Smelling Smoke All the Time (Page 1)

You may have a deep sinus infection. I would go to an ent specialist.

Hi grizzly,

i hope you're not still smelling the smoke. I do know what it is like because it happened to me. It was like having a bag over my head filled with the smell of ash trays and cigarretes burning. Come to find out, I had central nervious system vasculitis which is inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. I had a spinal tap, mri and blood work to confirm the diagnosis. I would definitely seek help from a qualified neurologist. Good luck!

Horselvr

I just started smelling the smoke smell, and it is driving me nuts. Did you find out what was causing you to have this horrific smell, and whether it is sinuses, that way I can go and see an ent specialist. I looked up the vaculitis thing, and I don't have any other symptoms. I would appreciate any info you could give me on this, as I said it is driving me crazy. I've had this for about 5 days. :x

Dear sanantan,

i wouldn't fool around with what you are describing. Smelling smoke, i.E. Burning cigarettes, rubber, etc. Is a sign of neuro involvement, especially seizure activity of some sort. I am not saying that you have this manisfestation but I would definitely see a neurologist in your local area. He or she can run tests to see if you have anything going on. Let me know what happens with your doctor visit.

Horselvr

I did go and see a neurologist, but since I had no other symptoms, and when they examined me, I didn't display any other symptoms, it was hard to diagnose what this smell was coming from. At the time my sinuses didn't look bad either. I waited another few days, and my sinuses got worse, and I went in to see family doctor, and he said I had a sinus infection. But neither Dr. Had ever heard of the smoke thing. I am on an antibiotic called bioxin for 14 days, been taking it for 2 days, but haven't noticed any difference in the smoke smell yet, i'm hoping it will take care of this smoke smell in a few more days, if not the doc said they will deal with that issue once the sinus infection is gone, plus the neurologist said that he would order a cat or mri next week if this didn't go away.

Dear sanatan,

i am curious....What tests did the neurologist run to determine you didn't have signs of neuro involvement? The first time I went to my doctor I had and eeg which showed slowed brain wave activity, i.E. Seizures. I also had and mri and spinal tap, but mine may have been worse, at least it developed to that point.

Hi
I have had a history of smelling smoke when I get the flu or a bad cold and take a lot of meds like Contac or cough syrup. It never really bothered me (I was already pretty sick) just let me know the medicine was in there.
I was in a motorcycle accident in May of 07 and received a fractured skull. I had a little bleeding of the membrane around the brain in front. I was out of the hospital in four days (my wife didn't make it, she died 8 days after). I have the same cig-smoke smell that I used to only now it's with no meds and it's a lot of every day, say 4-5 hours out of my awake time of 16-18 hours.
It' rather irritating, my doctor has never heard of it and just thinks it may go away. It isn't as bad as when I first got out of the hospital.


everclear2

Hello,
I thought I was alone! I didn't think that anyone else had the same symptoms. I would have this off and on for many years now. When I have it, it would last for about 4-7 days. It comes and goes through out the day. My eyes would feel really dry and have a burning feeling, followed with a migraine. Anyhow, I wasn't sure of what it was until Friday night when a girlfriend of mine mentioned to me that it might me a severe sinus infection. Thinking about it today, made me search the net for answers and I came across this forum. I would've never thought to go see an ENT specialist. This forum really helped. I am looking to setting up an appointment tomorrow morning and hoping to get answers soon. I will post my update after my doctor visit. I am looking forward to hearing from others about different treatments to get rid of this awful smell/feeling. Does anyone have a good ENT doctor to refer me to in the Denver (CO) area?

I was shocked (and happy that I wasn't loosing my mind) to see other people dealing with this craziness. I went to my family doctor this morning and he has referred me to an ENT. I see them on Thursday. I'll keep you all posted on what happens. My doctor seems to think it could be sinus related so he has put me on an antibiotic for 7 days. He also stated that he wanted to do a brain scan. I asked him why and he said that since your sinuses are ultimately connected to the brain, there could be something malfunctioning there?? I'll check back soon. Good luck guys...this is so irritating.

Been smelling cig smoke for 4 months now. Brain scan negative for tumors. Neuro tried to tell me I had seizure disorder (with no follow-up tests) and wanted to put me on anti-convulsants and report me to DMV - beware everyone in Calif and other states that have reporting guidelines.

Saw an ENT who suggested Nasonex. Hmmmmmm. . . .

Does anyone else have an issue with: loose teeth - particularly in the front or suffer with fibromyalgia?

Thanks . . .

I've been smelling smoke STRONGLY for about a week, everywhere I go. It is quite annoying. I have actually been smelling it mildly for several years, but didn't realize there was really no smoke. I have a keen sense of smell and can usually detect faint smells before other people. I just thought other people were missing it. I'm looking for any common threads with other people who have this condition. I don't currently have a cold or flu. I don't have any loose teeth and I've never been tested for fibromyalgia. No severe head injuries in the past. I have headaches often, but usually not intense. I have had blind spots in the past, which the doctor thought were probably migraine "auras" but didn't otherwise know I was having migraines. I only sleep 3 to 4 hours per night, which may be the cause of the headaches. I have been tested and diagnosed with mild sleep apnea. Recently discovered elevated liver enzymes and the doctor is testing for a cause. Already ruled-out hepatitis. I've never drank alcohol, smoked, or taken any illegal drugs. I'm not currently on any medication. If any of this rings a bell with anyone else, please reply. Good luck to everyone!

He put me on an antibiotic named Cefuroxime, 250 mg. I took it twice yesterday as prescribed and when I woke up this morning I thought the smell was gone. I showered without the smell but after my shower and I came downstairs, it was back. We did just get our Christmas Tree on Saturday. I'm wondering if it has anything to do with that. It's the only thing that has changed for me in the past few days. Seems to coincide with that anyway. I'm seeing an ENT tomorrow. I'll keep you guys posted.

He said that the phantom smell of smoke is common and usually brought on by a bacterial sinus infection and inflamation. Your smell glands are located at the top of your nose between your eyes. If you have a substantial bacterial infection in your sinus cavity accompanied by inflamation, which I do, it puts pressure on the smell glands and thus creates (sometimes) phantasmic smells in your nose. Sometimes there are no obvious signs of the sinus infection. (I did not feel like I had one) So, we are keeping me on the antibiotic Cefuroxime, 250 mg, twice a day and also a high dose of steroids, Prednisone 20 mg, 3 tabs every morning for 6 days then 2 tabs every 3 days then 1 tab every 3 days. So in twelve days I'll report back and see if this is a bunch of nonsense or if it really works. Man I hope it works. I do not want to eat Christmas dinner in a bar. (Cuz that's what I smell all day long up my nose)

I have also had the same symptom where I smell cigarrette smoke when there is non around. I have very frequent headaches, almost every day and I get migraines often too. I have noticed when I wear certain perfumes I smell smoke. I am looking forward to hear from mmccartney1 to see if the treatment worked. I know I need to go see a specialist..

I've been smelling smoke for the last few days (today is Saturday). Anyone else taste it as well? On Monday and Tuesday every time I had a coffee it tasted like I'd been smoking a pack of cigarettes. At that stage I couldn't smell smoke. It was about Wednesday that I started smelling cigarette smoke, the taste symptoms stopped. Noone else around me could smell it. I smell it in the shower, on my fingers (I'm not a smoker), and just randomly.

I've been googling and came across this forum and a few others. I'm trying not to think it's a brain tumour, but with the luck I've been having lately...

Anway the Sunday prior to my smoking taste symptoms, my asthma reared up a little. We had been cutting concrete in our back yard and shovelling a lot of dirt. I stayed in inside, but I think it still affected me as on the Sunday I was wheezy and tight all day and my sinuses were blocked (however I've woken up with blocked sinuses every day for months. I've always had a great sense of smell. But back in Oct, I had a virus and since then, my sense of smell has been very low). Anyway, so I'm hoping that this bizarre smoke smelling is just a sign of an infection given all the dust etc that was flying around last week. I do have headaches though. I tend to get headaches at the back of my head, lower back (these have been for a while, I tend to put it down to bad posture/postioning at my desk at work, because my shoulders get sore as well). But anyone had headaches in that region or in general along with the smelling problems? I have had a headache today at the front of my head, just above my eyes.

I'm off to the doctors on Monday, so we'll see what happens.

mine isn't constant. it's random.