This problem has made me so depressed....

[rr30]

Hi there, I'm new to this forum, looks like it's probably the best place to come besides visiting a doctor (which I have done a few times now).... to cut a long story short, last July (2010) I suffered from a bout of constipation, then had a mild bout of food poisoning after, which caused me to pass a lot of worm-shaped stools, maybe 5 or 6 times in one day. I noticed all of a sudden people started telling me I stunk of s***, but seriosuly couldn't smell a thing and I am extremely hygenic, so really doubted it, but my friend even told me and he was honest I could tell. Since then I have had the same reactions of people, basically as if I stink of crap, and all this seems to link with my bowel problems which I have had since last July - my main symptoms are: a fairly constant wet feeling around my anus (which I notice a lot more when I sit down), bowel habits are "messed up" - opening my bowels from missing a day to 3 times a day (but this doesn't seem major, usually I get it to the standard once a day, often twice though). Also my other main symptoms include my stools are "broken up" and there is almost always stool left inside me after I've been, I just can't get rid of it no matter how much water and fibre I have in my diet, it's like my muscles down there are too weak maybe. A couple of other things: this fecal odor of course (it is getting me down so much, I wash like everyone else, at least once a day, and wear clean clothes and underwear also), and also I get more gas than before.

I have been diagnosed with IBS, but seriously maybe it is the case, but I don't think this "fecal odor" (crap smell) is normal at all.... anyone have ideas? Please also ask me anything about my condition, about any consultations with the doctors I've had (I am in the UK, so go through the NHS), or anything else for that matter?

[birkinator]

ya i went to my GI doctor and she said intestinal yeast is not an issue, but I know I have it so now I have to self treat myself with yeast cleanse. I also have the same symtoms as you.....smelling like **** and wetness in the anal area

[patient915]

The problem you describe is actually very common.  It sounds like ggreg has provided you with a possible solution to your problem, and the next step is yours.  You need to go see your doctor again now that you have a good idea of what is going on.  I know that this problem can be very stressful and depressing and it can be hard to find the motivation to do things like see your doctor again when you feel like you've seen your doctor a ton of times, but you need to do it.  Good luck and I hope you do decide to see your doctor about this.

[ggreg]

For gosh sakes, RR, go to your physician, tell him you've heard of candida overgrowth and yeast overgrowth, and you think that's what is going on with your fecal odor situation.  Also, aks the doc about any other unusual sorts of disorders that can cause this.  He should be treating you with the Candex and Diflucan to get rid of the possible overgrowth problems, he should open his textbook and read about other rarer causes and treatments for fecal odor, and let HIM decide what tests and stuff to do.  You are just supposed to show up, tell him what you've heard it might be, and then let him take over the appointment and get you straight.  

You can talk about your misery all day long, but treatment is the answer.  And the only way to get that is to go to the doctor.  And since you now have a handle on what it probably is, you're in even better shape for resolving this.  Even tho you're in the UK, you can go to an Internal Medicine doc brand new, and they can treat you for all this stuff as well as any family doc or gastro doc, and they are really the very best diagnosticians around, assuming you have Internal Medicine docs.  Yeast and candida overgrowth are COMMON problems, and no matter WHAT doc you see, they will instantly know what that is and be able to give you medicines to treat it.  I really hope that is what is wrong with you, and therefore I feel confident you will be cured, and you won't have to worry about all this crazy stuff again.  So, with that, I shall leave this thread of yours to yourself and others, cuz I'm done.  GG

[rr30]

Thanks ggreg, yeah I did see those posts actually. I really don't know where to begin though, I am on probiotics at the moment, and eat much less red meat and try to get a lot more fibre in y diet, as well as drinking plenty of water. So, what do I say to my doc if I suspect it might be Candida or some imbalance? What sort of tests would show this?

Your help is greatly appreciated, and if anyone else wishes to join in then that would also be really useful - I simply cannot go anywhere now it has affected me more mentally than anything else in my life.

[ggreg]

Here's two posts when I typed in "odor" in the search rectangle, under the thread "Fecal Odor," it tells what I was thinking:

by mamcquee, Aug 23, 2009 12:14AM
have you looked into candida or leaky gut?? I have the same problem and have received no help from doctors. I am now taking Candex to kill the candida and trying to stick to an anti-candida diet. It many articles on the internet fecal body odor is not listed as a symptom of candida overgrowth but there are many people with fbo that have gotten rid of it by treating for candida overgrowth. hope this helps.

by Jemital, Feb 11, 2011 11:46PM
Diflucan gets rid of the yeast. Then use  Symbion Probiotics to reestablish the flora of the intestines. That's how I got rid of my odor. Wheat germ helps for the constipation.

[rr30]

Thanks for your helpful reply gregg, it's just my problem is so depressing and taking control of life that I really wanted to create my own thread, as I might get a little confused with everyone else's problems and assume I have everything they have (hope you understand what I mean by that). Actually I have been referred to a gastroenterologist who I see in early July, but before then I want to maybe narrow down what it could be, and as you say, looking at other people's threads may give me an idea. So far, I have actually only been diagnosed with IBS and also an tiny anal fissure for which I was prescribed GTN cream. I thought maybe the odor is due to the fissure leaking mucus, and that's why I am also getting a wet feeling down there, but having used the cream for maybe 3 weeks the odor has remained, and apparently it was only a tiny fissure. Also, I have had this problem since July 2010, and of course a fissure alone wouldn't cause a change in bowel habits on top of that, as well as my stools being "broken up", so it must be something else. Any ideas of your own, or from anybody else, would be extremely appreciated...

[ggreg]

There have been a number of posts about people who have an odor, and there are reasons for it and solutions, just do a "Search This Community," the rectangle with a green "GO" to the right of the heading of your original post on this page.  You say you have seen docs, but if you have not been referred to a gastroenterologist, you must go, and if you've been to one and he had no solutions for this odor situation and continuing indigestion (might be from an intestinal bacteria, altho I think when it has odor it's something a little more involved), and I believe IBS is not the correct diagnosis, then you should seek a "second opinion" from another gastro doc.  If all else fails, an Internal Medicine doc is also a pretty good choice, they are excellent diagnosticians, try to find a group practice.  But you are not alone, many people have this, and there are solutions, I just cannot remember.  I think there's medicinal charcoal you can get at the health food store that might tide you over until you can get in to see a proper specialist.  Also, again, do a search of this forum, find "odor" or similar words, see what other threads figured out.