Hi, does the smelling burning go away or is this now a permanent thing?

[Lulamay7]

Got diagnosed with lupus 5 years ago. Usual stuff, joint pain, rashes, pleurisy, migraines,tinnitus. Am menopausal too just started hrt because the insomnia night sweats were the straw that broke me. Recently, I keep thinking I can smell old smoke, is there anything I can do about this or just something else to put up with?

[Oshgosh]

I found your post interesting. Occasionally I think I can smell cigarettes smoke I’m the house. No one has smoked in this house for over thirty years. I thought it was just me ! Xx

[suzannah16]

been getting this for years. I also find my taste comes and goes. I smell stuff wrong, think someone is cooking bacon when it's fish for example. smoke is quite common though.

[Froggie70]

Hi there. I get this too, not all the time and can go for weeks where I don’t get it then for no reason (that I can see) it starts and can last a couple of days. Thanks for posting this, it’ll be interesting to see the responses. Take care.

[weathervane]

This has happened to me in the past . I did go to the gp about it at one point as smoke smell was so strong, she changed a steroid nasal spray i was using and it went away . It has happened since and I think it was due to sinus issues , it has always gone away eventually.

If you are worried do speak to your gp xx

[Lulamay7]

Thank you, good to know its not a permanent change.

[Jmiller623]

Just something to put up with. I get phantom smells of sulfur and sometimes, soap. I have 2 family members that get burning/smoke phantom smells like you. Probably more prevalent in those with neuro issues. These smells can come before seizures but can also occur on their own. No clue what causes them.

[debsgm]

This is called an olfactory hallucination within the brain.

[Nickymck]

Hi. I have had this on and off for years. I also smell an electrical burning and perfume, occasionally.

[Barnclown in reply to Nickymck]

Me too👍…happened much less after I started daily hydroxy 12 years ago

[CHEZZAD68]

I got olfactory hallucinations when I was put on medication some years ago. I smelt burning or roast dinners lol.It came and went and eventually stopped altogether.

[DRunnerchick]

I get random acrid scents or passing “sharp” scents (not sure what it actually smells like other than something sharp like acidic perhaps). I have a different AI neuro dz and migraines without aura. No seizures that I’m aware of—normal EEG. I have also had several cases of optic neuritis that have left me with chronic numbness around my right eye. The body finds new ways to impress me with its infinite complexity. But, you are not alone. 🤗✨D🏃🏽‍♀️

[CSLO]

Lulamay, do you only get them when in migraine? Phantom smells are common in migraine during the aura or prodrome stages. I've had them for years. It's an early sign for me that I've got one developing but often it hangs around through the headache stage too.

They are commonly chemical/burning smells, really horrid. Mine was like a petrol/burning rubber smell for years, now it's not so strong or so bad, but then my migraines aren't either.

If you treat your migraines, does it disappear?

[Lulamay7 in reply to CSLO]

Hi, my memory is shocking! thanks for this it sparked a memory. I haven't had a migraine for a couple of months, but I have had a weird pressure feeling in my head like something is pushing on my eyes and nose from inside. Which I've never had before. Probably a sinus infection, I'll give it a few weeks and see if it goes or gets worse on its own.

[CSLO in reply to Lulamay7]

One of my docs once said that one of the most misdiagnosed symptoms of migraine is sinus pain, often docs send a patient off with ABs for sinus infection.

The trigeminal nerve is involved in the migraine process which can cause all sorts of facial and head pain. I get terrible earache, teeth pain, sinus ache and the feeling of something attempting to poke my eyes out with some of my migraine and other symptoms so whacky you couldn't make them up!

It's so much easier to deal with all this stuff if we can recognise what is happening. Good luck!

[Lulamay7 in reply to CSLO]

Thank you

[Maddymay65 in reply to CSLO]

Thank you i never realised that, phantom smells in migraine. I could smell smoke 2 days ago , all over the place checking, this has happened endless times ..Then i had a migraine. I never realised it was part of the aura. Next time i will treat it as a migraine and treaty earlier thank you oh and add it to my diary best regards

M x

[Hidden]

Note I have Stills Disease not Lupus which manifests as RA for me but there are many overlapping issues.I smell burning, smoke and electrical burning often. It has not got worse with menopause that I can tell and although I suffer migraine the two don’t seem related as I don’t appear to get the aura. I also have metallic taste in my mouth with contestant sore throat and ear pain and actually wonder if I have undiagnosed SD .

[MrsMarigold]

Mine is different. Ability to smell come and goes. Taste is less unless it is acidic. I can not eat or smell spicy foods. It just makes me feel weird. Dizzy.

[Quiettwerp]

When u say “old smoke” is it stale cigarette smoke?

Were you ever a smoker or do you have smokers in your house.

Cigarette smoke is well known to linger on curtains, clothing and upholstery and the chemicals persist within the fibres for ages. This may not be an hallucination😢?

[Lulamay7 in reply to Quiettwerp]

Never smoked, its definitely all in my head!

[Maddymay65 in reply to Quiettwerp]

I too have never smoked nor allowed people to smoke in the house, definitely smells like cigarette smoke. I recognise it from when I was a child my dad smoked. Weird huh ! M

[Quiettwerp in reply to Maddymay65]

An olfactory memory due to our memory banks being triggered by autoantibodies? Or triggered by something else?

[Maddymay65 in reply to Quiettwerp]

Interesting isn’t it, I believe olfactory memories are supposed to only last about a year but I have never willingly been around cigarette smoke, I dislike the smell and to cut à long story short I associate it with being ill. Maybe being triggered by autoantibodies retains it. At least this discussion on « can you smell smoke » has certainly made me feel more normal as it has raged for years in our house with my family almost rolling their eyes at me with a « no there is no smoke answer » Ironically when we had a fault with our log burner and there was smoke in the house, I could not smell the smoke til I was on top of it!! These situations are enough to drive you a little crazy. I just have to think today is a new day 😊 🌞 and hopefully better M x

[Proudmama31]

I literally smelled smoke this evening and 0 clue as to why… first time I’ve ever paid attention to it.