THINKING ABOUT GIVING IT UP

[highlife4me]

Lately I have been thinking about giving up on smoking and barbequing. Last fall I was infected with what I thought at the time was a mild case of Covid. I completely lost my sense of smell and taste for about a week, I had no other symptoms. After the first week my senses started to slowly improve but after 6 months I can not enjoy the complex flavors in bbq or smoked sausage. Everything is pretty bland. I can taste if something is sweet, salty or bitter but I cannot taste most spices and the smell of smoke is almost non existant to me. The worst thing is that my morning coffee I use to enjoy so much now smells and tastes like burnt plastic. I now have hot chocolate instead. Has anybody else gone through something like this? or recovered after going through this? I guess I should consider myself lucky as many people that were infected are no longer with us but my quality of life has sure suffered.

 

[mike243]

I'm no help but prayers sent for a full healing, sometimes miracles take time

 

[tropics]

Have you been tested for Covid?

 

[highlife4me]

Have you been tested for Covid?

I have been tested many times and have not had a positive since the beginning of October, I've gotten my shots too since my wife is a nurse at an assisted living home.

 

[PolishDeli]

That sucks. I'm really sorry your going through that.
What youre describing is not uncommon with covid patients. There is such a thing as "smell training." Like a physical therapy for nose-brain communication.

Here is a WebMD article about it and covid.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Overview

COVID-19 is a new type of coronavirus that causes mild to severe cases. Here’s a quick guide on how to spot symptoms, risk factors, prevent spread of the disease, and find out what to do if you think you have it.

www.webmd.com

Don't give up

 

[jcam222]

Hoping things improve for you. There are quite a few cases of this dragging on for 6 months or more.

 

[mneeley490]

Sorry man, that really sucks. But I wouldn't sell the equipment just yet. Hang on for another year, and see if your senses come back. We still don't know that much about long range effects of COVID.

I'm sure this won't apply to you, but one of my old hunting buddies in the 1970's, Old Pete (I was 17, he was 80, so yeah), had lost almost all sense of taste over time. The only thing he could still taste was Tabasco sauce, so he doused everything with it. But he was always offering to cook for the camp.

 

[bdawg]

(Great story, mneeley490 !)

highlife4me Sorry to hear that your senses of taste and smell are not back to full yet. My SIL had it last March when it first hit, and it took her a couple of months for it to come back. One of my homebrewing buddies had it about 3 weeks ago, and his smell and taste aren't back yet.
Give it more time. Everybody reacts differently.

[edit] - Think about it this way - you can drink some bad cheap beer now and not be able to tell the difference! Think about the money you can save!

[that was a joke to try to cheer you up, btw]

 

[SmokinEdge]

Yup, I had pretty much the same. It’s a process. Had the COVID over the holidays. Smell and taste are just now coming around, but still kinda flat. It sucks because of sausage, cure meat and charcuterie all smell flat and taste kinda flat. It takes time, but hang in there. It will get better, or at least I hope it will.

 

[FFchampMT]

Half the pleasure of BBQ'ing for me is having other people enjoy it. I can't imagine losing my sense of taste and smell in that way, it would be devastating.

I'd say hold on to it and hope for the best, worst case scenario you can still cook for family and friends.
Best wishes.

 

[912smoker]

Hang on friend . As others have said this is a marathon and it takes time to fully recovery.
Prayers for a speedy and full recovery !

 

[JCAP]

I say hold on for a while longer. The more we learn about COVID the more potential treatments may be around the bend....

Smell training is out there as stated by P PolishDeli

There are also reports of oral and/or nasal steroids helping smell return though it's hard to say how true this still is.

 

[SCBBQ]

Hope things return to normal soon - sucks to hear news like this and feel bad for your situation ,

Rob

 

[Fueling Around]

...
I can taste if something is sweet, ...
Has anybody else gone through something like this?
...

I had influenza twice and both times lost my taste and smell.
First time was 35 years ago and it took a month for senses to come back.
Recent was 7 years ago. I got pneumonia about a month later and it took about 7 months to recover fully.

Don't think this is your situation, but trauma is a funny thing.
My friend and neighbor suffered loss of taste after a severe stroke.
Luckily he had a good stroke (classic oxymoron) meaning he lived.
He does have a taste for sweets. Son calls him "cookie monster".

 

[olaf]

It's been different experiences for everyone it seems. I lost my sense of smell for nearly a year after an accident. With covid I was still coughing a year later then I got the J&J shot last Sunday and by Thursday i stopped coughing.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Worked with a guy some 30 years ago that lost his sense of smell on vacation in France. Covid is only one of a few infections that can effect the sensitivity of the Olfactory Nerves. You need to consult a Nose,Throat and Ear Specialist to see what if anything can be done.
My buddy Steve, recovered about a year later....JJ

Find a good Thai Restauant, their focus is Sweet, Sour, Salty, Spicy and Umami. All these are tastes the Tongue nerves experience separate from the sense of smell. You will get a bit more enjoyment from eating until you recover.

 

[Winterrider]

Hoping for the best for you.

This and other after affects that some are experiencing is the reason I elected to go ahead with the Covid shots. To many unknowns of what may happen down the road . I'll take my chance with the shot.

 

[mneeley490]

Find a good Thai Restauant, their focus is Sweet, Sour, Salty, Spicy and Umami. All these are tastes the Tongue nerves experience separate from the dense of smell. You will get a bit more enjoyment from eating until you recover.

Hmm. I know that there are a few guys on the site here that grow super hot peppers. Maybe they could send you some to kickstart those tastebuds back into gear?

 

[Bearcarver]

Lately I have been thinking about giving up on smoking and barbequing. Last fall I was infected with what I thought at the time was a mild case of Covid. I completely lost my sense of smell and taste for about a week, I had no other symptoms. After the first week my senses started to slowly improve but after 6 months I can not enjoy the complex flavors in bbq or smoked sausage. Everything is pretty bland. I can taste if something is sweet, salty or bitter but I cannot taste most spices and the smell of smoke is almost non existant to me. The worst thing is that my morning coffee I use to enjoy so much now smells and tastes like burnt plastic. I now have hot chocolate instead. Has anybody else gone through something like this? or recovered after going through this? I guess I should consider myself lucky as many people that were infected are no longer with us but my quality of life has sure suffered.

It happened to me after Open-Heart Surgery, and 28 days in the Hospital in November/December of 2012.
Everything I ate or Drank tasted between Bland & Lousy. Even Prime Rib was a waste.
Then about 7 months later everything came Back, except my taste for Coffee and Beer. It's been 9 years now, and I still don't like Coffee, and My Special Love for Beer still hasn't come back!!

Bear

 

[51Phantom]

Sounds like you are a long Hauler. Hopefully, you will get your senses back soon.