Has anyone had a respiratory reaction to chemicals that no one else smells when they have a cold?

Stacey makes a good point; your olfactory senses are probably more sensitive and vulnerable when you're ill. The fact that a pigeon was in the area is a good clue.

Well done, Stacey! You get the Sherlock Hat of the Day!

Globetrotter, are you sure you don't have the flu? I get a terrible smell perversion when I have the flu. It is a most unpleasant smell that I can't describe. I get it when I run across certain smells -- stale cigarette odor will trigger it, as will other organic smells. I can walk by a door or a car where someone has been smoking and get the smell. Certain food smells can trigger it. The smell perversion lasts for a week or two after I'm feeling better.

Sometimes when I get a cold I get a bit of the same smell perversion, which always makes me wonder if I really have the flu. I really dislike the troubling smell.

Might just be a virus that infected your olfactory area like the flu does. Sure is annoying. It makes you so sensitive to certain odors. An otherwise undetectable bit of a chemical can launch the full smell perversion when I have it. I hope the infection clears fast, though the smell may haunt you for a while longer.

Thanks, JessieBelle; the sense of smell is mysterious (how is that for alliteration). Interesting that it is not included in a list of flu/cold symptoms. Now at the other end of the spectrum, this is really good news for me because research claims that poor sense of smell is associated with development of Alzheimer's Disease.

I think there may be a pidgin nest near your doorway, or ip in the eve's. The feces from the pigeons puts out an amonia like chemical odor which you may be reacting to. Look around for the nest.

When your nose is raw inside from your cold, its more sensitive to the amonia smells, and you may need an exterminator.

Garden Artist, thank you for your insights. You are correct, I am not a smoker and never did smoke. The chemical discharges into the air were the first thing I thought of, too. I believe there was a higher than acceptable level, and today was an abnormally warm, windy day (11C). It's funny, when I moved here from my home province and visited the lake, I could always detect a chemical smell. Today it was like an exponential degree of that chemical. When these symptoms occurred a number of years ago, one of the pharmacists at the drug store suggested that the city was irrigating/cleaning the underground pipes; however, today there were no city crews or vacuum trucks.

In terms of factories, there are pockets of industrial parks and quite a lot of traffic; I live on a busy street with a lot of trucks and noise and a gas station right at the corner, which I can smell in my apartment and hallway more often than not. I have my air purifier on right now - turbo setting, but it's so noisy. Interestingly enough, the city councillor news letter mentioned the results of a meeting to deal with complaints of the smell from the Lush manufacturer - quite dreadful, I can smell it from miles away. However, that's not what I smelled today. I think I will write to the Ministry of Environment or Air Quality Control or whatever the relevant department to report my reaction so they can investigate any chemical leaks or excessive emissions.

I would dearly love to wear a mask when I'm working - between the wood burning smoke that burns my nose and throat, and the exhaust of the vehicles - but then apart from the looks I'd get from mothers, children and motorists, I wouldn't be able to blow my whistle, lol. However, I have seriously thought of asking permission from my supervisor to do so, but I don't want to risk losing my job.

Globetrotter, I was wondering if some alternate fragrances might help. When I'm congested, I inhale the vapors from chicken soup or honey lemon tea. Eucalyptus oil helps as well, but not as much as the warm fluids.

Not only do the warmth and fragrance help to clear my nasal passages, but they leave a nice fragrance. I don't know how others may react though if they speak to me and my nose smells like chicken soup.

by-product of the metabolism of the illness no signs of infection ake any medication

SendmetoHelp, it sounds like we have the same experience. Isn't that elusive origin enough to drive you crazy? We should report it to our doctors; I bet there are many more people out there going through and the health profession is clueless. I'm going to get myself checked today.

Pre-existing toxins in the sinuses or brain - very interesting theory, although I, like you, show no signs of infection, yet anyway. However, I am exposed to a multitude of toxic chemicals five days a week combined with household allergens/toxins, so they must have accumulated to some extent in my system.

Now this by-product of the metabolism of the illness, like acidosis and what not, is I believe spot on and I wondered the same thing, particularly if its an ammonia type chemical smell that cannot be identified from any source. It's similar to - and I don't know if you have had the same experience - jumping into the pool and suddenly getting a burning and smell of smoke in your nose. I get that when I change positions during yoga exercises sometimes. That's probably some type of ammonia base. I think are body gasses are out of whack and when they come into contact with another chemical in the environment we get a reaction. This would be an excellent research study for the medical scientists, better than some of the drivel that comes out now.

Sorry, SendmetoHelp, I've been using this strategy for memory retention so I can respond to posts easier; I forgot to delete your comments.