Smelling strange odors

[listerr]

Hi all. Been vaping and off real cigs for 169 days. About a week or so ago, I began smelling "phantom" odors; specifically a skunk smell. I know it sounds strange but I can't figure it out. No one else smells this smell and I swear it is not me who smells!!! I literally woke up last night convinced a skunk was in my room. I don't smell it constantly but I will smell it several times a day as if it's wafting through the air. I know this will probably elicit all kinds of jokes, but I'm serious. Is my sense of smell changing because I quit real cigs or could the ecig be the cause? Anyone else experience this?

 

[r77r7r]

Are you on any meds?? Also, try some saline drops to flush out your nasal passages.

My phantom smells are burning wood and nasty garbage that come and go.

I attribute them to stress and meds.

 

[Rickajho]

Sinus infection or dental problem?

 

[emily n portland]

Do your neighbors smoke/grow other stuff?

I now have super sonic smelling... For instance I have been convince at least 5 times in the last couple months something in my house is on fire. Search....nope, just the neighbor lighting his grill. I start drooling when he puts the steaks on.

 

[listerr]

No meds and no apparent dental or sinus problem. You get all kinds of scary stuff if you google "phantom odors"...But I guess I could try saline drops and see. Just kind of concerned. My husband is convinced it's the ecig.

 

[r77r7r]

No meds and no apparent dental or sinus problem. You get all kinds of scary stuff if you google "phantom odors"...But I guess I could try saline drops and see. Just kind of concerned. My husband is convinced it's the ecig.

All us hubby's deserve a smack upside the head from time to time...

 

[Circa Survivor]

Do you have cats? Their poops can waft in clouds. Or maybe you have ghosts.

 

[Sthur]

You spence of smell is back, so anything off will smell bad. Lol.

 

[valooper]

That would be the ghost of smelly nonsense barking up your tree!!

Ghost busters dispatched!!

 

[valooper]

 

[DavidOH]

I've free for about 18 months. I went through the same kind of thing for about the first 12 months. Your going to have this off and on for awhile. Your body is repairing itself and your brain is trying adjust. And just when you think it's done it'll start again.

 

[bacc.vap]

There's always the chance that there are actual skunks nearby. Especially if it's at night which is when they usually roam and meet up with other critters and cats and such. It's pretty common for me to smell skunks at night, because they are really there, nothing phantom about it.

 

[tayone415]

After awhile your sense of smell will start to come back and you'll be more sensitive to smell, like cigarette smoke if you haven't yet you will probably realize that it is an offensive odor unless you enjoy the smell. As for the skunk smell I've not heard of that before. Are you sure your husband is not passing gas and blaming it on e cigs?

 

[cantmissamy]

You are not alone, certain times of the day at work I smell coffee. And with the whole smelling smokers yep I can detect one when they walk by me now.

 

[-Redd-]

He does look like he's just farted!

 

[GinnyTx]

More thank likely it's your sense of smell has recovered/recovering from smoking ,which causes nerve damage to the olfactory system (your sniffer).

You don't have migraine headaches do you?
they run in our family *and none for me since menopause yeeeeehaw!* but my daughter could never figure out her "aura" that time that lets you get some maxalt or some med in you before knife to the brain part..

hers was an "olfactory hallucination" which is indicative of "organic brain damage" (not to worry we all have it *lol* it's just how severe) and prolonged cigarette smoking causes damage to the little receptors along those nerves,

More than likely what's happening is your "waking back up" those nerves and the brain receives the signals and it's getting confused because they were diminished before now they're flooding back in along your receptors and your brain (olfactory bulb which is right over your sinuses) then through a cranial never to the temporal lobes which are going "wow ! Lots of smells...we'll just say that's a skunk". great!

It should even all out soon, once your brain gets used to all those signals again, but if it doesn't in say a few months to six months get to a neurologist, it could be a sign of something that needs attention.

good luck!

 

[Ken_A]

It could be that you have a local fox. Many people mistake the smell of a fox for a weaker skunk smell. We have them around here so I always know when one is in the area.

 

[gingertalk196]

Hi Listerr,

I've been wanting to respond to your post but being new had to have 5 mandatory posts before I could. Just to let you know, I've been vaping for about a year full time now. I started seriously in November last year. Interestingly enough, I've been smelling what I can only describe as a fireplace or BBQ smell since the middle of July. Went to an ENT doctor who said it is called an olfactory hallucination. Sometimes it is so vivid my eyes tear. Wondered if it was the air conditioning because I would smell it in the car a lot and as I said it began during the summer months. As I vape mostly menthol and it's MBV menthol which is relatively strong, I wondered if that might have something to do with it too. With the cooler weather and the air mostly off now, I've noticed the experience has lessened.
Anyway Listerr, I wanted to write and just let you know that you are not the only one. Does it have to do with vaping or air conditioning, I don't know. Do you vape primarily menthol? Hope this helps. Ginger

 

[roxynoodle]

I'm willing to bet its a real skunk . Maybe you or a neighbor have one living under a porch or in a shed. If anyone is putting out food for cats, it may be going over there to eat. I had one for a couple months that was hanging out with the barn cats.

 

[beckdg]

There's always the chance that there are actual skunks nearby. Especially if it's at night which is when they usually roam and meet up with other critters and cats and such. It's pretty common for me to smell skunks at night, because they are really there, nothing phantom about it.

party pooper.