Change in Sense of Smell

[Lilacs4Angels]

Hi, I just joined a few days ago. I had an AVR on July 3, 2007 at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital in Bakersfield, California. Before the AVR I had no symptoms of anything being wrong...a bit short of breath here and there...but always attributed that to smoking. On June 26th I went in for an angiogram...before being told I'd have to have the angiogram I smoked almost a pack a day...since the angiogram...nothing...not a one!

My question now is...I have noticed that smells make me nauseous...even my wife's cooking...so do I attribute this to my body getting rid of all the nicotine and tar I loaded it with over the 40+ years of smoking almost two packs a day.

Does my smelling things come from the medications I am taking (coumadin, lopressor, lopid among a couple more).

Any one have any ideas?

Thank you.

 

[Bina]

Hello L-4-A,
Welcome to the nuthouse....er...I mean group.
Congratulations on quitting smoking
My husband smoked a pack a day for 30 years...he quit last year.
He is always amazed by what he can smell now.It's almost like new discoveries.
I would imagine that you would notice these things alot more since your body is already dealing with the post surgery trauma.
The nausea should pass and you will enjoy your new world of aromas.

 

[Cooker]

I did not notice any change in my sniffer post op but when I quit smoking it was almost immediate. All smells and taste were amplified.

Tom

 

[VikiVix]

sense of smell

sense of smell

Hi
I had the same thing happen. I also quit smoking so I believe that had a lot to do with it but I also couldn't even tolerate breathing around anything like incense, hair spray or anything similar. That has eased a lot now. Tastes of everything was different too. I didn't like coffee and started craving soda which I never normally drink.
Viki

 

[WayneGM]

Congratulations on quitting smoking. When I quit, I found smells amplified. Some became overwhelming other quite enjoyable. I can't stand really strong scents, such as going into bath shops with all that perfumy soap. Food smells and tastes better.

 

[Cooker]

Congratulations on quitting smoking

I can't speak for anyone else but quitting smoking is the HARDEST thing I have ever been through!!! That includes all the bad habits I gave up and OHS. I don't care how bad I may want a smoke in the future I will not give in because I NEVER want to go through quitting again!!!

So thanks Wayne, I will take that pat on the back.

Tom

PS> Pass the donuts

 

[Marguerite53]

I have noticed that my sense of smell is greatly "amplified" (great word, Wayne!) since my surgery. I assumed it was because my hormones are changing (female, age 53) but the hormones were changing before my surgery, too, so maybe it has something to do with the better blood flow everywhere post surgery.

I used to smoke, ages ago. Got married and decided we wanted children, so quitting smoking was easy for me.....wouldn't dream of smoking and being pregnant!! Never took it up again. I'm sure it does make a difference, tho. And I think it would have been impossible for me to quit otherwise....I really loved smoking!! Kudos to all you successful quitters

My guess is that it's the lingering medicines in your body. Many here have complained at how awful food tastes for awhile. Goodness, you're just a few weeks out from your surgery. Give it time.

Sauteed garlic and onions in butter almost universally smell wonderful!! Maybe your wife could cook a little pan of those every night (or something similarly pleasing to your current smell) on the side, to help you through this time.

Good luck! and WELCOME to your new life!! Congrats on the surgery!

Marguerite

 

[tenndon]

No changes in sense of smell post surgery but definitely post smoking. I smoked nearly 4 packs a day and when I quit almost 5 years ago my world changed. The things I could smell were just unbelievable and overwhelming. It has kind of leveled off now but the one smell that still makes me ill is the smell of a cigarette smoker. I never knew I smelled that bad too.

Quitting was the hardest thing I have ever done also. Nothing compares.

Congrats to all you quitters!!

Peace of Christ,
Don

 

[Philip B]

Changes in Smell

Changes in Smell

My sense of smell has not changed in any noticable way following my AVR surgery in March. The surgery did affect my sense of taste for a couple of months. Nothing tasted good. The nursing staff at the hospital told me that the affects of OHS on my taste buds was pretty normal.

Congrats on dropping the smoking habit.

-Philip

 

[Lilacs4Angels]

Thanks

Thanks

Thanks to everyone...every little bit helps me a lot.

I thought maybe it was just from quitting smoking but wasn't sure...(guess I should listen to my wife a little more sometimes lol)

I'll take it one day at a time and see how things progress.

(You'd never guess that my last job was working with the sewer system in a small town, lol...guess I couldn't smell "..."....)

Happy thoughts to all...