Smells?

[Freda]

Does anyone smell things that aren't there?

My daughter smells the least little thing that the rest of us don't. For instance today I came home and said "what a lovely smell" it was like deodorant or perfume and she said "Does it smell like the inside of a leather shoe?" Lol well no it didn't because it was flowery and nice.

Is this another part of epilepsy that we are learning about?

 

[Nakamova]

Phantom smells or "olfactory auras" can be a form of partial seizure. They can also occur with migraines. Some links from the CWE archives here:
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com...ng-do-your-bad-smells-last-per-episode-11943/
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/smelling-smoke-22285/

It could also be that she's more sensitive to certain smells/tastes as a reaction to the meds.

 

[Porkette]

Hi Freda,
Often when I have a aura seizure I will smell odd odors that aren't there like natural gas, deviled eggs or something burning. It's all part of a simple partial seizure called an
aura seizure. Here's wishing you and your family only the best and May God Bless You!

Sue

 

[resaebiunne]

Olfactory hallucinations are part of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder as well. I sometimes get them as well.

 

[Ravensong]

Does anyone smell things that aren't there?

My daughter smells the least little thing that the rest of us don't. For instance today I came home and said "what a lovely smell" it was like deodorant or perfume and she said "Does it smell like the inside of a leather shoe?" Lol well no it didn't because it was flowery and nice.

Is this another part of epilepsy that we are learning about?

One of the types of partial seizures I get is an olfactory hallucination. Mine are usually very pungent odors, like skunk or burning wires.

 

[Hobbes]

My daughter gets partial seizures affecting her smell (and taste and hearing and other things). It's always a horrible smell she can't describe and when I first really noted it before she was diagnosed, that was the nail that made me believe it was seizures over abdominal migraines and while we did get some seizure associated spiking on the sleep deprived EEG after that, that wasn't needed to convince me and the smells/EEG wasn't enough to convince my husband. Later the infrequent bad taste episodes eventually came to be seen as additional oddities that fit into the seizure picture.

There's a learning curve with seizures.

Medication greatly reduced those and other simple partials, can't say if it helped with the complex partials. It also completely controls the generalized seizures that started later on.

 

[Freda]

Thanks for your input everyone, I was certain the smell thing was related to her E but she hasn't mentioned it to her neurologist as yet - she will at her next appointment though.

Hobbes - so far her Tonic Clonics are under control with levetiracetam but the simple partials still occur at times and she has Clobazam 10mg to take on those occasions, which appear to be doing the job of preventing a full on seizure.

We are new to epilepsy and all of its complications but we're getting there with medication and the help of members on this awesome forum.