Myasthenia Gravis Support Group

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular disease leading to fluctuating muscle weakness and fatiguability. The hallmark of myasthenia gravis is muscle weakness that increases during periods of activity and improves after periods of rest. Although myasthenia gravis may affect any voluntary muscle, muscles that control eye and eyelid movement, facial expression, and...

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Greater Sense of Smell?

Alonetilnow
Alonetilnow
About 3 weeks ago I went thru 5 days of ivig treatments and have been on mestinon, cellcept and prednisone ever since. I have noticed that I seem to smell everything. Mild smells that never bothered me before now are so strong and at times completely overwhelming. It is driving me crazy. I am now smelling things that no one else can smell. Things like baby powder is so strong that its like I put a whole container of powder up my nose so you can only imagine what it is like with stronger scents like Pine-Sol or bleach.

I didn't have this problem before the change in medication so I can only conclude that it must be caused from the cellcept and/or the ivig. I had already been on the mestinon and prednisone so I don't believe those have caused this.

Have any of you experienced this problem? Please share your experiences with us if you have.
newmugg
newmugg
Yes, my sense of smell seems to be heightened and my sense of taste is different. I am very sensitive to salt right now, some foods seem to have little or no taste and some foods I love are no longer agreeable with my taste buds.
I am on mestinon and had IVIG, now plasmapheresis but the sense changes are still with me).
Is it the MG or the meds I wonder?
~sherry
judithwilson
judithwilson
I had to laugh when I read these posts. I never bothered asking my dr. about this...Have enough trouble getting them to listen to me. Pre mg I had no sense of smell. Shortly after being diagnosed I noticed I could smell everything and yes, certain smells really bothered me.
I have never had IVIG and am only on pred. and imuran. Like Sherry, I have had a thymectomy, but i doubt if our thymus had anything to do with smeliing?

Things taste different too....but I thought that may be the meds.


Juditth
deleted_user
deleted_user
I dunno, but this one had me laughing. It's nothing I've ever heard of or experienced this myself, but that doesn't mean it isn't real. At least this a positive side effect of MG, or its treatments! Enjoy! :-)

Curt