I've been having what Ive been describing as the strong smell of Cigar smoke, off and on randomly for about 8 months now. There is no rhyme or reason to the episodes - it comes and goes - sometimes lasting 10 minutes, sometimes hours. I can have it every day, then it disappears for weeks at a time.

My only seemingly relevant history is that I had a pituitary tumor removed 20 years ago, with no recurrence of symptoms. I am overweight, but exercising and losing weight slowly. I haven't had any major sinus issues. I quit smoking 5 years ago and no one in my house smokes now.

My hormone levels run on the low end of normal, with the exception of my Vitamin D which has just been found to be extremely low. (35-55 is normal, mine is a 4. Yes, four.) Ive been placed on a supplemental routine which will be revisited in 3 months.

My Dr sent me to an ENT, who I saw today. He is suggesting an MRI to rule out any tumors, but he doesnt seem to think that's the case. He started me on Nasonix, 1x a day for 1 month or until the MRI results show something else to consider.

What finally got me to tell my Dr about the smell is that I have been exhausted, all the time, and am having trouble sleeping. She and I talked about everything, no matter how seemingly small, and I told her about the cigar smell. She asked why I hadn't ever mentioned it and I admitted I was afraid she'd thing I was crazy.

Thankfully, she didn't and we're working to try and find some answers. I was shocked when I googled this tonight and came across this forum, with so many years worth of people having the same issue! If and when I find out anything more, I will come back and share.

I too have just recently began smelling a smokey odor. However, mine has always been after sexual intercourse. I thought maybe it was a pH balance thing because I have reactions to any type of acid - citric acid, salycidic acid, lactic acid, etc. However, I only smell it on or in me with our secretions - even after showering.

Neither of us have ever smoked, we both have allergies and we both have ENT issues. Mine is my ears (tubes) and his is sinuses. It's only been since we've been together. I can smell it, but he can't.

I read through all of these posts pretty much and there's still no answer apparently.

This began about a month ago for me. Prior to the smoke smell I have had twitching and facial pain for 3-4 months. I've had CT scan on my sinuses and MRI on my brain that came back with just mild sinus issues. I just finished my 3rd round of antibiotics, the last due to a bad head cold and I'm still sneezing. I'm not wasting my time with my family Dr. any longer because he has never heard of anyone smelling smoke before. I have make an apppointment with my dentist to see if orally everything is ok, then I will go to ENT. I guess after that it will be off to the neurologist. This smell is sickening! By the end of the day I actually feel nauseated. It dosent bother my taste though. I don't understand and its very frustrating.

I am a healthy 41 yr old male, and I too have these symptoms. I noticed it a year ago and it went away, now about 3 weeks ago, it has been with me constantly. My oldest 12 yr old daughter really wants me to find out whats wrong with me. I also have noticed that my memory has began to diminish. I would really like to figure out whats wrong with me, and I believe I will go and get a CT scan to look for a potential brain tumour.

I smell cigarette smoke and am not around any smokers and it is so strong that it feels like it is in my lungs and nose and even my eyes burn. This started about 3 years ago and at first since I had just moved into a different home I thought maybe it was a ghost. Really, I did. Don't laugh. But it goes away and then comes back again. I am now experiencing it and the last time I smelled it was last summer. It now even affects the taste in my mouth. My taste feels like there is some chemical in it. I felt I was going crazy. No one else smells it but it is so strong that I feel like it is going to suffocate me. I just put in a search today on google to see if I might find some kind of information and was surprised to find this forum.Only meds I am on are Lexapro, baby aspirin, and Lorazepam.

i have the same thing as do most of us on this site. we just can't figure out what it is. i have all your symptoms only i have hypothyroidism and am 49 yrs old in menopuse. i take adavan at nite and numerous supplements and 1 low dose pill for thyroid. i have allergies since i quit smoking a year ago.i have a bad problem with cooking gas when it comes on and then if someone is frying oil i have to go out of the room upstairs door closed it literally takes my breath away when i get "the smell" so i ordered an oregano oil with herbs spray for my nose which i got off of this site i will let you all know if it works or not

debby

Add one more to the long list of people who are smelling smoke. My malady comes and goes...today it is as if I'm sitting in a cigarette smoke filled room. This happened to me last winter as well, and lasted for a couple of weeks. Today I began to smell it again, and have had some sneezing. I'm going to conclude it's sinus problems, because I don't want to believe it might be neurological. The most unusual thing about it to me is that I can cover my nose and mouth with my hand, and I only smell my hand. You would think that if it was an internal stimulus, you would smell it even if your nose and mouth were covered. Good to know it's not just me.

can anyone tell me what this may be a symptom of 8 weeks ago i had a left hip replacement, could it be the painkillers tramadol, etc , there are a lot of people on this site with same symptoms but no diagnosis as yet.

IN ADDITION TO THE SMOKE SMELL SOMETIMES I SMELL AN AMMONIA SMELL AND ALSO A SWEET SMELL THAT TURNS UGLY AFTER A WHILE. I TRULY BELIEVE AFTER ALMOST HAVING THIS FOR A YEAR I DEFINETLEY HAVE AN ALLERGY ESPECIALLY TO COOKING GAS TOASTER OVENS MICROWAVES ETC. MY NOSE RUNS AND THEN DRIES UP MY THROAT HURTS AND MY EYES BOTHER ME AND OF COURSE THE SMELL. THIS IS DEFINETLEY AN ALLERGY. BUT THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING SOMEONE CAN DO ABOUT THIS. MY SMELL GETS SO BAD AND MY THROAT ETC THAT I HAVE A PROBLEM BREATHING BECAUSE THE SMELL IS OVERPOWERING THE BREATHING AND THEN AS FAST AS IT CAME IT GOES AWAY

Like everyone else - I started smelling smoke where there was no smoke. I went to the doctor, as I thought I may have a sinus infections (been struggling with a cold/sinus thing for 6 weeks) - but no infection. This is allergy season for me - so now I'm doubling up o all my allergy medication in hopes that this will take away this awful smell. Sometimes it's so bad I can tast the smoke. One thing that I don't see anyone else listing with the smell is terrible headaches. As the smell gets worse, the headaches get stronger. Does anyone else have headaches with their symptoms?

to bmac: sometime i get a headache with the smell like last nite but also someone had said migranes and that smell sometime go together so you mite want to check with your dr about that alot of people say to go to a nerurologist i never did. as i get the headaches sometimes with the smell usually its just the smell by itself with my entire face very very flushd my pupils look wierd and then of course the awful smell. thats why i think i have a severe allergy to something but what i don't know

I have started to smell cigarette smoke over the past three or four day's. I suffer annually from allergies. I have had a heavy sinus cold a few weeks ago. Today I blew my nose and very thick yellow mucous came out. I have had really bad sinus congestions over the past few months. At the time the smell started the sinus congestion stopped. I have theory. When I exhale then hold my breath for 10 second or turn my head and then inhale through my nose... no smell!!! I think this smell is our own breath or exhaled breath to be exact. It seams this smell is being created in my bronchial or lungs. I am over weight and poor physical condition. I think, like a cigarette, this smoke could being created in our body. It is like my body is creating this smell and it is a nicotine like gas or some gases off from the body with a similar smell. In another posting someone suggested Aspertame from diet soda... I'm going to try diet and exercise

I too have been smelling smoke for the past 6 days. It is so bad at times that my throat burns and my eyes sting. I have also for the past 3 days I've had really bad headaches. I tried covering my nose and mouth with my hand and the smell will go away for a second or two. I have not been sick or had a cold since December. I feel great except for this strange smell and the headaches. Any kind of answer would be great.

I was begining to think I was crazy, it's kinda nice to hear other people are having the same symptoms. I don't smoke, I'm not around smokers, and yet I smell it all the time. I have a hard time falling asleep because I can't get the smell out of my head, It's neausating! It sounds like most people on this site have post nasal drip, I've had it for years, why the smell now? This is going to drive me crazy, I feel like I want to wash it out of my nose.

I was in cabo San Lucas last week and all of the sudden I got a blast of what I thought were LP gas or Natural gas fumes, well..It has not gone away. My friend that was with me claims he did not smell it, and has been so troublesome that I searched it out. I am particularly bothered by it as I'm a Chef and I don't want this to affect my senses permanently. I do smoke but I'm not having a "smoke" smell sensation persay more of a diesel fuel or gas fire type smell. any help with this would be awesome..Thanks, Chris

it probably is the same your feeling like the rest of us. some smell smoke i personally smell ammonia and then musty smoke and when the gas goes on in my kitchen or my oven or microwave etc i get that awful smell and basically although noone can come up with the reason or cure for that matter in my opinion its a bad allergy we are experiencing. because when i get it my nose waters and my breathing is affected and as fast as it came it goes away but it does come back but you never know when it;s what your exposed to i feel like thats it anyway. we all have different circumstances. i'm female in menopause stopped smoking 1 year ago from a 30 yr habit. quit it cold turkey. i went to numerous drs and testing and they can't find squat. i also have hyothyroidism from this menopause and am low dose of meds for that. there is one more dr i am going to that is an encronologist. they study hormonal inbalance maybe its internal or hormonal i don't know. all i know is to live with this sucks. it makes your whole day blow and you just feel horrible till it goes away. i'm sorry you are having this but don't give up we all are in the smae boat till next time
deb

I am going to contact my Dr. on monday just to get his take on it. I'm in Las Vegas and we have had an excetionally high mulberry pollen count over the last several weeks, I currently use the nasal spray Nasacort but pretty infrequently. i'll post again after I see what I come up with.

I just moved to the Austin Texas area where everyone tells me cedar pollen is a real culprit.
As soon as I got here it seemed as though I was constantly smelling smoke from a mesquite fire and it has gotten continually worse.
To stop it I use a sinus flush called "NeilMed" sinus rinse .
I have to use it two or three times a day but it does eliminate the smoke smell that I believe is generated by some substance in the air.

Since it started as soon as I moved to the Austin area and people here all talk about the heavy cedar pollen problem I'm connecting the two however I may be wrong.

All I know for sure is that the sinus flushes work!! Try it!!

I don't smell smoke, I am smelling more of an exhaust smell, with itchy eyes and burning throat....but I don't see any answers here, just questions......where do we find answers?

I thought I might be experiencing some kind of mental problem, because I smell cigarette smoke all day long. My eyes sting a little and I can almost taste it in the back of my throat. It has been happening to me for several years but not to the extent that it is now. In the last three days I smell it constantly and I want to cry. I hate cigarette smoke. This feels like a nightmare or a mental breakdown about to unleash. I am a very healthy woman, age 35, I take no drugs whatsoever, I rarely drink and my weight is perfect. I have an appointment this evening; I hope the doctor will take me seriously. I would bet anyone that the doctor offers me antidepressants, although, I not depressed, just scared. After reading all the information here I really hope I do not have a tumor. I do suffer with headaches and fatty tumors(occured after each pregnancy on my shoulder, removed,no problem) Other than that, I really am healthy.