1. < Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19

New symptom! bizzare smell and taste developed 2-3 months post covid

Posted by sslariz @sslariz, Nov 7, 2024

I had covid again around Aug 1 - I took paxlovid and recovered very quickly and actually while on paxlovid had best energy ever, no headacches, and back pain significantly reduced.

However about 2 months post covid I started to develop a weirdness in my sense of smell where certain smells were enhannced and changed. Dawn dishsoap smelled disgusting.. at 3 months post, this increased to the point that anything savory smelling smells disgusting and the taste of it is also reduced and worsened.
I can taste salty and sweet things, they taste ok, but cant eat anything savory or fruity. so I'm reduced to very bland foods - cottage cheese for example.
The rest smells strongly like a mix of rotting and smoky. My sense of smell is also very strong for some things like bleach is overwhelmingly strong.
have others had this? I had long covid previously but this is the only symptom I have had since the recent covid infection. I'm planning to get the most recent vaccination and hope it goes away.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.

lkirnbauer | @lkirnbauer | Feb 23 7:33am
In reply to @celia16 "Man…..that’s really tough….back when my smell was practically nonexistent, I didn’t realize it. Only when I..." + (show)
@celia16

Man…..that’s really tough….back when my smell was practically nonexistent, I didn’t realize it. Only when I took that sniff test at the ENT did I realize that I couldn’t tell what I was smelling. Then it hit me….no wonder I had low appetite and it was relatively easy to lose weight.

I did much better with my return tests and I feel I smell well now, though taste is still off. Christmas I told my niece the lemon cake was delicious, but it turns out it was vanilla. Sigh. I do hope you can get some improvement.

I feel my ENT things the nerves are damaged by the virus, but are repairable. But when? Will I ever lose this bitter taste? The last week has been particularly bad. Not sure why. I’m also exploring if this could be a digestive issue or vitamin deficiency holdover. Have any of you considered other causes?

Have you tried therapy to deal with anxiety of this loss?

Jump to this post

Thanks for your response, Celia16. It’s February 2025 and I am in Mexico on vacation for 5 weeks. Interesting thing happened while here. I got a strep/ear infection and was put on Amox/Clav which is an antibiotic. While taking it, I could almost taste my coffee in the morning and that’s something I haven’t been able to do in almost 3 years! I’m done with the antibiotic and seem to be loosing what taste was beginning to come back. I’m wondering if I still need more antibiotics and that this Covid virus is still inside of me? I am loosing hope, but feel like by now someone should be coming up with a cure for this. I feel as if we’re being shuffled around from doctor to doctor to get some answers and nobody seems to know what to do. I have an appointment with a new ENT to see if she can find something. I’ve already seen one ENT and he said there was nothing in my sinuses or throat/ears to cause me to not have my taste/smell for this long. I have been referred to a therapist if I feel I need one to help me get over the fact that I may never taste or smell again and I’m only in my 60’s! Yes, I have considered other causes, but wouldn’t you think that my doctor would tell me if my other causes were actually causing this? I suffer from Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism and I also had 18” of my colon removed due to severe diverticulitis in April of 2022. I’ve asked if this could be the reason and I don’t really get a straight answer…makes me angry! Thank you for your concern.

REPLY
1 reply
celia16 | @celia16 | Feb 23 7:50am
In reply to @lkirnbauer "Thanks for your response, Celia16. It’s February 2025 and I am in Mexico on vacation for..." + (show)
@lkirnbauer

Thanks for your response, Celia16. It’s February 2025 and I am in Mexico on vacation for 5 weeks. Interesting thing happened while here. I got a strep/ear infection and was put on Amox/Clav which is an antibiotic. While taking it, I could almost taste my coffee in the morning and that’s something I haven’t been able to do in almost 3 years! I’m done with the antibiotic and seem to be loosing what taste was beginning to come back. I’m wondering if I still need more antibiotics and that this Covid virus is still inside of me? I am loosing hope, but feel like by now someone should be coming up with a cure for this. I feel as if we’re being shuffled around from doctor to doctor to get some answers and nobody seems to know what to do. I have an appointment with a new ENT to see if she can find something. I’ve already seen one ENT and he said there was nothing in my sinuses or throat/ears to cause me to not have my taste/smell for this long. I have been referred to a therapist if I feel I need one to help me get over the fact that I may never taste or smell again and I’m only in my 60’s! Yes, I have considered other causes, but wouldn’t you think that my doctor would tell me if my other causes were actually causing this? I suffer from Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism and I also had 18” of my colon removed due to severe diverticulitis in April of 2022. I’ve asked if this could be the reason and I don’t really get a straight answer…makes me angry! Thank you for your concern.

Jump to this post

I’m enjoying that visual of a vacation in Mexico? 🥳😎🍹. Lol

I have little faith that the medical community in general really thinks a lot about LC. Even if they think that’s the cause for the symptom, they have no idea how to treat it….so….waiting…..time…..that’s all they have to offer for me. I wonder if the Long Covid Centers offer anything else. I intend to explore one that’s local to me.

Glad you got a glimpse of taste improvement. That’s positive right? When I got hit with my major metallic/bitter taste in Sept. 2023, I had just taken an antibiotic. Literally, an hour earlier. I sort of blamed the antibiotic. It’s a mystery. Wish I could figure it out. Oh, I had also just had covid. ………….🤷‍♀️

REPLY
beck0584 | @beck0584 | Feb 23 8:04pm
In reply to @lkirnbauer "I too have lost my taste and smell to Covid. It will be 2 years in..." + (show)
@lkirnbauer

I too have lost my taste and smell to Covid. It will be 2 years in December. My question to you is that Metallic taste, bitter taste you described, was that after the Covid Vaccine or with the actual Covid Virus? I distinctly remember having a Metallic taste in the back of my throat pretty much immediately after getting the first Covid Vaccine. I also have Hashimoto’s. Do you have Hashimoto’s or any other Auto Immune Disease? Just curious as I’ve met a few other people who have lost their taste and smell and they also have Hashimoto’s.

Jump to this post

It’s been 4 years and I can not taste food. I’ve lost 70lbs. I’m also struggling with depression and anxiety for 4 years from covid. It’s terrible. I’ve been on psych meds but nothing working. Also had ECT and magnetic therapy. I also had a blood clot in my leg shortly after covid. I’m so tired of feeling like this. Help

REPLY
lkirnbauer | @lkirnbauer | Feb 24 7:48am

I had Covid in December of 2022 and lost my taste and smell on day 2 of the virus and still don’t have it back (it’s February 2025). I can’t smell bleach, rubbing alcohol, nothing really! You’re lucky you can smell some things. I was diagnosed by my primary doctor with “LONG COVID”. So sick of hearing this and then nobody helps with getting it back. I’ve been doing my own research due to this and have found nothing. You would sure think that by now these researchers would know something. I’ve also had 7 Stellate Ganglion Block Injections to bring back my senses, but they haven’t helped. It is very very frustrating as life is full of wonderful foods for us to taste and enjoy, but not for all of us.

REPLY
1 reply
lkirnbauer | @lkirnbauer | Feb 24 8:02am
In reply to @lkirnbauer "I had Covid in December of 2022 and lost my taste and smell on day 2..." + (show)
@lkirnbauer

I had Covid in December of 2022 and lost my taste and smell on day 2 of the virus and still don’t have it back (it’s February 2025). I can’t smell bleach, rubbing alcohol, nothing really! You’re lucky you can smell some things. I was diagnosed by my primary doctor with “LONG COVID”. So sick of hearing this and then nobody helps with getting it back. I’ve been doing my own research due to this and have found nothing. You would sure think that by now these researchers would know something. I’ve also had 7 Stellate Ganglion Block Injections to bring back my senses, but they haven’t helped. It is very very frustrating as life is full of wonderful foods for us to taste and enjoy, but not for all of us.

Jump to this post

I do want to add that the Stellate Ganglion Injections did take some of my PTSD away. I’m no longer jittery, that’s something I guess.

REPLY
helpingfolks19 | @helpingfolks19 | Feb 24 9:38am

Any one else have crazy smell changes things I like I can't smell and now I smell crazy disgusting smells I never smelled before like super sensitive also if I drink apple juice horrible panic attack weird any thing with sulfates wine puking instantly vodka taste like water and has no side effect calms down my panic attacks so weird. 3 months in my crazy low energy is subsiding hard to sleep more than 4 hours

REPLY
1 reply
helpingfolks19 | @helpingfolks19 | Feb 24 9:42am

Absolutely I smell crazy smells I never smelled before disgusting ones very sensitive to. Mom did dishes the soap smelled like the sewer. Good things I like to smell are very bland also my taste is jacked up

REPLY
fiona57 | @fiona57 | 5 days ago
In reply to @helpingfolks19 "Any one else have crazy smell changes things I like I can't smell and now I..." + (show)
@helpingfolks19

Any one else have crazy smell changes things I like I can't smell and now I smell crazy disgusting smells I never smelled before like super sensitive also if I drink apple juice horrible panic attack weird any thing with sulfates wine puking instantly vodka taste like water and has no side effect calms down my panic attacks so weird. 3 months in my crazy low energy is subsiding hard to sleep more than 4 hours

Jump to this post

I ve experienced odd smells like slurry out of the blue. But bizarrely with Covid not only did I not experience loss of smell or taste, but post Covid despite post nasal drip, it’s much stronger in a way Ihave to laugh in that I’m picking up the depth of scent my Dalmatians have! Dogs can smell of dog but I’ve never smelt that from any Dalmatian nobody else can smell them either but this is so crazy smell is like an acrid smell and I can tell which dog is which. You’re all probably having at least a good laugh at this, but what I was wondering has anyone noticed increased smell or taste function. Oh well if I turn into a Spotty so what! A bit of light relief for those like me with post nasal drip which no one can cure x

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.