As if it wasn't enough that I had the other symptoms.

[#1 hypochondriac]

Now i get the "smelling smoke" symptom of an aneurysm or a stroke. I was walking my dog earlier and I started smelling smoke when there wasn't any there. Does any one know how long a person would smell smoke before one of these awful things sets in?

[CrownofThorns]

The most likely scenario is that a lot of people are burning their fireplaces around this time of year. The other likely cause is olfactory hallucination. When my anxiety was at its worst, I'd smell everything, even things that weren't there. It can also happen before a respiratory infection or a migraine.

[Annie23]

Crown of Thorns is right, you probably couldnt see it, but someone near was probably burning their woodstove.  Also when I get REALLY counsious of these things I can smell the tiniest thing.

[Fessica]

i completely aggree with CrownofThorns there. when i had my worst anxiety...i was smelling..stuff too.
XP... like smoke...and even like...chemicals.. XP
atleats thatw hat i though i was smelling at the time.

[irshgurl]

I agree...it was probably a fireplace.  Now that you know what it was....enjoy the smell!  I actually think it's a very comforting smell.

[sydneymom]

I agree if you were outdoors it was either someone burning leaves or a fireplace. Oddly enough twice last week sitting in the same spot in my sons room I smelled smoke like from a fire. I had no idea this was a symptom of possible neurological issues, so I am going to pretend I didnt read that part.

[jennjennxx]

Omg i get this symptom too occaisonally and never really worried about it! I usually get it when i'm in a lift or something, i thought it was because the lights were hot. I also used to work in a bank and could smell burning in there often and when i asked if anyone else could smell it they couldn't what is this a symptom of????

[CrownofThorns]

I smelled everything at work when my anxiety was at its highest. The copiers, printers, etc. I would even walk into a store and the smell of the the clothes and perfume would hit me.  With some people, your senses can go into overdrive when you have anxiety.

[sugarcookie]

I know when you're anxious all your senses are heightened.

 Before my husbands' strokes he had severe headaches.  My friend's mil had an aneurysm and had a severe headache that started suddenly.  When I say severe I mean excruciating.

[#1 hypochondriac]

I still had it when ai went inside although not as bad. Then it went away. I had it again last night when I was sitting on the couch although THIS time it smelled like a cake baking in the oven when there was no cake. I haven't had it yet today. I hope I didn't freak anyone else out about this.

[pippip]

I have never heard of that as being a system of a stroke.

I think with either of those conditions if you were really having a stroke/brain bleeding the absolute last thing you would be thinking about is smelling a cake/smoke. You'd be in immense pain and smelling would be the last thing from your mind.

I agree with what everyone else said about anxiety putting your senses on red alert!