Smelled Bread... Brain Tumor?

[Anne1989]

Hi Everyone,

I've suffered from health anxiety... well probably forever. The past 6 months have been bloody hell, diagnosed with a couple of chronic illnesses and my health anxiety has gotten so bad I have had to see a therapist.

Today, I smelled bread when there was no bread. I googled. Essentially stroke, or brain tumor. Has anyone had this symptom before? I feel like once a day for 30 minutes, I am nearly paralyzed with the fear that I have a deadly illness, probably because what has happened to me in the past six months. It is making being a productive human being very difficult. Any encouraging words would greatly help.

xxxx

[bin tenn]

It's not a stroke, a tumor or any other ailment, IMO. It's normal. Over the years, I've smelled bread, dirt, dust, chocolate, lotion, baby powder, and many other things, without having been anywhere near those things. I can basically will myself into smelling literally anything.

[Anne1989]

Thank you so much, that makes me feel so much better, I have been worried all day.

[bin tenn]

No need to worry. I imagine one would have far more telling symptoms along with the phantom smells if it were a serious problem.

[Catherine S]

Anne, a few weeks ago I got a strong smell of petrol in my nose and it went on for best part of a week, but my husband couldn't smell it at all. Because my health anxiety is ok these days thankfully i'm ok googling symptoms, and I read that strange smells can be down to sinuses. I do get sinus problems from time to time so it fell into place for me, although I was surprised that sensitive sinuses can produce these random smells!

ISB ☺

[Lola-Lee]

I could smell sewerage for a week,my neighbours could not smell it turned out the poo tank needed emptying.I smelt something burning this morning turned out too be my burnt toast.

[Anne1989]

Anne, a few weeks ago I got a strong smell of petrol in my nose and it went on for best part of a week, but my husband couldn't smell it at all. Because my health anxiety is ok these days thankfully i'm ok googling symptoms, and I read that strange smells can be down to sinuses. I do get sinus problems from time to time so it fell into place for me, although I was surprised that sensitive sinuses can produce these random smells!

ISB ☺

Thank you so much for your reply, and I had no idea that sinus infections could cause that, but now that I think of it, that makes sense!

---------- Post added at 05:35 ---------- Previous post was at 05:35 ----------

I could smell sewerage for a week,my neighbours could not smell it turned out the poo tank needed emptying.I smelt something burning this morning turned out too be my burnt toast.

Hahahahah, thank you! Maybe one of my neighbors was actually burning toast, which is why I smelled that!

[helenhoo]

oh wow did i go througj this last year. For me it was tipex, I went to the doctors in tears for samw worries you have and she said 'that could be an option after hundreds of plausible others' not sure what mine was, if anything i imagined it after a bit. Even now if i smell barbecues and comment hiw much i love them my OH exclaims, i can't smell anything just to play me up lol because of how bad I was last year. It's likely another smell local to you.

[Jackrabbit]

I get a random smell sometimes too. For me its not really a pleasant one and kind of reminds me of rotten eggs. People around me assured me it wasn't me (lol). I did some research on it and found out that it can be your sinuses, and I do have issues with my sinuses anyway. Also, could be attributed to poor dental hygiene. Maybe floss or rinse more.

[geezer46]

I have not been on here for some time,i was found to have prostate cancer so i have had a lot on my mind radiotherapy hormone therapy etc.
The therapy has raised my health anxiety to sky high the list of side effects goes on and on .
This is where the smells come in, the therapy i am on is used by ladies as well but obviously not for prostate cancer lol.
It is called leuprolide acetate,and guess what one of the side effects is yes [disturbance of smell] which i have.So now besides my prostate,i am in turmoil about the smells.
My doc says stress,my prostate nurse says radiotherapy,but we all know what i think.The only thing i try to keep in mind is that the smells seemed to appear after my 1st injection 1 year ago,but i cannot be absolutely certain and i have another year on the hormone drug.
My question is would other symptoms have appeared by now,i plucked up courage to have an eye exam,optician said all is fine,but i still worry if an eye test would pick up what i need to know does anyone have any info on this.So sorry for the long rant but any help would be much appreciated.geezer