foul odor

Hi, I'm just goofing with the springstein name, although in his new video it does look like he's taking a dump every time he sings a note.  I just needed to know, I shower daily and keep my anus clean, but there is this reocurring foul smell that travels a distance.  How do I relieve this?  I'm taking multi-vitamins just incase i'm not getting enough of something, I'm drinking more water and juices.  It's not BO, since i smell under my arms and they smell fine.  I clean thoroughly and don't know why the smell still exists, and not even that it exists, but it travels a great distance.

Help!

[JDavid]

My wife had this problem and I knew a person at work who did too. In my wife's case,it was due to problems with digestion stemming from Celiac Disease. She would take Mylanta sometimes and that would help, but best to find the source of the problem. Also, if you are taking any medications, we thought this might be a contributor as well.

Anyway, she is now on a wheat-free diet and all is fine. You can be tested for CD by a simple blood test, if your wanted to rule this out.  There are also sites on the internet, like celiac.com, that you may want to check out.

[forest]

I'm not on any medication.  I just started taken some MegaMan pills to help solve this.  I'm still in the early stages of drinking more water, eating more frequently, and listening to my bowel movements.  One thing I have noticed is some discoloration on my stomach, almost like liver spots, but I feel I'm too young for them(24).  They are only noticeable in certain lighting.  I'm not sure that I eat much wheat, or wheat products.  Did your wife's odor smell like gas? or Bad BO, it's curious to me, because I think, I'm not sure, because I've been acustomed to it, it smells like gas.  Or there always is some discomfort in that region for me.  But I feel if I drink more water maybe it will help fight and absorb it.

Sorry for the rambling.

[JDavid]

The odor was sortof a sweet foul odor, like rotten fruit, and could be detected 3 or 4 feet away from her.  It was coming from her mouth, but was much stronger smelling than bad breath.

You'd be surprised how many food products contain wheat or gluten and CD persons can react to the smallest of amounts. It sounds like something in your digestive system is not working properly and this could be the culprit.

[forest]

Ok, I appreciate the suggestions.

[Tomasello_MD]

David makes some very good points here. One thing I would like to add is that people with acid reflux may have this foul odor too. In all liklihood, certain dietary changes may be quite helpful in getting rid of this problem. Did you have the odor prior to taking "Mega-Man"? Many vitamin supplements don't "agree" with some people's digestive tracts and cause an increase in bowel gas. Take a close look at your meds and, as David mentioned ... consider removing wheat products from your diet.

[forest]

No I just started taking the multi vitamin supplements for a couple of days, in case the odor was due to something lacking in my diet.  I'm not sure where the odor is coming from, but I don't think its from my mouth, underarms or feet, nor the genitals, I wash very thorougly.  I am on no meds, nor do i take overthecounter drugs.  There has been trouble eliminating the waste from my diet, I go to the bathroom and sometimes feel like i didn't get everything out.  So the area of suspicion and discomfort is my colon.  My doctor suggested milk of magnesia, and lately after 4 teaspons a couple of days ago, my stool is very liquid and in strands.  I'm hoping more fluid intake, maybe some tomato juice, can relieve the odor.  Any sugestions?

Also, as long as I can remember, I have always had incosistency in the texture of the stool and that it's not together its' bit's and pieces.  

[liegh]

You're not alone!  I've been having the same symptoms as you for about a year, springst, and I'm the same age.  I went to a doctor about it and had a sigmoidoscopy done just to be safe because there was also some bleeding.  But they didn't find anything wrong.  I've been told by a nurse that it could be some kind of incontinence from a back injury and I've also been told it could be IBS.   As yet, I haven't found anything that really helps for odor.  I've tried increasing fiber, eating better, drinking a lot of water, exercizing more, although I'm healthy, but nothing seems to work.  I'm also very clean.  This is driving me nuts!  I wish I had more advice to offer..you might try taking activated charcoal or chlorophyllin tablets, they're supposed to "internally deodorize" you (but for me haven't been much help.)  Anyway, I wish you the best. If you find anything that works please let me know!

[PAJ]

You may try this test , http://www.gsdl.com/assessments/bacterial_overgrowth/appguide/index3.html
Halitosis /body odour  is sometimes connected with inappropriate fermentation in the small intestine

[JDavid]

My wife used Mylanta and it helped her.  Might try it, but still look for the cause.

[forest]

Redo,

Can I ask what your stool is like, I actually just went not too long ago, and it was very small in diameter and almost yellow.  I don't claim that the problem has just begun, but that instead it has worsened.  My stool lately has not been easy to release, and there is no feeling of completion.  Bit's and pieces!  Redo, unlike you my odor has become potent, I mean jew's in concentration camps had better atmosphere!  People are getting a good wiff of me at a distance (10ft), and I am not exaggerating.  I don't buy somethings not wrong with us, it's not normal.

[Concerned lady]

I agree with all the others' good suggestions! Here are a few additional ideas for you to think about:

1)See a very good Gastro-enterologist doc, who can do some stool tests and blood tests, etc. to hopefully get you correctly diagnosed, and then, gently treat whatever you have.

2)Try taking some ACIDOPHILUS & BIFIDUS (beneficial edible bacteria called "pro-biotics"), because many drugs like antibiotics, for example, destroy these good bacteria in your COLON ("gut"/large intestine), and you need to put the good bacteria back into your colon! Health food stores sell these.

When these good bacteria are killed off by medicines, or by illnesses, bad bacteria can make the stool smell very bad.

2a)Avoid MILK PRODUCTS in case you have a lactOse (milk-sugar) intolerance! Or, try taking LactAse enzymes, like "Lactaid", if you ever eat or drink milk products. There are milk-free preparations of Acidophilus &/or Bifidus, at health food stores.

3)Try going onto a GLUTEN-FREE DIET as others have suggested to you, because CELIAC DISEASE (a gluten-intolerance) commonly causes FOUL smelling gas and stools!

Avoid foods that have gluten in them, for about a month, to see if it helps you. This means, avoid wheat, rye, oats, barley, and buckwheat ("glutenous" foods). This also means, avoid hidden gluten found in restaurant gravies, breading on fish, meat, fowl, "grain" alcohols (often are glutenous grains), soy sauces that have wheat or barley in them, etc.

So, what's left to eat? BROWN RICE is gluten-free! At health food stores, you can find brown rice pastas, brown rice cereals, brown rice crackers, brown rice cookies, brown rice cakes, etc.

Corn is gluten-free, but is very "allergenic", so avoid corn for a while.

4) Read the next message, in case you might have some gastric reflux.

Good luck to you. See a good doc, and see a good holistic nutritionist who can help you to improve your eating habits a lot! (may include some supplements like vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, etc.).

Sincerely,
Concerned lady
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com

[Concerned lady]

There are ideas in here to help some other things, in addition to reflux:

Some GASTRIC REFLUX TIPS (without acid blockers):

Please check with your doctor, first, before trying these tips to be sure they are safe, in your particular situation.

GER=Gastro-Esophageal Reflux. (Gastro=stomach. Esophagus=food tube.)

LPR= Laryngeal-Pharyngeal Reflux. (Larynx=voice box, containing the 2 vocal cords. Pharynx=throat, above the larynx. The larynx is above the trachea/windpipe.)

Reflux=acidic or alkaline stomach material that backs up into the esophagus (food tube), causing any of these problems (at least): VCD/Vocal Cord Dysfunction/Laryngospasm attacks, cough, voice problems, asthma, globus (feeling of lump in throat), constant need to clear throat, much extra throat mucus, worsening of sinus condition, sore throat, laryngitis, voice problems, pre-cancerous conditions of throat &/or esophagus, etc.

SOME GER/LPR CONTROL THINGS WE DO, that we learned from the excellent book: STOMACH AILMENTS AND DIGESTIVE DISTURBANCES, by Michael T. Murray, N.D. See page 9, References, in my website: http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com   and, also see GER/LPR info on page 5, and on LINKS page.

PLEASE READ THIS GREAT BOOK. It may possibly be bought on-line, from Michael T. Murray

[forest]

Wow, that was very detailed and kind of you, I do have an appointment with my doc.  I'll guess if you want I'll keep you guys updated, maybe this may help someone else.  

I really appreciate everyone's comments and suggestions.

[Concerned lady]

Please let us know what you find out, when you go to the doc. And check out (and try) the dietary & lifestyle tips above! :-)

Concerned lady
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com

[liegh]

spring,
yes, I've also experienced the feelings of incomplete evacuation and yellowish, thin stools.  It really sounds like our symptoms are indentical!  I don't know where you got the idea the odor wasn't so bad in my case--it's getting unbearable actually, especially since its been so long with no relief of symptoms.  I don't buy that nothing's wrong either, but I've been to the doctor about five times now (granted, the same doctor), and she has said flat out she has no idea what's wrong...so I've been trying to get up my courage again to go to a different doctor.  You can probably relate--it's not such an easy thing to describe to a someone the first time you meet them!
Anyway, good luck at your appointment!  I hope they figure out what it is!  Please keep us posted!
Concerned lady,
I thank you also for all of your suggestions.  Will certainly try them out (the ones I haven't already tried!)

[meandhepc]

To those with the yellow stools........
Have you been checked for Hepitis ??
This is a sympton. A simple blood test will find out.

[forest]

Yellow is the color they should be!  Yellow is healthy!!!!!
A healthy stool should be Yellow!!!  My doc, basically said "you can not change odor!"

[kellieb]

Hi I am a nursing student, but also my daughter has alot of medical problems and she gets C Diff every so often.......have you been checked for this? Only because the thing that stuck out to me was the foul odor issue....believe me  C Diff is a foul odor and once you smell it you will never forget it. It is also VERY contagious so make sure you scrub your hands after using the toilet like for about 2 minutes with hot water and soap....we just did a handwashing exercize in micro class at school and grew stuff, believe it or not , bar soap increases bacteria the longer you use it....30 sec vs 1 min. FYI! Scary huh? We found the best soap was Foam soap......just believe me our whole class did this the other day and grew the specimens for a few days in a warm environment............nothing came back as we thought it would..alot of surprised people! Just get checked for this.....and also try using Culturelle (capsules)...it puts the good flora back into your intestinal tract...My daughters GI Dr. who developed this put my daughter on it everytime she got C Diff...the stuff is amazing. I think it's about $10 to $15 I can't remember because we haven't needed it lately. It is down where laxatives and all that stuff is...if not..ask the pharmacist......GOOD LUCK!

[forest]

That's a good point, because everytime i shower, the smell seems worse!  Since I try to overscrub.  My doctor doesn't seem to believe it's anything.   I have asked him many questions, gave him many possiblilities, but he say's since my bowel movements haven't changed, my weight hasn't changed that it's the way i am.  I don't buy this, How bad is C, how does one get it.  Is it treatable?

[forest]

what soap do you recommend?

[kellieb]

I would get another DR. ...LOL  Seriously, you know your body better than anyone. I'm not sure which name the soap was but I know it was foam....I would think any store would have it if not try Bath & Bodyworks. If I can get the name on Monday when I have Micro class I will post here for you unless you get some by then. Everytime my daughter has had the CDiff she was  put on antibiotics and  her home nurses and I all had to glove up when changing her, BUT.....you can get it from using antibiotics too if I remember correctly, and she has had it at times after using them...have you been on alot of antibiotics before this occured? Just that it could be something not even obvious that you would never think of.....Look on a microbiology website under Clostridium Difficile  (thats the correct term for it but everyone just says CDiff, like Ecoli...) or look up the name itself, web md is a good site.Let me know here if you had any luck....

[forest]

I have been taking GNC's Acidophilus, and I'm definitely having easier bowel movements.  I have taken it many times this week, but just today I took it with milk, and my stool was like the length of a baseball bat.  I'm not sure that it's helping or not, but it is making me gasier, I guess it said it would the first week you take it.


The funny thing is I asked my doc, about Acidophilus, he said he didn't know what it was.  And it didn't matter.  Seriously he disappointed me, I offered the suggestion of maybe a bacterial infection and he said nah, you haven't had any vomiting or weight loss, so he doubted it.  I told him I had planned on changing my diet and he said see how it works for two weeks, and if not come back for tests.

Did you say acidophilus worked on your daughter? Kelly?

[kellieb]

Hi, it was Culturelle Capsules, I dont know where you live but I live near Boston which is where my daughters GI Dr is from New England Medical Center/Floating Hoaspital. If I were you, I would definetly get another Dr.....for him to say it is not bacterial, but yet not even test is very careless.........and I think alot of Dr.'s today think because they are Dr.'s they "know it all" I hate arrogant know it all's.........I've seen it first hand in nursing school. If you speak up to them, it blows their mind because you're not kissing their butt. I'm sorry but we all sit on the toilet and **** the same way....so I don't think a Dr. should have that kind of attitude because it's poor ethics, but that is my opinion. I had a Dr. that I was seeing due to some health issues stemming from an incident in Feb. where I fainted....he told me it was anxiety, gave me pills and sent me on my way, well, I made so many ER trips, 2 ambulance trips , and all my nursing instructors (6 of them) witnessed episodes of me turning pale white then ashen colored......he lectured me in a loud voice to stop going to the er and stop calling the paramedics, and didn't even check me..nothing!...there is nothing wrong he said. I kicked him to the curb after that....I now go to Mass General in Boston where they are the best. So....go with your gut feeling...if you feel something is not right , don't just listen to the Dr and say ok because they aren't always right.....I am one who very very rarely gets sick so when I had this haoppen to me and kept going to get checked everytime something felt strange with my body then got scolded like a child....bullcrap..I am an adult and no Dr is going to talk to me like that ...NH...(not happening)  You have to be persistant really. I know this will sound off the wall but .....you can tell a good, smart Dr. by the shoes they wear.....I know...sounds strange but think about it......they are doing 24-36 hour shifts.....and walking around in pretty, shiny, new $300.00  leather shoes is really dumb.....just tells me they are showing off they make lots of money. All my daughters Dr.'s wear running shoes or old comfortable shoes...I am serious...and they knew what they were talking about and were great and always correctly did testing etc etc. So as weird as it sounds , just trust what I say. Keep in touch, and another suggestion, go to a teaching hospital if you are getting nowhere with your Dr., That's what I had to do...I just went to the ER at Mass General and I ended up getting a Dr. who agreed with me for a change then got a referral to a new Dr. You'd need to go to a place like Mass General, John's Hopkin's, etc, places like that. Teaching hospitals are up to date on everything, these little hospitals don't know the latest things like teaching hospitals do. Good Luck Again...keep me updated!  Kellie

[liegh]

spring,
Have you had any lower back problems/pain associated with this?

[forest]

No back problems!  I feel better actually today, but I"m not sure if the smell is gone.  My family acts as if it doesn't exist, they just sniffle alot around me.  Yeah, I don't buy that some people just have odors, since this is not a body odor.

[kellieb]

Hi I just thought of something else......maybe it could be an endocrine problem as well. Were you tested for Diabetes? Sometimes Diabetics can have an odor due to the condition itself...I actually remember someone who had this problem...they just had an odor like they didn't use deoderant and it was stronger than it normally would be, Just a thought if you haven't already got tested. If not and your Dr won't do it...get a blood glucose monitor and check yourself...you don't need a prescription and they are very cheap..I got one at Walgreens for 25.00$ when I was having alot of problems, because I thought it could of been diabetes. Just a suggestion if you haven't gone that route, which you may have already, but I would still find a Dr who will listen. Just my opinion.

[forest]

I was wondering, not sure if i mentioned it, but I do have some what faint yellow spots, which may be signs of b o, but i'm not sure, you know how under your arms you get the yellow sometimes, i have that near my stomach and above it, in bits and pieces, it's not jaundice, i don't drink, haven't taken alot of asprin,  I've been noticing when I work out sometimes these spots diminish.  So could this be the case of the odor, maybe there is a lot of bad bacteria underneath my skin.  I am hoping maybe exercise may do the trick.  I really really don't smell it though when i sniff undermy arms or undermy shirt.

[kellieb]

Hi, I found out that the foam soap is Dial and it is sold at WalMart if you have one near you...it is like mousse...not the liquid one with the pump that is clear. Also...very odd...my daughter has C.Diff again...a few days ago.....I could tell by the smell....LOL     She is sick right now....low sodium, low platelets, high liver enzymes, tons of bile from her belly and wonderful C Diff.... On a lighter note, How are you doing? Any improvements with your situation? Let me know and did you get some Culturelle? I have to get it tomorrow for Di. This is not fun.   Kellie

[forest]

Thanks for your advice.  I'll keep you posted, I almost feel like a hypochondriac, with all the possiblities, but I did read someone mentioning something of the way food smells, lately smelling chicken or meat has become overbearing for me.  I haven't gone to see a specialist yet, I'm for sure never going to see my doctor again. I don't think there's an overnite remedy, if there is someone please spit it out.

But Kellie you've been very nice, can I ask what the sent is like of your daughter, I'm not sure but sometimes I can get a wiff of what it may smell like it, and it almost smells like food, but a sweet foul smell.  But the smell isn't like that everyday, only somedays i feel it smells sweet, but foul.  And come to think of it, I believe this began in my childhood.  People have been nice about it, so I haven't noticed until recent.

I'm not sure if the acidophilus is helping or harming, I'm beginning to smell the pills in the air too, but they help my bowel movements.