Afrin Nose Spray & Smell Loss

[AfrinSmell Loss78]

I've got a bit of a cold and it's allergy/pollen season here in Atlanta so that's not helping either, but I have used Afrin very sparingly over the past couple of days to help with symptoms. I have not used Zicam spray, I've read those can cause damage to olfactory nerves. I did notice yesterday that my sense of smell was gone although I could still breathe through my nose (still a bit congested, but able to breathe). My question is, has Afrin ever been known to cause loss of smell? Is this a temporary thing just due to sinus inflammation or has the Afrin permanently damaged something? I'm a 28 year old male and I've never experienced such a drastic loss of smell. Any help?

[MSB0912]

I am too having the same problems since I started using the generic Walgreens version of Afrin.  Which is what brings me to this board when I googled losing taste and smell after using Afrin. I have had a bad cold, someone from work told me to try it.  I did.  Great I could breathe!  I only did one squirt per nostril 1 or 2 times a day for a couple days because NOTHING else I tried worked.

I made a nice Thanksgiving dinner, couldn't smell or taste ANY of it.  The day after I was able to smell and taste a little bit.  But even now, the 29th of Nov I am still unable to smell or taste.  I too can't smell my little girl's diaper... I can't smell garlic or a nasty strong perfume ad.  I'm scared out of my mind.

I have an appt with my Ear Nose and Throat Specialist on Friday.  :-(

[tasteless29]

I have also been using a store brand version of Afrin due to sinus issues. This medication seemed to be the only thing to clear them. At first the sense loss was intermittent and ranged in severity but now I my smell and taste are completely gone. I have only used this medication in accordance with it's labeling and have now discontinued it completely. Had there been a warning I probably never would have used it at all. Here's hoping I get my senses back.

[pmjfrocks]

Dear tasteless29,

I'm sorry to hear about your loss. I sincerely hope you get it back. Go to https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/medwatch-online.htm to file a formal complaint. I have done this, and if we don't all do this, nobody will know about it. We got to make this problem known out there.

By the way, have you tried my tip of using a saline gel with aloe? I tried it for about a week and saw improvement.

[dicey9180]

I was suffering from allergies and sinus congestion nearly three months ago, I began using a generic Afrin nasal spray (equate). I became in the habit of using it nearly every night before bedtime for over a month or so, disregarding the instructions. Soon after, I developed a case of pneumonia, so I assumed the lack of smell was attributed to that. However, now I still CAN NOT SMELL ANYTHING! ANYTHING!  I am almost sure that it is due to the nasal spray. I am just concerned that it is permanently damaged and may not return. After reading some of these posts, now I am even more concerned.

[AzulEuphoria]

My experiences with Afrin have been a love/hate type of thing.  I'm the opposite of a mouth breather so I am sure to always have nose spray in the rare case of a cold.  However, the older I've gotten (at the old age of 27 now, but started when I was 14) the more my taste/smell sense has gone out the window during use.  I've always figured the lack of senses was caused by the cold.  However, the last time I got sick I couldn't smell or taste for almost a month after I was back to normal.  Being sick this time, I'd rather have a stuffy nose I think.  I, too, have a child, and a nose is important to being a good mother.  I've given myself food poisoning from bad lunch meat because I had no idea it was bad.

Could it be the cold doing it?  Sure.  But it just doesn't seem likely to affect someone for this long and this many times.

But to ease a few fears...  My senses have been gone for almost a month previously, but usually at least two weeks.  They always seem to come back!  I go to Starbucks, walk in the door, and if I can finally smell the alluring scent of coffee, I'm back in business!

The taste/smell sense should come back!

[gina917]

MEEE TOO!

I just heard of Afrin a couple of days before I went out and bought my own. I only used it once one night, my friends I know bad, and my sinus cleared up 100% so the next day, stupidly, bought the strongest one when my symptoms were not even that bad. And I didn't read the directions/label/ dosages correctly so ended up using it every day often for 2/3 weeks straight until I really realized something wrong and read label and researched.(not more than 2x a day for up to 3 days straight, I was using way too much!)
Now I can taste food slightly and only for a short while, and my sense of smell...gone. I hate it. I can't even smell what I'm cooking that is right in front of my face. Just 17 and don't want to think this is permanent! Someone please tell me if this is 100% not reversible or any smell therapy or exercises I can do to increase or improve my sense of smell/taste. I heard of smelling something strong daily for a couple of weeks as a form of therapy, not sure. ADVICE! Thanks