Phantom smells?

Posted by ajh5285 @ajh5285, Mar 17, 2023

Sorry to have yet another question for this group, but has anyone else experienced phantom smells?

I'm on gemcitabine and abraxane for inoperable pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and in the last two days have smelled something that my husband cannot smell. Too bad the dogs can't talk to me to confirm or deny that yesterday I thought my husband had worn barn boots into the house, and tonight I'm smelling pesticide. The only change in my medication was an increase in the amount of Creon I'm taking from 2 per meal to 3, to alleviate gas and bloating.

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susanpmadigan | @susanpmadigan | Mar 18, 2023

I hope the Phantom smells disappeared or at least smelled like flowers. My cousin Maryann has been on the Gem/Abraxane for a year and a half and never said anything about this. You may have a very scute sense of smell. I hope that you are doing well with the treatments snd if this is the worst thing going on , then it's ok. Hopefully the smells will be of things that you like
Sincerely Susan

ajh5285 | @ajh5285 | Mar 19, 2023

Thanks for the information. Your comment triggered a memory that I've experienced this before, one time it was unpleasant and preceded the death of one of my dogs who was very old and getting more decrepit. I may have occasionally had a smell of roses wafting from the vicinity I keep of a memorial to someone I feel very attached to, despite his death 538 years ago. So maybe the result of one of my 3 head injuries, and not my current meds.