Does sense of smell and taste ever return?

[BriegeMcParland]

I have been living for the past six years without the senses as a result of brain injury. Just wondering.

[cat3]

Hi Briege. It's been almost 8 years since my olfactory 'losses'. I reported loss of taste and smell to my GP after reading on several respected sites that it could be a pre-curser to a stroke or other brain issue. She laughed me out of the surgery and two months later I collapsed with a brain haemorrhage.

I found it really difficult for the first year or so but gradually my taste has mostly returned, albeit a bit warped. For example, I can't eat red meat without gagging (used to love nothing better than a fillet steak with French mustard or lamb with Oxo gravy and mint sauce) …….. they taste rotten now. But by consciously envisaging tastes of many other foods whilst eating them, I swear I've got my taste buds mostly back in tune with my brain.

But the smell is another matter. The perfume I'd used all my life because of it's clean, fresh fragrance now smells disgusting, but my ability to smell certain heavily scented flowers such as Jasmin returned about 3-4 years after the bleed and it was such a delight ! But mostly when others complain of smelling unpleasant odours like gas, farmyard smells, garbage etc., they're aghast that I can't. It's all pretty hit and miss ; for instance Comfort fabric conditioner comes in lovely, heady wafts to me just from my clothes …….but no one else gets it !

It seems the smell issue is a more stubborn one and with little hope of improvement after many years, but it no longer bothers me. Is it still bothering you Briege ?

Cat x

[Hidden in reply to cat3]

Water ie water in the toilet system ( clean standing water) smells horrendous and cooking oils/fats smell of what I imagine decomposing flesh would smell like. My smell has gone bonkers and it's not nice sometimes. I also have flashback smells from my time in hospital ( am I going nuts?).

[cat3 in reply to Hidden]

No, definitely not ; it's much more common than I realised 'til it happened to me, but varies significantly in how it manifests. Three of us in my 4 bed neuro ward had the same issue but all with different variations.

It shocked me when I first cut myself after my BI and I could distinctly smell my own blood ! …….thought I was turning into a weir-wolf. 😲 x

[BriegeMcParland in reply to cat3]

It does and it doesn't. I have to admit that i limit My food variety and stick to plain food such as chicken and chips. Im the same with red meat, just avoid it. But it is having a knock on affect with weight gain and weight loss. Just never seems to balance its self. I hate not having a sense of smell and constantly am spraying perfume just to ensure that body odour stays to a minimum. It can get annoying when you have to say that no actually i don't have the ability to smell or taste, people look at me wild and even say oh you dont look like you have the cold or the flu. Its more complicated than having no hearing or sight because at least it is more recognisable. Its not really that bothering, i was more so curious to see if it will improve. Thank you

[cat3 in reply to BriegeMcParland]

Yes, I rely on chicken too, although bacon and tinned tuna fish are still palatable as their tastes haven't altered.

For some perverse reason I decided I'd make chilli-con-carne the other day and that, come hell or high water, I'd enjoy it as I always used to. The smell of mincemeat cooking should've told me all I needed to know but I persevered 'til it was in front of me...….and it tasted unearthly. My local fox lapped it up though, so not entirely wasted !

I don't have problems with veg thank goodness (apart from tomatoes which I used to eat like sweets but now tolerate for their antioxidant value, and I keep up protein intake with fish, eggs, chicken & pulses

My weight has increased since the Bi but more as a result of stopping smoking and decreased activity I guess, as mobility isn't what it once was.

Take care Briege…. x

[Hidden]

Mine has returned, but different than before, I would say that things smell differently, water (believe it or not) seems to smell strange and cooking fat/oils smell rancid, so I have regained my sense of smell but everything seems very jumbled up. After 50 years of smelling things then to have my smell go completely then get it back muddled up it's just another hurdle of the brain heamorrage that I'm left to cope with. So yes it's returned but not necessarily a good thing.

[FlowerPower62]

My husband lost his sense of smell and taste in January after his brain injury. the doctors said it was 50/50 whether it would return, and no idea when. However, when we went to the ENT clinic last week, having been sent to see if they could do anything about his dizziness (they couldn't), we were shocked at the doctor's reply when I mentioned his loss of smell and taste. he said, "well, I can tell you that it definitely won't come back, the very fine nerve has been severed." Ian was really upset about this, as he had been hoping it might return, but to be told in no uncertain terms that it won't was a bit harsh. He says he can taste sweet (I tried to stop putting sugar in his tea, but he noticed) and salt. The doctor said yes, he would, but it was the flavour which would not come back. Very sad.

[BriegeMcParland]

Thats good to know. I also had serve dizziness (vertigo) and still comes and goes because of the damage done inside my ear.

[WinB]

Hi Briege, My bed smells , my hair stinks and I'm the only one who can smell it arghhh !!

I know I am getting on Families nerves, as the only thing I can drink is coffee..Costa!! It is annoying as chocs taste lovely but my midriff bulge. Is expanding...Started a diet can only drink bottled water. Sit on chair that smells you name it all stinks!! Perfume is now a cheapo. Bath everyday am and pm (shower), but it does get better as food tastes good now and dieting, only chocs are a treat for losing weight. Not nice but we have not come this far to let our smells and taste buds stop us. Good luck and passes a smile for when smells are around xxxx

[wifesperspective]

my husband lost his smell and taste after an unprovoked assault nearly 2 years ago. he can get the sense of sweet, sour, heat but that's about it. He suffered a lot in the first year with an awful taste that he struggled to deal with (even though he can't taste?!) but this seems to have lessened.

[sashaming1]

Not mine after TBI 4 years ago.