Still no taste or smell since 31 March

Can you ask to be tested for the coronavirus antibodies? I don’t think the early tests used in the U.K. were very accurate.

False positives and false negatives have happened with these tests so they're not to be relied on. Only a blood test will signify whether or not you have any anti-bodies.

Pudding123
I lost mine before last Xmas when I'm convinced I had the virus. Your taste buds are a lot better than mine ?
The one thing that hurts the most is that I can't smell my beautiful Jasmin.

I lost my sense of smell about 10 years ago, but I can still taste. It has been slowly and faintly coming back but I do miss being able to fully enjoy my favourite perfumes, I still wear them but it's not the same! Apparently it's to do with ageing again, we lose something to do with smelling, same as hearing and eyesight!

I lost mine 10 years ago too due to a viral infection - sneezed and sneezed for a whole day and next day is had gone along with my taste. It is one of the most frustrating and depressing things to happen as smell is associated with so many things including memories. People who haven't experienced anosmia don't understand and some are quite insensitive making jokes about not smelling something awful. It is also a health hazard in that you can't smell gas leaks or food that has gone off.

As our taste mostly comes from the olfactory nerve losing your sense of smell usually affects taste - the tongue can only tell the difference between the 5 types - sweet, salty, sour, bitter and unami but doesn't pick up the subtle tastes we usually experience from food. Strangely the one thing I could vaguely taste was banana and sometimes strawberries.

Hopefully yours will just be a temporary issue but there are some things you can try (once you've ruled out if it really isn't covid related). If you have some essential oils try smell training - oils such as clove and eucalyptus are quite strong, also lemon and peppermint. The idea is to try and retrain your brain to recognise the differences. Over the years I have gradually regained some smells (the cats litter tray was the first to come back and coffee. In the beginning I had both a CT scan and a consultation with the leading doctor of anosmia but was really just left with the diagnosis that it might never come back.

There are quite a few resources online. Look up Fifth Sense which was set up by Carl Potts (the consultant I saw) which has a lot of information and they are looking into the Covid related anosmia. There is also a FaceBook group Anosmics of the World Unite where other sufferers exchange experiences and help. Finally there is a lovely lady chocolatier out there who gave a talk at our WI some years ago and having spoken to me set about making chocolates for anosmics - delicious!

I really hope yours is temporary.

Two of my close friends lost their sense of taste and smell a good while ago nothing at all to do with CV
The tests are still pretty hit and miss I think our friend was very ill last month with all the symptoms high temperature bad cough all the relevant aches and pains for a week plus the doctor said she had CV she drove 30 miles to have a test and the results never came back ....lost... now she has had an antibody blood test which has come back negative

I do share your pain as lost my sense of smell and taste over 20 years ago now 58! Hard to say what caused it as was patchy and I think hormonal until I had a severe head injury in 99 which totally stopped it. I have lost some hearing too and I must agree with others that it is the memories associated
with the senses we lose with them that hurts. Thank you Willow 500 for the links to follow. I have only joined Granset today whilst looking for views on Oestrogel on Mumsnet and am so glad that it led to this group which I hope to belong to in many ways.

Thank you all so much for your helpful replies ,Willow500 your very helpful reply has given me hope.My sense of smell although not anywhere near as good as it was is not completely gone as I can smell my perfume if I really concentrate and get my nose very near my wrist,I can also taste Bananas and I have today tasted soft garlic and herb cheese although not the bread I put it on.I have been sniffing cloves,lavender oil,Vick and a lemon and rose scented candle with various sucess.I have always tried to be healthy ,not overweight and never smoked so even at 65 as I have never had any real health issues I am finding it hard to deal with.I will look at Anosmics of the world unite for more information and am hoping that this is not a permanent affliction as it happened more or less overnight.

My daughter has not just lost her sense of taste and smell, but also says everything tastes like rotting flesh, anyone else experience this?

Her GP says it is a definite symptom of Covid, has put her on steroid drops, but warns it may or may not come back, which is a very grim outlook.

She tested negative for antibodies, but I understand those with T Cells against previous coronaviruses may not make any antibodies, so the test is not reliable.

I lost my sense of smell pretty much overnight 14 years ago. First I kept smelling a sweetish, chemical odour - no-one else could though - then nothing. At the time I blamed some pills I was temporarily taking.
I can’t smell anything I’m cooking - though if I go out of the kitchen then come back in, I can sometimes catch a faint whiff. It annoys me that GPs don’t seem to take it too seriously - when we can get GO appts. again I shall add it to my list and refuse to be fobbed off!

Pudding you haven't just started gargling with Listerine mouth wash have you? Chocolate tasted like cardboard when I used Listerine for a short time, many, many years ago.

Just a thought have you had your B12 checked? If not get your GP to check for it.

Most GP's don't just test for it when they do blood tests but low B12 and Folic Acid can leave you without taste and smell.

Don't just go and take any tablets. If you do the test will be messed up.

Hope you find out what it is but sadly there are lots of things that can cause this and it isn't always something we can get back.

Thank you all for your input,no I haven't used any mouthwash ,but will go back and ask the Dr what tests he did ( I just got a phone call saying all tests were negative.)
I just feel so sad that a big part of my life ( cooking and baking has gone )I was hoping that many people seem to have lost their taste and I wondered what they were eating and how they have coped.I have just made soup for my lunch but to be honest it was just like eating muddy water and I get zero enjoyment from my meals .Sorry to be so negative about this.

Pudding123, I feel very sorry for you. I have chronic sinusitis (I've had a couple of operations on my sinuses) and another, more serious, underlying condition and last year realised that my sense of smell was severely diminished, although antibiotics for the sinus problems seemed to help. Then I picked up another infection and completely lost my sense of smell for months. I understand how devastating it is, especially as I also bake and savour my food. I was poorly all over Christmas, struggling to provide a family holiday but found myself in tears because I couldn't smell or taste the Christmas food I was cooking.

I nagged my ENT specialist again (they decided to try a new approach) and my immunologist increased my dose of regular medication because I was so unwell and suddenly my health improved and my sense of smell returned. It was, in my case, dramatic. However, I am aware that another infection could take it away again.

I'm not sure if any of this helps. I found that most of the doctors I spoke to weren't really concerned about the loss of sense of smell. However, when I reported back to say that I had regained it, the doctors treating me seemed really delighted for me. I hope they are encouraged to help others.

I hope you regain your sense of smell. When I couldn't smell anything and could only taste the basics (salt, sweet, sour, etc), I found textures important. Pickles and salads, ice cream and chocolate, nuts and crisps (I couldn't get enough Twiglets) and also chillies and curries for spicy taste.

I wish you luck. You have my sympathy.

Willow
Thank you so much for that info.
I have a 'funny' thing that happens. With some foods I have a memory of what they taste like and can almost taste them.

Wishing you the best.

xx