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Day 6 of Manflu....Got up and on with some admin - felt well enough. Sorted the dogs cleared out stuff that had gone off in the fridge. Not been eating anything and finally felt a little hungry. Grilled some fish-fingers for a sandwich (Balsamic vinager adds some class). Got a text from some friends wanting to call to check up on me - tried to disuade them and an hour or so after lunch a smell was lingering in the house, quite bad couldn't trace it and it was progressively getting worse. Friends sat down and we talked over a cuppa. The smell was intolerable now and acidic in quality and I apologised for it and was trying to trace it. My wife's friend said "I haven't smelt it - don't worry" After they went it was overwhelming opened all the windows - changed the bedding (again) as that was minging...I messaged my neighbour and he came accross and he looked at me blankly saying there was no smell anywhere......the penny was not dropping but certainly on the edge. Did some web research and found this baby, along with near deliurium and hallucintations this mother had this in its armoury. Because the sinuses were so infected the brain receives scent data from the smell of that witch's brew (I tell you it is god-awful) - the brain analyses the data including this to form the big picture, brain is conned into thinking that the immeadiate enviroment is feeding the data. This trumps all the the other stuff included in the package and how, frightening, confusing and shocking. I finally thought I'd lost it last night,,,God knows. Good supporting ifo from the GP this morning in a delightful country surgery - turn up and wait to see the single GP, efficient smart system. What does tomorrow hold ?
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Sounds awful, never heard of phantom smells from a bug. I was unwell just after Xmas and that was bad enough. Really strange dreams/nightmares never sure if i was asleep or awake. Roasting hot one minute then freezing cold the next. Plus all the usual stuff that comes with a bug, took me nearly a month to finally shake it off.
Last edited by: sooty123 on Mon 23 Jan 17 at 23:56
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It's quite common. There are two types - the full house one with 4k video (the one I got) and a more sublte one linked to brain rather than peripheral - with particular types of smell preceding a fit and for having a tumor. I had two smell related dream during Phase Delirium - both woke me up instantly (one related to a food smell) and the other was familier but I couldn't place it.
I realise the brain is complex but its ability to essential systems running during this sort of onslaught is impressive and no updates ever !
I have dealt with confused people most of my working life and contnue to do so - but to experience that confusion for the first time in my adult life has been life-changing....the feeling of vulnerability for those few hours was horrendous it must be awful when this is day in day out norm. I was trying to rationalise things out - testing theories, drawing up contingencies.
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Not unlike some of the 'trips' I took back in the 60's/70's ... yew sure someone hasn't slipped something in your green tea??
I used to get delirious when I was a young goat, probably 7-8 years young. I used to see trains running around the top of the walls in my bedroom [I told you I was ill :)] I actually used to enjoy the experience in some strange way - a free trip!
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:-)....not quite at that level.
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Quite common, I'd have thought.
Obviously when the brain processes information from detectors in the nose it makes assumptions in trying to assign a conscious "smell" to the signal. It's only a collection of chemicals, and what it tells you is a particular smell is only based on past experience and what it has learned. So it shouldn't be surprising that sometimes it comes to the wrong conclusion.
A bit like being fooled by an optical illusion, or misjudging a sound.
I seem to be quite sensitive to smells wafting in the air, and detect things like sheep dip or wood smoke from several miles away. Some smells I know are real but have an unexpected source - I've learned that a sudden waft of toasting slightly burned macaroni cheese when driving through a particular town is actually from a brewery. But at other times I can suddenly get the sensation of a completely incongruous smell, which I assume to be just the brain playing tricks.
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A couple of weeks ago I was going mad trying to find the source of a burning smell that my wife could not smell at all. I had to conclude that it wasn't real. There was no fire. It has happened before.
When I had a job that required me to go to an office nearly every day, I would frequently smell a strong, perfumed disinfectant type, odour first thing in a morning. I was the only person who ever did as far as I know. I put it down to some kind of synesthesia; it seemed strongest nearest the server cabinets so maybe I was "smelling" the sound of them or their electrical field.
Just now I recoiled from the fridge and declared that something must have gone off in there. The boss can't smell it; she has had a good look in there and declared it safe.
I think my sense of taste might be affected. We had a supermarket cook-chill Thai green chicken curry the other day as a stop-gap meal ("she" usually makes them and they are very good). The bought one tasted of soap to me, and very little else. She said it was fine.
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Don't want to alarm you Manatee but to be on the safe side you should check it out with a Doctor.
"Because phantosmia can in rare cases be an indication of a serious underlying disorder, consult your doctor if you experience such symptoms."
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Thanks for the warning. I'll look into it.
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RP - that stream of consciousness is really not you at your best with your usual lawyerly prose. You come across as really quite unwell.
I hope your wife is around and looking after you and that you've been to the doctor again today. Or that you're feeling much better!
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Occasionally phantosmia or loss of sense of smell precedes the more obvious symptoms of Parkinson's Disease by many years.
I'd be more concerned by a persistent symptom over many months than a few weeks after a bug.
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Father in law was recently diagnosed with Parkinsons. He's 84. Only got him diagnosed because he was in hospital because of heart attack and a doctor happened to see him and suggested he was referred. We thought he didn't have any of the symptoms - he still does not have the more obvious ones.
But he does have it and now we too can see some of the illness' traits all too easily. I won't go down the route of why didn't his GP spot this earlier - perhaps he did.
Now not sure if getting him on meds will be a help or have too many downsides. He's confused enough at times.
So back to the other poster - maybe get checked out in case there is some underlying undiagnosed condition. RP is probably just still suffering from the man-flu after effects.
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As predicted by my GP it continued to wear off over the next 24 hours - not a whiff since Tuesday. An unforgettable experience though.
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Phantosmia - I wish someone had warned me...! - sooty123
