Reactions to Scents and Smoke

[vividiris]

I'm new here and not diagnosed yet, but am curious of whether anyone else has strong reactions to certain scents and cigarette smoke. For me, it can be so bad that I instantly collapse. Sometimes it just makes me feel foggy and get a headache. I noticed that there was a similar thread back in 2015, but it was primarily focused on a "panic" response. I'm curious whether the scent sensitivity is more than just panic. My bf thinks that I collapse due to the scent triggering strong emotions (I have cataplexy, so I need to keep my emotions in check). I'm not entirely sure because it usually happens before I can process whether I was feeling an emotion or not.

 

[Gracey]

I don't collapse but I can't remain where the smells are the most concentrated. Desperate need to get away from it. Preferably outside.

I've never hung around to find out what would happen if I did stay where I was.

 

[the_tortoise]

I have strong reactions to smells because I have olfatory hypersensitivity (my sense of smell is more sensitive than most -- I notice smells others do not even register), any emotional reactions to smells are the result of being overwhelmed by them and/or finding them horrible/noxious.

I don't have cataplexy or narcolepsy, though, so I don't collapse/pass out. Worst case scenario I go into fight/flight and have a meltdown.

 

[vividiris]

I have strong reactions to smells because I have olfatory hypersensitivity (my sense of smell is more sensitive than most -- I notice smells others do not even register), any emotional reactions to smells are the result of being overwhelmed by them and/or finding them horrible/noxious.

I don't have cataplexy or narcolepsy, though, so I don't collapse/pass out. Worst case scenario I go into fight/flight and have a meltdown.

I probably have that as well. I often detect smells that others don't notice until they get worse. Sometimes people just think I am making it up since they don't smell anything, especially around moldy areas.

 

[Streetwise]

I now have an asthma attack if inhale cigarette smoke which I am forced to on occasion, sadly the laws in the UK mean cigarette smokers always stand at the entrance to somewhere so you can't avoid them . I also have neighbours on both sides who smoke outside .
i'm also nauseous to a larger extent than I used to be,i'm not mocking you in anyway but I've always prayed I would pass out on my bed as I haven't slept for eight hours straight through for 11 years .
i'm not narcoleptic or suffer from cataplexy I have asthma to stop me from moving.

 

[Chance]

I have ASD and Hyperacusis (painful hearing). I am very sensitive to certain smells. The touch thing with me is not good. I do tend to fall asleep anytime I get still sometimes, but I don't think I have narcolepsy, just tired a lot. : )

 

[vividiris]

I now have an asthma attack if inhale cigarette smoke which I am forced to on occasion, sadly the laws in the UK mean cigarette smokers always stand at the entrance to somewhere so you can't avoid them . I also have neighbours on both sides who smoke outside .
i'm also nauseous to a larger extent than I used to be,i'm not mocking you in anyway but I've always prayed I would pass out on my bed as I haven't slept for eight hours straight through for 11 years .
i'm not narcoleptic or suffer from cataplexy I have asthma to stop me from moving.

I don't usually let myself get to the point of having an asthma attack anymore (haven't had an attack in about a year, fingers crossed). I've learned to run away and hold my breath around smoke (or sometimes I do the thing where I only breathe in a tiny amount of air with each breath). Medical masks actually help a little bit in the lightly smoky areas, though they do nothing in heavy smoke and people look at you like you have the plague. Just to give some more information: collapsing from cataplexy doesn't necessarily mean falling asleep. It is actually muscle paralysis while you are completely awake.

 

[Streetwise]

I don't usually let myself get to the point of having an asthma attack anymore (haven't had an attack in about a year, fingers crossed). I've learned to run away and hold my breath around smoke (or sometimes I do the thing where I only breathe in a tiny amount of air with each breath). Medical masks actually help a little bit in the lightly smoky areas, though they do nothing in heavy smoke and people look at you like you have the plague. Just to give some more information: collapsing from cataplexy doesn't necessarily mean falling asleep. It is actually muscle paralysis while you are completely awake.

I knew what narcolepsy meant ,that's why i talked about passing out someone I know is narcoleptic but quite mildly .

 

[Streetwise]

I'm new here and not diagnosed yet, but am curious of whether anyone else has strong reactions to certain scents and cigarette smoke. For me, it can be so bad that I instantly collapse. Sometimes it just makes me feel foggy and get a headache. I noticed that there was a similar thread back in 2015, but it was primarily focused on a "panic" response. I'm curious whether the scent sensitivity is more than just panic. My bf thinks that I collapse due to the scent triggering strong emotions (I have cataplexy, so I need to keep my emotions in check). I'm not entirely sure because it usually happens before I can process whether I was feeling an emotion or not.

sorry welcome typical autistic person I am

 

[vividiris]

I knew what narcolepsy meant ,that's why i talked about passing out someone I know is narcoleptic but quite mildly .

It's okay. I don't actually "pass out" so I wasn't sure. I was just being really particular with terminology.

 

[Streetwise]

Face masks never worked for me ,it must be being autistic and I must've inherited my mothers sense of smell, I think they helped with the pollen allergy !but definitely not asthma .

 

[Judge]

Cigarette smoke is utterly toxic to me. Puts me almost into an instant fight/flight mode. Yet many other things one ignites in my presence won't likely cause the same reaction.

Cheap, pungent perfume can also cause me to immediately go in another direction.

Eject! Eject! Eject!

 

[the_tortoise]

Medical masks actually help a little bit in the lightly smoky areas

I bought a half-mask respirator with P100 rated filters that had a layer to filter out a lot of the gaseous fumes from the burning tobacco when I lived with heavy indoor smokers. Worked really well.

A disposable P95 mask alone will filter out most of it, though, and you can buy them at hardware stores.

 

[vividiris]

I bought a half-mask respirator with P100 rated filters that had a layer to filter out a lot of the fumes from the burning tobacco when I lived with heavy indoor smokers.

A disposable P95 mask alone will filter out most of it, though, and you can buy them at hardware stores.

I wouldn't be able to live with smokers. One of my past apartments had a hole in the utility closet and the neighbors' smoke often got into my apartment. I think they were burning sage or something similar. It was awful. Maybe if I had one of those P95 masks, I could have avoided losing my last job (somebody kept smoking indoors which is illegal where I live, but apparently nobody cares).

 

[ftfipps]

I have ASD and Hyperacusis (painful hearing). I am very sensitive to certain smells. The touch thing with me is not good. I do tend to fall asleep anytime I get still sometimes, but I don't think I have narcolepsy, just tired a lot. : )

This is freakin interesting because my dad used to fall asleep literally anywhere. He seems like an aspie, he was never diagnosed but he acts like me. We would be driving down the road in the 1990 dodge dynasty and he would nod off all the time. I had to use my hypervigilance and watch him to make sure we wouldn't have an accident. He would always drive flawlessly even though he was asleep half the time. It was really entertaining growing up. lolz.

 

[Chance]

Cigarette smoke is utterly toxic to me. Puts me almost into an instant fight/flight mode. Yet many other things one ignites in my presence won't likely cause the same reaction.

Cheap, pungent perfume can also cause me to immediately go in another direction.

Eject! Eject! Eject!

The smell of sourcream makes me instantly nauseous, and sorry to bash a brand name but Baby Magic lotion makes me want to become violent (and there isnt a violent bone in me). The smell of it instantly angers me and someone I live with thinks its the best smell on planet earth...

Cig smoke and pot smoke make me choke... gross! And cheap perfume is just nasty. But I do like fine colognes and perfumes...

 

[Progster]

I don't have narcolepsy, but strong smells like that of cigarette smoke put me into fight or flight mode, because the smell is overwhelming and I find them so obnoxious. Perfumes and after-shave are also bad for me.

 

[Mr Allen]

Before the UK smoking ban, which was the best thing the UK government has ever done IMO, I'd always come home from the Pub smelling like an Ashtray even though I don't smoke and never will.

I've always hated the smell of smoke, and am strongly opposed to smoking in general.

 

[keebles]

I don't pass out, but smoke does severely affect my asthma and I can't stand the smell and I do tend to get a bit hostile about it. My biggie smells that make me HORRIBLY ranty are popcorn (more than them all), cheap perfume (I can tell the difference), sour cream, coffee breath in my face, and body odor (including and especially unwashed hair). If I'm around any of those smells, I will NOT shut up and I will drive everyone insane.

My daddy used to tell me all the time when I was little that I could smell a mouse fart in Kentucky and probably hear it too. He wasn't wrong. My only sense that is bad is my eyesight because I have Keratoconus (which is a degenerative eye disease), so not only have all the others ramped up to pick up the slack of my eyes, but I do have that Asper super senses gene. People at work know not to whisper about me in another room (because I will probably still hear it), but they still manage to pop popcorn upon occasion no matter how much I rant about it. If I could convincingly lie, I would try to convince my pulmonologist that popcorn affects my asthma and get him to write me a note so that we can get it banned at work. But I'm a horrible liar, so I just don't even try.