I have a problem that has been suggested could be caused by allergies,
and while I am not sold on that idea, I would like some input by
others who may be facing the same situation.

A year ago I came down with a bad case of bronchitis for which I took
the usual antibiotics and medications. I was nearly recovered when I
noticed my ears were "stuffing up" and had difficulty hearing. My nose
also got stuffy and I could not smell anything. I took another round
of antibiotics and decongestants and soon my ears opened up with no
problem. However, my sense of smell and consequently, taste, remained
lost. In the beginning it was profound, absolutely no smell or taste
of any kind. And I had a sort of metallic taste in my mouth all the
time.

After a couple of weeks, I still could not smell anything, but some
taste came to me, but things did not taste as they should, I just
could sense a taste of some kind.

I have recently starting going to an ENT who immediately felt it could
be allergies. I do have some allergies in springtime when things begin
to bloom, but it passes when the growing season is in full swing. I
personally would think allergies would be a gradual thing, not
immediate as this was for me.

In any case, he started having me take a strong vitamin with zinc he
claims to have a lot of luck with and wanted me to come back in six
weeks. In the meantime he also scoped my nasal passages, eustachion
tubes, and throat and found no polyps or obstructions of any kind. I
also had an MRI done which came back clear, no tumors or masses. He
had hinted of allergy tests if things had not improved in the six
weeks.

It did not improve, the vitamin has not phased the condition. With no
obstructions, normal MRI, and still no response to the zinc, my ENT
seemed perplexed now. I had discovered an article written by a man who
had the exact same episode that I did with the bronchitis etc and he
claimed that prednisone tablets only gave him a short reprieve from
the condition, and it returned in six weeks. His ENT then administered
steroid injections directly into the nostrils, which seemed to be the
cure for the man. I shared this with my ENT and he said he has tried
the prednisone in the past with no success. He used to do the
injections years ago but refuses to do them now after reports showed
it can cause blindness in some patients. This was confirmed to me by a
friend who is a nurse.

He then seemed to drop the allergy theory and began suggesting that I
just should "learn to live with it". Then he wanted to try doubling
the dosage of the zinc vitamin and I should use my Nasacort Inhaler
(which I have around for springtime allergies)once a day, every day
for the next six weeks and see how that goes. So far, two weeks later,
all is still the same. But I will continue until the six weeks is up.

The other question I have, which I hope to discuss with the ENT on my
next visit also, is why do some things taste okay but not as they
really should, some things have no taste at all, and some things taste
absolutely so horrible I cannot stand to eat them? Mostly fruits,
especially strawberries, my favorites are off limits because they
taste so awful. And peanut butter is just dreadful. But a grilled
steak tastes fine to me and salad with Italian dressing is good! But
chicken tastes off and pork has no taste at all. And carbonated
beverages taste horrid to me. I can only drink iced tea or water. Mint
flavored things, candy, lifesavers, toothpaste, mouth wash - ugh!!!

Also, I can put my nose directly on a fragrant rose or other flower
and smell absolutely nothing. But I can smell someone smoking a
cigarette a floor above me or exhaust fumes along the highway. Yet I
cannot smell dinner burning in the oven, even in the same room!

Is there anyone out there with this sort of problem? Is there any hope
for me at all to regain these senses so that I can again enjoy a
strawberry or peanut butter on my English Muffin? I am not sure that I
can just "learn to live with it"!!!

Thank you for any input anyone can offer!!  Gina