Things just don't smell right . . .

I am 11 days post op and things just don't smell right to me. It is very strange. I've noticed that hairspray, lotions, deodorant etc. all have a very wierd smell to me and they all smell the same. And, oddly enough, people smell funny to me and they all smell the same. I can barely stand to open the cupboard in which I store my spices - they just plain stink. My mother says everything smells normal. What's up with that??

nothing will smell right for awhile it will take time hav pacients

It's normal. Your body is starting the process of Ketosis. (Starvation - this heightens all of your senses....it's completely normal with this procedure) This could take a few weeks to go away and once you learn to tolerate foods and are able to intake more it will go away and things will smell normal again. Remember to drink all the water you can get in. Do all the things your doctor has advised and you'll be just fine! Dee Dee

I found my first time around back in '93 that the one thing that REALLY made me nauseous was when my now ex husband was cooking for my kids (they were just 3, she turned 3 the day after my procedure and 4 1/2 at the time). And I remember that is was right around the time you are now. I was inpatient seven days after the VBG, came home and slept a few days and about the 11th or 12th day I had this terriable ill feeling any time he cooked anything! But I found that if I did the cooking though the smell didn't effect me quite as bad. Don't know why but it was not as bad. Also, it wasn't that it made me hungry, not in the least, but just sicker than sin and repulsed by the odor of food! This went away after a few months but that is the only thing that I can really remember bothering me. So apparently if anything else did way back then the memory of it wasn't enough to make an impression so many years after the fact. So rest assure that this too shall pass! Huggs -- Lisa

I know that it seems sooo wierd, that things smell to you. But I was the same way, and later you may even feel that everything taste bad, I did that too. Everything seemed to make me sick to my pouch. But I promise that it will all get soooo much better. For me it was at about the 3 month mark and now at 7 mths out things are super and getting better everyday, Praise God. Hang in there!! Donna

I swore for the longest time that Dr. Lin not only rerouted my intestines, but he did something to my nasal cavity and my memory (had problems with short term memory for a while!) But your sense of smell returns to normal after a few weeks. It's really hard during the first month or two when you are around people who "sweat" smells through their skin - i.e. people who sweat garlic, curry, wine, etc. I found myself gagging quite a bit when I was around smells like that. Now it doesn't bother me..I am probably someone who is bothering someone else! Hope you are doing well with your recovery. Your back pain that you mentioned in another post could also be related to your posture...I had a large knot under the skin (the largest incision) where the scar tissue was healing that was increadibly painful for a long time. It caused me to walk and sit it odd positions because I would try to get comfortable, but it seems I did more harm that good. It eventually passed, but it's a pain in the butt while you are going through it!