# Sense of smell



## ohwell (Oct 28, 2010)

How many have diminished sense of smell? I have that, but it is not only diminished, it's like I hae also lost the different shades. Can't differenciate different smells, I just know something is smelling, but of what I don't know.

I don't know if it is associated to depersonalization. It has been really gradual and it bothers me a lot.


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## sonnl (Apr 15, 2009)

Same. I dont think its from DP though (could be wrong), but from bad sinuses and years of smoking.


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## ohwell (Oct 28, 2010)

sonnl said:


> Same. I dont think its from DP though (could be wrong), but from bad sinuses and years of smoking.


I never smoked and I don't have bad sinuses. Do you still smoke?


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## scienceguy (Jan 8, 2011)

I have this symtom to a small extent but it's not that bad. I think it just comes from weakend senses over all from DP.


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## psychiatrysucks (Oct 17, 2007)

DP dulls your senses for everything. So yes you have diminished sense of smell and yes its from the dp. I do not smoke. Its not cigarettes.


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## babybowrain (Aug 24, 2010)

Same. Infact my nose is completley stuffed. I think the doc I went to see said it was allergies but I don't feel like taking all the one hundred meds he supplied.


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## spaced-out (Mar 28, 2008)

Same here , almost no sense of smell (little exager.)


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## ohwell (Oct 28, 2010)

If that is related to depersonalization, I consider it my worst symptom, I have been habituated to the dp, but the loss of smell, that's really depressing.


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## Visual (Oct 13, 2010)

ohwell said:


> How many have diminished sense of smell? I have that, but it is not only diminished, it's like I hae also lost the different shades. Can't differenciate different smells, I just know something is smelling, but of what I don't know.
> 
> I don't know if it is associated to depersonalization. It has been really gradual and it bothers me a lot.


I suffered a sudden reduction of the sense of smell. About a month after starting dopamine boosting medications, most of it returned even though it had been over a year.

I think I understand what you mean by "*different shades*". When it got better I could pick out delicate smells such as if fruit was ripe (apple, melon, peach, pear) but could not smell skunk. Even ran over a dead one and the passengers in the car were very distressed (one fighting vomiting) over the smell. But I could barely tell. It took another year for this ability return to come back.

This problem started as part of my DR and peripheral nerve damage. It is also considered an early sign of Parkinson's Disease - although, as in my case, it isn't known to repair or get better with dopamine meds.

The one nice thing about bad sense of smell was cheap perfume and halitosis no longer bothered me.

What are your symptoms of DR/DP?

Do you think you know what caused it?


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## ohwell (Oct 28, 2010)

My story is here.

To add that all my problems happened during a very stressful time in my life.
About my symptoms, it includes all of the DSM-IV-TR criteria. In my case DP and DR came together and I have no way of differenciating or separating one from the other.



Visual Dude said:


> I suffered a sudden reduction of the sense of smell. About a month after starting dopamine boosting medications, most of it returned even though it had been over a year.
> 
> I think I understand what you mean by "*different shades*". When it got better I could pick out delicate smells such as if fruit was ripe (apple, melon, peach, pear) but could not smell skunk. Even ran over a dead one and the passengers in the car were very distressed (one fighting vomiting) over the smell. But I could barely tell. It took another year for this ability return to come back.
> 
> ...


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## Visual (Oct 13, 2010)

ohwell said:


> My story is here.
> 
> To add that all my problems happened during a very stressful time in my life.
> About my symptoms, it includes all of the DSM-IV-TR criteria. In my case DP and DR came together and I have no way of differenciating or separating one from the other.


Sorry that you have Crohn's. There is nothing nice about autoimmune disorders.

Your case is complex. Usually flashbacks are from past trauma. But anxiety (and why not your flashbacks) can be from the brain. Unless you have identified a traumatic past, you can't be sure.

There is a strong link with dopamine controlling the immune system but the mechanisms are not well understood at this time. And as you already know, there are more neurotransmitters in the gut that in the brain.

I also have suffered "visual illusions on the corners..., then little tiny lights appearing and disappearing". Use of dopamine boosting meds and GABA boosting meds has been gradually repairing my brain injury. I can't help wonder if you might benefit from these - though it could hardly cure your Crohn's.

What was the immunomodulator that you have been taking?


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## ohwell (Oct 28, 2010)

Visual Dude said:


> Sorry that you have Crohn's. There is nothing nice about autoimmune disorders.
> 
> Your case is complex. Usually flashbacks are from past trauma. But anxiety (and why not your flashbacks) can be from the brain. Unless you have identified a traumatic past, you can't be sure.
> 
> ...


They're not flashback of past trauma, but flashbacks of me doing things..., kind of loss of control kind of flashbacks.
Regarding dopamine, it's not the only, so is norepinephrine for example, they're inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor. Bupropion does also act as an inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor, it was used in trials to treat several autoimmune conditions, including Crohn's.

What dopamine boosting meds are you taking, amphetamines or other stimulants, or parkinson drugs? I don't dare touching that, but think GABA is a logical target. Regarding immunomodulators, I've tried 6-mercaptopurine which alsi improved my anxiety. Symptoms worstened after I have stopped the med.


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## Visual (Oct 13, 2010)

ohwell said:


> They're not flashback of past trauma, but flashbacks of me doing things..., kind of loss of control kind of flashbacks.
> Regarding dopamine, it's not the only, so is norepinephrine for example, they're inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor. Bupropion does also act as an inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor, it was used in trials to treat several autoimmune conditions, including Crohn's.
> 
> What dopamine boosting meds are you taking, amphetamines or other stimulants, or parkinson drugs? I don't dare touching that, but think GABA is a logical target. Regarding immunomodulators, I've tried 6-mercaptopurine which alsi improved my anxiety. Symptoms worstened after I have stopped the med.


*What dopamine boosting meds are you taking, amphetamines or other stimulants, or parkinson drugs?*

Currently use: Sinemet (levodopa), Wellbutrin SR, and Gabapentin.

I have no idea if these would be a problem with your immunosuppressive medication, though they aren't listed as contraindicated. It somehow seems significant that 6-mercaptopurine helps your anxiety but I am clueless here.

*kind of loss of control kind of flashbacks*

I does seem like you suffer some mild brain injury but that is usually my take on this sort of stuff.

I didn't know they had looked at Wellbutrin for Crohn's - some fascinating info - it seems to be beneficial:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1774110/

Using Bupropion to prevent bone loss in Crohn's

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bupropion

"Bupropion has been approved by the FDA for the prevention of seasonal affective disorder. According to several case studies and a pilot study, bupropion lowers the level of an inflammatory mediator TNF-alpha and may be useful in autoinflammatory conditions such as Crohn's disease and psoriasis.

There is an article: Remission of Crohn's disease on bupropion. Kast, R.E., Altschuler, E.L. Gastroenterology (2001) - but I can't seem to access a copy of it - not even an abstract of relevance. Please let me know if you can find one.

I know a lady locally who is suffering Crohn's and will pass this to her as well. Take care!


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## rob35235 (Feb 21, 2009)

Absolutely...my sinuses are fine but I simply have a very diminished sense of smell. I had it for a few years before my DP kicked in high gear. This is also a common theme amongst schizophrenics as well.


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## Visual (Oct 13, 2010)

rob35235 said:


> Absolutely...my sinuses are fine but I simply have a very diminished sense of smell. I had it for a few years before my DP kicked in high gear. This is also a common theme amongst schizophrenics as well.


Do you know if it is happens before treatment? Or if it is a problem after treatment?


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## chloe_03 (Nov 30, 2013)

I have it too. Sometimes my sense of smell comes back all of a sudden, and I feel overwhelmed by the odors coming from everywhere. This tells me it's the dpthat causes it.


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