Pros and Cons of Losing your Taste and Smell after COVID

The pros and cons of losing your taste after or during COVID have been a unique thing to contemplate. After coming down with a nasty cold about seven weeks ago, I soon realized that it was not only a cold but Covid-19. A positive COVID test was almost no surprise as I had lost my taste and smell days earlier. At first, this was a funny and weird thing to experiment with my senses. I could smell or taste anything, and my body would register it as nonexistent.

Over time some smells and tastes have started returning, but to my surprise, a terrible thing has happened. Instead of tasting bread or chicken, all I can taste is sweet, salty, and stinky feet! No, I am not licking people's feet. But that is the only taste that everything has. Have you ever brushed your teeth with dirty gym socks? Neither have I, but it sure tastes like it! For those that might be experiencing loss of taste and smell or have not come down with these symptoms, here are some pros and cons to consider.

Pros of Losing your Taste and Smell after COVID

1. You can eat anything! Have you ever wanted to bite into an onion and have zero consequences? Well, that is one benefit to not having any taste buds!
2. The best diet in the world! I am not joking when I say this. After you can't tell the difference between mashed potatoes and pudding, the fun of eating is 100% gone. I don't think about eating anymore until my stomach starts to growl. Maybe I don't want my senses to come back...
3. You save money. Being pregnant, I often want a giant greasy burger or chocolate cake. Not anymore! With everything tasting the same, there is no point in buying something that tastes like nothing.
4. You can't tell if something smells bad if you can't smell it. In general, I am sensitive when it comes to smells. Not anymore! Dirty laundry, moldy potatoes, poopy diapers. It's my world of "blank". Try smelling a glass of water. You will understand why everything seems blank.
5. Do you have a bad habit? Some people may drink too much soda. Others may be picky. If you are struggling to win the battle of food, this will help!

Cons of Losing your Taste and Smell after COVID

1. I have burned dinner more than I thought was possible. Haha, I love cooking and have never burned food until COVID hit me. It has been a big adjustment to not rely on my nose to cook things!! 
2. WHAT IS THAT SMELL! Now we need to take a step back and talk about the nasty things you might taste and smell. All the fun and games are gone, and now you are smelling stinky feet. Or your soda tastes like Pine-Sol. What if everything you ate made you feel like you were eating hot garbage? You are not alone! 
3. You can't smell when something can hurt you. Do you check your food in the fridge by smelling it to make sure it is still good? That is my go too! The other day I think I ate something that had gone bad because I didn't feel right after eating it. The struggle is real!
4. Your nose warns you of other dangers besides food. As Kevin and I sat on the couch one night, he said, "Something is burning." We quickly checked our house to make sure we weren't in danger. I felt super frustrated as I was little to no help in finding the cause of this phantom scent.
5. Do you have B.O.? You will never know unless someone is brave enough to tell you. 
6. Your favorite Holliday foods are no longer meaningful. A Turkey baking, birthday cake, fresh warm rolls, and pizza. You might as well hand me a cardboard box to eat. 

As a side note I have had my smell and taste gone for over 4 months ago. Taking a Zinc pill once a day for two weeks has helped me get more taste back then anything else so far. I have no idea if this will help anyone else. Talk to your doctor first before trying this. 

"Our goal is to help the world make decisions with a list of Pros and Cons. We invite all to add to our lists to help others make the most educated decision possible. We are all in this world together to help each other and learn from what others have learned from their lives journey." - Pros and Cons Team

Written by: Sarah