SMELLING SMOKE ALL THE TIME - ANSWER

FOR 3 YEARS.  After extensive MRI's, CAT Scans, sinus surgeries, X-Rays....It turns out to be ALLERGIES!  I smelled smoke for 3 years.  At first it wasn't odd since I am a fireman.  So I discounted it.  Up until I transferred to a specialty station that no longer handles structure fires.  Maybe the smell was stuck in my turnout gear?  Nope, Got new gear issued to me and there it was again.  So off to specialists I go.  In short, an over the counter allergy medication known as fexofenadine (ALLEGRA) without the pseudoephidrine, solved everything!   I just so happened to borrow some from my engineer when I forgot my traditional/antihistamine medication of choice (Claritin & Zyrtec).  I tried all other allergy meds in the past and over looked the Allegra stuff due to the cost and the ignorance that "all allergy and sinus meds are the same".  Well it took a couple of doses for me to realize that I no longer smelled the smoke.  After my second dose, I could almost time it to when the smoke smell would start to come back.  In the beginning, I smelled a campfire-like smoke along with the burning eyes.  After the fexofenadine, the smoke smell morphed to cigarette-like smell then ultimately to paper or lint-like burning smell.  After 6 days of taking the allergy meds, the smell of burning has gone away.  I can still sense when the medication is wearing down, when I start to smell a hint of smell like a hot dry summer day.  DRINK A BUNCH OF WATER on this stuff.  Not saying that this is the cure, since I don't dare discontinue taking the allegra yet.  However, it has given me back my sanity. The guys at work razzed me about it for years saying it was my brain cells spontaneously combusting!  I hope this info helps someone.  I would try each med until I found the one that worked.  I imagine that each of us have a different reaction to the various OTC allergy meds, name brand to generic.  Give it a shot!  I CAN FINALLY SMELL THE ROSES!!!