Lost my sense of smell

pattycake

I know that it is unacceptable to give medical advice on this board but I really need some help. I had flu in the middle of December and then had secondary infections of laryngitis and sinisitus. I was prescribed antibiotics for the latter infections. I am feeling quite a bit better now but my nose still feels blocked and I literally cannot smell a thing. Even Olbas oil on a tissue is virtually without scent.

Do I need to be patient (no pun intended!) or should I get back in touch with my GP?

Thanks for any advice.

Quasar

I get that during my sinusitis flare ups. I can neither smell nor taste anything, but it usually clears within one or two weeks. I think only a doctor can give you proper advice as to what to take or not take.

spidystrider

A similar thing happened with me many years ago after an attack of the flu. Unfortunately I had developed nasal polyps and nearly 10 years later I am still trying to find a cure. Fingers crossed you don't have these.

alwaysbrassic

I lost my sense of smell for 3 weeks with sinusitis. See your GP to see if antibiotics or a nasal spray are needed.
Hope you get better soon! You don't realise how much you value your sense of smell until you loose it!

ellay864

I've never (as far as I can remember) had a sense of smell. It makes me a very fussy eater - can't take anything even mildly spicy and go by texture much more as I don't get flavours. But on the plus side when DH lets rip at night I'm immune

mum2one

I lost my sense of smell at 10, great when some passes wind!!

Joking apart, I would pop and see the GP they can advise which way the best to go xx

pattycake

Thank you all for your replies. I have seen my GP this evening and he has prescribed a steroid nasal spray. He says I need to use it for a month and not to expect a quick fix. If no improvement after that time, I have to go back.

I do hope I will be sorted out though. I am hating not being able to smell anything. I know there are plenty of nasty niffs but also lots of lovely things to smell.

I look after my baby granddaughter a couple of days a week and I have not been able to tell if she needed changing by sniffing as I usual do. I have been paranoid that she is dirty and constantly peering down her pants! Poor thing.

ellay864

pattycake wrote: »

I look after my baby granddaughter a couple of days a week and I have not been able to tell if she needed changing by sniffing as I usual do. I have been paranoid that she is dirty and constantly peering down her pants! Poor thing.

I had that constantly when I had mine! I relied on friends to tell me or had to take a peek...and pray it wasn't a runny one :eek:

pattycake

An update. I used the steroid nasal spray for 8 days but found that my chest was becoming very tight and I felt dry and scratchy in my throat. Another visit to the GP. He did not believe it was the spray although conceded it could be a reaction to a preservative or something.

I have stopped using the spray (on the advice of the GP) and I have now to wait a month to see if my sense of smell returns. Things are exactly the same and I am finding the thought of never being able to smell again very depressing.

thegirlintheattic

When you had the cold did you use Sinex Nasal Spray or something similar?

These have been known to cause a blocked nose and loss of smell if taken for too long. Took me about a month to get my sense of smell back after using it for one day more than the package said.

pattycake

No, I did not. All I took was paracetamol until I was prescribed antibiotics by the doctor. I did try Sudafed before going back to the GP but that did not help at all.