----- Original Message -----

From: Anne Giansiracusa

To: dysosmia@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Friday, September 19, 2008 5:42 PM

Subject: RE: [dysosmia] New member introduction

Thanks all. I'm actually getting more depressed wondering if this is going to be a very long and arduous process. But I have my first appointment with the doctor next week.

Mick - I'll bring your story with me.

--- On Fri, 9/19/08, O'Hare, Mick (RBI-UK) <Mick.O'Hare@newscientist.com> wrote:

> From: O'Hare, Mick (RBI-UK) <Mick.O'Hare@newscientist.com>
> Subject: RE: [dysosmia] New member introduction
> To: dysosmia@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Friday, September 19, 2008, 8:00 AM
> Hi Anne, check out my FAQ at
> http://personal.ecu.edu/wuenschk/ViralMick.htm
>
> It will relate to you I think.
>
> Mick
>
> > ----------
> > From: dysosmia@yahoogroups.com on behalf of annegian
> > Reply To: dysosmia@yahoogroups.com
> > Sent: Friday, September 19, 2008 3:51 PM
> > To: dysosmia@yahoogroups.com
> > Subject: [dysosmia] New member introduction
> >
> > So I'm not crazy. It's good to know.
> >
> > My story. About a year ago, I had a terrible cold
> including such a stuffed up head I
> > couldn't breathe. After about 5 days of being
> unable to pull any air through my nose, I
> > went through 5-7 days of having absolutely no sense of
> smell or taste - nada - zip. As the
> > senses came back, I noticed two things: Coffee smelled
> funny (and slight difference in
> > taste) and my sugar-free, caffeine-free diet Coke
> tasted mildly of mold. I more or less
> > lived with it and never really questioned it.
> >
> > About 8-10 weeks ago, my symptoms started to compound.
> It started one day in the work
> > cafeteria. I noticed a very unpleasant odor - never
> smelled it before - a chemically smell
> > with a slight undertone of ammonia. Then I noticed all
> my t-shirts smelled funny. Then I
> > noticed the dishwasher had the same odd aroma. Again I
> didn't really think much about it.
> > I've always had a keen sense of smell which my
> husband does not have. I asked him and
> > he didn't smell anything. Then I noticed that my
> bath wash smelled funny (a different,
> > sweet but unpleasant smell). Then I noticed that my
> hand wash had that odd cloying smell.
> >
> > I started to complain more about it to my husband -
> asking him to smell things for me.
> > But still didn't put it all together.
> >
> > Then this week I had the "Oh &#*# - something
> is very wrong here". Stopped at Starbucks,
> > my husband bought a donut and I took one bite and the
> taste of that bad smell just filled
> > my mouth - I had to spit it out. A donut for crimeny
> sakes!! Then I tried the tiniest crumb.
> > Same thing. Now I know something is very wrong. I
> googled "olfactory halluncinations"
> > and here I am. Last night, at a Mexican restaurant, I
> found out that cilantro tastes like
> > glazed donut!! Wow - what a new world this is ;-)
> >
> > Spoke to my brother (an MD but not ENT specialist)
> last night and he suggested that a
> > virus could have damaged my nerve. The increase in
> abnormal smells and tastes might
> > suggest the nerves are trying to regenerate. But
> either way, I'm calling my doctor today.
> >
> > What scares me is whether this may be permanent.
> It's like a time bomb. What will I put in
> > my mouth next that will taste so horrible I'll be
> spitting it out... in a restaurant. Out last
> > night, as I passed various restaurants in an outdoor
> shopping mall, the smell was
> > overwhelming. I felt like an idiot having to cover my
> nose with my hands. Ordered my
> > dinner and ended up eating rice - everything else has
> "essence of cilantro" in it. Cilantro -
> > one of my most favorite foods. No more Mexican for me.
> >
> > All my clothes stink. Most of my soaps and shampoos
> either stink or don't smell the way
> > they did. I'm a person who uses smell as one of my
> primary purchase drivers. I buy things
> > that smell nice. Now I only smell this horrible
> stench. I have those lovely reed diffusers in
> > almost every room. I now realize they've
> "turned" on me.
> >
> > Anyway, glad to find I'm not crazy, but if this is
> permanent, I'm not sure I'll be able to
> > survive it. Not sure if I'd rather have lost my
> sense of smell - but as my world closes down,
> > it's very depressing.
> >
> > Joining this group to get advice and look for
> similarities in cases - and hopefully to read
> > about stories of recovery. I have to have something to
> hold on to.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > anne
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
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