Hi there.... I was diagnosed in 1/06 with "phantosmia" or as my doctor called it a "phantom smell". Since 1989 I have suffered on and off with this "bad smell" that only I could smell. It gradually got worse over the years and since 9/05 it was a persistant problem. Every doctor I would visit would kind of look at me strange and ask me what it was I was smelling. Trying to descibe the smell is virtually impossible. I recently read a quote from an unkown author, it was how she/he descibed the smell. It read ...I am afraid that this is one of the things that you just can't explain and you cannot understand unless you have experienced it. The smell is so strong and magnified and distorted that it cannot be compared with external smells, because it is coming from inside you -- there is no escape. The best way I can explain it to you is that it is like a gas that is smothering you and choking you -- it is overpowering to any external smells and distorts everything -- it is chemical -- it is rotten -- it is gas like - it is moldy -- it is every terrible smell all mixed together and magnified 100 times over! It makes your life miserable and takes away simple pleasures -- and even when it isn't there it haunts you because you never know when it will come." I found this so very moving and to be exactly what I was thinking but couldn't find the words to say. If anybody out there has experienced this, there is hope. I found a specialist at the Cleveland Clinic and I had a surgical procedure on May 30, 2006. I had an "Ablation of the olfactory mucosa". I have complete resolution of the "phantom smells". I am a 36 yr. old wife and mother of 3 children, 13,7 and 4 yrs. of age. I can finally be the wife and mother I have so terribly wanted to be for so very long. I feel like I want to yell from the roof tops to people who are suffering and haven't the slightest clue what it is and how it can be remedied. I want everyone to know there is help available. Post a comment or email me @ durdralouise@aol.com for more information