1. < Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)

Loss of sense of smell

Posted by Ingram @ingram, Jul 27, 2011

Went to my ENT today for the condition, but he could not give me a reason for it. Saw no polyps in my nasal passage, and recommended that I start taking zinc, and using a saline nasal spray, both of which I began this aft. He did seem to be at a loss, even though I do not think this condition is all that rare. Frankly, if I had to choose which sense I must surrender, it would be this one. But it is a nuisance. My food has no taste and I have to be extra careful where the stove is concerned, to make sure that I turn it OFF. Any thoughts out there?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Support Group.

Chester | @chester | Aug 5, 2011

I have lost my smell in the past for long periods of time. In my case I do have some polyps, but they were shrunk with a cortizone injection. My sense of smell returned within a couple weeks after that, as did better breathing. I maintain this with the daily nasal irrigation, with helps with the constant sinus drainage I have. I've been able to smell again for a year now. Good luck to you.

REPLY
5 replies
Barb823 | @barb823 | Dec 3, 2011
In reply to @chester "I have lost my smell in the past for long periods of time. In my case..." + (show)
@chester

I have lost my smell in the past for long periods of time. In my case I do have some polyps, but they were shrunk with a cortizone injection. My sense of smell returned within a couple weeks after that, as did better breathing. I maintain this with the daily nasal irrigation, with helps with the constant sinus drainage I have. I've been able to smell again for a year now. Good luck to you.

Jump to this post

Just curious about your cortisone injection. Was this done in the doctor's office? How long did your relief last? I've been battling sinus polyps for the past 4 years. I have to take a Prednisone taper every 3 months just to clear them out enough to get rid of the sinus infection that comes along with them. I'd give ANYTHING to be able to smell for 6 months, let alone a YEAR!

REPLY
Chester | @chester | Dec 5, 2011
In reply to @chester "I have lost my smell in the past for long periods of time. In my case..." + (show)
@chester

I have lost my smell in the past for long periods of time. In my case I do have some polyps, but they were shrunk with a cortizone injection. My sense of smell returned within a couple weeks after that, as did better breathing. I maintain this with the daily nasal irrigation, with helps with the constant sinus drainage I have. I've been able to smell again for a year now. Good luck to you.

Jump to this post

I've had nasal polyps since my early teens and even had two surgeries at sixteen and eighteen years old to remove them. I've been pretty good for years until about three years ago when I started plugging up again and getting sinus infections. After seeing an ENT again after all this time, he gave me a cortizone injection which cleared me up for six months. I had another shot about 18 months later which has kept me open now for 1.25 years so far with my sense of smell still working at least partly, depends on the day. Too bad they didn't use these shots years ago, maybe I could of bypassed surgery.
The shot is given in the office, pretty easy. They can only give them every six months maximum. The longer in between the better. I think my nasal rinse every night has helped keep me open too. Good luck.

REPLY
Barb823 | @barb823 | Dec 6, 2011
In reply to @chester "I have lost my smell in the past for long periods of time. In my case..." + (show)
@chester

I have lost my smell in the past for long periods of time. In my case I do have some polyps, but they were shrunk with a cortizone injection. My sense of smell returned within a couple weeks after that, as did better breathing. I maintain this with the daily nasal irrigation, with helps with the constant sinus drainage I have. I've been able to smell again for a year now. Good luck to you.

Jump to this post

Thanks for the info! I can't imagine why my ENT hasn't suggested an injection. They keep telling me that I shouldn't be taking Prednisone so often, but offer no better solution to my problem. I'd give ANYTHING to get 6 months of relief, let alone an entire YEAR! I'm going to call him tomorrow. Oh, and I do the saline rinse twice a day, use a corticosteroid nasal spray, take Claritin AND take Mucinex daily. Even with that I still can only make it 4-5 weeks after Prednisone ends before my sinuses are plugged again and I've got an infection. Thanks so much for your input!

REPLY
CAP | @cap | Jan 7, 2012
In reply to @chester "I have lost my smell in the past for long periods of time. In my case..." + (show)
@chester

I have lost my smell in the past for long periods of time. In my case I do have some polyps, but they were shrunk with a cortizone injection. My sense of smell returned within a couple weeks after that, as did better breathing. I maintain this with the daily nasal irrigation, with helps with the constant sinus drainage I have. I've been able to smell again for a year now. Good luck to you.

Jump to this post

I've had nasal polyps for 10 years; had surgery 10 years ago, was on the corticosteroid nasal sprays for awhile but it didn't seem to prevent the polyps from growing back. I'd lose my senses of smell and taste, and get lots of sinus infections. So, I'd take a course of prednisone and all would be well again, until the polyps grew back. I'm desperate not to have to take prednisone repeatedly; I am also wondering why my ENT never mentioned the cortisone injections. But I have found an answer to my sinus infections, which may not be bacterial infections at all, but mold. I encourage you to check out the book Mold, The War Within by Kurt and Lee Ann Billings. I am continually looking for answers to my polyp problem and would be more than happy to post anything I find that helps.

REPLY
Barb823 | @barb823 | Jan 7, 2012
In reply to @chester "I have lost my smell in the past for long periods of time. In my case..." + (show)
@chester

I have lost my smell in the past for long periods of time. In my case I do have some polyps, but they were shrunk with a cortizone injection. My sense of smell returned within a couple weeks after that, as did better breathing. I maintain this with the daily nasal irrigation, with helps with the constant sinus drainage I have. I've been able to smell again for a year now. Good luck to you.

Jump to this post

WOW! Are you saying that you no longer have sinus infections because of something you read in this book? And you can taste and smell all the time? This is amazing ! I will definitely look into it if it has really worked this well for you. Like I said before, I am desperate for ANYTHING that might work!

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.