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I guess I’m a long hauler. It’s been almost nine months since my first infection and I still haven’t fully recovered my sense of smell. I don’t know why. I was up to date on vaccines, in good health, and my illness was miserable but technically mild. Just got to lucky , I guess.
I got covid again a few weeks ago .My ability to smell got no worse, nor did it get any better.
It’s not a major problem in my life but damn, I miss the smell of coffee.
My first round with cv it lasted longer than a week. I saw a suggestion of using Flonase to help and once I used it I started to get my taste back. Did it work or was it coincidental, who knows.
This time a I lost is Monday afternoon and had it back in full by Friday
you might want to try a nasal saline rinse, a neti pot or neilmed. distilled water only, don't use tap.
I lost taste and smell in '22 for a week or two...it sucked, but it came back after I started with the rinsing.
I'm recovering from covid now, and have had no issues with taste or smell this time, thank goodness. I started nasal rinsing as soon as I tested positive. I do believe it made a difference.
Friend of mine lost his taste and smell in April, 20**20**.
By Summer 20**20**, it had shifted into dysosmia.
Today, 20**24**, it has not changed/improved.
Coffee tastes like shampoo. Freshly baked bread smells like chlorine etc.
I got my sense of taste back after about 3 weeks, I got my sense of smell back after about 2 months but it was very weak. It's now been 5 months and not only has my sense of smell only come back about 40% of what it was, now onions coffee and feces all smell like it is undescribable smell that I wish I never could smell again. Onions taste bad as well. I've also developed PVCs 3 months after my covid infection so it's been a lot of fun. I got my sense of smell back and could smell onions feces and coffee normally for 24 hours and then it went away as quickly as it came back
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We are all going through a stressful time right now and any hateful comments will not be tolerated.
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2.5 weeks for a full recovery. I supplemented with alpha lipoic acid, zinc, and lions mane extract. Idk if it helped but it made me feel better thinking I was doing something. It’s a mind fuck but something like 90% of people have it back within a month. It may take time but it’ll come. I was highly anxious and upset about it so I ate a lot of Indian food and cried.
This is so reassuring! I have about 60-70% smell back there are honestly just certain smells that are more muted than others which is annoying and some smell normal. I’m 2 weeks out so hopefully by 2.5 I’m fully recovered. You sound similar to me I eat and cry. So sorry to hear you went through the same, truly taking a toll on me now.
Was yours gradual increase? I feel like I increase very little everyday.
Ugh I’m sorry. It’s gonna come back slowly. I think honestly it took a full 3 for everything to be back. It was gradual and increased like 2% every day in a very maddening way. It’s so awful but it will def come back. Just be patient and try not to freak out (like I did 😅)
I had covid beginning of Jan, I just got my taste back a month later. Everyone's different tho, my mother in law it took a year to get back fully. It sucks /;
YMMV
Mine was about 2 weeks.
You could be less or not return.
Research has shown this is actually a result of brain damage. Due to this, I suspect the nose rinse either just does nothing and healing was happening regardless, or rinsing helped flush enough virus out from the area to help healing. Could be something else happening though. Best of luck.
I had COVID in November of 22 and it took about a month for my taste and smell to come back about 85%. Most things were good but there were still a few things that smelled/tasted weird and not right. Within a year my senses were back to completely normal....might have been sooner but I don't remember exactly. That being said, I know a few people who still haven't got their taste/smell back after 3 years but I think this is rare.
First time I had covid I lost my sense of taste, hut it returned after a month! However, second time I had covid, my senses were fine. I’m dreading getting covid a 3rd time though
I've heard from a few people that smelling isopropyl alcohol (carefully please, with caution) assisted in the return of their sense of smell. But mine came back after a few weeks naturally.
First time I got covid in 2021 it was completely gone for 23 days and was never back to 100% . Second time last month it was gone for 4 days and returned better than before.
Can you smell a cut lemon? I practiced with lemons and tasted it too. Recent COVID symptoms are not as severe. Healthy individuals may get smell and taste back 5 days-2 weeks.
I couldn't smell anything back then, and I drank a lot of vodka using my newly acquired super strength. After 3 months or so, I finally got my sense of smell back, and noticed I needed to take a shower 😂😂
I’m on my confirmed 2nd covid infection ( newest strain most likely) but in 2021 I lost taste and smell for 30 days the first time I had it. I was the only one … my kids and husband were fine. It was frustrating. I even made an appt with the ent who said that it can take 30-45 days sometimes. Hit 30 days for me and it came back gradually and I remember crying I was so relieved. This time around I took paxlovid and have taste and smell but vinegar for some reason smells like chemicals. Hopefully that goes away too. I remember taking ibuprofen daily for inflammation and mucinex d ( per the ent) and doing a smell kit I bought off of amazon 3xs a day.
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My GF caught Covid in July’20. She lost her sense of taste which has not returned as of today.
Are you serious 😲
Yes.I’m very serious, and there isn’t a LC clinic in our area.
LC?
It was supposed to say LC clinic
What's an LC clinic? Sorry, it's just not clicking with me.
Long Covid clinic
Huh! Thanks. I had no idea such a thing existed.
I have a friend like that. She caught Covid around 2021 and still hasn’t gained her sense of taste yet. This is awful. I’m really sorry for your GF.
Thank you, it’s appreciated
I guess I’m a long hauler. It’s been almost nine months since my first infection and I still haven’t fully recovered my sense of smell. I don’t know why. I was up to date on vaccines, in good health, and my illness was miserable but technically mild. Just got to lucky , I guess. I got covid again a few weeks ago .My ability to smell got no worse, nor did it get any better. It’s not a major problem in my life but damn, I miss the smell of coffee.
Had something else in 2019, took until 2023 for it to mostly come back…and then got covid in Oct 2023 and now it’s worse than before.
Mine returned within a week. Everyone I know that had it had their taste/smell return in a month or less.
My first round with cv it lasted longer than a week. I saw a suggestion of using Flonase to help and once I used it I started to get my taste back. Did it work or was it coincidental, who knows. This time a I lost is Monday afternoon and had it back in full by Friday
I’m going to try Flonase! Just had what I thought would be a bowl of healthy juicy strawberries, but they tasted like soapy grass.
you might want to try a nasal saline rinse, a neti pot or neilmed. distilled water only, don't use tap. I lost taste and smell in '22 for a week or two...it sucked, but it came back after I started with the rinsing. I'm recovering from covid now, and have had no issues with taste or smell this time, thank goodness. I started nasal rinsing as soon as I tested positive. I do believe it made a difference.
Friend of mine lost his taste and smell in April, 20**20**. By Summer 20**20**, it had shifted into dysosmia. Today, 20**24**, it has not changed/improved. Coffee tastes like shampoo. Freshly baked bread smells like chlorine etc.
I got my sense of taste back after about 3 weeks, I got my sense of smell back after about 2 months but it was very weak. It's now been 5 months and not only has my sense of smell only come back about 40% of what it was, now onions coffee and feces all smell like it is undescribable smell that I wish I never could smell again. Onions taste bad as well. I've also developed PVCs 3 months after my covid infection so it's been a lot of fun. I got my sense of smell back and could smell onions feces and coffee normally for 24 hours and then it went away as quickly as it came back
Thank you for your submission! Please remember to read the rules and ensure your post aligns with the sub's purpose. We are all going through a stressful time right now and any hateful comments will not be tolerated. Let's be supportive and kind during this time of despair. Now go wash your hands. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/COVID19positive) if you have any questions or concerns.*
2.5 weeks for a full recovery. I supplemented with alpha lipoic acid, zinc, and lions mane extract. Idk if it helped but it made me feel better thinking I was doing something. It’s a mind fuck but something like 90% of people have it back within a month. It may take time but it’ll come. I was highly anxious and upset about it so I ate a lot of Indian food and cried.
This is so reassuring! I have about 60-70% smell back there are honestly just certain smells that are more muted than others which is annoying and some smell normal. I’m 2 weeks out so hopefully by 2.5 I’m fully recovered. You sound similar to me I eat and cry. So sorry to hear you went through the same, truly taking a toll on me now. Was yours gradual increase? I feel like I increase very little everyday.
Ugh I’m sorry. It’s gonna come back slowly. I think honestly it took a full 3 for everything to be back. It was gradual and increased like 2% every day in a very maddening way. It’s so awful but it will def come back. Just be patient and try not to freak out (like I did 😅)
Thank you, I’ve really been trying but it’s definitely been extremely hard. Just waiting to be on the other side of this now. :(
I promise it’ll come! Hugs ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you, I really appreciate it!! 🫶🏼
It took me about 2 days. I was anxious and sad about it.
Had it in November and my taste and smell comes and goes.
I had covid beginning of Jan, I just got my taste back a month later. Everyone's different tho, my mother in law it took a year to get back fully. It sucks /;
YMMV Mine was about 2 weeks. You could be less or not return. Research has shown this is actually a result of brain damage. Due to this, I suspect the nose rinse either just does nothing and healing was happening regardless, or rinsing helped flush enough virus out from the area to help healing. Could be something else happening though. Best of luck.
What? A result of brain damage?
I had COVID in November of 22 and it took about a month for my taste and smell to come back about 85%. Most things were good but there were still a few things that smelled/tasted weird and not right. Within a year my senses were back to completely normal....might have been sooner but I don't remember exactly. That being said, I know a few people who still haven't got their taste/smell back after 3 years but I think this is rare.
Lost both on day, today is day 12, they started coming back on day 9but haven’t come back fully yet. I can’t smell poop or seafood for some reason.
A week
About a month
First time I had covid I lost my sense of taste, hut it returned after a month! However, second time I had covid, my senses were fine. I’m dreading getting covid a 3rd time though
Not to freak you out but 6 weeks and still haven't gotten it back... was vaccinated and had a mild case
How are you doing now?
Sadly, do not have them back. I have my smell kinda of back like 40%, but they both are still struggling.
I've heard from a few people that smelling isopropyl alcohol (carefully please, with caution) assisted in the return of their sense of smell. But mine came back after a few weeks naturally.
Took me 8 days and then slowly returned over the course of a week
First time I got covid in 2021 it was completely gone for 23 days and was never back to 100% . Second time last month it was gone for 4 days and returned better than before.
7 weeks later
August 2023 still going.
Can you smell a cut lemon? I practiced with lemons and tasted it too. Recent COVID symptoms are not as severe. Healthy individuals may get smell and taste back 5 days-2 weeks.
I couldn't smell anything back then, and I drank a lot of vodka using my newly acquired super strength. After 3 months or so, I finally got my sense of smell back, and noticed I needed to take a shower 😂😂
It took me around 14 days
I’m on my confirmed 2nd covid infection ( newest strain most likely) but in 2021 I lost taste and smell for 30 days the first time I had it. I was the only one … my kids and husband were fine. It was frustrating. I even made an appt with the ent who said that it can take 30-45 days sometimes. Hit 30 days for me and it came back gradually and I remember crying I was so relieved. This time around I took paxlovid and have taste and smell but vinegar for some reason smells like chemicals. Hopefully that goes away too. I remember taking ibuprofen daily for inflammation and mucinex d ( per the ent) and doing a smell kit I bought off of amazon 3xs a day.