I cant take this anymore. Where even is it coming from

[karinn]

Someone please help me i have been experiencing hell for the past 4 months ive never in my life had an issue with BO until 4 months ago where i started having a really strong "smelly,stinky" smell as what people would describe. Im asian with the gene for little to no body odor. since that is the case, is it a metabolic disorder? have been to many doctors and all they said was that they couldnt smell anything or nothing can be done. my family cant smell it at all. If it was at full force they would smell it a little but they would say its such a small matter im being way too paranoid. My mum even thinks im mentally ill. im not sure since i cant always smell it but i think my BO is sweat triggered. Since that was the case i suspected it was bacteria or fungi. However NOTHING HAS WORKED DESPITE TRYING EVERYTHING. im getting more and more depressed each day. My family thinks im crazy, my friends think i smell and the general public thinks im smell too.


As long as i sweat, EVEN A TINIEST BIT, i would get reactions from people especially in air conditioned rooms. I tried apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil, overdosed on my probiotics(112.5billion), overdosed on zinc, grapefruit seed extract liquid form, all sorts of deodorants and antiperspirants(clinical, natural) tried candida diet but not for long. Couldnt take it. Tried soaking myself in dettol, iodine, hand sanitizers, wipes, antibacterial soaps even for head and more i cant even remember them now.


the thing is, NOTHING IS WORKING!!!! Okok this is probably the worst part,i dont even know where the smell is coming from. most of the times i cant smell it but sometimes when i can, it is on my neck. But i have already done so many antibacterial stuff on my neck so WHY??! my mum doesnt even want to bring me to the doctor anymore since all the past ones said it was in my mind. IF IT WAS, then why do i get reactions EVERYWHERE I GO?! Everywhere i go, people had to comment it stinks and everywhere i go people would start sniffing, touching and covering their noses.





to sum it up, i have gym class FIRST PERIOD and we are NOT ALLOWED TO BATHE so i would stink the class everyweek which is horrible. my class is airconditioned to make matters worse and it is really small so the smell travels really quickly.





Sometimes i would find that the smell has subsided a little and i smell a sweet kinda smell instead. Im not sure what others smell though. Despite this sweet smell, it is usually a very piercing strong pungent smell. Not ammonia, not fishy. i do not think i have TMAU and im pretty sure i do not have diabetes as i do not eat that much sugar or carbs.





IM SO SORRY THIS WAS SO LONG im just so desperate now and feel like killing myself everyday. i have tried overdosing alot to no avail and skipped alot of school if i continue to skip more they would kick me out but everytime i go to school i become suicidal. Please help me ((





oh and the smell seems to linger ONLy around my neck,face,maybe head area. Sometimes the ends of my hair would stink. but my armpits do not smell at all.

[livininhope]

Hi

Sorry to hear about your problems, I know how difficult it is to live with body odour.

I believe that your diet is so important, although you say you don't eat many carbs, perhaps you need to look at your whole diet and list all the foods you eat, just to see if you clean up your diet in any way.

I have seen some posts on other sites with people complaining that odours come from from their face, neck etc, some say they have very oily skin and feel it has to do with this? Some people tried taking liquid Milk Thistle and this appeared to help them.

The milk thistle is supposed to be good for the liver, however, you should check with your doctor first before taking any kind of medication.

Hope this helps.

[karinn]

hi livininhope I dont think my skin is oily. I never had the need to remove oil from face. Thank you alot for sharing I will try that soon.

[npd]

I am very sorry for what you are going through, karin! Believe me, I know what it is like to get to the point where you feel like you are losing it mentally over this problem. I do hope that the problem can lessen for you soon. What does your current diet consist of? Do you have any diagnosed food allergies or intolerances?  I personally have problems adequately digesting dairy, sugar, and alcoholic drinks. If possible, you might want to be tested for these digestive problems. Also, even though you believe that you don't have diabetes because of your diet, it might be a good thing to have a fasting blood glucose test performed along with an A1C. I have read that Asian-Americans are one of the fastest-growing demographics for new cases of diabetes around. Do you have any other metabolic problems such as thyroid difficulties? Last thing, could you approach your teacher or other school officials and let them know that you have a sweating problem and might need to be an exception of and allowed to use the showers after gym? I hope your problem can get better for you. Most of us here experience odor issues which vary in their intensity over time and I hope it could be the same for you too! Keep in touch!

[karinn]

Hello npd!! Thank you so much for your reply! unfortunately in my school no students have ever showered in school. it's not normal to do so here. I have poor digestion but it has gotten better over the years. Apart from that I really can't identify any other metabolic issues. So far I have only had intolerance towards subway's ham specially. all other hams are fine. used to drink lots of milk but ever since this problem started cut down alot however no improvement. For Allergies I have only had hives/urticaria which is heat or physically triggered. my diet consists mainly of bread,rice,eggs,vegetables,soup,boiled chicken breast and once in a while snacks like biscuits, waffles. i have cut down on sugar for afew months as well but no improvement. all in all I've been pretty healthy with minor digestion problems here and there which is why this really puzzles me :/

[npd]

I hear that about the digestive problems. I suspected as much too. I've been plagued by GI tract problems for most of my life. In fact, a lot of my body odor comes in the form of a fecal smell which becomes noticeable after a bowel movement! It is good that you've been able to cut down on the dairy in your diet. That, too, was a major trigger of my intestinal upsets for a long time. It is puzzling that it hasn't helped your case unless you don't have lactose intolerance. Have you started or stopped any medications recently? What about your intake of any stimulants like caffeine?

[karinn]

npd I was not on any medication when the problem started. it was only when it started that I started taking all sorts of medications. currently I'm alternating between antifungal and probiotics every two weeks along with zinc. I also add lemon to my water and use antibacterial soap I use natural deodorant every morning. it does not really help but makes me feel at least slightly more secure.
However the smell I'm experiencing does not seem to be fecal from what I can smell. it is also sweat triggered and does not happen after bowel movement. I've seen in many cases like yours that has digestive problems and fecal smell but mine isn't.. I'm not lactose intolerant either.
One other thing that really amused me was that the smell seems to subside after awhile (this only happens when I'm at home and more relaxed. it never happens in school I just stink all the way). other times it turns into a sweet smell or it turns into water kind of smell(smells like fresh water/ice) and I would be able to smell the detergent on my shirt. Recently I developed a new odor as well. This one is a sweat smelling one which I would assume is normal. I'm afraid of them mixing and creating a more than horrible smell. Im hoping it does not happen!
Have you found any success in your case? apart from cutting out dairy products

[karinn]

sorry npd I forgot to mention I do not take caffeine. very rarely like once in a few months.

[losinhope]

Anyone from United Kingdom ? Contact me on [e-mail]
Actually does not matter where you from i want to compare our stories to find some similarities in what caused it.

[npd]

I think that is a very good idea, losinhope. I am willing to contact you!

[livininhope]

Hi

In your post you mention that you don't have a fecal smell so assume it is not coming from your gut, however, you do not have to have a fecal smell, and I found some info from someone called Chris Keller who states that any problems with your skin is due to an internal issue with your gut. I have printed some info from the article below which I hope you will find of use. If you want to read the whole article you can find it by inputting the name and heading below.

The gut-skin connection: how altered gut function affects the skin
by CHRIS KRESSER

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Associations between gut disorders and skin conditions[/u][/b][/font]

Epidemiological evidence shows a clear association between gut problems and skin disorders. A recent report indicated that small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), a condition involving inappropriate growth of bacteria in the small intestine, is 10 times more prevalent in people with acne rosacea than in healthy controls, and that correction of SIBO in these individuals led to marked clinical improvement. 14% of patients with ulcerative colitis and 24% of patients with Crohn’s disease have skin manifestations. (Interestingly enough, a study just came out showing that a drug normally used to treat psoriasis is also effective for Crohn’s disease.) Celiac disease also has cutaneous manifestations, such as dermatitis herpetiformis, which occurs in 1/4 of celiac sufferers. Celiacs also have increased frequency of oral mucosal lesions, alopecia and vitiligo.

The gut flora also influences the skin. Substance P is a neuropeptide produced in the gut, brain and skin that plays a major role in skin conditions. Altered gut microbiota promotes the release of substance P in both the gut and the skin, and probiotics can attenuate this response. (6) The gut microbiota influences lipids and tissue fatty acid profiles, and may influence sebum production as well as the fatty acid composition of the sebum. (7) This may explain why a Russian study found that 54% of acne patients have significant alterations to the gut flora (8), and a Chinese study involving patients with seborrheic dermatitis also noted disruptions in the normal gut flora. 2

[karinn]

Thank u very much livininhope
may I know what are u currently doing to deal with this? is there anyway to lessen the odor at least? like a certain kind of deodorant or something.. anything..

[livininhope]

[/s
Hi

I discovered that my I was making my odour worse with my diet and also taking probiotics. I had raised d-lactate levels which I discovered meant an overgrowth of d-lactate bacteria. I then learned that certain probiotics can feed this bacteria, such as acidophillus, which I took every day. I also suffered from chronic constipation.

I stopped all supplements and probiotics, began the specific carboohydrate diet, and I also stared to take a glass of prune juice in the morning and another before I go to bed. The prune juice and the diet cured my constipation, and while I do not believe I am totally cured, the odour is definitely minimised as I go into supermarkets now and people don't stare at me.

I still have a problem with hyperhidrosis in my feet, so sometimes I believe there is still an odour there, but overall the reduction in my odour has been a blessing.

I firmly believe that diet is the key.

Hope this helps.

[karinn]

wow it's such a bother that even taking probiotics may make the condition worse. i guess I'll have to try your method if all else fails. how long did it take for u to see the results?

[karinn]

ah I see. thanks alot for sharing. now I know all the things I've been doing does not help. I am going to get a gut test done soon. all the best in your road to recovery! thank u very much!!