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Sense of smell affected - but not loss

(17 Posts)
HurdyGurdy Sat 02-Jan-21 14:50:49

My son is adamant that his bedroom "stinks". He describes it as a sewage smell or a rotting (rodent) body (we have had mice recently, which we think were/are in the roof void above his bedroom ceiling).

Neither my husband or I can smell it. My husband has reduced sense of smell anyway, but mine is fine.

My son says the smell has been in his bedroom (converted from our garage, so ground floor) for about four days.

Does Covid change your sense of smell to include smelling things that aren't there? It just seems so odd that he's the only one who can smell it.

Whiff Sat 02-Jan-21 14:58:21

Could be but to be on the safe side. I would get him tested. Better safe than sorry.

My cousin's youngest daughter has Covid diagnosed on Christmas day. Found out she caught it at the nursery she works at. 3 children tested positive but their idiot parents still sent them to the nursery. Thus affecting who knows how many.

So to put your mind at rest get him tested. It's uncomfortable but only takes seconds I've had one. Merseyside is testing people with and without symptoms. Found hundreds who had got it but had no symptoms.

EllanVannin Sat 02-Jan-21 15:00:42

Probably something in the brickwork if it's a converted building. Some cements give out certain smells.

Covid doesn't make you " smell things ". The reason people can't smell or taste anything is what the common cold causes , or a Catarrhal/ Sinus infection which can both cause loss. Such as when the nose is stuffed up.

HurdyGurdy Sat 02-Jan-21 15:13:21

Actually, thinking about it, it's only in his bedroom that he's smelling this, not anywhere else, so I don't think it's his sense of smell that's affected, do you?

But it's odd that neither husband or I can smell it.

I might have to see if our neighbour will stick his head through my son's bedroom window and see if he can detect anything!

Lucca Sat 02-Jan-21 15:25:22

I am Pretty sure I read something about anosmia? Connected to Covid smelling horrible smells.

EllanVannin Sat 02-Jan-21 15:32:57

Anything in the roof-space ? If anything had got in and died such as a squirrel, there'd be blue-bottles around.

grannyactivist Sat 02-Jan-21 15:41:54

COVID can affect the sense of smell in the way you’ve described, so a test seems to be a sensible response.

cornishpatsy Sat 02-Jan-21 15:53:36

I used to have a cat that would drop dead mice around the house. I would always be able to smell when there was a dead mouse in the house but nobody else could.

If he is not smelling it anywhere else then his sense of smell must be ok.

Oldbutstilluseful Sat 02-Jan-21 15:57:39

My daughter lost her sense of smell but not taste. She has tested positive.

B9exchange Sat 02-Jan-21 15:58:39

It's parosmia if there is no identifiable cause, a well known long covid effect. My daughter has it, everything smells and tastes of rotting flesh. When she developed it in March, no one knew about it, and she was investigated for a brain tumour, but reassured it was covid related. No idea when/if it will ever improve.

So I really hope for your son's sake it is mice related instead!

Jaxjacky Sat 02-Jan-21 16:05:29

Get him to smell some other things, jar of coffee, bleach etc.

Mapleleaf Sat 02-Jan-21 16:22:52

I agree with you hurdygurdy, that if he can't smell the smell anywhere else it's unlikely that he has Covid. ( Anyway, I thought it was a loss of smell that was a symptom not enhanced smell sensitivity). I can often smell things that my DH can't smell at all. I think some people are probably more sensitive to certain odours than other people are.

Mapleleaf Sat 02-Jan-21 16:27:46

I wasn't aware that parosmia can be related to people who suffer from long Covid. That's awful for them.

Casdon Sat 02-Jan-21 18:10:08

Your poor daughter B9exchange, that must be awful for her, hope she does recover normal smelling function soon.

BlueBelle Sat 02-Jan-21 18:14:50

I think your wrong ellenvannin I read only recently that some people don’t lose their sense of smell and taste but have it altered to quite vile nasty tastes and smells
However in this case it won’t be that as he only smells the smell in his bedroom not anywhere else

jusnoneed Sat 02-Jan-21 18:51:44

Some years ago I helped run a community centre and each morning when I opened up the bar area I could smell something horrible - but nobody else could. This went on for a few days, I think the others thought I was going daft. Finally when I walked in one day with the bar manager and could smell it as soon as I opened the door but she couldn't I actually got down and crawled around on the floor of the area I thought it was from, wow I have never forgotten the terrible smell coming from some built in seating. I got someone in to take the tops off the seat and talk about feeling your stomach roll - there was a large rats nest and two very dead beasties!!! Pest people came and found out where they had been coming in via pipe work under the building, thankfully they had something to take away the smell. So yes he could be smelling something that you cannot.

B9exchange Sat 02-Jan-21 23:18:00

Thank you Casdon, has been 9 months now, my heart goes out to her, one of the few things we can look forward to at the moment is food, and she doesn't have that. Her ENT consultant says it might be two years before it eases, but this is a new disease, how could he know?