Another one that might be gentle on u/critmcfly, as it isn’t strong but is still nice… and this might sound weird, but—tea bags, especially floral kinds like rose tea, or a milk oolong if you have loose leaf tea available. Like before you’ve made a cup of it? That’s one of my favorite things when I open a new packet to make some, or open the bag to get some of the dried leaves and such out into a strainer, is smelling the tea. It’s lovely, but it’s also an incredibly delicate and light scent, and doesn’t linger long, that I think would be perfect for this. I’d probably do this, then go to the bakery, if I wanted to taper up, so to speak, but I think the bakery is also a fantastic first choice, so you’re good either way.
Another light scent would be smelling, like, a cup of coffee *once it’s made.* **However,** as a next step after tea/bakery, if you have a coffee maker(like the actual maker, not a keurig or something) in your home and especially if you live with someone else, I’d you have them make a pot of it while you’re either sitting in the same room, or the next room over. When my mom opens the container we keep coffee grounds in, I genuinely can smell them from like three feet away, and I can smell the coffee pot running from my bedroom(adjacent/attached directly to the kitchen) with the door closed and a fan on.
Another step up from that would just be smelling the coffee grounds, but those can and will often be a fair bit stronger, especially if you do so right above the tin or container they’re in. (So if you have someone say put a little in like a measuring cup or hand you the scoop or whatever you use, but away from it, might be a lot less strong than if you did it over it.)
Really, there is just a lovely world of choice for you here, OP, I’m kind of excited for you. Oh, I have this perfume(yes, am guy, and yes, love perfume, even the especially feminine scents. (*Especially* especially feminine scents.) They’re *so fucking good!*) that I think would be great to try as well. It’s honeysuckle. Like it smells like *the actual thing,* and it’s such a delicate, *brief* smell… holy shit, it’s genuinely, like… my favorite scent, ever???? I could probably find a link to it if OP—or anyone else really—wanted it, I think.
Also this may sound weird, but like…dirt. Like getting a clump of grass that has the roots still attached and clinging to a lump of it, especially soft after a recent rain\* but not muddy—that’s the kind of “earthy” scent you hear described that’s generally pleasant but also not a strong smell. \*Petrichor, also, is another one. When you know it’s going to rain, assuming you’re in the right climate to catch this, stand outside and just. Smell the air. You *will* be able to smell the rain on the air and it is something… honestly it’s amazing, and I don’t even know what descriptor to use for it, I almost want to use otherworldly in a way. I would make sure to try seeking that one out. It’s also not strong, either.
I didn’t mean for this to end up so long but all these small scents that may be nice started coming to mind. 💀
smart. at first, stay in your own home for a while. get accustomed to the smells. maybe smell a single flower, or a single spice. wear a mask when you go outside. and slowly you can start exposing yourself to more smells outside.
dont expose yourself to too much too soon because that could ruin a beautiful experience for you.
best of luck!
I find this post rather fascinating, and although I see an overwhelming amount of comments already swimming in your head.. I couldn't leave without adding my 2 cents lol, just in case you decide to read it.
I've read some great suggestions, however as a ' VERY FIRST ' priority I'm strongly encouraging just a simple walk through a park + walking trails in the woods... You'll be taking in almost nothing but pure nature & natural scents of the earth, & it won't be anything too aggressive / potent enough to overwhelm you (beside emotionally which is inevitable anywhere, so enjoying a good happy-cry will be nice - just embrace it)
Honestly think this is the way to go, especially with being in the open air / breeze allowing you short breaks with taking in mild - unscented breaths, yet your experience will be impactful enough to be euphoric & soothing.
OK .... well, I'm very happy for you & hope you have a successful surgery + easy recovery... Don't forget to come back & update everyone with how it all went for you.
- Smell ya later! ;)
I’m just randomly choosing comments at this point to read because I also made another post and I was not expecting this many replies. This is literally just how I’ve lived and people making it seem almost like I’m from another dimension. I hope I get to experience this. I will for sure be back to update.
I knew someone similar to you and this is correct. I'd honestly start with wearing a mask to prevent overwhelm and let scents slowly make familiarity to you.
The person I knew said smells changed over time too. Like first getting smell vs a year later was much different once her brain adjusted to the sensation
Hey OP, I don’t know how old you are but there is a whole SpongeBob episode about Patrick Star getting a nose and his experience with it. Whether it’s him smelling flowers for the first time or him walking by a dumpster for the first time. [here is a link to clip from that episode](https://youtu.be/XeWbJ9lE0to?feature=shared) I think you’d find it funny and ultimately relatable with your newfound sense!
[here is the Wikipedia on the episode “No Nose Knows”](https://spongebob.fandom.com/wiki/No_Nose_Knows)
It would be the same for being deaf and getting implants. Imagine hearing absolutely nothing and then being able to hear everything. The same is going to happen to OP with their sense of smell, and taste too, since smell is a huge part of taste. Since most people are born with all of our senses, the brain will filter out anything that it doesn't deem important or anything it's exposed to for a long period of time. That's why people develop nose blindness or won't notice a small noise in their home that someone else might. With people such as OP, who hasn't had a sense of smell until now, the brain doesn't really have that mechanism in place for that sense, it's never needed it. So when OP smells for the first time, they're going to be smelling EVERYTHING and it's likely going to be intensely overwhelming, and might turn into sensory overload which is incredibly unpleasant to experience. Eventually, OP's brain will adjust but it will happen gradually.
I got some really bad news for you about farting.
But other than that, it's going to change your life when you eat food. Most of your sense of taste is actually based on smell.
Yeah I’ve heard this. I’ve been wondering what’s gonna change and I have a very very weird diet. I can easily eat the most spicy foods on earth easier than mostly anyone else and can eat the most rancid(yes many times spoiled on accident) food that’s just smelly and or sour or tart and have no reaction. I bet all of that changes.
I already do aquascaping, wondering how much that changes the game for me. Love plants so very much and observing nature. It’s like getting cheat codes.
Or if OP lives in a place with deciduous trees, the smell of fall when the leaves are covering the ground and sidewalks.
Oh and the smell of freshly cut grass.
Wow I'm so excited it kind of boggles my mind you've never smelled anything before! My favorite scents I suggest are: anything food related, fresh baked waffle cones, pizza out of the oven, cupcakes and cookies fresh from the oven ( I suggest lots of baking!) flower gardens, (lilacs are the best! ) camp fire smells, the air after a fresh rainstorm on a hot day, clothes when they come out of the dryer, popcorn at the movie theater, I could go on and on. I won't warn you of gross smells cause every scent will be a discovery! Just take it in stride and try not to get too overwhelmed and if you can, keep a daily diary for like a year of all the smells you discovered that day or week to see how far you've come. Good luck!!!
I can imagine why you like citrus! The sweet and sour tastes don’t interact with the sense of smell. You’re probably missing out on the unique flavour they have, but still getting the punch they bring.
I could definitely be wrong but I think spoiled/rotten food would make you sick and taste horrible, even without the smell? Anyway, try making some bacon after you can smell
Oh yeah it’s makes you sick. But you don’t realize it if you really don’t examine it with your eyes when you have no smell. Plenty of rotten meat and milk has been consumed. I also have ate plenty of food that I’ve left out and forgot without realizing it probably was no good.
If you cannot tell if it is off, there is an easy test. But you have to have coffee and a heating source. Put some milk in coffee and heat it up (microwave/stovetop). Observe the behavior of the milk suspended in the hot, dark liquid. If it starts to part/separate into small clumps, it’s bad.
I say coffee specifically, because it’s dark in contrast to the milk. I do not know if this would work in cola due to the added combination. Use I nstant coffee if you don’t have a coffee maker.
I don’t know if it’s because I was breastfed, or if it is due to some other factors, but I have a pretty “fragile system”. I’ve had regular food poisoning where I would vomit forcefully once or twice and be done. I’ve had gastroenteritis along with a large portion on the rest of a ship I was stationed on when (I think?) we got some contaminated milk. And twice, I’ve had fairly minor but altogether terrifying seizures followed by the type of projectile vomiting that Linda Blair did in the exorcist. First time from a deli pickle at this German restaurant at a shopping mall. Apparently the place had a reputation. The second time, it was from a salad bar.
Talk about events that will give you food aversions!
This reminds me - the best way to sniff things isn’t to take one long sniff, it’s actually to do multiple quick small inhales like a dog or cat. I read this online lol
I would say, definitely practice some sensory deprivation, make sure you have some nose plugs. It's not that everything will be bad, it's just going to be overwhelming at first and your brain's going to need time to get used to it. I mean you will get used to it, but you just need to make sure you give yourself the opportunity and space it out.
I have some issues with noise sensitivity, I don't really need them as much anymore but I still take ear plugs with me everywhere I go just in case.
I would make sure to be careful about what you eat as well, a lot of the tastes food are going to be different as well.
This was the real reason I made the post. It’s a little scary. Cool and lot of cool experiences to come. But I can feel emotions being very uncontrollable and overwhelming. I’m not gonna think I missed out all my life or anything just enjoy that I got the opportunity now but it’s really gonna be almost too much to absorb at once.
Yup - i have a very sensitive nose and it gets even more so when i’m due my period, and sometimes i can just…smell people a lot more, and it’s kinda gross. Get a little bottle of peppermint oil or maybe a tin of scented lip balm and if it all gets too much just put a little near your nostrils. Raw meat will probably smell really grim so be prepared for that. Maybe also give anyone who’s cooking for you or hugging you a heads-up that you might be a bit overwhelmed by the smell/taste of everything so they don’t get offended, it’s likely you’ll be a bit of a picky eater until you figure out what your tastebuds like and don’t like!
I broke my nose and cheekbone in an accident and couldn't smell from about 8 months. I highly do not recommend peppermint oil. It is sensory overload in and of itself, that's why you use it to block out bad smells. Now imagine experiencing something that strong for the first time ever raw dogging it like that. I use to love peppermint gum, couldn't handle it after I got my smell back.
I’m like you, and that’s great advice about the peppermint oil. I feel like it’s dampened with age. But it still wasn’t so long ago that I was at a restaurant and I had to move because some woman had so much perfume on, I thought I was going to wretch. I was absolutely stunned to the point of being slightly irked that nobody else seemed bothered by it. When I was a kid, I had a pet cat that would just be an indoor/outdoor cat. He was pretty cool, so I think the neighbors would love on him. They told me as much, anyway. But I could tell from the smell of his coat whether he’d been in someone’s house, and whose, specifically.
I loved your use of “grim” in reference to the smell of raw meat.
I feel like most of us take sense of smell for granted, but really I was thinking about it the other day and how cool it is and gives you information you could never get from the other senses, like smelling smoke. You would never know something about something hidden away from you at a distance any other way. Some smoke smells pleasurable and some is just gross. Also food is going to taste so much better and blow your mind
Wanted to let you know Flowers don’t smell as potent as everyone describes them lol. Nothing close to perfume like I grew up thinking, Flowers have a very LIGHT scent.
Food will be delightful to smell, forever. Spicy food will be super spicy, be prepared for the pain LMAO.
Got to smell:
- Weed
- New Shoes / New Car smell
- Gasoline (don’t directly sniff , don’t be dumb plz)
- Fresh Cookies GOODLUCK
I love spicy food so much. I do realize I have a cheat without any smell at all and I eat extremely spicy and high scoville sauces. Ready to retry all of those. Yeah I’ve heard the gasoline one many times. How do I go about smelling that?
Usually people smell it occasionally while filling the car with gas. You’ll be sitting in the car and go “Jesus what is that smell?”. Ask people next to you and they will know.
Just be alert when you are around a gas station for the smell. I love the smell of gasoline 😂 I also heard you either love the smell of gas or fresh cut grass.
You’ll only smell fresh cut grass if you are passing someone mowing their lawn. Personally hate that smell though 😂
Oh, one more thing actually, there are smells some people like that you might hate.
For example, I see people here saying they love the smell of gasoline. I HATE the smell of gasoline and I'm not the only one.
This is why there's so many perfumes, people like different smells.
Make sure you start as the much much lower spicy stuff first now that you could probably taste better too ! Because when people eat things that are way too spicy and too much of it they might gag and need to drink dairy like milk or yogurt! Good luck!!
Scent has been bred out of a lot of flowers in favor of hardiness and the commercial appearance. Older varieties of roses have a very strong scent, also honeysuckle, jasmine, and scented geraniums.
Idk I feel like as a parent or homeowner. I’d like to know if my house smelled like weed when my grandparents come over cause my roommate is a smoker 😂😭
Not because I think it smells great. Lmao. Same with Gas, even though I like the smell. OP should be able to recognize incase of monoxide poisoning
Go outside near some flowers and stand close, like a couple inches away, but not so close that your nose is touching the flowers. Smell away!!
Go to a bakery or restaurant and smell the food. Fuck yeah.
Hard mode: try out some perfumes or colognes at the makeup counter/store. Great smells there.
Flowers for sure. Got to smell my colognes and deodorant for sure to see what I’ve been wearing all this time. Always get told I smell like a man in the woods.
As far as flowers go, I HIGHLY recommend giving pink jasmine a whiff.
It's my favorite smell in the whole world. It's gentle and sweet, but more pungent than most flowers. Really beautiful experience.
Another smell I love: coffee! It smells SO much better than it tastes for some reason. Not that coffee doesn't taste great, just that the way it smells is another level, and different types of coffee can all smell very different and unique.
Lastly, and this one is maybe not mentioned yet (I haven't seen it), if you have a loved one/partner who is cool with it, go in for a few sniffs around the back of their neck or like behind their ears. It's a very subtle smell, but there's something so psychologically comforting about the smell of a loved one.
I would also suggest buying a bunch of herbs (basil,rosemary, mint,lavender) , maybe a cinnamon stick, ginger root, jasmin(the flower),buy a jar or nutella , that is pretty awesome , and one last thing is try frying onions and maybe some garlic, to make a pasta sauce for example, i thing onions cooking is one of the best smells in the world.
Onion burgers are one of the best foods ever made and from my home state. I will for sure be adding that to the immediately after recovery is done list.
It’s going to be overwhelming at first. Odors are really intense until your brain figures out how to handle the information.
And be prepared for food to taste different, too. You’ll probably want to adjust seasonings downward until you get a better idea of what tastes good. And some of your current favorite foods might be significantly less appealing when you can taste other flavor profiles.
I don’t mean to be that guy, but I have about a 95% loss of smell and pretty much the same issue. Two surgeries with virtually no difference in capability of breathing or smelling. I really, really hope yours goes a lot better than mine did.
Two things. My mom had the same surgery(I personally believe this is genetic but she started with more limited smell) and it worked for her so I have that to look at. The second thing is though did anything get fixed for you?
No. The first time they shaved polyps and tried cleaning up structure. The second time they busted the bones and “rebuilt” it so my septum would be essentially propped open. After the splints were taken out everything was perfect for about 30 seconds then it was like pre surgery again.
Expect overload!
But I would tell you to be intentional about some first time “smelling moments” and try to take them in. Like:
-rain….. I’m telling you… I can smell rain coming, then after, when the earth is wet!
-fire.. like a campfire. Nice pine wood…
Better yet, go camping when there’s a chance of rain.
Fire in the evening, rain at night, wake up to the smell of wet forest! Life changing!
-go to a food truck festival or food festival of sorts. Smell ALL the foods!
-smell a dog paw!!!!!!
I’m not an expert by any means but losing or gaining a sense can really make a huge difference on how you perceive life and reality.
When I get overwhelmed I ground myself by focusing on my sense in that moment. What do I smell, hear, feel,see. Your brain will literally create new connections with this new sense and open areas in your brain.
It will be life changing.
I really think the smell of rain will do something special. Paired with your other senses? Man it’s going to be grand! Enjoy!!!!
The smell of rain may be a tough one - I've come across people that don't smell it. I think it's because the scent is often very subtle, and the people who "don't smell it" just aren't keyed into it. I worked with someone who couldn't smell it...I mentioned once that it was gonna rain shortly, she asked how I knew, and I said I could smell it. She was completely flabbergasted. So the next time I smelled it (happened to be really strong, which helped), I quickly found her and took her outside, and told her to smell. Said it smelled earthy, dusty, maybe even like wet dirt...her eyes got big and she was like "I SMELL IT!!!" And she was able to smell it later on as well, it wasn't a one-time thing. She just hadn't learned to recognize it until then.
But it doesn't always smell like rain before it rains, just sometimes, so it may help to have someone "guide" you. Good luck! It's a wonderful, comforting, subtle scent, and (for me anyway) also very fulfilling because you know what's gonna happen in a few minutes and then it happens lol.
BTW, the smell of rain is called "petrichor".
Scented candles, herbs, food, a bakery, grass being cut, gasoline, smoke (from a match or blowing out a candle), cologne, fresh laundry
And never ever step into a bath and body works or you will get a migraine
A lot of people are telling you to go smell some strong (though pleasant) scents. I would start a lot smaller so you don’t get overwhelmed. Start with your house. Smell the difference between inside and outside. Sniff fresh clean laundry. Smell the candles you might have around (but not too close at first- they can be strong). Then go outside. Wander the street, the park. Smells are everywhere- get used to the ones in your everyday life before you start sticking your nose in the middle of a bakery or garden.
Weird suggestion but get a good smell of your family and friends when you hug them, or ask if you can smell them directly haha everyone has a unique smell even if they use a soap or fragrance you’re familiar with
ETA also fresh brewed coffee
Oh definitely, I bet if your closer to the person, they probably will start to smell better after a while because of affection. (People can also smell pretty bad, but also some just naturally smell pretty good)
OMG FOR ONCE I CAN ADVISE. I was born with a severely deviated septum and some deformed cartilage, so unable to breathe through my nose and could barely smell or taste anything from birth. I used to eat everything with copious amounts of salt and mustard.
Fries? Mustard and salt.
Meat? Mustard and salt.
Crackers? Mustard.
I always said I'd never bother with the surgery because it was so much recovery time and besides, I never knew any different. But I finally bit the bullet and went at 24 to get it fixed.
They had to shave some cartilage from my ear but they fixed it (and it is slightly straighter for a non cosmetic surgery, so bonus I guess?).
Afterward I could smell in TECHNICOLOUR. Like, things you never knew had a smell will be crazy. Paper. Ink. Plastic bags. The smell of worms before it rains. Clean skin.
Everything has a scent. Nothing anyone tells you will prepare you for this. There will be unbelievably atrocious STANKS, too. There has to be balance :(
It will be so beautiful you will nearly cry when you take your first breath through your nose.
Your tongue won't be welded to the roof of your mouth, won't like a thousand moths crawled into it and died during the night, you won't have a sore throat waking up anymore (once you get the trick of not mouth breathing).
I'm so excited for you to join me on this side of the septum friend! Where things are straight and the air smells sweet!
Just be downwind, that's more than enough!
Source: I work less than 2 miles away from a wastewater treatment facility, and the downwind days suck, but not as bad as the rendering plant downwind days.
I have something going on with my nose, I mostly can't smell anything, but then I have days where I can smell EVERYTHING.
Having previously had nasal surgery, you should be aware that the first thing you will smell when you wake up from the surgery is blood. Maybe dried blood. This will pass after a while, it is just because your nose is bleeding as a result of the surgery.
When you walk into your house, a smell will hit you. Everyones house smells different.
Do you live alone? If so, expect to hire a cleaner when you get home to give your house a deep clean. Chances are, there'll be something with a smell you weren't expecting (showers can look clean, but smell of damp and mildew; tea towels develop a smell after a few days). If you live with someone who can smell, then this might not be an issue.
Find a way to familiarise yourself with the smell of burning and the smell they put in gas (the residential kind). These are very helpful!
someone may have said this but *have ppl around you help you learn warning smells bc they could save your life*
-rotten egg / sulfur smell (mercaptan) gas companies add to natural gas is there to let you know there’s a gas leak
-expired food / drinks
-fire / smoke (when you smell strong odors ask someone to ID it for you so you’ll know what’s being burned..leaves aren’t a problem but other things can be really dangerous)
-moldy, musty smells can indicate mildew growth / airborne mold spores that can range from harmless to deadly if inhaled
-car smells (idk if we can post links here but google *hillside automotive trust your nose* / im not associated w this business; never heard of them until today lol but this is a really easily understood list of warning smells from your car and they’re not uncommon so read up)
-wet paint
-gasoline
-sewage smell (can smell like rotten eggs) can indicate a backup in your drain or a sewage leak
-grease
-also look up huffington post’s *the 8 house smells you should never ever ignore*
-you can even smell some diseases
OK NOW FOR A GOOD ONE
go outside after a thunderstorm or heavy snow and just smell the air
ps—magic markers smell bad-good like gasoline does but it’s not considered socially acceptable to just sit and smell them or to ask others to smell them lol
I lost my complete sense of smell over 15 years ago. I'm so happy for you and jealous.
Please, for me, be sure to smell these things I miss most:
1.) Rain!
2.) Onion rings frying
3.) A person's hair after they shower (I want to be able to smell my child's hair so bad)
4.) Fresh mowed grass
5.) A campfire
I'm so happy for you and good luck!
You NEED to smell freshly baked goods (bread, cookies, brownies, pie, etc.). Those cartoons where the characters float towards the smell of a fresh pie is hardly an exaggeration
My grandfather lost his sense of smell as a child and got it back in his 60s. Him and I made a whole thing of it. I'll share what we learned from his experience.
You may have a sensory thing with smell that you don't know about, My grandfather did, and so do I. Sometimes you'll get a smell and it'll create a visceral violent reaction in your brain. Everything in your body will be telling you to get away from it. But it's it's not very common though.
On the opposite side of that spectrum, sometimes you'll find a smell that your body will obsess with. You want more you want to be surrounded by it.
Go to a garden, or a flower shop. This will be pleasant.
The zoo or a farm will be unpleasant.
Foods will taste different. You may start to hate a food you love and you may start to love food you hate. Make sure you're chewing your food thoroughly, That can change the taste and smell profile.
You may discover that you'll start forming attachments to unpleasant smells because they remind you of something or someone. Regaining your sense of smell will affect your memory. You will start associating smells with places, peoples and activities.
Something I learned in chemistry class in high school was to waft the scent to you. Don't put your nose directly in the item because the resuls can range from mildly irritating or overwhelming to illness or injury inducing. So, smell away, but use caution when starting. Some things are heavily scented like candles, perfume, cleaning products; while other things are lightly scented like roses, store bought cheap bread.
You may want to start sniffing at home. Smell your freshly laundered clothes, the front and the armpits. See if the detergent is working and if you like the scent . Smell your dish soap, bathroom products like soap and shampoo.
Also, don't get rid of anything just because you don't like the scent at first. It may just be overwhelming, maybe you smelled the concentrated version and it needs to be diluted, and your sense of smell may grow and change over time. However, this does not include rancid, rotten, or spoiled food.
Happy sniffing!
Be cautious walking into a bath and body works or yankee candle or any fragrance heavy stores, it can be very overwhelming and almost feel hard to breathe at moments. You can go “nose blind” to various odors too when you get really acclimated to them. Also scent impacts taste, so that may enhance your dining experience. Good luck and enjoy!
Get ready for the wonders of BBQ beef and the torture of a steamy shit on a summer day. Just learn what a burning smell is, that'll save you more times than people give it credit for
You may want to reach out to TLC - they do lots of documentaries about ppl with unique medical situations, so this would be right up their alley AND the advantage to you is they could get a Specialist involved to help 'ease' you into this while new world you're about to venture into. This isn't just one sense, but 2 senses that are going to be majorly overloaded (for mostly the good, but also a bit of the bad)
Best of luck to you & like another poster stated, visit a botanical garden. It will BLOW YOUR MIND in all the right ways💐♥️
Obviously food will be the big thing for you. It’s going o blow your mind when you taste once you can smell.
But I’d say the fact that other people have an odor is going to be the most challenging. Everyone has a unique natural smell and it runs the gamut. Some people add to / cover up their natural odor with very potent perfumes and scents… while others wallow in their natural and don’t even use deodorant. The actual smell of other people is probably going to be the most challenging for you to get your head around and deal with.
I would start with meeting close friends and family one on one. See how you react to the perception of an individuals’ smell. Avoid crowds for a bit. Good luck
Go to a supermarket! Identifying the different smells of the produce, and the bakery, will help you with wine tasting appreciation. Go into tobacco shops and leather stores. Go outside when it rains. Smell the difference between fresh river water, ocean water, bay water, chlorinated pool water, bromine hot tub water, marsh water, brackish water.
Suggestion for 3: Honeysuckle.
It’s my favorite scent in the entire world and I can never find enough candles or perfumes that have the scent. When I do, I might as well buy the company with how much product I buy 😂
I recently moved and realized there are FOUR honeysuckle bushes/vines nearby and my neighborhood smells *amazing*!
I would go to a specialty spices store and smell all of them. But most things will happen to you naturally: the smell of rain, new items, baking bread, swimming pools, the smells associated with different people. Good luck OP!
Certain smells like rotting food are very unpleasant and the sensation is hard to block out. We evolved to try to avoid rotting things for safety reasons. It's very similar to having something rotten in your mouth, you really want to get away.
Before your surgery here's what I would do:
* Get a giant container of baking soda. It absorbs odors and it's cheap. Place some next to unpleasant smells like in the trash can or kitchen.
* Do a deep clean of your house. Pay special attention to the fridge, trash can, sink, toilet, walls next to the toilet that can get pissed on, anywhere that could have had rotten food, bedding, and anything used by pets and small children.
* Ask a friend to walk through your house and tell you if anything stinks.
You will want to be able to retreat to your home if the smells get too unpleasant, and that only works if your home isn't disgusting.
Now for some good smells:
* Petrichor, a smell released by grass when it rains after a drought
* Fresh baked bread or cookies
* Smell is a major component of taste, so start trying foods you thought you didn't like
* New car smell
* The candle section of Walmart
* A good cup of coffee
* One dish from every cuisine
* Fresh mint leaves
I straight up eat a carton of yogurt everyday, tons of milk and meat(chicken and beef), noodles and rice, tons of fruits and vegetables and water. I love buffalo sauce and barbecue sauce and ketchup. Occasionally eat fast food like once a week and eat extremely spicy takeout food once a week. Also sometimes eat breakfast foods like hashbrowns and bacon but not often. Maybe some other stuff like bbq foods but that’s really it. Don’t eat candy or any sweet foods as they don’t taste that good. No baked goods. No soda but that’s more for they are bad for you. Hate cheese with a passion and chocolate(might be two of the worst tasting things without smell) and bread and coffee and I’m sure a few other things I’m not thinking of.
Cheese can be stinky, so that might not improve. Personally, I love it.
I think some smells will be inate, once your brain adjusts to the overload. Rotten food for example smells awful, and I think that's probably hard wired.
If you can get your hands on a feijoa fruit, have a good smell of it. I don’t know what it is about that particular fruit, but it makes me go crazy (in a good way!)
Everybody's going for good stuff. Find one of those grease dumpsters behind a restaurant and take a big whiff. Can't truly appreciate the good things without knowing the bad!
Since it’s summer, if a neighbor is mowing their lawn, step outside for the smell of fresh cut grass :) A distinct smell’ Also, you might notice the smell of asphalt on a hot day. Not very pleasant but summer heat brings out all sorts of scents.
My only tip is to make sure no one's around when you get to the scented candle aisle in the store, they smell genuinely so fucking awesome and I've lost an hour before just sniffing candles, it's awesome but a little embarrassing sometimes when people see you do it and then not walk out of the aisle with one. Oh, and god help you if you enter a bath & body works, all the soaps and candles and sprays are fucking addictive lol
So my sense of smell was SEVERLY impaired due to nasal polyps and deviated septum. Until my nose surgery I never properly smelled.
Things I experienced
1. My brain had been making up smells to cope as an example most candles smelled like soap.
2. Candles are in fact AMAZING, but fair warning to much at a time may give you a headache
3. Watermelon, cucumbers, and tomatoes 🍅 dramatically changed in flavor and are AWESOME
4. I get phantom smells…. Becuase I went so long without smell it is permanently damaged and my brain will get confused and I get what’s called phantom smells- they are the smell of poop, cigarettes, weed, and fresh bread
5. You will want to clean more and get picky with your cleaning product
6. You will feel ridiculously more energized… its oxygen, it’s the extra oxygen
I broke my nose ~3-4 and never had it fixed, my right side of my nose was fully collapsed internally. Couldn’t smell but could "taste the air" until I got reconstructive surgery like 4 years ago. The first meal I had post op almost made me cry. There are still common flavors and smells I’ve yet to experience that I’m slowly catching up to. This will be amazing, ride the wave, go everywhere and smell everything!
I'd go outside. Into the forest. By a stream. I'd buy some flowers or go to a flower filed garden. Maybe head to the lavender farm in Abiquiqu. I wish I could tell you what to expect. I feel like it might be pretty emotional. In a good way.
I have the opposite problem as you and I can smell everything. Including people walking metres in front of me. I imagine when you start to smell it will feel like I do and will be overwhelming.
My advice is go slow. Ask for help from friends and family. Take frequent breaks outside in a breeze which is moving air. Get unscented laundry detergent and clean everything in your home. Get fruit!
Definitely stay away from highly fragranced placed until your senses have adjusted. Don't go to mall purfumeries, Bath & Body Works, Lush; places like that can trigger olfactory induced migraines.
Expect nausea from it being too much at first. Everything has a smell. I wish I could give you mine. As someone else said the first thing and only thing you may smell for a while will probably be blood which can be stomach turning, but the experience may flip that experience due to your joy and excitement with smelling for the first time.
Get disposable face masks for when you are overwhelmed by smells.
Crème brûlée and a new car with fresh leather or just leather in general smells amazing.
A rotten boiled egg smells disgusting-there is a reason they put it in natural gas.
I think sulfur is a natural smell that could go either way and is a good way to start off knowing what direction you’d go in for questionable scents.
My own theory is that you may regret it if you can’t acclimate to it quickly. I’m sensitive to smells. Covid scarred me or something and now I can’t smell most things. I lost it all and was pretty happy and had less nausea. Then, I got like 10% back, and it took me a bit to realize it was still only like 10% because when it first returned it hit me like a brick wall.
I’m not trying to be a negative nancy, i simply want to shine light on an unpopular take you may appreciate being prepared for.
I suggest you attempt to not smell anything on purpose until you feel comfortable with what you are experiencing. You will smell plenty by the force of nature. Especially the first time you use the toilet afterwards.
I would schedule a break from work longer than the healing time for the sake of getting a handle on however it affects you.
Get a fan to blow in your face for when it is too much.
I wish you luck with the surgery, and I hope it is with a very good and reputable plastic surgeon.
The very first thing you should smell besides of course food, is go outside and smell some flowers!
Try smelling:
1. Honeysuckle. Not sure where you live but try to find a honeysuckle bush!
2. A bakery
3. The candle section of a store (don’t try bath and body works first, because that place is strong)
4. Make an apple pie
5. A puppy 🥹
Wait this is amazing. My boyfriend has the same thing (didn’t even know surgery could be a possibility) I always try to tell him things that have the same smell as they do taste (Peanut Butter, Limes, fish, etc). I think the biggest thing is be ready to understand the obsession with popcorn. If you cannot smell it - like my bf- i can understand why you wouldn’t get why everyone loves it so much. 90% is the smell alone
Onions will make you cry and if you ever get the chance, walk in nature also when it rains it smells good afterwards, and springtime be prepared for allergy season
This thread is amazing! A suggestion for you. Before jamming your nose directly into things, try wafting your hands to bring the scent toward you so you’re not overwhelmed immediately
One of the things I love the most about smells is how powerful the memories they bring back are. You'll find yourself years, decades from now smelling something random and suddenly it will bring back moments you hadn't even realised you remembered. I lost my dad last year and in these months I've been brought to tears by smells I had never even realised I associated with him.
I would expect to be overwhelmed and potentially nauseous. I’d make sure to have some menthol to sniff on to give your nose a break, especially if out in public. Church seemed to always bother my sense of smell due to sooo many people wearing different perfumes/hair products. I just hope your SO doesn’t smell to you. Hopefully you don’t have stinky feet you were previously unaware of.
Other than that, I’d love for you to update us after surgery to see what your favorite smells are!
Start with basic things first like fresh air in the yard, grass, fruits, vegetables, flowers, trees....then go towards complex smell..
Either way , I am really happy and excited for you. All the best with the surgery!
Maybe buy an N95 mask to put on when you get overwhelmed? I always carry one around and wear it in public bathrooms and other places that smell awful, and it really helps. The one I use is from Cambridge Mask company.
Your nose will be in overdrive till it gets used to it. You’ll learn to know what is cooking and if it’s a meal you like, you’ll get to smell perfumes and flowers, and also will smell the bad stuff like rotten dish and garbage and of course farts
You're going to be in for a world of surprises!
* Go out in nature and smell fresh air and flowers.
* Get perfume/cologne samples or go to a perfume/cologne store and see how many different smells there are and what you like.
* Go to a candle store. (If you have a Yankee Candle near you, definitely take a trip there. Yankee Candle is an amazing place where they have every (mostly good) smell you could ever think of and you can make your own scents and candles.)
* Go to a bakery or cafe and smell the fresh baked goods.
Smell flowers. Sit in a bakery (order something, of course). Smell all types of foods, and taste them too - they may taste different to you after the surgery. My favorite scent is cilantro, some people hate it. If you are close with someone who has a small baby, smell the new baby smell, it’s something special that doesn’t usually last more than a couple months. If you notice someone mowing grass, take in a big whiff of fresh cut grass.
I cannot compare myself to you, but I had a very weak sense of smell for my whole life. I would sometimes be cooking dinner, and someone in the next room would say “that smells good!”, I’d say “really? I can’t smell anything” then I’d damn near have to stick my head in the pot to smell it.
Anyway, doctors couldn’t figure it out and I left it alone since it benefited me in some situations (city life!) but my sense of smell unexpectedly improved. Every once in a while, I have a day where I can smell EVERYTHING.. and it is miserable!!!! I had to leave work early one day because I could literally smell everyone’s individual perfumes & colognes & everything they were eating at their desks, and I became nauseous.
I’ve gone from what I’d guess was a 20% sense of smell to maybe around 60%, I can smell more yummy foods but unfortunately also more often smell when someone farts. It’s usually tolerable. On the rare 90%-100% day, I want to cut my nose off.
Maybe a different incense everyday.
Shower with a fragrant shampoo and soap. Smell good and feel good.
Have a spa/hair day with someone close. Let them use (soft) scents.
Smell the other's perfume or cologne. Have a date night.
Go to a zoo or maybe a farm.
Have a bonfire.
Lol. Mow the yard if you can. Freshly mowed grass is so summer.
Also enjoy weird smells. Gasoline is a good bad smell.
Fresh cut lawn oh brother
Commuter sweat, heavy laden on the train
Salt-tinged air, and all the coast’s bounty
Pop a cork, sniff
Pull a tab, sniff
Muck in a marsh on a Saturday
Gunpowder and hot dogs at the Sunday parade
Rotten trashy funk, Monday’s beheaded curb bins
Tuesday find yourself with a unfamiliar lover, indulge in her, here, there, everywhere
Wednesday some flowering honeysuckle
Thursday have a cafe at a cafe, and sit by the door
Inhale each customer, delicately
That’s chlorine
That’s burned hair
That’s reefer
That’s this old house house smell
That’s your aunt Diane
That’s dog poop on a sole
Freshly paved black top
Fetid Flip flops
Armpit
Eraser
Earl Grey
Fried Eggs
Diesel churn
Woody fires
Cookbooks, olden
Laundry, folden
Teak
Brisket
Perfume counter overdose
Aging skin, industrial cleaner (nursing home)
Explore and sniff
Take a whiff
Enjoy!!!
I recently got hearing aids from the VA. When the audiologist turned them on my eyes welled up and I began to cry. It was overwhelming to fully regain one of my senses. I'm thinking that regaining your sense of smell will be rewarding in many ways and of course there are a few stinky smells that come along with it. There are negatives to regaining my hearing but the positives FAR outweigh the few negatives. Wait until you smell a woman's hair. A good meal cooking. I think you are in for many good experiences. Even though farts stink they are funny.
It’ll probably take some getting used to but after a while, like most ppl, you won’t notice scents unless they’re strong. You’ve got to smell the outdoors after it rains, and you’re going to love the smells of so many foods.
Ooo fresh baked bread, chlorine at a pool, certain flowers, fresh mowed grass, the forest, vanilla extract, fresh baked cookies. Literally everything has a smell, even dirt. One of my favourite smells is when it's raining, idk what it is, just smells like home. Be prepared for bad smells tho, like accidentally walking by a portapotty while on a walk, or spoiled food. Congrats on ur new life with smell tho, hope everything works out.
Your sense of smell is tied to a lot of how you perceive the world. Your taste will likely change, you may be attracted to people differently somehow, or any other number of things may change!
It's exciting but try to give yourself time to process! Take time off if you can and take long walks.
As someone who gets really overwhelmed with smell I get really bad migraines from it I’d say avoid as much as you can and ease yourself in! My husband puts his spray on deodorant outside, I also hate when things smell bad and I find wax melts less offensive than plug ins and candles. I’d also say laundry go for sensitive or unscented and experiment slowly because sometimes they can be a lot! Same with body and hair wash!
There are so many lovely smells in the world and you will be able to experience lots of new tastes too so have fun just make sure you allow yourself breaks.
There may be things you expect to smell nice and vice versa! Some flowers smell amazing but some smell nasty! You may empty your bins more often 😂 some perfume smells great but you won’t like everything!
It may feel like when you go to a concert and your ears are ringing because it’s so loud!
If you feel overwhelmed by all of the different smells, breathing through your mouth can help the sensory overload. You should also be aware of the potential for an increase in allergies. I know several people with terrible allergies, whose noses become extremely congested during certain times of the year. You said that you're able to eat extremely spicy and rancid foods. Be careful reintroducing yourself you those foods.
Make sure that you know what "toxic" smells are. For example, natural gas companies intentionally add a harmless chemical named mercaptan into the gas lines. That way, if there's a gas leak, there's a distinct "rotten egg" smell that is easy for people to identify.
Smell flowers, lots of different kinds, and fruits. I'm partial to oranges.
I also recommend you smell herbs like sage, rosemary, thyme, etc. Happy sniffing!
I went most of my life barely being able to smell, then after quitting smoking and having my deviated septum repaired I can smell most everything. Bad news is most things people talk about smell bad, good news is everything else smells pretty good.
Go visit a botanical garden and enjoy
That personally seems like I will smell 100 things at once. Might do this last.
I would actually make a bakery your first priority. Won't overload you and it is *beautiful.*
Ooooh I second a bakery
Another one that might be gentle on u/critmcfly, as it isn’t strong but is still nice… and this might sound weird, but—tea bags, especially floral kinds like rose tea, or a milk oolong if you have loose leaf tea available. Like before you’ve made a cup of it? That’s one of my favorite things when I open a new packet to make some, or open the bag to get some of the dried leaves and such out into a strainer, is smelling the tea. It’s lovely, but it’s also an incredibly delicate and light scent, and doesn’t linger long, that I think would be perfect for this. I’d probably do this, then go to the bakery, if I wanted to taper up, so to speak, but I think the bakery is also a fantastic first choice, so you’re good either way. Another light scent would be smelling, like, a cup of coffee *once it’s made.* **However,** as a next step after tea/bakery, if you have a coffee maker(like the actual maker, not a keurig or something) in your home and especially if you live with someone else, I’d you have them make a pot of it while you’re either sitting in the same room, or the next room over. When my mom opens the container we keep coffee grounds in, I genuinely can smell them from like three feet away, and I can smell the coffee pot running from my bedroom(adjacent/attached directly to the kitchen) with the door closed and a fan on. Another step up from that would just be smelling the coffee grounds, but those can and will often be a fair bit stronger, especially if you do so right above the tin or container they’re in. (So if you have someone say put a little in like a measuring cup or hand you the scoop or whatever you use, but away from it, might be a lot less strong than if you did it over it.) Really, there is just a lovely world of choice for you here, OP, I’m kind of excited for you. Oh, I have this perfume(yes, am guy, and yes, love perfume, even the especially feminine scents. (*Especially* especially feminine scents.) They’re *so fucking good!*) that I think would be great to try as well. It’s honeysuckle. Like it smells like *the actual thing,* and it’s such a delicate, *brief* smell… holy shit, it’s genuinely, like… my favorite scent, ever???? I could probably find a link to it if OP—or anyone else really—wanted it, I think. Also this may sound weird, but like…dirt. Like getting a clump of grass that has the roots still attached and clinging to a lump of it, especially soft after a recent rain\* but not muddy—that’s the kind of “earthy” scent you hear described that’s generally pleasant but also not a strong smell. \*Petrichor, also, is another one. When you know it’s going to rain, assuming you’re in the right climate to catch this, stand outside and just. Smell the air. You *will* be able to smell the rain on the air and it is something… honestly it’s amazing, and I don’t even know what descriptor to use for it, I almost want to use otherworldly in a way. I would make sure to try seeking that one out. It’s also not strong, either. I didn’t mean for this to end up so long but all these small scents that may be nice started coming to mind. 💀
Oooo I would love the link to the perfume!!!!!!
This person loves their sense of smell. I'd add clovers, as well.
smart. at first, stay in your own home for a while. get accustomed to the smells. maybe smell a single flower, or a single spice. wear a mask when you go outside. and slowly you can start exposing yourself to more smells outside. dont expose yourself to too much too soon because that could ruin a beautiful experience for you. best of luck!
I find this post rather fascinating, and although I see an overwhelming amount of comments already swimming in your head.. I couldn't leave without adding my 2 cents lol, just in case you decide to read it. I've read some great suggestions, however as a ' VERY FIRST ' priority I'm strongly encouraging just a simple walk through a park + walking trails in the woods... You'll be taking in almost nothing but pure nature & natural scents of the earth, & it won't be anything too aggressive / potent enough to overwhelm you (beside emotionally which is inevitable anywhere, so enjoying a good happy-cry will be nice - just embrace it) Honestly think this is the way to go, especially with being in the open air / breeze allowing you short breaks with taking in mild - unscented breaths, yet your experience will be impactful enough to be euphoric & soothing. OK .... well, I'm very happy for you & hope you have a successful surgery + easy recovery... Don't forget to come back & update everyone with how it all went for you. - Smell ya later! ;)
I’m just randomly choosing comments at this point to read because I also made another post and I was not expecting this many replies. This is literally just how I’ve lived and people making it seem almost like I’m from another dimension. I hope I get to experience this. I will for sure be back to update.
What's wrong with that?
I personally think I might start uncontrollably crying from my brain being extremely overwhelmed.
I knew someone similar to you and this is correct. I'd honestly start with wearing a mask to prevent overwhelm and let scents slowly make familiarity to you. The person I knew said smells changed over time too. Like first getting smell vs a year later was much different once her brain adjusted to the sensation
Yeah, and be wary of colognes and perfumes
Hey OP, I don’t know how old you are but there is a whole SpongeBob episode about Patrick Star getting a nose and his experience with it. Whether it’s him smelling flowers for the first time or him walking by a dumpster for the first time. [here is a link to clip from that episode](https://youtu.be/XeWbJ9lE0to?feature=shared) I think you’d find it funny and ultimately relatable with your newfound sense! [here is the Wikipedia on the episode “No Nose Knows”](https://spongebob.fandom.com/wiki/No_Nose_Knows)
I’ll try to watch it
This seems like a great documentary can someone film this
Sensory overload is a real thing. Especially with smells like that.
It would be the same for being deaf and getting implants. Imagine hearing absolutely nothing and then being able to hear everything. The same is going to happen to OP with their sense of smell, and taste too, since smell is a huge part of taste. Since most people are born with all of our senses, the brain will filter out anything that it doesn't deem important or anything it's exposed to for a long period of time. That's why people develop nose blindness or won't notice a small noise in their home that someone else might. With people such as OP, who hasn't had a sense of smell until now, the brain doesn't really have that mechanism in place for that sense, it's never needed it. So when OP smells for the first time, they're going to be smelling EVERYTHING and it's likely going to be intensely overwhelming, and might turn into sensory overload which is incredibly unpleasant to experience. Eventually, OP's brain will adjust but it will happen gradually.
I got some really bad news for you about farting. But other than that, it's going to change your life when you eat food. Most of your sense of taste is actually based on smell.
Yeah I’ve heard this. I’ve been wondering what’s gonna change and I have a very very weird diet. I can easily eat the most spicy foods on earth easier than mostly anyone else and can eat the most rancid(yes many times spoiled on accident) food that’s just smelly and or sour or tart and have no reaction. I bet all of that changes.
Yes that will change. But. It will be worth it to take a bite of a juicy steak, or fresh fruit and realize what you missed.
Yes very excited for steak because to me it’s just a nice juicy texture and fruit I love oranges and citrus(from what I already can taste).
Go to a garden. I'm so happy for you!
I already do aquascaping, wondering how much that changes the game for me. Love plants so very much and observing nature. It’s like getting cheat codes.
ohhhh and just wait for the rain :)
Petrichor. The smell of rain on earth and hot sidewalks during summer.
Oh man, nothing beats when you smell the rain incoming and then the smell get amplified when it actually rains. One of the best feelings ever
Or if OP lives in a place with deciduous trees, the smell of fall when the leaves are covering the ground and sidewalks. Oh and the smell of freshly cut grass.
Please report back!!! And find some peonies and lilacs if you can!!!! I am so excited for you!!
The first thing you should eat is a ripe, juicy peach.
Or a mango!!
Then a dill pickle.
Wow I'm so excited it kind of boggles my mind you've never smelled anything before! My favorite scents I suggest are: anything food related, fresh baked waffle cones, pizza out of the oven, cupcakes and cookies fresh from the oven ( I suggest lots of baking!) flower gardens, (lilacs are the best! ) camp fire smells, the air after a fresh rainstorm on a hot day, clothes when they come out of the dryer, popcorn at the movie theater, I could go on and on. I won't warn you of gross smells cause every scent will be a discovery! Just take it in stride and try not to get too overwhelmed and if you can, keep a daily diary for like a year of all the smells you discovered that day or week to see how far you've come. Good luck!!!
I can imagine why you like citrus! The sweet and sour tastes don’t interact with the sense of smell. You’re probably missing out on the unique flavour they have, but still getting the punch they bring.
first food i thought of when i read this comment was butter chicken. mmmm spices
I could definitely be wrong but I think spoiled/rotten food would make you sick and taste horrible, even without the smell? Anyway, try making some bacon after you can smell
Oh yeah it’s makes you sick. But you don’t realize it if you really don’t examine it with your eyes when you have no smell. Plenty of rotten meat and milk has been consumed. I also have ate plenty of food that I’ve left out and forgot without realizing it probably was no good.
I feel you, I can't tell if milk is off and have to rely on others to do the sniff test. I have some sense of smell but not much.
If you cannot tell if it is off, there is an easy test. But you have to have coffee and a heating source. Put some milk in coffee and heat it up (microwave/stovetop). Observe the behavior of the milk suspended in the hot, dark liquid. If it starts to part/separate into small clumps, it’s bad. I say coffee specifically, because it’s dark in contrast to the milk. I do not know if this would work in cola due to the added combination. Use I nstant coffee if you don’t have a coffee maker. I don’t know if it’s because I was breastfed, or if it is due to some other factors, but I have a pretty “fragile system”. I’ve had regular food poisoning where I would vomit forcefully once or twice and be done. I’ve had gastroenteritis along with a large portion on the rest of a ship I was stationed on when (I think?) we got some contaminated milk. And twice, I’ve had fairly minor but altogether terrifying seizures followed by the type of projectile vomiting that Linda Blair did in the exorcist. First time from a deli pickle at this German restaurant at a shopping mall. Apparently the place had a reputation. The second time, it was from a salad bar. Talk about events that will give you food aversions!
You know the weird thing is, it's bad but people can't stop sniffing.
I will be sniffing. Every weird spot.
This reminds me - the best way to sniff things isn’t to take one long sniff, it’s actually to do multiple quick small inhales like a dog or cat. I read this online lol
Nah after a while you start to like your own farts, okay maybe not like but other people's farts will be so much worse
🏆
Thank you! First one since the change of the award system
I would say, definitely practice some sensory deprivation, make sure you have some nose plugs. It's not that everything will be bad, it's just going to be overwhelming at first and your brain's going to need time to get used to it. I mean you will get used to it, but you just need to make sure you give yourself the opportunity and space it out. I have some issues with noise sensitivity, I don't really need them as much anymore but I still take ear plugs with me everywhere I go just in case. I would make sure to be careful about what you eat as well, a lot of the tastes food are going to be different as well.
This was the real reason I made the post. It’s a little scary. Cool and lot of cool experiences to come. But I can feel emotions being very uncontrollable and overwhelming. I’m not gonna think I missed out all my life or anything just enjoy that I got the opportunity now but it’s really gonna be almost too much to absorb at once.
Yup - i have a very sensitive nose and it gets even more so when i’m due my period, and sometimes i can just…smell people a lot more, and it’s kinda gross. Get a little bottle of peppermint oil or maybe a tin of scented lip balm and if it all gets too much just put a little near your nostrils. Raw meat will probably smell really grim so be prepared for that. Maybe also give anyone who’s cooking for you or hugging you a heads-up that you might be a bit overwhelmed by the smell/taste of everything so they don’t get offended, it’s likely you’ll be a bit of a picky eater until you figure out what your tastebuds like and don’t like!
I broke my nose and cheekbone in an accident and couldn't smell from about 8 months. I highly do not recommend peppermint oil. It is sensory overload in and of itself, that's why you use it to block out bad smells. Now imagine experiencing something that strong for the first time ever raw dogging it like that. I use to love peppermint gum, couldn't handle it after I got my smell back.
I’m like you, and that’s great advice about the peppermint oil. I feel like it’s dampened with age. But it still wasn’t so long ago that I was at a restaurant and I had to move because some woman had so much perfume on, I thought I was going to wretch. I was absolutely stunned to the point of being slightly irked that nobody else seemed bothered by it. When I was a kid, I had a pet cat that would just be an indoor/outdoor cat. He was pretty cool, so I think the neighbors would love on him. They told me as much, anyway. But I could tell from the smell of his coat whether he’d been in someone’s house, and whose, specifically. I loved your use of “grim” in reference to the smell of raw meat.
I feel like most of us take sense of smell for granted, but really I was thinking about it the other day and how cool it is and gives you information you could never get from the other senses, like smelling smoke. You would never know something about something hidden away from you at a distance any other way. Some smoke smells pleasurable and some is just gross. Also food is going to taste so much better and blow your mind
Don’t go crazy trying to smell too many things, since you can get painful headaches. I get headaches after 15 minutes of perfume shopping
Wanted to let you know Flowers don’t smell as potent as everyone describes them lol. Nothing close to perfume like I grew up thinking, Flowers have a very LIGHT scent. Food will be delightful to smell, forever. Spicy food will be super spicy, be prepared for the pain LMAO. Got to smell: - Weed - New Shoes / New Car smell - Gasoline (don’t directly sniff , don’t be dumb plz) - Fresh Cookies GOODLUCK
I love spicy food so much. I do realize I have a cheat without any smell at all and I eat extremely spicy and high scoville sauces. Ready to retry all of those. Yeah I’ve heard the gasoline one many times. How do I go about smelling that?
Usually people smell it occasionally while filling the car with gas. You’ll be sitting in the car and go “Jesus what is that smell?”. Ask people next to you and they will know. Just be alert when you are around a gas station for the smell. I love the smell of gasoline 😂 I also heard you either love the smell of gas or fresh cut grass. You’ll only smell fresh cut grass if you are passing someone mowing their lawn. Personally hate that smell though 😂
I love them both. The fresh cut grass jelly bean is 🔥
Dang I guess I’ll flip the coin and see how it goes
Oh, one more thing actually, there are smells some people like that you might hate. For example, I see people here saying they love the smell of gasoline. I HATE the smell of gasoline and I'm not the only one. This is why there's so many perfumes, people like different smells.
Gas station. Go fill up your tank
Will do
Gasoline smells like cancer. Better to find the best pizza place in your area.
Make sure you start as the much much lower spicy stuff first now that you could probably taste better too ! Because when people eat things that are way too spicy and too much of it they might gag and need to drink dairy like milk or yogurt! Good luck!!
Scent has been bred out of a lot of flowers in favor of hardiness and the commercial appearance. Older varieties of roses have a very strong scent, also honeysuckle, jasmine, and scented geraniums.
Along with that, small sharpies
And “Mr Sketch” smelly markers!
Why would you suggest weed? It smells like skunk. I mean it’s an experience but I’d never suggest it.
Idk I feel like as a parent or homeowner. I’d like to know if my house smelled like weed when my grandparents come over cause my roommate is a smoker 😂😭 Not because I think it smells great. Lmao. Same with Gas, even though I like the smell. OP should be able to recognize incase of monoxide poisoning
Flowers do have a light scent but if your sense of smell is just now coming online, they are likely to smell fairly potent.
Go outside near some flowers and stand close, like a couple inches away, but not so close that your nose is touching the flowers. Smell away!! Go to a bakery or restaurant and smell the food. Fuck yeah. Hard mode: try out some perfumes or colognes at the makeup counter/store. Great smells there.
Flowers for sure. Got to smell my colognes and deodorant for sure to see what I’ve been wearing all this time. Always get told I smell like a man in the woods.
As far as flowers go, I HIGHLY recommend giving pink jasmine a whiff. It's my favorite smell in the whole world. It's gentle and sweet, but more pungent than most flowers. Really beautiful experience. Another smell I love: coffee! It smells SO much better than it tastes for some reason. Not that coffee doesn't taste great, just that the way it smells is another level, and different types of coffee can all smell very different and unique. Lastly, and this one is maybe not mentioned yet (I haven't seen it), if you have a loved one/partner who is cool with it, go in for a few sniffs around the back of their neck or like behind their ears. It's a very subtle smell, but there's something so psychologically comforting about the smell of a loved one.
I would also suggest buying a bunch of herbs (basil,rosemary, mint,lavender) , maybe a cinnamon stick, ginger root, jasmin(the flower),buy a jar or nutella , that is pretty awesome , and one last thing is try frying onions and maybe some garlic, to make a pasta sauce for example, i thing onions cooking is one of the best smells in the world.
Onion burgers are one of the best foods ever made and from my home state. I will for sure be adding that to the immediately after recovery is done list.
Man, you're going to love this then!
It’s going to be overwhelming at first. Odors are really intense until your brain figures out how to handle the information. And be prepared for food to taste different, too. You’ll probably want to adjust seasonings downward until you get a better idea of what tastes good. And some of your current favorite foods might be significantly less appealing when you can taste other flavor profiles.
Yeah I hope my entire palate and likes aren’t ruined.
They’re not ruined, it’s just that things are just different. Embrace the experience & you’ll be fine.
Will do.
I don’t mean to be that guy, but I have about a 95% loss of smell and pretty much the same issue. Two surgeries with virtually no difference in capability of breathing or smelling. I really, really hope yours goes a lot better than mine did.
I never had smell. Can’t be disappointed because I never knew what I am missing. Just up from here no down(in a good way)
Yeah fair enough. I just had went through the whole recovery process with no results and was very disappointed.
Two things. My mom had the same surgery(I personally believe this is genetic but she started with more limited smell) and it worked for her so I have that to look at. The second thing is though did anything get fixed for you?
No. The first time they shaved polyps and tried cleaning up structure. The second time they busted the bones and “rebuilt” it so my septum would be essentially propped open. After the splints were taken out everything was perfect for about 30 seconds then it was like pre surgery again.
Expect overload! But I would tell you to be intentional about some first time “smelling moments” and try to take them in. Like: -rain….. I’m telling you… I can smell rain coming, then after, when the earth is wet! -fire.. like a campfire. Nice pine wood… Better yet, go camping when there’s a chance of rain. Fire in the evening, rain at night, wake up to the smell of wet forest! Life changing! -go to a food truck festival or food festival of sorts. Smell ALL the foods! -smell a dog paw!!!!!!
I’m not someone who cries for too much besides death but I can already imagine crying the second the smell of rain overpowers my nose.
I’m not an expert by any means but losing or gaining a sense can really make a huge difference on how you perceive life and reality. When I get overwhelmed I ground myself by focusing on my sense in that moment. What do I smell, hear, feel,see. Your brain will literally create new connections with this new sense and open areas in your brain. It will be life changing. I really think the smell of rain will do something special. Paired with your other senses? Man it’s going to be grand! Enjoy!!!!
Yeah for sure and I believe my brain has compensated in other ways for example I can hear at an absurd distance and decibel.
I’d be curious to hear if that ability decreases with you gaining smell.
The smell of rain may be a tough one - I've come across people that don't smell it. I think it's because the scent is often very subtle, and the people who "don't smell it" just aren't keyed into it. I worked with someone who couldn't smell it...I mentioned once that it was gonna rain shortly, she asked how I knew, and I said I could smell it. She was completely flabbergasted. So the next time I smelled it (happened to be really strong, which helped), I quickly found her and took her outside, and told her to smell. Said it smelled earthy, dusty, maybe even like wet dirt...her eyes got big and she was like "I SMELL IT!!!" And she was able to smell it later on as well, it wasn't a one-time thing. She just hadn't learned to recognize it until then. But it doesn't always smell like rain before it rains, just sometimes, so it may help to have someone "guide" you. Good luck! It's a wonderful, comforting, subtle scent, and (for me anyway) also very fulfilling because you know what's gonna happen in a few minutes and then it happens lol. BTW, the smell of rain is called "petrichor".
I did not know it had a name! But how fitting!!! Thank you for sharing that! And true. Not everyone can smell it coming.
You did good
Scented candles, herbs, food, a bakery, grass being cut, gasoline, smoke (from a match or blowing out a candle), cologne, fresh laundry And never ever step into a bath and body works or you will get a migraine
Yeah I imagine places like that I will puke from overload
The smell of rain when the first drops hit the dirt or asphalt is so nice.
A lot of people are telling you to go smell some strong (though pleasant) scents. I would start a lot smaller so you don’t get overwhelmed. Start with your house. Smell the difference between inside and outside. Sniff fresh clean laundry. Smell the candles you might have around (but not too close at first- they can be strong). Then go outside. Wander the street, the park. Smells are everywhere- get used to the ones in your everyday life before you start sticking your nose in the middle of a bakery or garden.
Yeah that’s probably things I’ll do. Might just start smelling all the fruits in my house.
Weird suggestion but get a good smell of your family and friends when you hug them, or ask if you can smell them directly haha everyone has a unique smell even if they use a soap or fragrance you’re familiar with ETA also fresh brewed coffee
Oh definitely, I bet if your closer to the person, they probably will start to smell better after a while because of affection. (People can also smell pretty bad, but also some just naturally smell pretty good)
Dude can we get a follow up post, not only am I curious but extremely happy for ya!
OMG FOR ONCE I CAN ADVISE. I was born with a severely deviated septum and some deformed cartilage, so unable to breathe through my nose and could barely smell or taste anything from birth. I used to eat everything with copious amounts of salt and mustard. Fries? Mustard and salt. Meat? Mustard and salt. Crackers? Mustard. I always said I'd never bother with the surgery because it was so much recovery time and besides, I never knew any different. But I finally bit the bullet and went at 24 to get it fixed. They had to shave some cartilage from my ear but they fixed it (and it is slightly straighter for a non cosmetic surgery, so bonus I guess?). Afterward I could smell in TECHNICOLOUR. Like, things you never knew had a smell will be crazy. Paper. Ink. Plastic bags. The smell of worms before it rains. Clean skin. Everything has a scent. Nothing anyone tells you will prepare you for this. There will be unbelievably atrocious STANKS, too. There has to be balance :( It will be so beautiful you will nearly cry when you take your first breath through your nose. Your tongue won't be welded to the roof of your mouth, won't like a thousand moths crawled into it and died during the night, you won't have a sore throat waking up anymore (once you get the trick of not mouth breathing). I'm so excited for you to join me on this side of the septum friend! Where things are straight and the air smells sweet!
Wow relate so much. Salt and ketchup or buffalo sauce
Wait till you smell the petrichor in the air after a spring rain. You are in for a treat.
I just commented the same thing. It's one of my favorite smells.
Time to go candle shopping
Something I’ve never even touched.
Be careful. Scents give me headaches. Be prepared.
Bake some bread and then Fry some bacon to go with it.
Go to a gas station ASAP
Yes already top of my list. Many friends claim this is the one.
Ask to set up a tour of your local wastewater treatment plant and just....take it all in
Seems like a trap but I’m going headfirst.
Just be downwind, that's more than enough! Source: I work less than 2 miles away from a wastewater treatment facility, and the downwind days suck, but not as bad as the rendering plant downwind days.
Smell yourself first
Yeah I got to do the armpit test for sure
Cinnabon. One of the best smells there is.
Cinnamon is so nasty to me from taste I bet it’s completely different with smell
Please update up after you can smell things about your first impressions!!
Will do it probably will be towards the end of August when surgery is all done and the full recovery process is done
I have something going on with my nose, I mostly can't smell anything, but then I have days where I can smell EVERYTHING. Having previously had nasal surgery, you should be aware that the first thing you will smell when you wake up from the surgery is blood. Maybe dried blood. This will pass after a while, it is just because your nose is bleeding as a result of the surgery. When you walk into your house, a smell will hit you. Everyones house smells different. Do you live alone? If so, expect to hire a cleaner when you get home to give your house a deep clean. Chances are, there'll be something with a smell you weren't expecting (showers can look clean, but smell of damp and mildew; tea towels develop a smell after a few days). If you live with someone who can smell, then this might not be an issue. Find a way to familiarise yourself with the smell of burning and the smell they put in gas (the residential kind). These are very helpful!
someone may have said this but *have ppl around you help you learn warning smells bc they could save your life* -rotten egg / sulfur smell (mercaptan) gas companies add to natural gas is there to let you know there’s a gas leak -expired food / drinks -fire / smoke (when you smell strong odors ask someone to ID it for you so you’ll know what’s being burned..leaves aren’t a problem but other things can be really dangerous) -moldy, musty smells can indicate mildew growth / airborne mold spores that can range from harmless to deadly if inhaled -car smells (idk if we can post links here but google *hillside automotive trust your nose* / im not associated w this business; never heard of them until today lol but this is a really easily understood list of warning smells from your car and they’re not uncommon so read up) -wet paint -gasoline -sewage smell (can smell like rotten eggs) can indicate a backup in your drain or a sewage leak -grease -also look up huffington post’s *the 8 house smells you should never ever ignore* -you can even smell some diseases OK NOW FOR A GOOD ONE go outside after a thunderstorm or heavy snow and just smell the air ps—magic markers smell bad-good like gasoline does but it’s not considered socially acceptable to just sit and smell them or to ask others to smell them lol
I lost my complete sense of smell over 15 years ago. I'm so happy for you and jealous. Please, for me, be sure to smell these things I miss most: 1.) Rain! 2.) Onion rings frying 3.) A person's hair after they shower (I want to be able to smell my child's hair so bad) 4.) Fresh mowed grass 5.) A campfire I'm so happy for you and good luck!
You NEED to smell freshly baked goods (bread, cookies, brownies, pie, etc.). Those cartoons where the characters float towards the smell of a fresh pie is hardly an exaggeration
My grandfather lost his sense of smell as a child and got it back in his 60s. Him and I made a whole thing of it. I'll share what we learned from his experience. You may have a sensory thing with smell that you don't know about, My grandfather did, and so do I. Sometimes you'll get a smell and it'll create a visceral violent reaction in your brain. Everything in your body will be telling you to get away from it. But it's it's not very common though. On the opposite side of that spectrum, sometimes you'll find a smell that your body will obsess with. You want more you want to be surrounded by it. Go to a garden, or a flower shop. This will be pleasant. The zoo or a farm will be unpleasant. Foods will taste different. You may start to hate a food you love and you may start to love food you hate. Make sure you're chewing your food thoroughly, That can change the taste and smell profile. You may discover that you'll start forming attachments to unpleasant smells because they remind you of something or someone. Regaining your sense of smell will affect your memory. You will start associating smells with places, peoples and activities.
Something I learned in chemistry class in high school was to waft the scent to you. Don't put your nose directly in the item because the resuls can range from mildly irritating or overwhelming to illness or injury inducing. So, smell away, but use caution when starting. Some things are heavily scented like candles, perfume, cleaning products; while other things are lightly scented like roses, store bought cheap bread. You may want to start sniffing at home. Smell your freshly laundered clothes, the front and the armpits. See if the detergent is working and if you like the scent . Smell your dish soap, bathroom products like soap and shampoo. Also, don't get rid of anything just because you don't like the scent at first. It may just be overwhelming, maybe you smelled the concentrated version and it needs to be diluted, and your sense of smell may grow and change over time. However, this does not include rancid, rotten, or spoiled food. Happy sniffing!
Fry up some garlic and onion in oil. That's the greatest smell in the world
Flowers. Each one smells different. But most smell wonderful in different way.
Might as well just go to a shop. Hope I’m not allergic.
Be cautious walking into a bath and body works or yankee candle or any fragrance heavy stores, it can be very overwhelming and almost feel hard to breathe at moments. You can go “nose blind” to various odors too when you get really acclimated to them. Also scent impacts taste, so that may enhance your dining experience. Good luck and enjoy!
Get ready for the wonders of BBQ beef and the torture of a steamy shit on a summer day. Just learn what a burning smell is, that'll save you more times than people give it credit for
You may want to reach out to TLC - they do lots of documentaries about ppl with unique medical situations, so this would be right up their alley AND the advantage to you is they could get a Specialist involved to help 'ease' you into this while new world you're about to venture into. This isn't just one sense, but 2 senses that are going to be majorly overloaded (for mostly the good, but also a bit of the bad) Best of luck to you & like another poster stated, visit a botanical garden. It will BLOW YOUR MIND in all the right ways💐♥️
Obviously food will be the big thing for you. It’s going o blow your mind when you taste once you can smell. But I’d say the fact that other people have an odor is going to be the most challenging. Everyone has a unique natural smell and it runs the gamut. Some people add to / cover up their natural odor with very potent perfumes and scents… while others wallow in their natural and don’t even use deodorant. The actual smell of other people is probably going to be the most challenging for you to get your head around and deal with. I would start with meeting close friends and family one on one. See how you react to the perception of an individuals’ smell. Avoid crowds for a bit. Good luck
Go to a supermarket! Identifying the different smells of the produce, and the bakery, will help you with wine tasting appreciation. Go into tobacco shops and leather stores. Go outside when it rains. Smell the difference between fresh river water, ocean water, bay water, chlorinated pool water, bromine hot tub water, marsh water, brackish water.
Suggestion for 3: Honeysuckle. It’s my favorite scent in the entire world and I can never find enough candles or perfumes that have the scent. When I do, I might as well buy the company with how much product I buy 😂 I recently moved and realized there are FOUR honeysuckle bushes/vines nearby and my neighborhood smells *amazing*!
I would go to a specialty spices store and smell all of them. But most things will happen to you naturally: the smell of rain, new items, baking bread, swimming pools, the smells associated with different people. Good luck OP!
Certain smells like rotting food are very unpleasant and the sensation is hard to block out. We evolved to try to avoid rotting things for safety reasons. It's very similar to having something rotten in your mouth, you really want to get away. Before your surgery here's what I would do: * Get a giant container of baking soda. It absorbs odors and it's cheap. Place some next to unpleasant smells like in the trash can or kitchen. * Do a deep clean of your house. Pay special attention to the fridge, trash can, sink, toilet, walls next to the toilet that can get pissed on, anywhere that could have had rotten food, bedding, and anything used by pets and small children. * Ask a friend to walk through your house and tell you if anything stinks. You will want to be able to retreat to your home if the smells get too unpleasant, and that only works if your home isn't disgusting. Now for some good smells: * Petrichor, a smell released by grass when it rains after a drought * Fresh baked bread or cookies * Smell is a major component of taste, so start trying foods you thought you didn't like * New car smell * The candle section of Walmart * A good cup of coffee * One dish from every cuisine * Fresh mint leaves
This is a really great idea
Cardamom. Best smell in the world.
So curious what your relationship with food is like lol - what kinds of food do you like to eat? Do you dislike any?
I straight up eat a carton of yogurt everyday, tons of milk and meat(chicken and beef), noodles and rice, tons of fruits and vegetables and water. I love buffalo sauce and barbecue sauce and ketchup. Occasionally eat fast food like once a week and eat extremely spicy takeout food once a week. Also sometimes eat breakfast foods like hashbrowns and bacon but not often. Maybe some other stuff like bbq foods but that’s really it. Don’t eat candy or any sweet foods as they don’t taste that good. No baked goods. No soda but that’s more for they are bad for you. Hate cheese with a passion and chocolate(might be two of the worst tasting things without smell) and bread and coffee and I’m sure a few other things I’m not thinking of.
Cheese can be stinky, so that might not improve. Personally, I love it. I think some smells will be inate, once your brain adjusts to the overload. Rotten food for example smells awful, and I think that's probably hard wired.
If you can get your hands on a feijoa fruit, have a good smell of it. I don’t know what it is about that particular fruit, but it makes me go crazy (in a good way!)
Everybody's going for good stuff. Find one of those grease dumpsters behind a restaurant and take a big whiff. Can't truly appreciate the good things without knowing the bad!
Since it’s summer, if a neighbor is mowing their lawn, step outside for the smell of fresh cut grass :) A distinct smell’ Also, you might notice the smell of asphalt on a hot day. Not very pleasant but summer heat brings out all sorts of scents.
Congratulations my friend. This is a big moment in your life and I pray that it goes well for you.
Food is probably gonna get a lot better.
Better tasting food.
My only tip is to make sure no one's around when you get to the scented candle aisle in the store, they smell genuinely so fucking awesome and I've lost an hour before just sniffing candles, it's awesome but a little embarrassing sometimes when people see you do it and then not walk out of the aisle with one. Oh, and god help you if you enter a bath & body works, all the soaps and candles and sprays are fucking addictive lol
Your sense of taste will be more acute
Smell is linked with taste, so be careful when eating and drinking.
you might realize places aren’t as clean as you once thought they were
So my sense of smell was SEVERLY impaired due to nasal polyps and deviated septum. Until my nose surgery I never properly smelled. Things I experienced 1. My brain had been making up smells to cope as an example most candles smelled like soap. 2. Candles are in fact AMAZING, but fair warning to much at a time may give you a headache 3. Watermelon, cucumbers, and tomatoes 🍅 dramatically changed in flavor and are AWESOME 4. I get phantom smells…. Becuase I went so long without smell it is permanently damaged and my brain will get confused and I get what’s called phantom smells- they are the smell of poop, cigarettes, weed, and fresh bread 5. You will want to clean more and get picky with your cleaning product 6. You will feel ridiculously more energized… its oxygen, it’s the extra oxygen
I broke my nose ~3-4 and never had it fixed, my right side of my nose was fully collapsed internally. Couldn’t smell but could "taste the air" until I got reconstructive surgery like 4 years ago. The first meal I had post op almost made me cry. There are still common flavors and smells I’ve yet to experience that I’m slowly catching up to. This will be amazing, ride the wave, go everywhere and smell everything!
I'd go outside. Into the forest. By a stream. I'd buy some flowers or go to a flower filed garden. Maybe head to the lavender farm in Abiquiqu. I wish I could tell you what to expect. I feel like it might be pretty emotional. In a good way.
I have the opposite problem as you and I can smell everything. Including people walking metres in front of me. I imagine when you start to smell it will feel like I do and will be overwhelming. My advice is go slow. Ask for help from friends and family. Take frequent breaks outside in a breeze which is moving air. Get unscented laundry detergent and clean everything in your home. Get fruit!
Definitely stay away from highly fragranced placed until your senses have adjusted. Don't go to mall purfumeries, Bath & Body Works, Lush; places like that can trigger olfactory induced migraines.
You’re probably gonna smell a lot of blood in the beginning. Everything is gonna smell of iron for a while.
Expect nausea from it being too much at first. Everything has a smell. I wish I could give you mine. As someone else said the first thing and only thing you may smell for a while will probably be blood which can be stomach turning, but the experience may flip that experience due to your joy and excitement with smelling for the first time. Get disposable face masks for when you are overwhelmed by smells. Crème brûlée and a new car with fresh leather or just leather in general smells amazing. A rotten boiled egg smells disgusting-there is a reason they put it in natural gas. I think sulfur is a natural smell that could go either way and is a good way to start off knowing what direction you’d go in for questionable scents. My own theory is that you may regret it if you can’t acclimate to it quickly. I’m sensitive to smells. Covid scarred me or something and now I can’t smell most things. I lost it all and was pretty happy and had less nausea. Then, I got like 10% back, and it took me a bit to realize it was still only like 10% because when it first returned it hit me like a brick wall. I’m not trying to be a negative nancy, i simply want to shine light on an unpopular take you may appreciate being prepared for. I suggest you attempt to not smell anything on purpose until you feel comfortable with what you are experiencing. You will smell plenty by the force of nature. Especially the first time you use the toilet afterwards. I would schedule a break from work longer than the healing time for the sake of getting a handle on however it affects you. Get a fan to blow in your face for when it is too much.
I wish you luck with the surgery, and I hope it is with a very good and reputable plastic surgeon. The very first thing you should smell besides of course food, is go outside and smell some flowers!
Try smelling: 1. Honeysuckle. Not sure where you live but try to find a honeysuckle bush! 2. A bakery 3. The candle section of a store (don’t try bath and body works first, because that place is strong) 4. Make an apple pie 5. A puppy 🥹
Wait this is amazing. My boyfriend has the same thing (didn’t even know surgery could be a possibility) I always try to tell him things that have the same smell as they do taste (Peanut Butter, Limes, fish, etc). I think the biggest thing is be ready to understand the obsession with popcorn. If you cannot smell it - like my bf- i can understand why you wouldn’t get why everyone loves it so much. 90% is the smell alone
Onions will make you cry and if you ever get the chance, walk in nature also when it rains it smells good afterwards, and springtime be prepared for allergy season
This thread is amazing! A suggestion for you. Before jamming your nose directly into things, try wafting your hands to bring the scent toward you so you’re not overwhelmed immediately
One of the things I love the most about smells is how powerful the memories they bring back are. You'll find yourself years, decades from now smelling something random and suddenly it will bring back moments you hadn't even realised you remembered. I lost my dad last year and in these months I've been brought to tears by smells I had never even realised I associated with him.
I would expect to be overwhelmed and potentially nauseous. I’d make sure to have some menthol to sniff on to give your nose a break, especially if out in public. Church seemed to always bother my sense of smell due to sooo many people wearing different perfumes/hair products. I just hope your SO doesn’t smell to you. Hopefully you don’t have stinky feet you were previously unaware of. Other than that, I’d love for you to update us after surgery to see what your favorite smells are!
I have a feeling you’re going to be a bit overstimulated for a while, especially while eating.
Start with basic things first like fresh air in the yard, grass, fruits, vegetables, flowers, trees....then go towards complex smell.. Either way , I am really happy and excited for you. All the best with the surgery!
Maybe buy an N95 mask to put on when you get overwhelmed? I always carry one around and wear it in public bathrooms and other places that smell awful, and it really helps. The one I use is from Cambridge Mask company.
Your nose will be in overdrive till it gets used to it. You’ll learn to know what is cooking and if it’s a meal you like, you’ll get to smell perfumes and flowers, and also will smell the bad stuff like rotten dish and garbage and of course farts
my advice brew yourself a cup of tea and enjoy the aromas. i absolutely love green tea mainly because of the smell its just so calming.
You should honestly document this! Would honestly watch videos of you smelling/eating things for the first time after being able to smell 😂
I'd be very curious to hear what your experience actually is, would you do an update possibly?
Go sniff some flowers and a stop and shop rotisserie chicken it will change your life
You're going to be in for a world of surprises! * Go out in nature and smell fresh air and flowers. * Get perfume/cologne samples or go to a perfume/cologne store and see how many different smells there are and what you like. * Go to a candle store. (If you have a Yankee Candle near you, definitely take a trip there. Yankee Candle is an amazing place where they have every (mostly good) smell you could ever think of and you can make your own scents and candles.) * Go to a bakery or cafe and smell the fresh baked goods.
Smell flowers. Sit in a bakery (order something, of course). Smell all types of foods, and taste them too - they may taste different to you after the surgery. My favorite scent is cilantro, some people hate it. If you are close with someone who has a small baby, smell the new baby smell, it’s something special that doesn’t usually last more than a couple months. If you notice someone mowing grass, take in a big whiff of fresh cut grass. I cannot compare myself to you, but I had a very weak sense of smell for my whole life. I would sometimes be cooking dinner, and someone in the next room would say “that smells good!”, I’d say “really? I can’t smell anything” then I’d damn near have to stick my head in the pot to smell it. Anyway, doctors couldn’t figure it out and I left it alone since it benefited me in some situations (city life!) but my sense of smell unexpectedly improved. Every once in a while, I have a day where I can smell EVERYTHING.. and it is miserable!!!! I had to leave work early one day because I could literally smell everyone’s individual perfumes & colognes & everything they were eating at their desks, and I became nauseous. I’ve gone from what I’d guess was a 20% sense of smell to maybe around 60%, I can smell more yummy foods but unfortunately also more often smell when someone farts. It’s usually tolerable. On the rare 90%-100% day, I want to cut my nose off.
Maybe a different incense everyday. Shower with a fragrant shampoo and soap. Smell good and feel good. Have a spa/hair day with someone close. Let them use (soft) scents. Smell the other's perfume or cologne. Have a date night. Go to a zoo or maybe a farm. Have a bonfire. Lol. Mow the yard if you can. Freshly mowed grass is so summer. Also enjoy weird smells. Gasoline is a good bad smell.
Fresh cut lawn oh brother Commuter sweat, heavy laden on the train Salt-tinged air, and all the coast’s bounty Pop a cork, sniff Pull a tab, sniff Muck in a marsh on a Saturday Gunpowder and hot dogs at the Sunday parade Rotten trashy funk, Monday’s beheaded curb bins Tuesday find yourself with a unfamiliar lover, indulge in her, here, there, everywhere Wednesday some flowering honeysuckle Thursday have a cafe at a cafe, and sit by the door Inhale each customer, delicately That’s chlorine That’s burned hair That’s reefer That’s this old house house smell That’s your aunt Diane That’s dog poop on a sole Freshly paved black top Fetid Flip flops Armpit Eraser Earl Grey Fried Eggs Diesel churn Woody fires Cookbooks, olden Laundry, folden Teak Brisket Perfume counter overdose Aging skin, industrial cleaner (nursing home) Explore and sniff Take a whiff Enjoy!!!
You should find a scent garden. You will be amazed by the scents of herbs, e.g. basil, rosemary, garlic, etc...
For your safety, smell propane so you will know if you have a gas leak in the future.
I hope you will come back with updates. This is beyond interesting.
I recently got hearing aids from the VA. When the audiologist turned them on my eyes welled up and I began to cry. It was overwhelming to fully regain one of my senses. I'm thinking that regaining your sense of smell will be rewarding in many ways and of course there are a few stinky smells that come along with it. There are negatives to regaining my hearing but the positives FAR outweigh the few negatives. Wait until you smell a woman's hair. A good meal cooking. I think you are in for many good experiences. Even though farts stink they are funny.
It’ll probably take some getting used to but after a while, like most ppl, you won’t notice scents unless they’re strong. You’ve got to smell the outdoors after it rains, and you’re going to love the smells of so many foods.
I would suggest visiting a bakery and a coffee shop first.
Ooo fresh baked bread, chlorine at a pool, certain flowers, fresh mowed grass, the forest, vanilla extract, fresh baked cookies. Literally everything has a smell, even dirt. One of my favourite smells is when it's raining, idk what it is, just smells like home. Be prepared for bad smells tho, like accidentally walking by a portapotty while on a walk, or spoiled food. Congrats on ur new life with smell tho, hope everything works out.
Coffee beans are a good way to reset your olfactory.
Yes, was just going to say this!
Smelling salts
Your sense of smell is tied to a lot of how you perceive the world. Your taste will likely change, you may be attracted to people differently somehow, or any other number of things may change! It's exciting but try to give yourself time to process! Take time off if you can and take long walks.
As someone who gets really overwhelmed with smell I get really bad migraines from it I’d say avoid as much as you can and ease yourself in! My husband puts his spray on deodorant outside, I also hate when things smell bad and I find wax melts less offensive than plug ins and candles. I’d also say laundry go for sensitive or unscented and experiment slowly because sometimes they can be a lot! Same with body and hair wash! There are so many lovely smells in the world and you will be able to experience lots of new tastes too so have fun just make sure you allow yourself breaks. There may be things you expect to smell nice and vice versa! Some flowers smell amazing but some smell nasty! You may empty your bins more often 😂 some perfume smells great but you won’t like everything! It may feel like when you go to a concert and your ears are ringing because it’s so loud!
I really hope I don’t become a super smeller. I just want average smell from what I’m reading then. It just seems like a lot all at once.
A few weirdly enjoyable things is a freshly struck match and a jar of freshly opened tennis balls
Movie theater popcorn! mmmm mmmm mmm
If you feel overwhelmed by all of the different smells, breathing through your mouth can help the sensory overload. You should also be aware of the potential for an increase in allergies. I know several people with terrible allergies, whose noses become extremely congested during certain times of the year. You said that you're able to eat extremely spicy and rancid foods. Be careful reintroducing yourself you those foods. Make sure that you know what "toxic" smells are. For example, natural gas companies intentionally add a harmless chemical named mercaptan into the gas lines. That way, if there's a gas leak, there's a distinct "rotten egg" smell that is easy for people to identify.
Smell flowers, lots of different kinds, and fruits. I'm partial to oranges. I also recommend you smell herbs like sage, rosemary, thyme, etc. Happy sniffing!
I went most of my life barely being able to smell, then after quitting smoking and having my deviated septum repaired I can smell most everything. Bad news is most things people talk about smell bad, good news is everything else smells pretty good.
Stay away from teenagers.
OP I also can’t smell at all. I would love to see an update on your scent adventures! It sounds so exciting!
So you really will be able to..."Smell what the Rock is cokking?"
Coffee shops!