Loss of Smell

[JungleQueen]

Hi folks,
I'm just wondering if any of you have experienced a temporary or permanent loss of smell following a rupture and/or clipping. My Dad has recently mentioned that he is not able to smell and I have read that it is commen after a rupture.
Any information you can provide is always very helpful and appreciated.
thx very much
:)

[jess2002]

I really don't recall wethere I did or not but someone I work withs dad did it came back after a couple of months sorry i cannot be of anymore help. Jess.xx

[redsally]

I didn't lose my smell but it got stronger, I still complain now about smells that others really don't notice. Taste is still off as well.

[JohnS]

JQ,

I did not experience this after my clipping, however at my second post-op appt (about 2 months post-op) my NS did ask if I had experienced a sense of smell loss, so it must be something that does happen. He then asked me if food tasted good, relating that back to smell, saying taste and smell go hand in hand.

Hope that helps.

[Kitty]

After my third clipping surgery, I completely lost my sense of smell and taste. Eventually it did come back, but not completely.

Kitty

[ChrisC]

If the patient has had a craniotomy, often there is interference with the olfactory nerve which is in close proximity to where they have to actually enter the brain. It sometimes gets "stunned" or damaged during the surgery or the actual rupture, depending on the location of the bleed, or surgical entrance. It usually comes back - fully, or to a certain percentage of what it was, but it often takes a while, because nerves seldom regenerate quickly. And for a small percentage of people, it is lost forever. With the loss of smell, taste will also go or be altered.

I lost my sense of smell for nearly 4 months after my craniotomy, and though it did gradually come back, it's only about 50% of what it used to be. I can smell concentrated smells (like the opening of a coffee can, but can't smell coffee brewing; when I spray cologne, I can smell the spray, but not once it's on me) and my tastes for food are definately on the spicy side now!

[JohnS]

Update,

I have lost my sense of smell, I confirmed it today. Over the past 8 weeks I began loosing it maybe longer. I noticed the lack of smell but rationalized it in my mind. Smelled a fresh cut rose, no aroma oh some just don't have an aroma, smelled a scented candle in a drug store, no aroma - must be a cheap candle, friend got sick and vomited, no aroma - that is when I began to wonder, but being busy forgot about it until today. Put a liberal dose of tabasco on my eggs, no aroma - that is unusual. So I put some vinegar in a custard cup - no aroma, tried horseradish - no aroma. So I am resolved I have lost my sense of smell. Sent a question to my NS to see if there is anything we can do. RATS now I am afraid I'll drink some sour milk, looks like I have to hire a food smeller - naw my dog will do it for me. He won't eat anything that does not smell good - but then too we know some dogs will eat from a cat litter box.

[bogbrush]

There's a good topic on loss of sense of taste & smell here:

http://www.behindthegray.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1268

Regards
Keith

[JohnS]

Update,

I have lost my sense of smell, I confirmed it today. Over the past 8 weeks I began loosing it maybe longer. I noticed the lack of smell but rationalized it in my mind. Smelled a fresh cut rose, no aroma oh some just don't have an aroma, smelled a scented candle in a drug store, no aroma - must be a cheap candle, friend got sick and vomited, no aroma - that is when I began to wonder, but being busy forgot about it until today. Put a liberal dose of tabasco on my eggs, no aroma - that is unusual. So I put some vinegar in a custard cup - no aroma, tried horseradish - no aroma. So I am resolved I have lost my sense of smell. Sent a question to my NS to see if there is anything we can do. RATS now I am afraid I'll drink some sour milk, looks like I have to hire a food smeller - naw my dog will do it for me. He won't eat anything that does not smell good - but then too we know some dogs will eat from a cat litter box.


Got an answer from the NS today. It is common to loose the sense of smell at the time of the surgery, and there is nothing he can suggest at this point. I am seeing a neurologist tomorrow for an EEG follow-up, I'll ask him the question then.:confused:

[JohnS]

There's a good topic on loss of sense of taste & smell here:

http://www.behindthegray.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1268

Regards
Keith

Seems they go hand-in-hand somewhat. However I also read an article that there are only 6 tastes - salty, sour, sweet, bitter, pungent and astringent, the other 10K things we sense are flavor. I can taste salty, sour and sweet, pungent, haven't checked bitter and astringent yet - but from what my NS has told me it is flavor we loose touch with when we loose smell. Reflecting on that food has had a rather bland tast lately. RATS!

[Stanley]

I'm new to the community and need help on how to ask a question...not just replying.

Thank you,
Stanley

[Kitty]

I'm new to the community and need help on how to ask a question...not just replying.

Thank you,
Stanley

At the top of the threads on the first page is a button that says "New Thread". Click on it to post a new question.

Hope that helps:)
Kitty