Covids effect on Flavor.

[Indianapiper]

Hey everyone, how are you all this evening? For the last month I had battled Covid. I am past it and recovering quickly. One thing I noticed over the last week is that when I smoke anything, be it a cigar or any pipe blend, I get literally no flavor at all. I can smell the unburnt tobacco in the jar, but the scents are very muted. And when I light up my pipe blends, any blend at all. From Aromatics to strong latakia blends, I get nothing but a very light soapy taste. Can't even taste latakia in my Dunhil 965.

Having Covid and taking a month off from my pipe and cigar hobby drastically reduced my Nic tolerance. So despite not tasting anything I am continuing my normal pipe habits so I can rebuild my tolerance. I am hoping with in the next month my sense of taste/smell/flavor returns in full force.

So question to any Covid survivors here, how has your palate been affected during your post sickness and recovery period?

 

[deluxestogie]

I have not had that virus infection. But I can say with certainty that in some individual, the virus directly infects and injures the olfactory nerve endings (and occasionally even the olfactory areas of the brain), and can cause similar injury to gustatory (taste) nerve endings. Like any nerve cell damage, the recovery rate is unpredictable (days to weeks), and the extent of recovery uncertain.

If you want to beat yourself up:
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=covid-19+anosmia+duration+recovery
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=covid-19+olfactory+injury

Here are some conclusions for a few studies:
"Positive-COVID-19 patients with sudden olfactory dysfunction showed lower total recovery rate and longer duration than negative-COVID-19 patients. Additionally, total recovery was seen more frequently in positive-COVID-19 patients with sudden hyposmia [decreased sense of smell] than the ones with sudden anosmia [total loss of smell]."

https://www.scielo.br/j/bjorl/a/jFztT3H8b4GztRJ8yb7Lnpd/?lang=en

"The mean duration of the olfactory dysfunction was 10 ± 6 days (range 3–31) in those patients who completely recovered and 12 ± 8 days (range 7–35) in those patients who partially recovered."

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ene.14440

"(70%) reported olfactory and gustatory disorders without nasal obstruction or rhinorrhea [runny nose]. These impairments were more frequently reported in the female population, young people, and house-bound patients with mild symptomatic forms. Short-term recovery assessed at Day 15 was complete for 64% of the patients, and incomplete in 33%. Median recovery time was 15 days (4–27 days) after olfactory or gustatory symptom onset."

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It's still early for this sort of research, and I'm sure more definitive studies will be published this calendar year. While we wait, keep up posted on your progress.

Bob

 

[Indianapiper]

So, figured I would post a morning smoke update. Currently smoking an Aromatic, comes with a chocolate/caramel flavoring on the tin. So far, the flavor is their, but very mild. I am happy to even be getting any flavor at all TBH. I have noticed so far during this bowl that If i puff to frequently the flavor begins to disappear. Now I have no idea if this newly recovered flavor sensation I am having will remain, so after my work out today I will try another bowl of something else and see what happens. Thought about burning a Cigar today, but I have no desire to potentially waste an expensive cigar.

 

[smoknron]

Well that's good that your getting some flavor I know it's happened to me in the past a few times with the no taste, I think I had the flu or something.

 

[Indianapiper]

I wanted to share a story. My 13 year old son has severe mental handicaps. Today, he wanted to show he cared, so he took one of my pipes and loaded it with some of my 965. He does these kinds of things to express his love and it touched me very much. I showed him how to tamp it and loaded a bit more in and gave it a whirl. Super muted flavors, but still I could faintly detect them. It was more of a whisper of wood and smokiness. Much Tamer than normal but atleast it didn't taste like soap.

I know that sometimes things can be frustrating between us, but Its times like this that make it worth while.

 

[Indianapiper]

Thought I would post another update on my continuing journey to recover my pipe/cigar palate. So lately, I found that I am finally getting some of my sense of smell back, especially for my pipe blends. This translates into more flavors. HOWEVER as always they are severely muted and, It is if my palate has been so thoroughly reset, that I am not detecting the usual flavors and nuances. Everything Is still so muted.

I had a Four Kicks Limited Edition 2020 toro that I just finished. For a cigar advertised as full flavor and med/full strength, the flavors were very very mild, and not anywhere near as complex. Got feint notes of wood and something vaguely vegetal/sweet. A far cry from the advertised cedar, molasses, floral sweetness the reviews all say are abound in that highly regarded cigar.

One thing I noticed with my tongue.(and its contribution to overall flavor sensation) Is that some parts of it seem numb still while others are registering taste. Like with the Cigar I had today, the back of my tongue showed more taste than the front or sides, which for me is not normal.

So while today and the last couple of days has shown some improvement, I have a very long way to go.

 

[Indianapiper]

Just an update. Had a good pipe this morning. However, this evening I had a Foundation Cigars, Tabernacle, and after the half way point I think it overwhelmed my palate as the flavor went down by quite a bit. Also found out my NIC tolerance is still crap as by the time I got to the band, I had to stop the cigar as I started getting nauseous and got the sweats.

Though the flavors are muted and I apparently can only tolerate small size cigars, things are improving. Little by little each day.

 

[deluxestogie]

Nicotine is detoxified in the liver. So is ethanol. I would go easy on commonly consumed toxins. You might want to discuss your liver health with your physician, since the virus is known to infect the liver.

Bob

 

[Indianapiper]

Nicotine is detoxified in the liver. So is ethanol. I would go easy on commonly consumed toxins. You might want to discuss your liver health with your physician, since the virus is known to infect the liver.

Bob

I didn't know that about NIC and ethanol. I had only 1 light beer with my cigar. I didn't know Covid effected the liver. I think you have a good point that I should talk to a doctor about my liver.