Getting the smell of petrol Everytime I breath

[Revat]

I'm terribly suffering due to this problem. I have hypo thyroid and getting this problem for the past two years. And I can't smell anything else. Please give me a suggestion as to what had to be done. It is increasing everyday.

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum Revat,

If anyone has had similar they will respond, although I will say it sounds rare but everything in our body is affected if we are hypothyroid.

If you've not had a recent blood test request one. It has to be the very earliest possible, fasting but you can drink water. Also allow a gap of 24 hours from your last dose and the test and take afterwards. Ask GP for a full thyroid Function Test (he or lab may not but you can have a private one for those they don't do).

TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies. B12, ?Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. (The GP should do all of the vits/minerals). Deficiencies can also give us symptoms.

Get a printout and put them on a new post for comments.

[Revat in reply to shaws]

Thank you very much for your kind words. I'll take up seriously your words and get tested. Your service is welcome and very much useful. And I wish everyone who all having health issues will get benefited through your forum.

[researcherUK]

Have a look, Revat, at shared experiences on this forum.

medhelp.org/posts/Ear--Nose...

[Revat in reply to researcherUK]

Thank you very much

[endomad]

i get smell of petrol, burning rubber and burning electrical for years, it use to send me bonkers especially the electrical one, checking all appliances and plugs. No one has been able to give me an explanation but have been told it doesnt just go Mine goes in phases of being really bad (all the time) to just sometimes, it deff gets worse when im stressed. I know its not real and take fast deep breaths through my nose to sort of clear it out which works sometimes.

I am glad mine is not really bad compared to some smells people get, like rotting flesh but it is very annoying.

[Revat in reply to endomad]

OMG. Thanks for your time.

[shaws Administrator in reply to endomad]

The link given above has quite a few explanations/reasons why we can have strange smelling reactions.

[Inana]

OMG!! I used to have this very often too, around 2009 to about 2010. It happened round about when I was diagnosed with hyperpituitarism. I don't know if it related. This is about the same time also that I noticed the first symptoms of hypothyroidism. Around that time, after being treated for hyperpituitarism, my hair got coarser, my anxiety shot up, and I started to gain weight. I never got to the bottom of it until it just disappeared. I didn't pay attention to it a lot, so I don't know when it stopped. I think it decreased as my anxiety decreased.

I hope you find a solution.

[Revat in reply to Inana]

Thank you very much for your kind words.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

It isn't just you. Phantosmia is well established but poorly understood.

Hidden consequences of olfactory dysfunction: a patient report series

Andreas KellerEmail author and Dolores Malaspina

BMC Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders201313:8

doi.org/10.1186/1472-6815-13-8

© Keller and Malaspina; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2013

"I started to get phantom smells which ranged from the smell of the tumble dryer to oil and petrol."

"The odors range from floral/perfume, wood or paper smoke, petroleum or solvent based (petrol, WD-40, butane) to cooked foods. (subject 0781)"

bmcearnosethroatdisord.biom...

[Revat in reply to helvella]

Thanks for your help

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Revat]

I meant to include a comment that I (and someone I know well) had ongoing "tobacco smoke" issues for years after giving up smoking and getting treated for hypothyroidism. I am convinced that there can be a connection.

It did fade, slowly, and was always episodic.

[Revat in reply to helvella]

Thank you very much

[Revat in reply to helvella]

I will get tested. Thank you very much

[Revat in reply to helvella]

Thanks for your concern

[Anthea55]

I understand that impaired sense of taste and/or smell may be due to zinc deficiency. Might be worth trying to get that tested, or see if it improves with zinc lozenges.

Also here is the NHS Choices page for Metallic taste in the mouth

nhs.uk/conditions/metallic-...

[Revat in reply to Anthea55]

Thank you for your time

[Swindlehurst]

I too have had a strange smell in my nose since starting to take levothyroxin. I used nutri thyroid for years with no problems, but I can't get it any more. I first lost my sense of smell and since it returned, I often smell burning which as someone else said is alarming. It is better when I drink more water. (About 8 glasses a day.)

[Revat in reply to Swindlehurst]

Thanks for your concern

[jamesal0]

I lost about 50% of my sense of smell about 3 year prior to being diagnosed hypothyroid. A few years after that I was diagnosed a Coeliac. I feel the Coeliac auto immune condition wiped out my olfactory gland and then my thyroid. I am 2 years 100% gluten free and if anything have made a sight recovery on the sense of smell.

J

[Revat in reply to jamesal0]

Thank you very much