Bad Smells or Consciousness of Bad Odours
One of the oddest and sometimes most annoying side-effects of certain chemotherapy drugs is an awareness of bad smells, or consciousness of foul-smelling odours in various locations, particularly around the house. Typically, the water in the shower recess, tap water itself, coffee, bedding and clothing can also take on a peculiar bad smell, or sometimes the smell of chemicals. Some patients are so annoyed by this that they scrub their bathroom, change all the bedding in the house, and spring clean their wardrobe.
An understanding of the mechanism of this problem can help prevent these activities, which never get rid of the sensations of bad odours.
The problem is probably due to the effects of chemotherapy on the delicate cells in the nasopharynx which trigger our sense of smell. These are temporarily damaged by certain chemotherapy drugs. Similarly, the taste buds can be affected (see "Bad taste in the mouth"). Awareness of bad smells and bad taste does not mean that the chemotherapy drugs are still circulating in the body. It simply means that these delicate nerve endings have been temporarily affected.
The good news is that the problem is always reversible, and quite rapidly so, once the chemotherapy is completed. Some patients note that the problem is only present in the first few days, or perhaps the first week, after their chemotherapy injection. It seems to be a particular problem of chemotherapy regimes that include the drug cyclophosphamide.
Regrettably, there is no easy way of controlling this problem, except to avoid those particular substances which seem to cause special problems, like coffee brewing, and certain types of food preparation (like Indian restaurants!).
Sometimes it is just a little helpful to know that you are not going crazy, but that you are simply experiencing a well-known and common side-effect of chemotherapy.
An understanding of the mechanism of this problem can help prevent these activities, which never get rid of the sensations of bad odours.
The problem is probably due to the effects of chemotherapy on the delicate cells in the nasopharynx which trigger our sense of smell. These are temporarily damaged by certain chemotherapy drugs. Similarly, the taste buds can be affected (see "Bad taste in the mouth"). Awareness of bad smells and bad taste does not mean that the chemotherapy drugs are still circulating in the body. It simply means that these delicate nerve endings have been temporarily affected.
The good news is that the problem is always reversible, and quite rapidly so, once the chemotherapy is completed. Some patients note that the problem is only present in the first few days, or perhaps the first week, after their chemotherapy injection. It seems to be a particular problem of chemotherapy regimes that include the drug cyclophosphamide.
Regrettably, there is no easy way of controlling this problem, except to avoid those particular substances which seem to cause special problems, like coffee brewing, and certain types of food preparation (like Indian restaurants!).
Sometimes it is just a little helpful to know that you are not going crazy, but that you are simply experiencing a well-known and common side-effect of chemotherapy.