well my doctor didn't want to do any tests yet. she said won't send you for a CT scan yet, use a saline spray for a week and see how that goes. come back if the smoke smell is still there. I reckon I've smelt it the most today out of all days, have also had a constant headache since yesterday in the back of my head and my neck.

My husband said I should have just said no I'm not waiting a week, I'll go have a scan.

So I'm no closer to an answer.

I do have a lot of sinus infections. Just recently, I have realized that although
i live in a house where my husband smokes in the basement, i DO SMELL
smoke anywhere! I am on augmentin, 4th day, but I am really hoping this
will go away. Guess it's time to go see anENT. Do some of you have it and
then it goes away?

I have posted my update over here:

http://www.ehealthforum.com/health/topic30 007.html

no clearer to an answer I'm afraid.

I reported in last august. Afterwards I received an EEG and a week later talked with a neurologist. I was told that I had developed a form of temporal lobe epilepsy, the smelling of smoke is the manifestation of the seizure. This was originally a very minor condition that I already had but only surfaced when I was sick because of the medication that I was taking. The injury that I sustained in the motorcycle accident injured the left frontal lobe of my brain and caused some bleeding and bruising of the brain. Immediately after the accident, I began smelling smoke most of the waking day.(8 to 12 hours) This has subsided greatly and I only occasionally smell smoke. It seems to be tied to my emotions, if I am very emotional about something, it will be coming and going randomly. Otherwise I notice it when I first wake up in the morning occasionally, but it's usually gone by the time I shower and leave for work. Even if I work a 12-14 hour day and then go home and work in my shop, being tired doesn't seem to trigger it. Sometimes when I'm in a rather odorus environment it will switch from the surrounding smell to the ashtray odor, but when I leave the smelly area the smoke goes away. It seems like it's slowly fading away. I have talked to some people who had similar injuries, and they had some strange sensory misfires also. All but one of five people said that it had faded out to nearly gone in varying periods of 1 - 3 years. I hope mine will and good luck to anyone reading this.
Clear sailing in the future to you,
Michael

I've been smelling smoke for about a month now. I was amazed that I was not alone in this one. I read the entire forum and noted several paths you all have taken to find out why this is happening. Has anyone found something that stops the smell?

I am thrilled to have found this forum! I have been suffering from the exact same symptoms smelling cigarettes on and off for about 3 years now. When it first started I saw my dr. who put me on antibiotics and nasonex. I also had severe post nasal drip - haven't seen anyone report that symptom yet. It would be so thick I was clearing my throat constantly - the antibiotics helped and the nasonex helped as well. Smoke smell keeps coming back on and off over these last few years. Been on the z pac, nose spray thing also. Frankly tired of this vicious circle. I do find the nasonex helps but I don't want to be dependent on drugs my entire life - would rather get to the problem and fix it. Don't feel like it's really a sinus infection since my head doesn't hurt and don't get headaches at all really. I get alot of sleep, don't drink, very healthy and at my optional weight. The thick clearning of the throat from the drip is very annoying - would love to make that go away. I smell the smoke in summer, and in winter - can't pin it down to a common factor. I have never been in any accidents or had any injuries. Teeth are perfect - going back to my general dr. next week armed with this forum list of postings - maybe he might have some other suggestions for me. Was going to try allergy testing but that's very costly and not sure if it's really an allergy that is triggering the post nasal drip and cigarette smoke smell.

I will update as I have new info or find other things that work. Nasonex was ok, but very expensive to fill the rx - bottle was $80 after coverage and it's tiny, only lasts about 2 weeks. Not willing to spend the money to keep filling it.

I've smelled "phantom" smells for years, sometimes cigarette smoke other times wood smoke or the smell of a natural gas leak. Recently, I mentioned this to Mom in passing & she said she's got the same thing. She & I both suffer from severe depressive conditions. Could this be tied to depression since it's a brain illness???

Take care, all!

I am so happy my sister just sent me this link. For the past few years I have been suffering from this somewhat weird and annoying condition and until now I didn't know anyone else was either. It's sure good to hear I am not alone, although it is a little scarey to read that one of the causes could be little brain seizures. A few years ago my GP sent me to an ENT specialist but upon a quick physical exam, he said everything looked normal to him and gave me a prescription which I never filled. I personally got the feeling he thought I was a mental case! My thought was if you don't know exactly what is causing the problem, and everything looked normal, what's with the prescription! So I just kept on 'suffering'.

Like a few of you also reported, I am a migraine and headache sufferer and have been for years, so this might appear to me to be a probable cause. Coincidentally, I have a doctor's appointment today and I will definitely bring this up with him again. Another sister also sent me another link on the possibility of this condition being related to migraines. http://headaches.about.com/od/asktheclinic ia1/f/120704_10f.htm

I will surely report back if I return home with any kind of diagnosis or treatment for this annoying problem.

UPDATE: (Feb. 9/0
I mentioned to my GP that I had come across this forum, as well as having found an article on another website about a possible correlation between migraines and smelling smoke. He said there could be a possibility that this could be some sort of olfactory aura, but he believes that the smoke smell could be also be caused by nerve damage in the sinuses, saying even a cold virus could even be responsible for the damage. Unfortunately he couldn't offer anything else as so far there doesn't seem to be any other information about this condition available, be it cause or treatment. He also has 4 other patients who have reported this problem, so along with them and those of you who have written, I am at least relieved to know I am not alone and the problem is in my sinuses and not my mind!

OMG! I thought I was going crazy! I knew what I was smelling wasn't actually smoke. I don't smoke and no one around me does. Furthermore, I have never allowed anyone to smoke in or around my home. So, I was afraid to tell anyone what I was experiencing, because I thought people would think I was nuts!

For the last two months, I have been smelling a faint scent of smoke. At one time, I was actually tasting it in my mouth! Once, I got in a car with a friend, and he asked me if I had been around someone who had been smoking! Now that I know this could be the symptom of an illness, I'm going to see a doctor!

Headaches Eyes Hurt and Man the nasty smell of cigarette smoke! I guess I am not loosing it. Thanks for the info. It has to be a sinus infection as I have had them before but never with this weired smell of old stale damp cigarette smoke. It smells like an old smokers bedroom. Yuck! I have never smoked in my life and have to deal with this.

Hi there,
I have been smelling smoke now this past year. In comes and goes and I did think it strange, though didn't know what it was. I have always suffered with my sinuses though I seem to have been lucky of late with them.

This week, I seemed to sniff such a strong smell of smoke from nowhere, that after an hour or so, my sinuses were off again and I lost my voice with it too. This prompted me to look to see if others suffered the same way.

I find this forum is very interesting in particular that this may be to do with brain. I had a caesarean section four years ago and remember that I was told if I felt sick during this, not to worry, as occasionally, some blood would seep from the membrane. I did feel sick and wonder (from reading the piece on the motorcycle accident) if it could be something similar.

I would be interested to hear from anyone on this in particular any other Mum's who had caesarean section and have similar symptoms.

Thank you

I have the same condition since a doctor put me on Januvia for diabetes. The warning label for Januvia reads that it may cause sinus problems/infections. The sinus problem developed into an infection. Then the constant smell of cigarette smoke. I stopped the Januvia and went to an ENT. He said I had a bad sinus infection and gave me antibiotics. The smell went away in about a week but the sinus infection came back 6 months later. Antibiotics cured it for a while, but now the smell is back.

Does anyone here have type II diabetes and have you been on Januvia? Apparently the Januvia caused my sinus damage which left me subject to continued sinus infections. My diabetes doctor says that is not true, but my ENT says it is possible given the well known side effects of Januvia on the sinuses.

Any comments?

I just wanted to respond to the gal in '07 who asked about fibromyalgia and smelling smoke. Thank you for posting because I have been smelling smoke on and off for years and never associated it with FM. I got FM about 20 years back now and have been struggling with it ever since. Its now manageable but symptoms like smelling smoke appear every so often.

Hello every one im cant sleep and im looked fo some information and im come here and find these posts so im signup .Well im not beenwell for some time im not been feeling good these days im noticed my bones hurting a lot more and my back and kneck is in pain im had so many bad headaches and im had somefalling over dizzy spells .Im now smelling a lot of burning and even as im write hereand im feel im all gunnged up even though im have no cold atall.
Im had a blood tests my kidney is under 50 and they want to do another check but im also have abnormal lft levels im been bringing up byle too .IM had seizues over 1 years ago and the last one was 1999.Im tired a lot lately but im ask the family can you smell burning Nope they cant.Im dont drink or smoke never had and im a cricket coach so im had to be slightly fit to play the game.But this burning smell its making my eyes stream too and im going to go now cause my headaches coming im fainted twice monday and lost balance .Can anyone shed light please oh and one more thing my ear bled last weekbut since then nothing .Im on blood pressue tablets could they be the cause ???
thnkyou for reading me look forward to replyes

I just finished up many cardiological tests that have gotten me nowhere. I have smelled smoke so bad for over a year now that sometimes I think I cannot breathe. I have read most of the posts looking for any answer and it seems like there are not alot of common factors. I have had c-sections like one person. I had a head injury when I was very young. But currently I have been very ill with a msytery illness that is degenerating my life more each day and I cannot get any answers. Has anyone figured out a cure yet for this problem. I told my cardiologist all of my symptoms and then included the smoke smelling one at the end adding I know I sound crazy but.... I was surprised to see how many people experience this and yet there are no doctors taking it serious. Even as I type this post I feel I cannot catch my breath and I am suffocating. I can sadly say I wish that this was the only symptom I was dealing with, but wanted to see if I could at least eliminate one bad effect I am feeling. If anyone has ever figured out what works, I hope that all of us who are suffering can find out.

I have a few questions. Does the smell go away if you cover your mouth or plug your nose? If you hold your breath is it still there when you breath again? Did it start out like the smell was in the distance? Now it smells like someone is blowing the smoke right in your face? I was sick both in Jan and Feb for about 4 days. In March/April I started having headaches everyday. When it got to the point I was losing days at work I went to the doctor. She gave me generic Midrin. I was taking 6 a day every 4 hours but all it did was make the headache bearable to work. The smoke smell started about half way through the headache period. Suddenly the headaches just stopped but the smoke smell became worse. I did have a CT scan they found nothing. I saw a neurologist he had me do some things in his office, looked into my eyes but didn't really say anything about the smelling thing. He upped the Epidrin to 3 at onset( I would wake up with the headaches at times) then 3 more in 45 minutes if the pain was still there.The smoke smell makes me dizzy and at time brings on a headache. Mostly it is just a nauseous feeling. Thank you all so much for the information. I too was beginning to think I was crazy. My doctor, thank goodness, does take it serious but I am so ready to not smell this anymore. Sorry for the book. I have had this for a while and didn't really know where to turn.

Like most of you I am so glad to know I am not the only one out there experiencing this crazy smell. I first started smelling this smoke back in Nov '07, I was sick with a flu bug and then after that is when I started smelling it. It has been on and off since then, pretty random. Right now, it has been back and quite strong. I did not experience headaches with it before but now I have been, and also light headed and dizziness and nauseous too. The smell does go away temporarily when I cover my nose (usually with my pillow or shirt), but it always comes back. These past 3 days have been pretty miserable and it is quite frustrating because I am usually a pretty healthy and active person. I made an appointment with a neurologist today so I hope to get some type of answer or feedback from them. It is just really good to know that I am not the only one out there feeling like this. Thank you to all of you for sharing your experiences, I hope we all can find some relief soon.

Please, can someone help me. I'm desperate getting these headaches from May 2008, smell smoke since February 2008. My husband quite smoking the 26 May 2008. First I though it is from his smoking, but since he stop, I still smell it at home an now at work to.

Headaches are probably due to a sinus infection, just like the smelling of smoke... read these two posts...HOpe it helps.

I saw my docter and he send me to take exray's of my sinusitus, and it show's that above my eyes are clear there is no sign of my sinus, he put on antibiotic Clindahexal 150 4 times a day, an mucospect 2 times, 2 trolic for 10 days. Well the bad news is this is my last day and the headaches is still here, I bought me comparal headache tablets 50 2 week ago the I'm thru thta 50 tablets.

Thanks Stemps, I'm lucky I don't have the simptoms you got. It is just the headaches an stiff neck an after the headache it feel if I had like I have flu but only in my head.

The smell of the smoke is suddenly gone now for I notice the last week or so.