I get these phantom odors. I smell an odor like moldy wood burning. I always ask my husband if he smells smoke, and he always says "no". Mine usually last at least an hour, and are sometimes followed by the headache but not always. I also sometimes get the visual aura without the headache. I also get the headache without the aura. I am taking amitryptilene as a preventative, and it is effective in reducing the olfactory auras.
I have chronic migraine. I used to accuse my husband of having some kind of weird B.O. - a greasy acrid smell. After I realized that nobody else could smell it, I knew it was related to the migraine. I only get it about 10% of the time (thank goodness), and it's usually early in the migraine or prodrome.
My migraines started at perimenopause. So did a very pronounced increase in my sense of smell. I'm always complaining that I can smell all sorts of smells that other people can't -- my husband's bo, someone's bad breath, cat pee, you name it. I don't smell them all the time, just once in a while. I always figured it was part of nature's plan -- menopausal woman can't fight off saber-toothed tiger, so she needs super-smell to let her know it's coming so she'll have more time to run away. Makes sense, right? My MIL has this super-smell thing too. Now I'm wondering if I've just been having olfactory hallucinations. Interesting!
I only thought about this in the last few years of my 40 years with migraine. I smell burning fairly often when no one else does. I also have smelled "off" smells like sour laundry, bad food, etc. Usually happens several hours before migraine and I dont have many visual auras. Good to know I'm not alone.
Cindy
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Yes I have these olfactory hallucinations.Sometimes rubber burning but usually I smell wood burning, more like a forest fire. Living in a wooded area where forest fires happen a lot and at this time of the years because of dryness it is scary. People around here burn wood because it is fashionable to be Ecolo and go natural, they forget that wood burning fumes are not good for lungs because the particles are quite large in the smoke and if they go eco. all the way (they think) they burn garbage like wood pallet and so on... I remember once it was so strong that I called the fire dept. they told me that they had just an other call about that but no official reporting of one. I though to myself that it was one like me with maybe a migraine but at the 6 o'clock news they talk about a beginning of bush fire caused by the railway, sparks due to the friction. That fire was out in the boonies quite far from my home. I have a very fine well working appendage.
I have to say that I have these so called "olfactory hallucination " other times than migraine time, meaning I don't have head pain but other symptoms
By the way I will ask that question once again: Do abortive meds work for other type of headaches ? My migraines changed a lot in the last years, no bad throbbing head pain but one like tension headache with the side dish stuff like back and neck pain spots that used to hurt just with migraine. Tinnitus that I have now all the time since a very very bad migraine,but X 10 with these spells of weird migraines. Should say that they are not as bad as they used to be. I take about 15 maxalt a years and used to take 15 a month !!!!
Maie a.k.a Mariepi
Hi, Marie,
It's good to hear from you, as always.
You said, "I have to say that I have these so called "olfactory hallucination " other times than migraine time, meaning I don't have head pain but other symptoms." Have you asked your doctor if these could be acephalgic or silent Migraines? A Migraine doesn't have to include a headache. It can be all the other symptoms, but skip the headache. Take a look at Acephalgic or Silent Migraine - The Basics.
Generally, no, abortive meds don't work for other types of headaches. There's an exception to that. There are some post-traumatic headaches that are Migraine-like, and they sometimes respond to abortives.
Migraine patterns can definitely change over the years. Migraine pain doesnt have to be throbbing. It often is, but doesn't have to be. Of course, only a doctor can give you medical advice, but if you're still having the "sidedish" symptoms, chances are that these are still Migraines, but the characteristics of your Migraine pain are changing. Sounds like time for a long talk with your doc about your changing patterns. Keep me posted?
Teri
Teri.
I don't write very often but read everything here on this site as well as Chronic pain. Because sitting is a pain in the......back, I usually stay for short times not always long enough to put my 2 cents. I tried with a laptop, sitting in my "lazygirl". the only seat in the house okay for me after my bed but it did not work for me I had more pain so I get on the old puter and sit on the exercises ball. I even knit sitting on these things it's good for my back .
I do appreciate a lot what the experts do here, that way I have the news all cooked for me aand presented on a nice plate.
Hugs Marie