Smelling Cigarette Smoke (Phantosmia): What could it mean?

Posted by iceblue @iceblue, Dec 28, 2019

At some point in the past week or two I started smelling cigarette smoke where there definitely was none. Initially it was just a brief whiff while sitting in my easy chair and then it would be gone, but now I smell it everywhere. And it's no longer just a brief whiff - it's almost constant and to the point where it sometimes makes me feel nauseous.

I have recently increased the amount of Gabapentin I'm taking from 300 mg/day to 500 mg/day. Is it possible the increase in Gabapentin has anything to do with this?

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briarrose | @briarrose | 2 days ago

I never had COVID nor am I anti-seizure medications.I can taste & smell fine. And I too experienced this. The worse episode was right after my brother died of lung cancer. He was an extremely heavy smoker & try as he might, could never quit. Beyond addicting to the brain. In the middle of the night, I was sitting alone on my sofa. Suddenly the smell of cigarette smoke was overpowering. I truly felt it was my brother’s presence in the room.
I still do smell it occasionally but not as often now as he is gone 7 years. I took my only sibling’s death very hard. I needed grief counseling for a couple of years. That’s my take on smelling cigarette smoke. My brother’s presence comes to me. He knows how I was grief stricken when he died.

carolreese74 | @carolreese74 | 2 days ago

In reply to @renee6104 "When I had severe acid reflux I smelled smoke when I would lie down. Still happens..." + (show)

I had phantom smells of cigarette smoke post covid December 2020
I still have them periodically today. I purchased an air purifier as my neighbor smokes outside and even though our windows are always closed I will periodically smell smoke. My husband thinks I'm nuts 🙄