Loss of taste experiences.

[Somethingsnappy]

Hi everyone. I just wondered what experiences others have had with losing sense of taste with covid.

I tested positive a few days ago and lost my sense of taste pretty quickly. I've heard stories where people have said that even after recovery, their sense of taste has not returned for months, if at all, and I'm worried. How have others found it?

Hi op. It may surprise you. Dp got covid in December and his taste and smell went fully & suddenly but only for 3 days. It came back fully straight away too - there is hope. He woke up one morning still not being able to taste anything but could taste by the evening. He was lucky!

Ite been a little more difficult for me, but not terrible. I lost it more gradually over the first few days of covid. I ended up having about 4-5 days where I couldn't taste a thing then it was an ever so gradual process for it coming back. Some things I could taste, others not, similar with smell. When my taste started coming back, nothing tasted right for a week or 2, it was bland and I had a weird off or smoky taste especially with sweet stuff - it was Christmas so absolute hell! Over a month on now, taste is mainly back, some days things taste bland but generally pretty good and not an issue anymore. Smell is still not right for me. I can smell most things but others not. Like I haven't been able to smell Dp's sweat when he gets in from work before he jumps in the shower, I haven't been able to smell his coffee (I hate coffee) and I haven't been able to smell when my dc visit the loo.. so not a bad thing or course but j get paranoid wondering if I smell and I can't smell it! Or if my house smells! 😅

Most people will get it back pretty soon! I feel really sorry for those who haven't been able to taste for months or years - I couldn't cope.

I hope it comes back for you pretty quick.

Thank you very much for your in-depth answer; that's helpful and good to know!

@Somethingsnappy

Thank you very much for your in-depth answer; that's helpful and good to know!

I tend to waffle on and add too much detail. Hope it comes back for you quickly ☺️

@CA0932017, detail is good! It's good to share experiences. Especially when sitting inside feeling rubbish. I can't even turn to chocolate for comfort as I can't taste it

@Somethingsnappy not being able to taste chocolate is the worst thing for sure!

I know! The one thing I feel like eating too

Don't lose hope. My sense of taste and smell disappeared but then suddenly came back in full after only 1.5 days.

I tested positive in early October 2021, my sense of smell and taste disappeared around day 4, it was bizarre just like flicking a switch (Bill Gates 🤔)

Anyway it's been pretty awful since I still don't smell most things but occasionally get a tiny waft of something as though from miles away.

Taste is equally rubbish, I've worked out that I do taste sweet, salty, sour and bitter however other than that I can't really make out any flavours. So a bag of crisps tastes salty but I do not get even a hint of potato, sweet and salty popcorn is sweet and salty but not popcorny, curry is hot but I can't identify any spices, cake is sweet and pleasant but I can't tell you if it's chocolate or plain sponge 😟. Chocolate is just gooey and sweet and actually awful, but I discovered by chance that I can taste oranges properly! So I tried a chocolate orange left over from Christmas and it was wonderful so I do feel that there's light at the end of the tunnel.

@Lavendersquare, oh no!

But that's good news, @KylieKoKo!

I had (presumably) Delta in mid-November. Lost taste and smell completely for about ten days. They came back fairly gradually at first and are now pretty much back to normal with one glaring exception.... I can't taste tea!! It was the one thing I missed the most so I'm genuinely gutted about it - it just tastes like horrible soggy cabbage-water still. I have a cupboard full of different brands and I've even bought a new kettle, but to no avail :(

I lost my sense of smell and taste on about day 7 or 8; it was completely gone for about a week and then gradually returned. I couldn’t stomach the smell or taste of coffee for about a month though. All fine now.

One year on and I still can't smell and taste properly. Some days I can smell some things but it's rarely the 'right' smell, other days nada. Can taste sweet/savoury/acid and bitter but no flavours.

4 months down, there were signs on it returning then booster knocked it out again. Now I can taste some things perfectly fine, but others not at all. Eating tuna pasta now and can’t taste it at all.

Smell also comes and goes…

@Somethingsnappy it was so strange. Like a switch turning off then back on again. DP got his back after only about 3 days as well.

I did spend the whole time sniffing vicks and my rosemary bush trying to get it back so maybe that helped?

@KylieKoKo, mine turned off like a switch too. I'll try sniffing some essential oils or something!

There are some worrying experiences on here. It seems different for everyone.

It is very odd the way it's just gone. I woke up one morning and realised I couldn't taste my toothpaste at all. It felt almost as if those senses had never existed. At one point I was licking soap, just to try and force myself to taste something!