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New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

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71–80 of 154 posts

Re: New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

#71
post #28

Have there been studies on the potential advantages of loss of smell and/or taste from COVID-19? Westerners are too obese, and presumably part of that's to do with the enjoyment people get from unhealthy foods. Whereas if you can't taste anything food's basically differently textured fuel of varying temperatures. You'd have to desire to eat e.g. yogurt with added sugar over one without.

> You'd have to desire to eat e.g. yogurt with added sugar over one without. So in your mind, there are alternative, inexpensive 6- and 12-packs of plain, unsugared yogurt sitting in national grocery chains, just waiting to be consumed by people with no sense of taste at scale? Edit: also keep in mind that people who have lost 40% of their sensory input are apt to go through a depression, and that being sedentary has…

Well, yes. It's called plain yogurt or natural yoghurt. Have you really never heard of it? What else would you use if a recipe asks for yogurt?

Re: New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

#72
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Now are you sure that wasn't hyperosmia ? https://www.webmd.com/brain/what-is-hyperosmia

Probably, but still, smelling if someone used an elevator half an hour after they did is less of a me-problem and more of a you-problem. It should not happen and if it does, you are either disgusting or ill. I consider myself an isotretinoin (the famous and highly effective anti acne medication with loads of dangerous, permanent side effects) "victim", in the sense that I suffer from medium to strong dry eye, nose an…

"It should not happen and if it does, you are either disgusting or ill."

Or, as many of my Indian coworkers can attest, they have a diet that just makes them smell. They are otherwise clean, hygienic, and perfectly-healthy.

Re: New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

#73

Oooh yes yes - this is such wonderful news! Literally weeks before the world changed my boyfriends dad had begun to explore the world of cooking; he was so happy when we would bring him to niche little grocers to try things he had never known about before and trying all the food - but after his infection, and for the last 2 years - nothing. No taste. No smell. We try to make up for it by encouraging him to make stuff…

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Re: New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

#74
post #28

Have there been studies on the potential advantages of loss of smell and/or taste from COVID-19? Westerners are too obese, and presumably part of that's to do with the enjoyment people get from unhealthy foods. Whereas if you can't taste anything food's basically differently textured fuel of varying temperatures. You'd have to desire to eat e.g. yogurt with added sugar over one without.

> You'd have to desire to eat e.g. yogurt with added sugar over one without. So in your mind, there are alternative, inexpensive 6- and 12-packs of plain, unsugared yogurt sitting in national grocery chains, just waiting to be consumed by people with no sense of taste at scale? Edit: also keep in mind that people who have lost 40% of their sensory input are apt to go through a depression, and that being sedentary has…

My local Kroger imprint sells their generic-brand plain Greek yogurt (with zero sweetener of any sort) in both whole milk and nonfat versions, in 32-ounce tubs for cheap. Every other grocery store I've been to also has something similar, even if you have to get the non-generic brands.

Re: New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

#76
post #46

Oooh yes yes - this is such wonderful news! Literally weeks before the world changed my boyfriends dad had begun to explore the world of cooking; he was so happy when we would bring him to niche little grocers to try things he had never known about before and trying all the food - but after his infection, and for the last 2 years - nothing. No taste. No smell. We try to make up for it by encouraging him to make stuff…

When I caught Covid I had very high fever and was in constant pain, but nothing was as bad as losing my taste. Can totally relate.

I could only taste salt. I had very salty food for a while.

Re: New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

#77

The first time I realized I had Covid, I was doing laundry and noticed that the bleach I was using had no smell. However, over time my sense of smell did return. The current Covid strain spreading in the US no longer has the loss of the sense of smell as such a common symptom. > only around 10-20% of her Covid patients lose their sense of taste or smell now, compared to around 60-70% early in the pandemic. https://ww…

> The current Covid strain spreading in the US no longer has the loss of the sense of smell as such a common symptom. I wonder if this reflects evolutionary pressure towards symptoms that don't make you go "oh shit, definitely COVID, stay home and mask up".

That does seem plausible. The fact that most people had prior immunity by the time Omicron arrived (whether from infection, vaccination, or both) could also play a role.

Re: New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

#78
post #28

Have there been studies on the potential advantages of loss of smell and/or taste from COVID-19? Westerners are too obese, and presumably part of that's to do with the enjoyment people get from unhealthy foods. Whereas if you can't taste anything food's basically differently textured fuel of varying temperatures. You'd have to desire to eat e.g. yogurt with added sugar over one without.

> You'd have to desire to eat e.g. yogurt with added sugar over one without. So in your mind, there are alternative, inexpensive 6- and 12-packs of plain, unsugared yogurt sitting in national grocery chains, just waiting to be consumed by people with no sense of taste at scale? Edit: also keep in mind that people who have lost 40% of their sensory input are apt to go through a depression, and that being sedentary has…

You can always get ayran.

Re: New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

#79
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some times I wish food was less enjoyable so I’d eat less of it. Not discounting your girlfriends experience - that’s horrible - but being able to switch off my sense of smell would help with sticking to my caloric intake!

It didn’t work that way for me. I was doing pretty well with my diet but when I lost taste/smell I ended up seeking out fried crunchy things for the interesting texture, as well as rich heavy foods that give that post-thanksgiving feeling just in order to feel something/anything from eating.

Damn. That sucks! I hope you got around it!

Re: New pill helps Covid smell and taste loss fade quickly

#80
post #28

Have there been studies on the potential advantages of loss of smell and/or taste from COVID-19? Westerners are too obese, and presumably part of that's to do with the enjoyment people get from unhealthy foods. Whereas if you can't taste anything food's basically differently textured fuel of varying temperatures. You'd have to desire to eat e.g. yogurt with added sugar over one without.

> You'd have to desire to eat e.g. yogurt with added sugar over one without. So in your mind, there are alternative, inexpensive 6- and 12-packs of plain, unsugared yogurt sitting in national grocery chains, just waiting to be consumed by people with no sense of taste at scale? Edit: also keep in mind that people who have lost 40% of their sensory input are apt to go through a depression, and that being sedentary has…

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