Covid, loss of smell. Any positive stories about it coming back?

[IvorCutler]

I’m 4 days in to my first ever bout of Covid. Yesterday my sense of smell went completely. I keep spraying perfume and holding things under my nose but nothing is happening. My taste is odd too but I can differentiate between sweet/salty/spicy.

I suffer with anxiety and I’m really concerned about it not coming back… I know millions of people have been through the same and I’m probably being unnecessarily dramatic about it.

If you lost your sense of smell during Covid how long did it take to return?

❤

@gettingalife -sorry to hear you going through this too. Did you regain weak smell and taste in July, more so smell cause you'll get a hint like me and it will then disappear in afew seconds? I want you to know that you're not alone and we will fight this, stay strongx
I've seen afew GPs, one of them (nicest one out of the ones i've seen) said it will heal, give it time. Unfortunately, there is nothing that GP can do.
Does your nose feel blocked all the time?
I believe this will pass, let's get through this together💪

@Staystrong7 I had started to regain smell very slightly literally a week before I got Covid again in July. Now I'm like you, just getting a quick burst of a weak smell and then nothing. Thanks for the info on what your GP said, I'd resigned myself to it being like this forever so now have a bit more hope!

@gettingalife - it won't be forever, it will come back. You showed strength first time round, you can do this again💪
We can both beat this, you're not alone, sending you virtual hugs.
Definitely use the essential oil tips that everyone has kindly suggested in this thread. Eucalyptus oil is a good one to use.
Keep me updated.

@IvorCutler & @ladydoris
How did you keep yourselves going each day when you went through this? happy for any advicex
With your smell, did it feel like one nostril was blocked and it would alternate aswell as both would block at same time but had no cold?
It's still short burst of smell for me and then it's gone after afew seconds.
I always try to remember @ladydoris sound advice of 'persist with smell training even if no smell on some days or faint'x

It's tough. Honestly. I lost any will to cook. I like food. I could not correct anything, I could not just trust my sight as so much depends on smell, taste is not all. That was actually the worst part. Blocked nose would be a feeling when you are still ill and you did not completely recover. But this moment when your airwaves are absolutely free. When You breathe deeply and there is absolutely nothing. I would compare it as silence in front of the ocean.
The thing is : I had nappies to change at the time so I was thankful that I did not have a clue what was going on down there. Every day, I had my little "me" time with my little bottles to try to have a whiff of the past. Nothing for months. The beginnings are exhausting morally, but then when you start noticing that "something" is happening, trust your body, trust the process. It's a tidal wave and it will not stop.

I had Covid twice. First time in 2021 (before vaccines) and I lost smell for 3 months. It came back after taking zinc supplements.
The second time I got Covid was last June, I was vaccinated so I didn't lose smell.

Actually, not true. The second time I did lose smell but only a few days

@ladydoris - thanks for understanding where i'm coming from and offer advice where you can😊. Sometimes, when you try to explain to anyone of what you're going through, it is difficult for them to understand if they've not experienced it.
I've lost appetite to eat but trying to eat to stay healthy as much as i can but it's tough.
i miss the good and bad smells.
i want to be strong like you werex

6 months but it is still not as sensitive as it once was, I cannot always smell if food is off.

Abscent have good advise that I used.

abscent.org/learn-us/smell-training

@LizzieB44- So sorry to hear you had to go through it twice. You beat it twice, you've shown so much patience and strength like @ladydoris 💪how did you get through the 3 months? This week is start of 10th week. By the end of September, it will be 3 months.
I have my moments where i tear up now and again and anxiety kicks.
When that happens, will read the positive stories from everyone, to remain hopeful that it will come backx
How mg of zinc supplements did you take daily? Thanks

My taste was back within a few days but smell took months - maybe close to a year - to be actually normal again. But it is fine now most of the time, occasionally sort of cuts out and goes very weak.

I got anxious at some point but on the other hand, I was optimistic and knew the smell would come back eventually because it did for all the people around me that had Covid. Some needed more months, some less, but we all got it back so don't lose hope.
The hardest part for me was not being able to smell food when I cooked, as I'm very paranoid about smells (spoiled meat, etc...) but I'm alive :) I used to take showers twice a day as I was worried I had a bad smell so yeah, I became paranoid at some point.
I bought this zinc www.amazon.co.uk/Solgar-Zinc-50-Tablets-Pack/dp/B000A6LUC6/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=zinc+supplements&qid=1663058919&sr=8-5 It's good for so many things but you shouldn't take it for too long, you can finish the whole bottle and then make a pause of months (instructions from my GP). I think it helped because I took it the 2nd time I had Covid and I got back the smell so fast.
Hang in there!

@LizzieB44 - thanks for the zinc link😊
I'm going through what you did too, trying to not but so difficult cause i rely on my smells for everything. When cooking, you know there is a smell but just get hot air in the nose which is uncomfortable.
everyone else here on the thread went through the same and recovered so i need to stay positive🧘‍♀️

I wanted to share this positive message that are going through no smell and taste. We will all beat this💪

My husband and I both lost our senses of smell completely! We couldn’t even smell burning matches under our noses! Mine returned gradually and is now completely back to normal. Apparently the virus doesn’t affect the neutrons in your brain but in your nose. Knowing that also made me feel less panicky about the whole ordeal. Weirdly, the only thing that remained distorted for a while was artificial fragrances like toilet spray which all smelt very sweet and the same. It gradually returns to normal though in the vast majority of people.