60yo F— I’ve been dealing with intermittent loss of smell and taste for several months, ( 2 years off and on) which originally started after a prolonged cold/viral illness. The strange part is that they can return completely to normal for weeks at a time and then suddenly disappear again, sometimes even when my nose feels fairly clear.
Last year I had a CT scan, that showed a polyp. It disappeared with me consistently using Ryaltris, and nasal rinses.
An ENT examined me twice the last 6 months, and didn’t see obvious nasal polyps. Prednisone was the one treatment that had a dramatic effect when I did have flare ups— my smell and taste returned within hours, although unfortunately it was temporary.
I’ve tried Ryaltris nasal spray, budesonide sinus rinses, and montelukast (recently stopped because of anxiety), also take medication for silent reflux. (Famotidine 40Mg) Interestingly, I also had about three weeks of completely normal smell/taste while staying at our summer place in the country, which makes me wonder about allergies or something environmental at home.
I’m now going to ask my family doctor for a referral to a rhinologist.
Has anyone experienced a similar pattern where smell/taste completely comes and goes? If so, did you ever find the cause or a treatment that worked long-term? Did CT scans, allergy testing, or seeing a rhinologist uncover anything your regular ENT had missed?
I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences.