I have experienced that. I was at a theatre-in-the-round watching a
play where "smoke" was used on stage and it rolled into the audience.
The smell of the smoke persisted in my nose for at least a month & a
half before it finally disappeared. (this smoke of course is
manufactured using various chemicals; actors are paid a premium for
agreeing to "work in smoke" - it's a Union issue)

I recently read an article by a physician on this phenomenon of
lingering odors. I will try to find it.

--- In dysosmia@yahoogroups.com, "Derek Rumble" <derekrumble@...>
wrote:
>
> Hi Mick,
>
> "olfactory receptors had stuck in the 'on' position" - that's
exactly
> what it is like.
>
> A strange one this.
>
> Derek
>
>
>
> --- In dysosmia@yahoogroups.com, "O'Hare, Mick (RBI-UK)"
> <Mick.O'Hare@> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Derek
> >
> > I do not and never have suffered from your particular problem but
I
> do recall a long time back on this forum's earlier incarnation, one
> member saying that he had the persistence-of-smell variant of
dysosmia
> that you describe. He said it was like his olfactory receptors had
> stuck in the 'on' position. I'm not sure whether anybody has access
to
> the archive but I know he had no resolution to the problem so it
might
> not be enlightening even if his messages could be located.
> >
> > Mick
> >
> > > ----------
> > > From: dysosmia@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Derek Rumble
> > > Reply To: dysosmia@yahoogroups.com
> > > Sent: Tuesday, June 3, 2008 11:01 AM
> > > To: dysosmia@yahoogroups.com
> > > Subject: [dysosmia] New to group - persisence of smell?
> > >
> > > Hi all - I have been suffering from phantosmia now for around 5
years.
> > > I first recall the problem when I walked to a pub in the next
village
> > > at around the time of my birthday in February. It was a cold,
> > > winter's day and the pub had a real log fire - but a lot of
wood smoke
> > > was escaping into the room. It actually smelled good and
welcoming on
> > > such a cold day. And then the smell of that wood smoke stayed
with me
> > > for weeks and weeks. It would not go away.
> > >
> > > But then it occurred to me that I had suffered mild phantosmia
for a
> > > while anyway without being concerned about it. For example, in
my
> > > home office I had been smelling a faint trace of overheating
> > > electronics - I thought I may have a problem with some of the
computer
> > > equipment, but my wife smelled nothing. I just put it down to me
> > > being more sensitive.
> > >
> > > So therefore I have what I regard as two types of phantosmia.
> > > Firstly, the classic one smelling something that doesn't exist -
> > > usually a variation on burning substances like cigarette smoke
> > > (usually stale cigarette smoke) or exhaust fumes, woodsmoke and
> > > occasionally burned food / cooking type of thing. And when a
smell
> > > developes it keeps me company for two to three weeks typically.
And
> > > it's never anything pleasant like roses, strawberries or
spaghetti
> sauce.
> > >
> > > Secondly - I have this phenomenon where, firstly, there is a
real and
> > > pronounced smell stimulus - and then that particular smell is
> > > perceived for maybe weeks afterwards. A good example comes to
mind
> > > when recently I was looking for a second-hand car. I sat inside
to
> > > check out the interior condition and it was immediately obvious
that
> > > the previous owner was a heavy smoker. The car dealer had
cleaned the
> > > car and had attempted to mask the stale smoke smell with some
kind of
> > > perfumed spray. The combined smell of the old smoke coupled
with the
> > > pretty nasty masking spray was not at all pleasant. And this
mixture
> > > of smells stayed with me for about a month. It went away, only
to be
> > > re-stimulated during a visit to a hotel alittle while ago. We
checked
> > > in to find that the room (although a non-smoking room) had been
> > > occupied by a smoker; you could smell that sweet, stale smoke
easily.
> > > We moved to a different room - only for me to smell the same
thing
> > > there too - with my wife assuring me that the new room was free
of the
> > > cigarette smell.
> > >
> > > On finding this group, I had a look back through a large number
of
> > > postings but haven't yet read of anyone else with
this 'persistence of
> > > smell' problem.
> > >
> > > Anyone?
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > >
> > > Derek
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
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