Phantom smell

[katejess44]

I'm not nuts honestly, but has anyone on here ever suffered with phantom smells?

Before Christmas I became aware of a constant smell of cigarette smoke. I don't smoke and the places that I tend to be in are all non-smoking environments.

Over Christmas and New Year it did ease off, and then on New Years day, I came down with an ear infection (for which I am on my second course of anti-biotics), but the cigarette smell has come back and is worse than before. It can be so bad that it makes my eyes water as if I am sitting in a really smokey room.

Can anyone give some insight as to what this might be? I've tried to see my doctor but he's been off sick all year (!!) and the doctor I have had to see about my ear infection couldn't care less about anything other than the immediate problem and told me to see my own doctor (which is easier said than done).

I'm not asking for a cure here, but if anyone else has suffered with it, how did you cope with it and cope with the fact that if you search for phantom smells online, it comes up with brain tumours?!?!

[Jillius]

I'm with you on this katejess !
I can always smell pipe smoke in my dining room ! I have no idea why as no one who smokes ever comes into my house let alone a pipe smoker !
I Googled it and it came up with brain tumour too.
In fact, a few years ago I was convinced I had a brain tumour cos I could smell pine and they reckon pine is something you can smell if you have a tumour. I was really scared until I mentioned it to my son and it turned out it was a pine car air freshener that he had hung on the radiator ! Duh, what a relief !!!

[smudge]

Eerie - I sometimes smell cigarette smoke either in the living room or dining room, but neither of us smoke! :o$

[Jillius]

Scary thing is that our house was built on a plot where an old man used to live with his chickens. My hubby remembers him from when he was a kid and he never had his pipe out of his mouth !

[katejess44]

Hmmm, I live in a relatively modern second floor flat so ghosts are out! Not unless it follows me everywhere I go!!!

Now that's an unnerving thought!

[Louisa 69]

Do the people living underneath you smoke ??

I live in a flat also and when i get in from work there is sometimes a strong smell of smoke even though no-one has been home all day. I just put it down to the lady underneath me who smokes like a chimney.

I often at times get a very strong smell of toast, when nobody has made any.

[smudge]

Mind you I do suffer with chronic sinusitis, so I'm hoping that's the cause!

Come to think of if, my husband can never smell ciggy smoke....

[netibiza]

Me too smudge no one smokes in my familym the neighbours are far away, but occasionally there's a definite smell of cigarette smoke. I've even gone around the rooms checking but, windows are shut, doors are shut, and still the smell.

[figure]

Seriously, it could be the presence of ghost. I've experienced the smell of various scents several times. Some being perfume and cologne, cigarette smoke. I've discussed it with several people, and many said it's ghost.

[Louisa 69]

Funny you should say that Figure but there have been a couple of times when i've been ill and i could smell perfume, a very strong rose scented one. I mentioned it to my mum and she told me that her gran always used to wear that scent...................SPOOKY

[katejess44]

Lousia, the person in the flat below does smoke, but it's not his smoke I can smell. It's not only in the flat that this occurs - it's at work, it's in the car, it's when I visit friends (who don't smoke), it's in the supermarket, it's where ever I go. Although it comes and goes a bit, for the most part, it's constant and this is why it's really starting to get me down.

As for the ghost theory.....I'm not adverse to the idea, in fact the idea of it is almost a comfort (thinking that perhaps a long lost relative is looking out for me is a nice idea), but I don't have any departed loved ones who used to smoke heavily. The only smoker I can think of is someone who died in 2003, but he was my friends partner, so he and I weren't particularly close.

As I sit here and type, in the office, and after a brief trip out to the bank, my nose is tingling as if inhaling secondary smoke.
I've taken to putting a dab of Vicks under my nose to try and mask the smell, but it doesn't really work and it wears off pretty quickly anyway......honestly folks, it's doing my head in!

[Jillius]

Sometimes if I am watching a cooking programme I can smell the food ! I think it send signals to the brain which then makes us think we can smell what we are thinking of or looking at.

[eyeshade]

People often say that spirits of people who have passed over will often visit when you are at a low ebb and you can often detect a smell that is like that person, ie. perfume or smoke. I often get smoke in my dining room but then my next door neighbours are chimneys and Mr ES is convinced we are leaking!!!

[figure]

Jillius, same thing happens to me when looking at cooking shows. I didn't mention it because it's too unbelievable. I know exactly what you're saying.

[smudge]

That is very strange isn't it Neti! I wonder where it's coming from...? Is it an old house?

My friend across the road tells me that a Police Inspector used to live in our house, but I'm too scared to aske if he died here!

Funny you should mention that eyeshade, because every now & then, whever I open a small wooden box in the living room, which we keep playing cards in, also another small wooden box in there, which I keep my italic pens in, I get a distinct comforting smell of my Mum & Dad's house. It's as plain as day - but these boxes were bought for me a few years after they passed away. It's a very srange feeling, but also very reassuring, 'specially if I'm feeling a bit down.....

[TOBY-B]

hey everyone, i always smell cig smoke. but i have laid off the coffie and i have,nt smelled cig smoke now for four or five days now . try that and i hope it works for you