My sense of smell and taste has recently ... - Cure Parkinson's

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My sense of smell and taste has recently come back. But now I smell things no one else does.

Joanne_Joyce profile image
18 Replies

For example, the other day I was sure it smelled like the iron was left on and something was burning. But it wasn't. Is my brain playing tricks? Does this happen to anyone else?

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Joanne_Joyce profile image
Joanne_Joyce
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18 Replies
fwes profile image
fwes

I had that problem for a month or 2 after getting my smell back. Then the virtual smells went away, I can still smell real smells.

fwes

It can play havoc with your life at times and worse is when you see a meal and eat it but cannot taste it.

very strange.

PatV profile image
PatV

what meds are you on and for how long?

Joanne_Joyce profile image
Joanne_Joyce in reply to PatV

I'm on Stalevo and Mirapex. Started the Mirapex in February. Stalevo for about 2 years.

honeycombe3 profile image
honeycombe3

I have always had odd experiences with smells but mine are usually around NOT smelling certain things. For instance when I was studying genetics at school we bred blowflies in sawdust and fed them with raw meat. The smell made everyone but me feel sick so as I couldn't smell it at all I got to look after them. PD has had no effect on my smell or taste.

I lost my sense of smell years before being diagnosed. Never did lose sense of taste. I do, however, intermittently smell what I think is gas, but we live in an all electric house and no one else smells what I smell. Never thought it was related to PD.

PecanPie profile image
PecanPie

My sense of smell is off. I smell some things and not others. I also smell a chemical or gas when no-one else does. I take mirapex and sineret.

PatV profile image
PatV in reply to PecanPie

when I was on mirapex then requip I experienced auditory hallucinations, that is, I experienced sounds tactilely. It was crazy,like being punched but didn't leave a mark

PecanPie profile image
PecanPie in reply to PatV

The mirapex helps so much with the stiffness in my arm and hand. when I started taking it my arm started swinging again when I walk. Sometimes I see or hear things, not scary just maybe out of the corner of my eye I think I see a dog or cat, something familiar and non-threatening and sometimes the same with hearing like hearing my husband's voice when he's not at home. Are these "hallucinations" a result of taking mirapex?

PatV profile image
PatV in reply to PecanPie

could be. check with your doctor. I had to throw up in front of mine to get him to pay attention :P

PecanPie profile image
PecanPie in reply to PatV

LOL my doctor seems to be ok,gives me about an hour but costs me $250. I go 2-3 times a year... first 2 were idiots

windwsprer profile image
windwsprer in reply to PecanPie

Don't know. I take sinemet and amandatine. However, those too-much-dopamine illusive cats and dogs also visit me. I turn to look and they're not there. Also at times I've slept w the light on when I almost see something that seems bigger and potentially threatening. I had all these effects as my initial sinemet dose was being increased to where it is now. I still have these effects on a stable dose of several years. My neurologist categorizes them as illusions and is not bothered by them. I also occasionally hear a voice - usually just one word quite clearly - or smell cigarette smoke. Those he calls hallucinations. Early on, before reducing the initial dose, I flat out clearly saw animals running across the road (way too much sudden braking happening) and had a big grey scary something attached to my left shoulder growling and threatening to kill me. Sigh. "Really? Buzz off grey thing." (Fortunately, I did live through the 60s so it takes a lot to scare me.) On the flip side, when I forget a dose or otherwise don't have enough meds in the system, I hear my own voice (much less interesting) repeating the same sentence over and over and over with each repetition gaining in significance. So I wind up feeling myself very clever and witty for making the comment, out loud or to myself, "You look good in that shirt." Have you ever experienced that? (Sorry, I'm way overwriting - haven't slept more than a couple hours at a time in ages.)

fwes profile image
fwes in reply to PecanPie

yes. similar halucinations for me and many other problems, which others have also reported on: severe day time drowsiness, 95% blocked artery, double vision, badly swollen legs, to name a few.

It is very hard to kick a Mirapex habit. I was weak to the point of being mostly bedridden for over a year.

Joanne_Joyce profile image
Joanne_Joyce in reply to fwes

Hi Wes. It has been a long time and I've been eager to see how you are doing now. Sorry that you were so very weak. How are you now? Are you still on Mirapex? Are you still taking CO?

fwes profile image
fwes in reply to Joanne_Joyce

Hi Lovely Lady! It's been a long time. I think of you often and wonder how you are doing. This is a poor mechanism for personal conversations. Let's switch over to messages.

windwsprer profile image
windwsprer in reply to PatV

Interesting brain games.

SHELLPD profile image
SHELLPD

I do smell things that nobody else smells, like sometimes I smell something burning. Sometimes I do still smell things that are real but rarely. And it is usually an unpleasant Oder !!

windwsprer profile image
windwsprer

Why yes. I've not lost my sense of smell (except on bad allergy days) but more than once and always cigarette smoke. Only regulars - no menthol. Twice while watching (twice) that wonderful sub-titled movie - oh rats - can't think of the name -sociopathic motorcycle riding hit-woman sitting in a window well of her huge unfurnished flat looking out and smoking.