symptom? (trigger)

I will just say that I have been thru major events in my life---being abused and dealing with her death, as well (the abuser).

Anyway, along with everything else, I am really tired a lot and have these olfactory hallucinations lately. They seem to occur while I am falling asleep or waking up.

It is a bitter, sick, sweetish smell that I can't really describe here.

It just happens when I am in bed.

I would like some identificatino, or at least someone telilng me I can't be the only one.

Maybe I will post this too at the schizophrenia board, in case it's just a mental illness.

I have heard of smells being the most powerful memories of traumas.

Billi

I have read that auras can antually be a precurser to migraine headaches of even epilepsy/seizures. I dont know if you have ever experienced these disorders, but you may want to google auras. They are more common than you thimk. Its an interesting read if nothing else. I have also experienced auras in the past which have lead to my migraines.

I've smelled cologne, soap, blood (usually I taste blood), drugs, and male bodily fluids. I'm sure there's more. You can have anykind of flashback. I mean with any of your 5 senses. But since ruffy thinks it could be a health issue, you should check that out too.

Wow this makes me think. Very occasionally (I mean it's only happened a few times) I suddenly get a whiff of alcohol, even though I can't actually smell it, it's there in my nose. And it just comes out of nowhere, I'm not necessarily thinking of anything, but as soon as I smell it I think of my mother when she was drunk. I always just thought it was me smelling something 'wrong' so it seems to smell like alcohol.

Did ANY of that make remote sense?

THANK YOU everyone!

I will google auras.

Maybe olfactory hallucinations.

I feel very grounded with this validation.

billi

Yes, the smell of beer---it makes me want to vomit-also the smell of Old Spice cologne--

It must have been from when I was a baby--I haven't been able to attach them to anything i can remember--must've been before memory...theo

thank you everyone again.

I still can't pinpoint the smell I am dealing with---only know it happens when I'm half-asleep or in bed.

A chemical smell.

Billi

I'll try to see if I can help you figure out what it is.

Billi, do you think it could be an olfactory flashback/ body memory?

Please do, Shadow.

REEG, I wish I knew! It's interesting that it happens when it does---when I'm in bed or half-asleep.

Thanks.

Billi

Just a thought...could it be a memory trying to surface? I wonder because you said you are usually just falling asleep or just waking up, and I've read that sometimes memories first start to come back in dreams.

As for what the smell might be, that's hard because it could be a combination of things; especially if it smells bitter and sweet at the same time. Like if someone was wearing perfume while they clean, they might smell like bleach and perfume mixed together.

Take care!!

Sorry this is happening, hope you find some relief!

Did you figure out if it was ammonia or not? Or maybe it is a combination of smells? Give us more adjectives about the smell if you think of any. I'll keep googling.

It smells somewhat medicinal, kind of sweet, kind of sour/bitter.

Maybe like strong perfume.

Flowery, sickish, sweet.

aromatic.

Billi

Billi, have you started any meds recently? It may not be a hallucination; lots of meds cause olfactory side effects; I had a heck of a time with some antibiotics and pain meds. When I came home from the hospital, my poor husband had to change the bed two or three times (and launder them) because the sheet smell was making me sick! There wasn't anything wrong with the sheets and washing them didn't help.

Billi, I also have olfactory hallucinations. For me, there are some that do preclude a migraine headach. But I also have experienced them when having flashbacks. I also experience auditory hallucinations such as hearing a TV on in the background when there was nothing turned on.

For you, if the smell is there only before sleep, I would suspect it may be a part of a flashback. You can try to do a little desensitization on your own by closing your eyes when you smell it and move them slowly left to right as if scanning a book. I started to do this with my PTSD related sensations and it GREATLY reduces the emotional charge!

It might be the effect of seroquel or risperidol.

B.

Maybe you are smelling the detergent and/or fabric softer in your sheets, because your meds increased your sense of smell? What you discribed does kind of sound like laundry detergent or something like that. But it could still be a flashback, maybe the laundry detergent an abuser used?