Smell or taste.

Hi, I have no sense of smell or taste due to my accident 16 months ago. I can tell you if something tastes sweet, sour, spicy or salty but that's it. I can smell something that is nice but it lasts for 2 seconds and I couldn't tell you what it is, even if it's perfume or aftershave. Does anyone else have this? I dont know how long it will take to get it back, even if I do get it back. All I have accepted is that I like the texture of some of the food I eat and leave it at that. I get frustrated with people asking me if I have enjoyed food or a drink where I have no clue! Will it come back, who knows but is there anyone else on here who could give me some positives from the negative I hate but try and joke about.. Hope you all have a good day. 😊

[Jodac8]

I'm 5 years post accident and like you my sense of taste and smell have gone astray, I can taste if its really sweet or really strong hence I eat biscuits and cake more now which I never did before and now I need to look at my plate to see what I'm eating and try and remember the taste, as for smell I can't smell perfume at all I will buy the ones I still had post accident because I must have liked them to have them.Ive just accepted that after 5 years I doubt my taste and smell will ever be normal again but its good to be different

[Hidden in reply to Jodac8]

Thank you for your reply. I don't mind not tasting food or having a sense of smell anymore as long as I like the texture of the food. I have actually got into my head that I won't get smell or taste back so I kind of making a joke at times when I can't smell or taste. I used to love my chocolate but I haven't eaten it like I used to. I will have dark chocolate every other day to help with brain injury recovery but it's not what I used to love eating haha. I miss the taste of Wotsits which I absolutely love so I haven't had them for a while. It's just frustrating at times and wondered if anyone else understood me and could give me their opinion, so thank you. 😊

[Shreds]

Lion

I believe the loss of smell and taste are commonly one of the first things to go after a BI. (Olefactory nevre and system etc)

Its frutrating but if thats the worst outcome when they could be and for some much, much worse, then its something I accept.

Generally it is often said that the recovery of this varies but is greatest recovery in the first eighteen to twenty four months.

But my logic is that a baby learns many things like this in their very, early years and so why cant we learn them again?

So I now cite progress and enjoyment when new tastes and smells are experienced.

Some things though still evade me at present and I persevere. I am seven years in and I still score successes though I rely on help from others telling me if something like milk might smell “off”.

Lets face it, many are not as lucky as me and I take comfort from the positive and continue the journey of discovery.

[Hidden in reply to Shreds]

It's not the worst outcome for me but I see what you're saying. I was only asking for anyones advice on the matter but feel like I shouldn't have thought about asking. It isn't just something that's the worst outcome for me but it still affects me on a daily basis. Nevermind ......

[Shreds in reply to Hidden]

Lisa

Never be afraid to ask questions and do not apologise for doing so. Its the way we learn and there is mo such thing as a stupid question that should not have been asked.

[Hidden]

My father (although not through a brain injury) had no sense of taste or smell for about 30 years before he passed. In the shorter term it wasn't so bad as he bacame accustomed to it, but in the longer term it caused massive weight loss to the point he looked emaciated because he simply lost all interest in eating and only ate solely to survive. This can, although it may seem not so, be a very serious problem with a huge impact on a person's mental wellbeing over time which culminates in issues with physical wellbeing.

Also, in relation to loss of smell and taste being a worst outcome, I'd say that this is one of a number of issues which will affect a TBI survivor because it will undoubtedly have to be coped with along with other long term or life lasting changes, so again may be seen as something not so serious but is a simple enjoyment in life that is taken away along with having to cope with the overall impact of a TBI.

It's hard being the family around someone who has lost sense of taste and smell because it's a normal human response to say when things taste good or bad and show enjoyment from foods. When this is taken away from someone we forget they don't share the same enjoyment as us, and it also affects outings to different restaurants to try different cuisines when it's something you enjoyed before. Many people turn to comfort foods in times of stress to feel better but can't use this coping mechanism when they have lost taste and smell. In my opinion this has a bigger affect on quality of life than people give it credit for.

[Dvorak]

My friend has this, it's frustrating for her too. She can smell strong scents, lavender and choysia in the garden, coffee and orange peel. Her OT is doing some work to retrain her sense of smell by practising with different scents but it has been a slow process. My friend does not eat by mouth except small amounts of puree which is boring and I have suggested we make some flavoured oils ( chilli or garlic) but we haven't tried this yet

[RockyMountain]

Hi, since my Tbi twelve years ago I’ve been anosmic, it is frustrating I agree. Memories are associated with the smell also. Beware not eating as hunger is often quelled, then binges on whatever’s around. Smoke alarms are a must, especially if you have a gas cooker. The fire brigade will fit them for free as your at risk.

Take care Alexander

[Bluefrew]

5 years this month since my brain injury and I have no sense of smell at all.at the start I had no smell or taste but my taste did return eventually.at first it was very erratic but did thankfully return to normal.the smell is totally gone and my doctor told me this will not return after this long.it does become part of life but the beginning it was worrying.as someone mentioned the things like gas and fire are so important to be aware of.

[haverfordwest]

Hi, I am nearly 6 years into TBI, like you no-one understands/remembers that I haven't got senses. I still struggle with no taste or smell, changed to eating anything crunchy as I hated eating soup or anything like that as it was just slushy. Bonus though, I can now eat honey, bacon, peanut butter(crunchy of course), but I still can't bring myself to eat strawberries or marzipan. All the joy of eating has gone, and I put on weight as I wasn't getting signal that I had had enough food, hence my cholesterol going up cos of all the biscuits and crisps that were going down! Plus side is I can't smell the slurry when the farmers are spreading it on the fields 😀

[Tanglewood77 in reply to haverfordwest]

It's the same for me 5 years in ! I always buy my partner perfume for Christmas & birthdays but yet I'm the only not to complement her how lovely she smells but I do take pride in the fact I bought it for her 😊

[haverfordwest in reply to Tanglewood77]

That is something I really miss, the waft of a nice perfume, or aftershave, and scented candles, bread, coffee, cut grass, garlic bread, the list is endless!! Never mind at least I am still here so I shouldn't complain. I bet your partner loves it that you still buy perfume. Carry on the good deeds.

[sashaming1]

After a brain injury I have the same thing. My family and friends know but they still ask "How did that taste?" I just say "Tasted good" and they are satisfied with my response. At least I couldn't tell that it tasted bad.

[Shreds]

Its so good to discuss these things with others in a similar situation because you do understand and experience similar traumas.

Further to what I said earlier, I just think that the far worse option could have been not making it at all or having other severe impairments (sorry to anyone here who has the latter) so that is why I feel lucky.

It affected my job too as I often needed to use the sense of smell as part of my analysis of situations and that is no longer open to me.

Still, whilst I used to be very good at identifying different malt whiskys, I have the pleasure of building that knowledge again. (In very small amounts often weeks apart as I dont want to become alcohol dependent!

Regards the pleasure of eating, I find now my saliva glands automatically start working at set times which they never used to. I am very careful to eat healthy foods too and never binge out or resort to comfort food eating. Again its a case of good self control.

At least the food I eat now is far healthier and better than that provided in hospital where I lost a significant amount of weight and I have always been slim anyway.

As far as gas and fire are concerned, whilst having a carbon monoxide (CO) monitor in the kitchen where the boiler is (CO is colourless and odourless to everyone yet fatal if ingested) and a normal fire alarm in the hallway, it occurred to me that CO coming into the apartment from other apartments via the lobby would not trigger the fire alarm but could get into our place beneath doors (self closers and intumescent strips only seal the sides and top of the door, not beneath where the smoke gets in.

Not being able to breath kills you, the subsequent fire if there is one, just cremates you) so I installed another combined fire and CO alarm in the bedroom as well.

Makes so much sense particularly if I am there alone and think everyone should be aware that if a fire alarm goes off, you have around ninety seconds to get out of a building by the quickest route (not necessarily the one you entered the building by).

That is no time at all and is so badly understood by so many people including some professionals who should know better.

As an engineer concerned with structures and buildings I am lucky to have such insight but why the Govt dont educate and make that public knowledge is pathetic.

[FlowerPower62]

Hi Lion,My husband lost his sense of taste and smell after his fractured skull 5 years ago. They told him it may come back, but then when he went to see a specialist he said it would never come back, as the nerve was severed. He was understandably upset about this. However, he does seem to recognise spicy food, for example. And he knows when he doesn't like something! But very sad.