Has anyone else experienced loss of Sens... - Cure Parkinson's
Has anyone else experienced loss of Sense of Smell well in advance of other PD symptoms?
Yes, I definitely have. My mother -- who also has Parkinson's -- always said that she could not smell gas -- the kind like in the canisters or stove, not the other kind -- although I guess that would apply too LOL. And then I noticed it too, not being able to smell the way I used to. I never realized that it might be linked to PD until asked my sense of smell by two different doctors.
Just as an aside, my uncle, who lived in an apartment, was in the fire when the apartment building was burned down and he died of smoke inhalation because he couldn't smell the smoke. He was the only one who died in that fire. I'm wondering if he might have had PD when he didn't respond to the fire alarm.
Thanx for your response. It seems that I lost my sense of smell about the time you were diagnosed, then had no more identifiable symptoms until a year ago. My father, though not the type to seek medical help, had many symptoms which we now see as probably PD. Maybe it is, to some extent, in our genes.
Yes. I was reading on this blog where it can be considered one of the first signs of PD.
My daughter kept smelling something. We finally picked up and moved furniture until under our sofa we found a dead RAT, the cat had brought in ?! I never smelled it!
Loss of smell also effects our taste for food. At times it can be difficult to eat because of not being able to taste the food. Texture seems to become more important.
Thanks for your response. I'll check under my couch.
DiCan,
I've had a weak sense of smell for as long as I can remember -- at least back to my teens. I'm 55 now. I was assuming it was genetic from my maternal grandmother having no sense of smell. The symptoms that ended up with me getting the PD Dx started about 7-8 years ago.
> Loss of smell also effects our taste for food.
You're right on (for me) about the appeal of food. I've never been food-focused, probably due at least in part to the sense of smell;.
> Texture seems to become more important.
And, I definitely have a general preference (meaning there are exceptions) for crunch over mushy.
About a1.5 years ago, I got a job after not having one for a while (the company I was at was hit hard by the mortgage/housing meltdown, and there was a big batch of lay-offs.) Anyway, since then (June 2010), I have been eating a lot less. I mean, really a lot. Typical workday: get up late (I'm a night owl), shower, get dressed, go to work without having breakfast, work thru lunch time without eating (rarely: a can of fruit during the day), go home and have just enough to not be too hungry to get to sleep. During that time, with no other changes (except for the stated two: getting a job and eating much less), I've gone from 255 pounds to 180.
Now, I know that this is not the best way to lose weight, and is certainly not a good idea for the long term. For one thing, I wanted to get down to the 180's, but don't want to get much lower because that can be dangerous if you get sick (eg, pneumonia). And, I know that the body generally wants go be given some fuel about every 3 hours (while you're awake). I'll be returning to more sane/recommended eating habits now. (But, I'll still have that weak sense of smell,)
I have had days when I literally forgot to eat.
It hasn’t really help me to loose much weight.
I go through phases of not being able to eat then wanting to eat often. Never sure which phase I am in till I sit down to eat.
Definately - had no sense of smell for several years.
Many people seem to know that it happens. Nobody seems to know why. Do you have any theories or ideas about what made you a candidate for PD?
I had allergies to Dust, Mold, Weeds, and Smokers in my 20s, That went away in early 30s. PD was diagnosed when I was 50. Slowly my sense of smell faded. It comes and goes now, not totally gone, just not always there. Many people I spoken to has experienced this lack of sense of smell. (Hello!! Are you listening researchers?? There has to be a link here also.)
Yes, researchers looking into understanding that is called for (never know where new understanding will lead).
More directly, one neurologist I saw bemoaned that people with low sense of smell aren't flagged as PD candidates much sooner. That would seem to put it on the GP's to catch that. Treatment could be done sooner; potential years of uncertainty could be reduced, ... other benefits i'm not thinking of?
One of the possible benefits might be the ability to match up date of hearing loss with dates of "insult to the brain" such as head trauma and/or exposure to caustic chemicals, insecticides. In my case there is a pretty good match. It could also provide good evidence as to whether, in some cases, the disease may be hereditary.
Yes i lost my sense of smell a number of years ago. It was a gradual loss. It was one of the questions the neurologist asked at my first consultation along with whether i smoked cigarettes.
Here is some research on it showing it is common, found in over 70% of PwP.
Yes, I lost the sense of smell several years before I was diagnosed with PD.
At the time I read somewhere the loss of smell was an indication that one would, in the future, have dementia.
I lost my sense of smell at least 10 years b4 I got diagnosed. Completely changed my relationship with food
I also have lost my sense of smell though not completely. I didn't realise this until asked if I could smell gas. I couldn't. This loss can be quite useful at times, especially if our dogs have found something particularly nasty to roll in but I missed the smell of turkey cooking this year. Unfortunataly, it hasn't affected my appetite and I still cannot lose weight. Though am not really a foodie.
yes suffer from rhynites number of years prior to diagnoseses of pd
Yes! It drives me crazy sometimes, because I cannot smell what I am cooking.
Some odors, like diesel, I can still smell. Usually I react to a chemical before I can smell it, like cleaning supplies will make me feel nauseated even though I smell no odor. It also has affected my taste to a degree.
I have had a diminished sense of smell for as long as I can remember.
Still can smell somewhat and still love to cook and eat.
loss the sense of smell in 3rd phase.
Shaken lady It is unusual that your loss of hearing was so delayed. It alters some of my theories on the subject.
I read your most recent question and your bio. Wish I could give you something helpful, but lack the knowledge to match your 20 years experience. We should be asking you questions. I would like to hear (read} your story.
Ronn
i was diagnosed with pd 4yrs ago but i lost my senseof smell about 10 yrs ago
I to have lost my sense of smell and taste.I have no appetite due to the meds.
I have lost most of my sense of smell and taste. I have no appetite and have gone from 170 now down to 138 pounds... Caused by stress? PD? Lack of sleep PD? Most foods do not taste good or appealing to me at all.
I too have lost my sense of taste, but not smell. Eating is not as much fun now. 
I have not experienced this, but have heard from many others that this is a very highly noticed symptom of PD. I hope this does not happen to me because I have always had an excellent sense of smell and would really miss it!
Yes! This can be good or bad. I liked the sofa response!
Yes! This can be good or bad. I liked the sofa response!
Has anyone with PD changed medication, when the initial one was not working? 
