Hyperosmia

[christyvt]

I'm pretty sure my husband has hyperosmia.  His entire life (not a traumatic event), he has had an extreme sense of smell.  He can tell ingredients of perfumes foods pretty much anything.  One day at a work lunch at noon I had a rum and diet soda with lunch.  It is very rare (maybe once a year if at all) that this happens.  I didn't see him until I got home that night after 11 PM.  He could smell the rum on my breath when I gave him a kiss that night.  I had had lunch with the drink, later I had a snack ate dinner, drank water and soda in the time period since I had the drink at lunch.  He doesn't like to go into the city, since he smells the urine in the street.  If i need to give further examples I will happily do so.

His heightened sense of smell is affecting his life.  He would much rather be normal.  He works in sales, and if a client has halatosis or bad body odor he really suffers.  We live near the interstate, and depending on teh direction of the wind he gets sick sometimes from the smell of the asphalt/tires/cars on the freeway.  I have tried and I can't smell anything- I've asked friends if they could smell anything, and no one has said yes yet.  He always just thought it was something he had to live with.

His sense of smell is driving me crazy.  If we are talking he will ask me to go brush my teeth or use listerine.  I do not have exceptionally bad breath, I am normal- I checked with my dentist.  

He asked me if there was any way to lessen his sense of smell, and I thought cauterization of his nose might be an option.  I also saw online that Topamax could be used as well.  I haven't been able to find very much information about it- apparently Hyperosmia is not very common.

Are there any treatments?

If so, what type of doctor would be able to help?  ENT?  Neurology?  I have no idea.

Thank you for any help/suggestions you can give.

christyvt

[mydogislove]

Hi.  I know your post is very old, but I just wonder how you are doing.  I newly found this board and am so encouraged that I am not alone!  I can't believe how many of us there are and I can't imagine the medical field can keep ignoring this!

[mydogislove]

I can't thank you enough for sharing all of your symptoms and information.  My situation is similar, though also different, and I am getting no help.  I suffered terribly 4 years ago with a cold and flu season that I honestly believe is what started chemical sensitivity for me.  I was a healthy, active, engaged, loving, intelligent member of our community and today I can barely stand to go out of the house because everything smells - everything.  I can't breathe if I get a whiff of perfume, febreeze, laundry detergent, hair spray, hair gel, etc.  any man-made chemical makes me short of breath (I've had asthma for decades) and instantly irritable and disoriented.  My quality of life is plummeting and my husband and kids are suffering greatly.  The only solution any doctor has for me is to take anti-anxiety medication.  I have never had issues with mental illness and I am ready to try anything, but Ai just don't think that's what it is.  I found your information quite useful and will take it to my doctor to see if it is something that might be an option for me.
Thank you and I pray you will heal.

[mydogislove]

I am EXACTLY in your situation and losing my quality of life very quickly.  If you are still watching these threads, please reply with how you are doing!  Thanks!

[mydogislove]

I can tell you that you are not alone.  I began having these smell issues about 4 years ago after suffering a particularly difficult cold and flu season.  Some doctors do believe that heightened smell and chemical sensitivity are due to a retrovirus that has damaged the central nervous system.  Other doctors don't believe it truly exists.  It is so sad to see so many people affected by this and I hate what my life is becoming.  I hate that it is ruining my husbands life, my children's life, my life.  It is scary the more you read about it.  It seems that it actually gets progressively worse and I am terrified of that.  I was a very enthusiastic, loving, engaged and fun community member/mother/wife/neighbor, etc and now an can't stand to be around anyone unless they follow a very very strict NO FRAGRANCE policy.  
I sure do hope you are able to heal and I wish you the best.

[mydogislove]

I am so sorry for your mom.  I, too, am living my life with Hyperosmia and it is ruining my marriage and my children's lives.  I have lost the ability to tolerate any type of laundry detergent smell as well as air freshness and any type of fragrance whatsoever.  It is a living nightmare and the doctors want me to take anti-anxiety medication.  At this point, I will try anything, but I feel like they are just popping a pill into me without realizing that something else is truly wrong.  I am astounded by the number of completely healthy and engaged people who have been removed from a productive life because of this disorder.  I sure hope your Mom heals.  Take good care.

[camphun]

I too have the smell of a hound dog and I absolutely hate it. If someone at work had been drinking the night before, I can smell it and tell them if they were drinking beer or liquor. Some perfumes, literally, make me throw up and I have a hard time with smells from food cooked in my kitchen. I also have 2 dogs and sometimes I smell them and I get nauseaus. there has also been many times where I have had to tell my husband to please take a shower because the deodorant, aftershave or cologne he is wearing makes me ill. I work in retail and have had to go in the back because of people smelling so bad, but the bad thing is no one else ever smells it!! I can smell if something is burning way before anyone else and can even smell what people are about to eat for lunch without them opening the bag. I do smoke cigarettes, but only outside because I can't stand to be enclosed with cigarette smoke. I HATE living like this and no doctor can explain it. Some smell make me physically ill. My husband and best friend think its hilarious but I think it is a horrible way to live.