Parosmia (from the Greek παρά pará and ὀσμή osmḗ "smell") is a dysfunctional smell detection characterized by the inability of the brain to correctly identify an odor's "natural" smell. Instead, the natural odor is usually transformed into an unpleasant aroma, typically a "burned","rotting", "fecal", or "chemical" smell. There can also be rare instances of developing euosmia, where things smell abnormally pleasant. The condition was rare and little researched until it became relatively more widespread since 2020, as a side effect of COVID-19.
In addition to this, another odd side effect from COVID is the loss of taste and/or smell. Some cases take this to an extreme, where familiar foods, perfumes, or items smell rotten, rancid or unappetizing. In extreme cases, this form of long-Covid prevents people from eating what they used to enjoy. Sometimes an extreme nasty “smell” restricts eating to just a few “safe” foods. Large weight changes have been reported, sometimes weight-loss due to fewer foods being appetizing. Others see weight gain from eating only highly processed “safe” foods lacking in nutrients and fiber.
Personally, Dawn lost her sense of smell (but not taste) after having Covid in December 2021. For a year, she didn’t smell much at all except for a sort of rancid odor, which she smelled repeatedly at certain locations, and on herself. She courageously asked a few friends if she smelled…and they reported it might be all in her head! That was a relief at least to know she didn’t actually smell rancid all the time!!! Lol. After a year of no change, she got a bottle of chewable PectaSol (2 tablets 2x day) and took them until they were gone. Several weeks later, she realized that she hadn’t smelled anything rancid lately. A month after finishing the bottle, she started to smell certain foods again. This is an N=1 experiment, but it is hopeful.
Dr. Isaac Eliaz is has shown that Modified Citrus Pectin (the ingredient in PectaSol) blocks Galactin-3, and the spike protein of Covid. Attached is a transcript from an interview with Dr. Eliaz. If you are interested in further reading, his book is called The Survival Paradox.
Word to the wise – The powder is cheaper, but it doesn’t mix well with water so it’s hard to drink…chewables are much simpler. And taste nice, too.
If you or a loved one suffers from Parosmia, you can join a community support group like the FB group “Parosmia – Post COVID Support Group”. They offer multiple options of what might help, and what hasn’t. There are success and failure stories of all types. More importantly, it helps you know that you are not alone in your symptoms, imagining them, or making it up.
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