Phantom smells, paranoid delusions. Any advice?

Have you spoken to her doctor about this? Does your wife have any medical diagnoses? Smelling things that aren't there is a symptom, and should be reported to her doctor.

My mother has had similar experience and these are linked to the onset of dementia in her case

Smells are interesting triggers. Some people can pick up on odours in a specific location that others can't (a good example of house smells - my brother and sister says our apartment stinks, but I don't smell anything except stale air and second hand smoke from other apartments (which I have not control over). My point is, before you jump to the conclusion that it's hallucination, is there any chemical product in your household that might give off a smell of gasoline or amonia or other bleach vapour - even hydrogen pyroxide bleach has a distinct smell if you use enough of it. Do you have a gas stove? I can smell gas from those ranges to the point where it makes me sick, when no one else can smell it.

Another thing to look for is sudden hypersensitivity to chemicals/smells. I have multiple chemical sensitivity and one day I had a very bad cold and ironically was on my way to the walk in clinic when, upon opening the door, I was overcome by this powerful chemical smell that gave me trouble breathing. I thought it was something someone was using in the building. When I when outside the smell was worse, and I couldn't draw air into my lungs. Everyone appeared "normal". I went into the drug store and casually asked about the smell and a staff member said the city was cleaning the underground pipes. However, anyone else (even I was beginning to wonder) would think I was hallucinating.

Get a check-up with a doctor or geriatrician. The fact that she has the delusion that neighbors are throwing chemicals at the house, which is odd unless you have very strange neighbors, paired with thr smells may indicate dementia or another disorder.

I agree that some people have a heightened sense of smell, either naturally or caused by medications or illness. However, it seems paranoid to think that neighbors are throwing chemicals at the house.

I'd would take her to a doctor for an overall checkup and alert the doctor ahead of time by mail that a referral to a neurologist may be necessary.

I wouldn't mention this to your wife. Leave suspected dementia out of the discussion because she may balk. There are many types of dementia, and some first present symptoms of paranoia or personality change. Only a doctor skilled in diagnosing different types of dementia would be likely to get it right. There are different approaches to treating different types of dementia, so this is important.

We can hope that your wife's problems are caused by an infection or some medication that she's taking. This is entirely possible. However, it she is cleared of these issues, then she needs a neurological workup.

Please update us as you find out more.
Carol

I agree with previous responses. These could be symptoms of a medical issue or a dementia. You don't say how long it has been going on. Regardless of that detail, schedule an appt with her doctor and give the doctor a head's up before the appt. You can give the info to a nurse prior to the appt.

I too have a sensitivity to smells. I found out when I quit smoking back in the early 80's.things smell better.
Even my daughter says she can too.
Certain perfumes , body or dish soaps and shampoos will give me a headache-,especially those with fruit in them. I can smell our propane tank(Gas) when its out or leaking Smells like a dead rat. yes dead rat- I tell the gas people and they say it's the stuff put in it -and your not smelling gas just the stuff-WELL-
praise the Lord I smell something. stuff.
anyway- do have her see someone- just to ease her mind- let her know thats what your doing - she needs to be BELIEVED if nothing else- ,

I did smell smoke, mostly cigarette, for about a year that was not there after a concussion. It is fading away mostly. I also went about 3 months with no sense of smell at all. Just misfiring in brain we (doctors) suspect or it could have been the medication, don't realm know. I had an MRI to make sure no tumors because of other symptoms besides phantom smoke. She will most likely need the care of a neurologist to help. Best to her and you.

I would discuss it with her doctor. It could be part of her delusion or something else. Anxiety/stress can also cause phantom odors. If you look online, you'll see that it's rather common.

Get to a psychiatrist or neurologist to have her diagnosed properly. She definitely needs help.

My husband lost his sense of smell with the stroke, but the "seeing things" about drove both of us nutty. When he began seeing snakes and bugs, I reported it to the doctor as he wouldn't let me sleep for chasing them off. He gave him haloperidol and it certainly helped. My daughter even "hit the bugs on the ceiling" with a swiffer mop. However, the drug didn't help the obsession that someone was stealing his car....just reassurance that we had it under control....locked and in the locked garage. Just another bump in the road. Bless you and hugs.

I have experienced problems with overwhelming sense of smell of fire when taking strong painkillers for a period of time. If it is not related to medication, it may be a mental issue. All the best to you;

Not useful for you but my my late mother used to say that I could "smell smoke a mile away" referring to cigarette smoke. I'm hypersensitive to smells.

Make an appointment with her doctor for a full check up. Paranoia often times develops with dementia.

This was commen with my Mom at the beginning of her dementia now she can't figure out how to blow her nose..lol

I see many good intentions in the replies. However, what is the full picture here? Suggesting a specific type of illness or even suggesting going behind the patient's back to talk to the doctor when we on a forum have NO IDEA what is really going on, who this patient is, what the history is, or what meds are involved is premature and presumptuous and therefore dangerous.

My sister was having olfactory hallucinations (Phantosmia) a few years ago which were attributed to her OCD. They eventually stopped. Mayo Clinic says they can be caused by a previous "head injury or upper respiratory infection. It can also be caused by temporal lobe seizures, inflamed sinuses, brain tumors and Parkinson's disease."

Ok, what meds is she on? Some meds can manifest themself into bad hallucinagenic thoughts and actions.

For years we dealt with my MIL saying she smelled feces around her house. She would spray perfume to try to cover it. She'd sometimes admit to smelling it in the car or when we were out of the house. She also became paranoid, saying that there was a car parked outside her house, people watching the house, burglars in the house. When we brought it to the attention of her doctor, she dropped him because she said he thought she crazy. I wish we had had more support then. We struggled for a long time trying to protect her. She finally was diagnosed with dementia.

Does she actually say she has seen them throw bleach or oil at your house or is she just saying she knows they are doing that? If she is just smelling odd smells, it could be medication causing it or somehow she's getting lead in her food or drink. she definitely needs to be examined by her doctor to see what he/she says first and proceed from there. Having headaches from smells, perfumes can also be from allergies. I went to an allergist for years and years getting my medication for my allergy shots and headaches were common when I got around anyone who had strong smelling perfume on. Your best bet though would be a complete workup from her doctor after you inform them about her delusions. good luck.

Also, I wanted to add that a lot of elders' olfactory sense has left them.

I remember seeing once on tv that a person had the same symptoms brought on by a seizure. There's more information that might be helpful here, but of course I recommend seeing a doctor. Good luck!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantosmia