Strange Smell inside my nose

Question

Hello everybody. I really have a strange problem. I suffer from a lot of anxiety. I am taking a lot of medications (lexapro, zyprexa, clonazepam, lorazepam). The problem is a strange smell inside my nose. I notice it more and more lately. I went to and ENT doctor with this problem. He checked my nose thoroughly and said there is no infection of any kind and everything inside the nose looks good, so he does not know why I feel this smell. Question. Could this be due to anxiety? I am so worried about this smell, I am driving myself crazy. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

franticmom1212 · Answer

I've had the strange smells myself for a few years....I'm learning after this most recent meltdown that it is all part of the fight or flight fear.  It starts off with me having a strange smell in my nose (it can be anything you have smelled in your past that was really strong and left an impression on you...me it was the smoke room at an airport and more recent the burning motor on a blender) and if you breath in with your mouth on the first instant you smell it then you taste it in your mouth.  Then the rest of the panic symptoms slip in, clamming hands, racing heart, head pounding, clinching jaw and so forth.  The strange smell is your nose is flarring....getting ready for something....animals do this when they sense danger...we humans do it to...even when we are sexual aroused.  It's the most basic of responses our bodies voluntarily do....we sense something.  And since this is the closes connection to our brains we smell something....panic pulls from the files in our brains and pulls up the most outstanding of memories and then we go into full fledge fear....wait 10 minutes or so and you will be a the peak of the fear and then another 10 minutes or so and you will feel calm again and the smell has gone away.  I know all this and yet I still have the smell and the panics....I'm working on it thou.  I hope this helps anyone with the anxiety.  Word....see a doctor and a therapist....if you are still in doubt.

chrisd56 · Answer

Sorry - my first posting showed up twice.    :-)

chrisd56 · Answer

It is too bad that in order to find out if a symptom is caused by anxiety disease, a bunch of expensive tests have to be done to eliminate more serious or life-threatening conditions.    One of those conditions is brain tumors that affect the sense of smell.   I've had the brain scans and the visits to the ear, nose and throat specialists.   

When one has anxiety disease, everything short of a broken bone eventually tends to be seen as an anxiety symptom and we can get too confident of that.   

I have had two different, extended bouts of smelling a particular odor.  The first time it was almost of a year of smelling burnt lint (like in the bottom of a gas clothes dryer), and the second one is like nothing ever - something medicinal that I can't identify.   It comes on me late at night mostly at the computer but sometimes not.   

It is truly involved in a hypersensitivity of the olfactory system since in trying to identify the odor I took a strong whiff of a floral soap and it truly knocked my head back - it was so intense.   The next day, the soap smelled very mild indeed.   

I've been living with anxiety disease for 33 years, and I am glad to read hear that others smell strange odors.  

Onward and Upward.  -   Adding it to the list of freaky things caused by anxiety/panic.

chrisd56 · Answer

It is too bad that in order to find out if a symptom is caused by anxiety disease, a bunch of expensive tests have to be done to eliminate more serious or life-threatening conditions.    One of those conditions is brain tumors that affect the sense of smell.   I've had the brain scans and the visits to the ear, nose and throat specialists.   

When one has anxiety disease, everything short of a broken bone eventually tends to be seen as an anxiety symptom and we can get too confident of that.   

I have had two different, extended bouts of smelling a particular odor.  The first time it was almost of a year of smelling burnt lint (like in the bottom of a gas clothes dryer), and the second one is like nothing ever - something medicinal that I can't identify.   It comes on me late at night mostly at the computer but sometimes not.   

It is truly involved in a hypersensitivity of the olfactory system since in trying to identify the odor I took a strong whiff of a floral soap and it truly knocked my head back - it was so intense.   The next day, the soap smelled very mild indeed.   

I've been living with anxiety disease for 33 years, and I am glad to read hear that others smell strange odors.  

Onward and Upward.  -   Adding it to the list of freaky things caused by anxiety/panic.

metacomet · Answer

Well, not to freak you out but, there is also a rumor that the people who have some kind of brain affection like tumors or hemorrhage, they start by smelling like something is burning, like smoked. I'm serious you can even google it.

Blessings.

anonymous9264 · Answer

Yeah your olfactory nerves run straight into your limbic system in your brain. So this part of your brain is responsible for: 
Fear Anger Memory (along with other parts of brain responsible for memory) Motivation/Desire Sex Drive, and smell.

Basically it's a very animal part of our brain and anxiety and depression hit this part of our brain hard. If you have weird smells it could be mild seizures in the limbic system due to benzodiazepane withdrawal or fluctuations, or some brain damage is causing your depression/anxiety/smells. Also could be just from all the meds bathing your limbic system in weird chemicals. Or it could just be an effect of anxiety/depression

See a doc. Also a psychiatrist

Blynns · Answer

Whenever I wake up in the middle of the night with a panic attack I always have that strange metallic taste, glad to know it's not just me!

WarOnTheTerraces · Answer

Whos this to?

Hasr · Answer

I know exactly what you are talking about. I get the same thing and have for 15 years. Your senses are integrated with your nerves which are activated by your fears and anxiety. So when anxiety rises your senses go into overdrive. Shaking or fidgety, metallic tastes, odd smells, blurred vision or impaired depth perception, echo-ey sounds, you may feel like your in a tunnel. You should make an appt w/ doc and re-evaluate your meds. It doesn't sound like they're working for you. It took me 12 years to find the right med and now I'm almost the old me. Good luck.

WarOnTheTerraces · Answer

Im smelling funny smells, I can smell drains all the time even when im inside my house.

MMahon · Answer

When you say "Strange Smell inside my nose" what exactly do you mean.  Are you smelling something strange around you that you can't account for?
Check out this tread for more info:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Respiratory-Disorders/Bad-Odor-In-Nose/show/282851

metacomet · Answer

Dear Michael, 

First at all in my very particular opinion I think you're taking like too much meds... that cocktail of antidepressants is destabilizing your Main Nervous System... Odd smell inside the nose cavities only means "infection" or "sinusitis" and it is possible that the cause is completely independent from your anxiety problems... maybe a blood test in search of any bacteria will be the choice or a "oropharyngeal swab". Check your how you mucous look like, if it's green not transparent this means infection.

Blessings.

Metacomet

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