Very odd ?, what's that flu "smell"

[EPCOTatNight]

It's that time of year again. FLU SEASON!!!! Bumping 12 year old thread.

 

[Allison]

It's that time of year again. FLU SEASON!!!! Bumping 12 year old thread.

Why?

 

[lynxstch]

Why?

that was my question also

 

[Allison]

It's not even about the flu season. It's about a smell.

 

[Kellykins1218]

I'm detoxing from my 2 week WDW I just got back from....actually I "luckily" got the flu on my very last day in Florida (the day we flew back). I was lucky because it didn't ruin my trip. I actually think I'm detoxing from all that "Happiest Place on Earth" stuff I was emersed in for my longest stint yet.

Here is my stupid question and I could NOT find an answer to on the internet. Just someone on some other message board asking the same stupid question I am about to ask.

What the heck is that smell/odor you get when you get the flu / severe cold? Apparently I'm the only one that can smell it. If I enter a room in which I spent some time in...I immediately smell that stale, odd, sick smell. Okay...I have showered, I'm clean . This happens every time I get the flu, ever since I was a kid. DW ignored my stupid question, only stated she seems to recall some "smell." The woman never gets sick, she's not a good reference for me, but apparently the internet wasn't either. So I come to you..the knowledgable folks @ DIS.

Help me...since I can't sleep because of this darned illness, I might as well sit here and wait for the answers to roll in. Since it's past midnight back east, I may be sitting here for a while.

Thanks.

I honestly have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[Allison]

I honestly have no idea what you're talking about.

They won't be able to explain. They haven't posted in nearly 8 years.

 

[sonnyjane]

It's that time of year again. FLU SEASON!!!! Bumping 12 year old thread.

Why?

It’s one thing to accidentally bump an ancient thread (2006, seriously?) but to do so on purpose for no visible reason?

 

[disneychrista]

When I have a sinus infection it always reminds me of the smell of my dad butchering chickens when I was a teenager. YUCK!

CRAP! I forgot the rule to always look at the date something was posted before replying.

 

[hedgehog2owl]

I know exactly what you mean. I can smell when people have been in the sun too, like Vitamin D production creates a smell or something.

 

[Kitty 34]

I know exactly what you mean. I can smell when people have been in the sun too, like Vitamin D production creates a smell or something.

Hope it smells good because I LOVE the sun in the summer!!! I do use Coppertone so hopefully that's what you're smelling!

 

[Kellykins1218]

They won't be able to explain. They haven't posted in nearly 8 years.

So it's a zombie thread, who cares? Clearly several people have been commenting on it and have said they notice a smell. I have no clue what they're talking about either. There. Does that make you feel better?

 

[hedgehog2owl]

Hope it smells good because I LOVE the sun in the summer!!! I do use Coppertone so hopefully that's what you're smelling!

Actually when people wear sunscreen , I can't smell it....

 

[NHdisneylover]

yep, I saw it is a zombie thread--but seems some are interested, as am I.

I can always smell a "sick smell" when someone has a bad cold or flu and has been in a shut up room for a while, especailly if I am just entering a room and it hits me when I am not used to it. it's worse when the person has been sleeping.
I've always assumed it is something in sweat glands, or the like, when someone is fighting an illness----I can often smell it the day the person starts to feel sick; several times I have realized my husband or oldest kid was sick before they awoke that morning and realized it and told me--just by the smell in the bedroom.

I'm really big on airing out blankets and rooms and getting outide for fresh air when sick becuase of that smell making me feel like the indoor air gets full of the virus someone.

 

[Allison]

So it's a zombie thread, who cares? Clearly several people have been commenting on it and have said they notice a smell. I have no clue what they're talking about either. There. Does that make you feel better?

Holy cow. I was pointing out not to expect a response.

 

[Me13]

I believe a mix of medication, perspiration, and dehydration all result in a different smell. I have the flu and smell more of ammonia, which to me, indicates severe dehydration. Bottoms up H2O!!

 

[scrapquitler]

I'm detoxing from my 2 week WDW I just got back from....actually I "luckily" got the flu on my very last day in Florida (the day we flew back). I was lucky because it didn't ruin my trip. I actually think I'm detoxing from all that "Happiest Place on Earth" stuff I was emersed in for my longest stint yet.

Here is my stupid question and I could NOT find an answer to on the internet. Just someone on some other message board asking the same stupid question I am about to ask.

What the heck is that smell/odor you get when you get the flu / severe cold? Apparently I'm the only one that can smell it. If I enter a room in which I spent some time in...I immediately smell that stale, odd, sick smell. Okay...I have showered, I'm clean . This happens every time I get the flu, ever since I was a kid. DW ignored my stupid question, only stated she seems to recall some "smell." The woman never gets sick, she's not a good reference for me, but apparently the internet wasn't either. So I come to you..the knowledgable folks @ DIS.

Help me...since I can't sleep because of this darned illness, I might as well sit here and wait for the answers to roll in. Since it's past midnight back east, I may be sitting here for a while.

Thanks.

I know exactly what you are talking about. I never knew about it until I had kids, and every time either one of them was sick, I knew because I could smell it. I think it has to do with the sweat they excreted when they had a fever, maybe? Even if they weren't feeling unwell yet, I would know that they were going to be sick because I smelled the smell. My husband thinks I'm crazy. LOL

 

[tzolkin]

I know it’s a zombie thread, but some people still seem interested...

There have actually been lots of studies on this topic. Google “sick smell”. Our bodies produce different odors based on what’s going on with our cells and immune system.

Most have probably heard that dogs can “diagnose” certain illnesses (diabetes, cancer, etc) by scent, but there are also many others that are within the range of what a human nose can detect as well.

 

[North of Mouse]

We always call it the 'fever' smell that our bodies put off with prolonged high fever/weakness! It happens every time, then goes away. That's our take, anyway!

 

[Poohforyou]

I had the flu but don't remember a smell. You could just be smelling the nasty gunk in your body. I do know everything tastes weird when I have the flu.

 

[CzokNorris]

I also smell it. Its definitely there, very distinct, rather strong smell.. Over the years I ruled out that it is because of the illness messing up the sense of smell. Cant be because I can also smell it when other people are sick. Also it stays on the clothes that a sick person has been wearing. And in the bed, until changing sheets. Also in the rooms air, probably most noticable with the air. So its definitely a real external smell.
Only seems to work with viruses like influenza or a cold. Not with other things, like inflamations, broken bones or stuff. Especially strong with influenza in my opinion.
Fot me it appears around one or a bit more than one day before the first other symptoms. So it actually comes before the illness for some eeason. Like a pre-warning. Sometimes its possible to sleep a lot, eat well, drink much and avoid falling sick. Then the smell disappears.
I dont know what it is. But its definitely there. In my parents house in the workahop I once found a substance which smelled exactly like this, just waaay stronger. Metallic, a very weird type of odor, not pleasant. I cant really describe it. Its included in the smell of puke, but not the same. I would say its a component of the smell of puke, but less unpleasant on its own. I was little back when I found that substance spilled on a woodden surface, so dont know any more what it was. I kind of recall that it was some old lubrication oil of possibly sowiet production which maybe got somehow stale.
If one wanted to recreate this sick smell I guess i would start by letting microbes decompose various type of fats and oils and hopefully stumble on it.

Actually it could be a valuable tool. Maybe its pissible to build a sensor or sensor array to classify the pathogen by the patients smell somehow ot get a prewarning when someone gets sick. E.g. for airline pilots or other people sho need to be fit at work.