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Severe smell of chemicals and fragrance that isn’t there

Posted by calygirl84 @calygirl84, Dec 10, 2025

Once before in my life, I experienced a phantom smell of excruciatingly, awful chemical and fragrance smells that just aren’t there. The smell is nauseating.
This happened once before when I lived in California to exposed to fragrances and cleaning chemicals and now I’m experiencing the same thing only it’s 10 times worse.

My fiancé said he doesn’t smell what I smell but he understands that it’s real to me. What do I do? Calygirl84

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calygirl84 | @calygirl84 | Dec 21, 2025
In reply to @njbay "I used to get auras (migraines without headaches) and many times I would smell things that..." + (show)
Profile picture for njbay @njbay

I used to get auras (migraines without headaches) and many times I would smell things that weren't really there during these auras. I would smell things like wet soil (like how garden soil smells when it rains), Flintstone vitamins, cotton candy, and other random odors. No one else around me could smell it, but once I was diagnosed with these auras, I knew why no one else could smell those things.

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@njbay
I have struggled with migraines since I was in high school.
I take an injectable called amivig, and I have been getti getting Botox for migraines for years.
I also have auras, sinus migraines, transmendibular, TMJ headaches.
I am a Legionaries survivor, and got what they called, Pontiac fever, where I had unbearable headaches.

I think these are long term COVID symptoms from what I am ascertaining from other people’s experiences.

I am so highly sensitive to
Scents of most things. I just get an overwhelming sense of a lack of wellbeing.
I do hope it gets better, it feels like a long road… thanks for your help ❤️‍🩹❣️

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booker | @booker | Dec 22, 2025

Thanks for your candid exposure to the danger that exist when using chemical sprays to make our homes "smell" better.

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celia16 | @celia16 | Dec 22, 2025
In reply to @calygirl84 "@becsbuddy Yes I spoke with several of my Dr. I did not have Covid, they are..." + (show)
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@becsbuddy
Yes I spoke with several of my Dr. I did not have Covid, they are telling me it’s come from my incessant spraying of Lysol and other products I thought would take cooking odors out of the air, when instead I was having a heavy smell of chemicals and hideous perfume, and it has lasted for a few days.
Now I am just having some loss of taste and smell.
My Dr.‘s are telling me these inhalants and toxic sprays have caused a very bad chemical sensitivity and causing my asthmatic condition to return.
I feel like I have done this to myself and am feeling embarrassed, and still not feeling well and My sinuses feel like they are detoxing.
I have never blown my nose more or felt like I was eliminating years of sinus congestion. That’s putting it pleasantly, instead of graphically.
I can only use quality pharmaceutical grade essential oils, and nothing artificial
Or toxic, no plug ins, no air fresheners, no toxic cleaning chemicals. Mr Allergist said I exposed myself for to long to dangerous inhalants .

I am better, but I am still short of breath and feeling a great sensitivity to most smells.
Thanks for your input.
I still feel it’s awkward and mysterious????

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@calygirl84 , that’s an interesting theory your doctors have about Lysol causing your problems. Hmmmm….do they have any basis for this? That’s just not anything that has come up in my quest to find answers with neurologist and ENT at Duke. Were they experts in their field? I wouldn’t blame yourself.

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beachesanddreams | @beachesanddreams | Dec 23, 2025
In reply to @calygirl84 "@becsbuddy Yes I spoke with several of my Dr. I did not have Covid, they are..." + (show)
Profile picture for calygirl84 @calygirl84

@becsbuddy
Yes I spoke with several of my Dr. I did not have Covid, they are telling me it’s come from my incessant spraying of Lysol and other products I thought would take cooking odors out of the air, when instead I was having a heavy smell of chemicals and hideous perfume, and it has lasted for a few days.
Now I am just having some loss of taste and smell.
My Dr.‘s are telling me these inhalants and toxic sprays have caused a very bad chemical sensitivity and causing my asthmatic condition to return.
I feel like I have done this to myself and am feeling embarrassed, and still not feeling well and My sinuses feel like they are detoxing.
I have never blown my nose more or felt like I was eliminating years of sinus congestion. That’s putting it pleasantly, instead of graphically.
I can only use quality pharmaceutical grade essential oils, and nothing artificial
Or toxic, no plug ins, no air fresheners, no toxic cleaning chemicals. Mr Allergist said I exposed myself for to long to dangerous inhalants .

I am better, but I am still short of breath and feeling a great sensitivity to most smells.
Thanks for your input.
I still feel it’s awkward and mysterious????

Jump to this post

@calygirl84 Please do not blame yourself or feel embarrassed. We do so much more harm to ourselves, and believe me, I get it. We all “look back” and think, how could I have prevented this? And in my experience, that is a futile exercise.

You didn’t do this to yourself on purpose. Could it be you have inflammation of the sinus cavity or deeper into the nasal structure?

I ask because inflammation is often silent and can really do a number on particular areas in our body.

Sending you healing energy today…🌸

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mayo99824 | @mayo99824 | Dec 24, 2025

This may be a totally strange question but - do you shop at second hand stores? Our local Salvation Army sprays some sort of disinfectant on their fabric items and I can’t tolerate it. It is usually not detectable when you initially buy the item, but when you take it home and are exposed to it all day long, it stinks. It is flowery. It is very hard to get rid of and it does not go away with just one washing. I can’t buy anything with fabric at that store. My kids smell it too. Sometimes I have to shove my face into the item to figure out what is smelling like that. Airing it out outdoors can work with some types of fabrics but mostly I have to get rid of the item.

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