Anyone else here with Phantosmia?

[Maggie3fan]

Yes.
But I already knew that!

It's a sad state of affairs when someone who doesn't 'really' know you...'really' knows you...lol

 

[Blackdog1714]

Ok so I'll confess then...I really only need one other car to get road rage...

OMG I just need to see one! If I am driving to a perfectly scripted beat do not make adjust! Why are you using the highway if you want to drive at a roadway speed?

 

[Maggie3fan]

OMG I just need to see one! If I am driving to a perfectly scripted beat do not make adjust! Why are you using the highway if you want to drive at a roadway speed?

hahaha see @Yvonne...it isn't just me....woo hoo....the speed limit sign reads "SLOWER CARS DRIVE TO THE RIGHT"...not slower cars drive to the right unless you are doing the speed limit...you are not a freakin speed cop would you rather have me tailgate you??? Just move over...cuz I will be obnoxious...really...I get irritated just writing about it...lol

 

[ZEROPILOT]

On the outside chance that this smell is real. And that I've just had some inexplicable heightened reaction to it, I e still been looking.
And I found this. Fungus or mold on the Sheflerra plant pots in my Chameleons cages.
....Though I don't smell it. I suppose getting rid of this is still a great idea.
The mold was on the rear of the pots. I guess it never got fully dry back there.
So, I'm going with all fake plants.
Then I can also remove those LED plant lights.
I'll know in 24/48 hours if that helped with my mystery smell.
It has been light today.
Thank GOD.
I've been GOOGLING but haven't found anything supporting anyone ever being super sensative to the smell of mold, etc.
It's likely just wishful thinking.
But my wife pointed out that my Phantosmia started shortly after I put those plants in the Chameleon enclosure.
I had previously added activated carbon to the plants soil.

 

[Pointydog]

That looks more like dried minerals that were washed out of the soil and left behind on the clay when the water evaporated.
I've grown all kinds of plants and the only bad smell from a potted plant was either a rotting potato or a flowering Dracunculus.
Glad the problem seems to be lightening up though, regardless of why

 

[ZEROPILOT]

That looks more like dried minerals that were washed out of the soil and left behind on the clay when the water evaporated.
I've grown all kinds of plants and the only bad smell from a potted plant was either a rotting potato or a flowering Dracunculus.
Glad the problem seems to be lightening up though, regardless of why

Well.....
THAT WASN'T IT.
The smell is back in full force. Though I've had actual HOURS where I barely noticed it.
Wintergreen flavored LIFESAVERS drown it out briefly. And I'm experimenting on seeing if certain food or drink or medication ramps it up.
So far, nothing.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Also, I cooked up a pile of brussel sprouts with garlic and carrots.
The phantom smell is similar to that. It's as close as I've been to being able to describe the smell.
That with a hint of awful, cheap perfume and some ammonia.
Perfect.

 

[Blackdog1714]

Don’t freak out Zero I have a super mold sensitive nose too! We have a restaurant in the basement of a building that EVERY time I go in all I smell is mold. Only until my food is under my nose will I not smell it. I developed it doing basement and crawl space waterproofing years ago!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Don’t freak out Zero I have a super mold sensitive nose too! We have a restaurant in the basement of a building that EVERY time I go in all I smell is mold. Only until my food is under my nose will I not smell it. I developed it doing basement and crawl space waterproofing years ago!

This evening I've smelled it so strong that anything I've eaten or drank tasted like that smell.
We had a friend over.
He and my wife could smell nothing.
I guess it really isn't there.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Room fresheners/deodorizing products have all just made the issue worse (for me)
But popping a powerful mint into my mouth overpowers the smell.
What I can't find is mint or wintergreen home air freshener. Something about the mint helps cancel that phantom smell a bit.
Maybe I'll look into one of those "essential oils" diffuser things.

 

[jsheffield]

Room fresheners/deodorizing products have all just made the issue worse (for me)
But popping a powerful mint into my mouth overpowers the smell.
What I can't find is mint or wintergreen home air freshener. Something about the mint helps cancel that phantom smell a bit.
Maybe I'll look into one of those "essential oils" diffuser things.

Two ideas:

• Vick's Vaporub
• google an olbas inhaler (strong herbal smells)

Both of those have helped me out when the smells get to be too much.

Jamie

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'll be looking for those Olbas things.
The internet says that CVS Pharmacy carries them.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I also just ordered some peppermint "essential oil" from Amazon.
I'm not sure how to use it. But peppermint seems to be able to counteract this smell somewhat.
Nothing else has except smoke from burning paper.
(I relit the pilot light on my hot water heater and I noticed that the smell from the strip of paper I burned countered it also.)

 

[Rianne]

Well, @Pointydog
I sure wish you lived closer.
I could use that nose here right now.
I just made dinner and smelled none of it. Just this stank.
One more friend, a neighbor, also confirmed that there is no smell in my house.

Usually is a sinus infection if you smell bad odors and no one else does. Also they are correct about having a brain tumor, although sinus infection is most likely. It would be a good idea to check with an ENT Dr. ( ears nose throat dr)

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Usually is a sinus infection if you smell bad odors and no one else does. Also they are correct about having a brain tumor, although sinus infection is most likely. It would be a good idea to check with an ENT Dr. ( ears nose throat dr)

I joined a Phantosmia group on FACEBOOK.
Most people smell smoke.
There are a few remedies that some have used.
Right now, it would be very difficult to get in and see a new doctor.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

For some reason my days are better than nights.
Working around the house holds it back.
It comes on strong when I stop and try to relax.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'm happy to report that my Phantosmia has gone away just like the internet said it would.
But it also says it can return at any time

 

[Yvonne G]

I haven't experienced that, but my husband definitely is. He thinks he smells mold, but NO ONE else does (and we ask lol) and we can't find it either. We've swapped shower curtains multiple times in just 2 months in both bathrooms, bleached everywhere, but still he smells it... it makes him sneeze like crazy, but hes the only one. Idk. Its crazy

Maybe your washing machine needs to be sanitized insi de

 

[ZenHerper]

I'm happy to report that my Phantosmia has gone away just like the internet said it would.
But it also says it can return at any time

Brains are weird places to live...

Definitely consider sinus or gingival infection if it comes back.

Food grade essential oils should be diluted: 10 drops in 15 ml of a "carrier" oil (like EVOO that comes in glass bottles, not plastic or metal). Then you can safely use a clean finger to dab it on skin (under the nose) or on the tongue.

 

[Jan A]

I had also read the brain tumor link to this thing.
Today, it's pretty sharp and strong. I've been using nasal spray and it seems to help. But not for long.
Apparently it is NEVER a phantom good smell. Only bad ones.

For me, it's phantom cigarette smoke. It's more pungent some times than others even though I haven't lived with smokers since I was 18. But moldy humidifiers or moldy anything give me terrible runny sinuses.