I smell smoke

I have been smelling cigarette smoke for the past two months and no one around me smokes.  My eyes burn,  I feel like I am suffocating from the smoke and I feel like there is somthing stuck in my throat.  If I take a deep breath, I do not smell it.  I have been on Amoxicilian, Steroid, Nasonex, nasal irrigation, nasal lubrication and my ENT looked down my throat and said nothing is in there.  I am miserable.  I find myself trying not to breathe as not to smell it.  Oh did I mention that I find cigarette smoke to be the most disgusting smell ever.  Please help!


This discussion is related to Could it be Allergies?  Unusual Symptoms.

[Libbi731]

I glad I'm not the only one who has this symptom.  I started to notice this cigarette smell around me about 2 months ago.  When I'm watching television, trying to go to sleep and at work.  I have no idea what this is, but I can sympathize with you it's an annoying smell.  I myself have never been a smoker, but have been around those in my family who smoked and it is the most disgusting smell especially if you suffer from migranes (migraines) that sure is a trigger.  I hope somebody out there has an answer for this, since so many of us are suffering without knowing what this is.

[fausto5]

I live in fresno...i too smell like some is smoking in front of me..then i guess i didn't notice it at first...but i took a vitamine and it seemed as if it didnt go down all the way..it was like that for 3 days.......i went to the dr and he said nothing was there. i am super baffled, can someone please help!

[pattychi]

Ive had this happen twice within the past 3 months. Last night it started with me feeling a little dizzy about an hour before my nose started burning when i inhaled and it smelled like I was breathing in cigarette smoke. Both times i also had a quezy stomach that made me feel like i wanted to throw up. I finally fell asleep for the night and woke up feeling fine. I also am on zestril for mitral valve prolapse and it is a blood pressure medication. Im not sure that has anything to do with it but it was mentioned in other comments. Just wondering why this happens

[Deb0908]

I too have been smelling cigarette smoke for a few months now.  It just apprears where ever I go.  Work, car, store, home.... it drives me nuts.  I am glad I am not the only one but am concerned that nobody knows why this happens. The only common symtom I have to all of these posts is migraines and stress.  But as I am writing this I am having the smell appear.  I have noticed it seems to always be the left side of my nose so this could be sinus related.  Guess a doctor visit is in order.

[Sumthing1derfull]

I wish I knew what was wrong as I have been smelling this smoke for at least 7 years now and have see specialist who do not know what it is.  My next step is to see a spiritual healer or Psychotherapist.  I hate the smell if Cigarette smoke as my mom used to smoke all thye time when I was a little girl. Smelling the smike didn't occur until after i had my first child 7 years ago.

I will keeo you posted on what happens when I finally see a non medical practitioner.  Good luck guys.  I'm smelling smoke right now!

[CJ407]

I have also had this same similar experience. Baffled as I was I could not find any information on what may be causing it. I had a respiratory issue as well, started about 2 - 3 years ago when I got my dog. I started having issues breathing, it was very minimal so I never thought anything of it. It got worse and just last year I could not excercise anymore, go on walks, do anything strenous or else I felt like I would have a heart attack. Doctors did allergy tests and said I wasn't really allergic to my dog so not to worry, I also had blood test, x-rays, saw a Pulmonary Specialist, Cadiologist, ENT doctors, you name it, and nobody knew what was wrong with me, kept saying all my tests came back fine. Until one day I had to carry a bag of ice across the street to a neighbors house and that's when I almost collapsed. I demanded my doctor find the answer immediately, so I had an MRI done, bingo they found out what was wrong, a lesion was blocking my esophagus restricting my air and they called me in for emergency surgery. I came extremely close to dying because doctors had no clue what it was, thank God for the MRI!!! I also stopped smelling the smoke. I haven't smelled it in months so it must be connected some way. I still have a little bit of the respiratory issues, I had to have another surgery (bronchoscopy) just a few months ago, and it seems like it is trying to come back again but not as bad. I'd be interested to hear more from others who may have had the same experience. Best of luck!

[teropt]

I have all the same symptoms you do, except with the addition of pressure headaches and burning eyes some of the time.  I do this it must be some type of allergy and that the brain also may just trigger this smell in some strange way.  If I think about it, I can smell it, though it comes and goes other times as well.  It is horrible, I hate cigarette smoke, but at least it's better than smelling rotten meat, which appears to be one smell people with phantosmia can smell.  A lot is not known about this obviously from all the things I've read on line.  Rule out the obvious reasons first, then just limp along and try and figure it out, because the medical community doesn't seem to have an answer.  Thyroid issues seem to crop up in many of these posts though.

[Eljaycee]

Wow.  I have been smelling smoke for a few months now and thought I was going nuts.  I have no other symptoms.  No illnesses.  No medication.  No headaches.  No stress (now that I have retired).  It seems that no one has an answer either.  I'll be interested to know if anyone has progressed with any knowledge.

[baz313]

Hi... This sounds very similar to what I am experiencing. Ive had trouble getting breath now for over a year. I am Asthmatic and the doctors keep sending me for Asthma type treatment, although I dont feel it is Asthma at all. I have also noticed over the past few weeks that I can smell cigarette smoke in my apartment where nobody smokes. Its like I can smell it, even though its not there?? My doctors are not helping at all. How did you go about getting the MRI scan?

[Texalexa]

A friend of mine had very similar symptoms. Turns out that it is a neurological condition. I highly suggest seeing a neurologist because she began suffering from minor seizures shortly after. Good luck to you all

[Linny8warren]

I am so glad I googled this symptom as it is so strange to even bring up with friends or a doctor.  I find mostly at nighttime as I am falling asleep I suddenly wake up and feel cigarette smoke in my nose and everywhere.  Sometime I get up and go in another room and open the windows as if to shoo the smoke out, the smoke that is not really there.  It does happen in the daytime too.  I am recently diabetic and on insulin so. Maybe this is all part of it.  My mother recently came down with hearing noises in her ears and when I studied up on it I learned that the brain will store all the noises you ever heard and it thinks it doing you a favor playing it back for you during times of stress.  So I wonder if my brain has stored this cigarette smoke ? I did smoke a lot up until 40 yrs of age or so.  I have quit for 17 years.