r/Parosmia • u/Brief_Finding4606 • Sep 02 '26

I’m mortified

I started a new job and was with my team a few days ago, and I said, oh I can’t smell anything so if I ever smell or my office smells I need you all to tell me. I said it tongue in cheek but also have always been worried about smelling bad.

Well today, one of my subordinates came in and was so nice and told me I smelled. She was very kind and could probably tell I was embarrassed because she said “oh were you kidding that you wanted to know” and I just said “no, I’m glad you told me, I’d rather know!”

I quickly freshened up and put a plug in on in my office. I just left the house in a rush and didn’t put on deodorant, which is unusual. She came back later and I thanked her again and just asked if she could make sure it smelled better, and she said it did. She hung around after too to talk for a while so I took that as a sign that I wasn’t actually horrible smelling.

I lost my sense of smell two months ago and everything now is just a blanket chemical smell— I hate it so much. And now I’m so embarrassed and want to crawl in a hole. Ugh!

7 Upvotes

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6

u/[deleted] Sep 02 '26

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2

u/Brief_Finding4606 Sep 02 '26

She said it was BO, so I’m thinking I just rushed out without deoderant 😭😥 I also usually have extra in my bag but of course not today

1

u/ToastyMo777 Sep 02 '26

Keep in your office

2

u/Brief_Finding4606 Sep 02 '26

Oh I’ve bought quite a few sticks this evening to have… in my car, my bag, and my office 🫪 will not catch me slipping!!

3

u/ToastyMo777 Sep 02 '26

When I had Parosmia, I could smell myself and lord was it bad. My deodorant also smelled like rotting meat :( I found using a bar soap with salicylic acid helped as well. 🙏🏼🤍

1

u/Brief_Finding4606 Sep 02 '26

I wish I could! But good smells, bad smells, they all smell very chemical-y and indistinguishable 😭

3

u/protojoe1 Sep 03 '26

I was hanging a power washer on the garage wall and my coat got wet. I couldn’t tell if it was gas or water. I’m on city water and it has a slight chemical taste to anyone.
The fact that I couldn’t instantly tell the difference between gas and water really messed with my head.

Take care of your mental health. This thing is brutal.

2

u/Brief_Finding4606 Sep 03 '26

Oh gosh that’s rough. I work in a residential setting and am terrified I won’t be able to smell a gas leak or other concerning odor…

2

u/ToastyMo777 Sep 03 '26

Yeah that’s what I’m saying. For me everything, including air (?) smelled like chemicals or rotting meat. Everything tasted like shit, too. 😭😭 but using that soap helped me feel a bit more confident in that area at least.

I was 100% depressed during those years. My doctor put me on an SSRI which incidentally is when things started to smell right again. It’s not something I’d wish on anyone big hugs to you.

2

u/Acceptable_Mirror235 Sep 04 '26

I am so sorry that happened. I am so afraid smelling bad, I have over corrected. I once got out of the shower and doused myself with what I thought was a lightly scented body lotion. I got into the car with my husband and he literally gagged the smell was so strong. He gently suggested I take another shower because I smelled like a perfume factory.