vs sweet (if I try really hard) but not sure if I'm just relying on texture.

Sprayed some perfume on my wrist earlier - couldn't smell a thing.

Trying to see the positives - time to use up that horrid smelling body cream!

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Tina8800 · 31/10/2021 20:46

@OneMorePieceofCheese I got my first symtoms last Sunday and lost smell and taste on Tuesday. Still nothing and I am getting really worried. I hope it will start to return soon!

Needspace21 · 31/10/2021 20:50

Unfortunately a year and it's not back to where it was Sad

Bobholll · 31/10/2021 21:10

I’m in week 4 post covid & I started carving my pumpkins this morning and was DELIGHTED to realise I could actually smell them! I ran round my kitchen sniffing everything I could 😂 It’s still at about 50% but I’ll take it! Interestingly, my taste is also vastly improved today. I couldn’t taste garlic, ginger, mint for example but now I can smell them, I can taste them!

MySaladDaysAreGone · 31/10/2021 21:12

Both came back after 2-3 weeks.

ThePoisonousMushroom · 31/10/2021 21:14

Completely back after 4-5 days for me.

Suspiciousmind20 · 31/10/2021 21:29

Following. I miss coffee. Sad

OneMorePieceofCheese · 01/11/2021 19:46

I can "feel" acid on my tongue from lemon. I think I can tell sweet from salty and I can feel the fresh-air feeling from menthol / toothpaste etc.

Absolutely nothing else, not even really strong stuff like whisky.

On the plus side, I've cut down on sugary foods because what's the point?!

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