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Strange body odor follwing me
This gonna be a bit long, but I'm really serious and everyday is like hell so I'd appreciate if you read this and help me.
I thought it was GI problem or skin problem first time, but all the test results were healthy so every dr. sent me to psychiatrists.
I still think it's physical or neurological problem but people treat me like I'm mental so I write here. (No offense)
I've always had IBS all my life, and sometimes had body odor, but both were normal range and had nothing to do with each other. I mean when my IBS had really flared up there was no BO. and I'm hygienic person, I shower everyday for 1 hrs.
It started when I stayed in humid hot country. I'm weak to spicy foods or hot weather or stress, so I guess the place was the trigger--I developed severe underarm odor and become really gassy.
I'm usually a bit gassy and it's been odorless. But after staying that country(hot weather, severe stress, terrible diet) my body odor and gas(sorry, yuck) became really offensive.
So when I came back home I tried to eat healthy, lots of vegetables, limited proteins, no processed foods, etc...
Strange thing happens from here.
My skin odor disappeared and gas became nearly odorless, but strange smells started to follow me.
First I thought it was environment problem because it was not human BO. It was raw sewage smell or strange ammonia odor(not women's odor, pure ammonia smell), sometimes dirty clothe smell sometimes just undescribable something.
but time passes by I realized it was me. Because it followed me and when I bent down I could smell it coming from my body.
Then I thought I had rectal problem so intestinal gas leaking, but it was not.
One day I felt something more subtle than air coming out from my groin area and this air-like something was carrying the smell of my urine INSIDE my bladder. I didn't leak any urine, and my underwear, clothe were clean and my groin area skin didn't smell,
Something very subtle, air-kind something was seeping out from my body emitting odor of my inside.
Now you think I'm mental. don't you?
Sometimes I think I'm crazy too. and I WISH I were crazy.
And this smells change up to places, foods, condition, hormonal change, mood, or even weather.
I really can't pinpoint which thing trigger which smell. I just always have BO that follows me like radiation. Strange thing is my skin rarely have any BO now. (or my gas)
It's.... more like aura around me.
So people doesn't notice it was me first time, but slowly they start to notice it's me.
More bizzar thing is, this smell can travel to hundred meters in sec.
I MEAN IT.
I saw all the people walking hundred meters ahead me suddenly stare back at me, then start to look around as if they thought 'normal looking person like me' cannot emit this kind of odor spreading so vast area.
Plus, my family or friends or docs can't detect this smell. (though nurses can smell it I don't know why)
Many strangers can smell it (one day whole compartment of subway glared at me because of my smell. I remember the angry disgusted glares of people. I don't take subway after that.)
Some people mention it 'what the hell is that smell'... 'who **ted'... 'that's her'...
But my friends can't smell it. They are not lying. They usually point out my every defects, so when they say they don't smell, it's true.
Further strange thing is, the smell changes up to places.
Sometimes it start to emit in basement or bathroom, sometime in alleys, sometimes at my home, it just changes and I don't know why.
Just one more plus, some odors not emitted from me(like garbage smell or other persons smell) FOLLOWS ME.
One day there was an alcoholic in waiting room and I stayed there about one hour. After that day, for 2 days I emitted alcoholic stench from my body. I wasn't even sitting next to him but it was like my body aura absorbed the stench!
Think it was demanding reading, sorry.
But I had to vent all the strange symptoms that's killing me everyday.
How can this kind of symptom exist?
Severe BO? I can live with that. But smell of my inside gut or bladder escapes me?!! and it spreads to vast area in seconds?! and whatever I eat however I shower the smell doesn't go away?! and the BO is not normal human stench?
Sometimes the smell is so not human, more like sulphur substance in Lab, I can blame it to sewage problem.
Now I'm taking xanax to calm me down, and it helps me about sulfhuric odor, but when I take xanax too much it becomes rotten garbage odor.
Already too long to read, I'll add some more in replies.
Is anyone here have this problem?
What the hell is this? How can physically this kind of thing exist?
PLZ, somebody, help me.
My psychiatrist gave up on me and just throw me some xanax sometimes risperdal but they don't work much.
Oh, and every physical dr (GI, Hormonal, Traditional docs) gave up on me too.
I thought it was GI problem or skin problem first time, but all the test results were healthy so every dr. sent me to psychiatrists.
I still think it's physical or neurological problem but people treat me like I'm mental so I write here. (No offense)
I've always had IBS all my life, and sometimes had body odor, but both were normal range and had nothing to do with each other. I mean when my IBS had really flared up there was no BO. and I'm hygienic person, I shower everyday for 1 hrs.
It started when I stayed in humid hot country. I'm weak to spicy foods or hot weather or stress, so I guess the place was the trigger--I developed severe underarm odor and become really gassy.
I'm usually a bit gassy and it's been odorless. But after staying that country(hot weather, severe stress, terrible diet) my body odor and gas(sorry, yuck) became really offensive.
So when I came back home I tried to eat healthy, lots of vegetables, limited proteins, no processed foods, etc...
Strange thing happens from here.
My skin odor disappeared and gas became nearly odorless, but strange smells started to follow me.
First I thought it was environment problem because it was not human BO. It was raw sewage smell or strange ammonia odor(not women's odor, pure ammonia smell), sometimes dirty clothe smell sometimes just undescribable something.
but time passes by I realized it was me. Because it followed me and when I bent down I could smell it coming from my body.
Then I thought I had rectal problem so intestinal gas leaking, but it was not.
One day I felt something more subtle than air coming out from my groin area and this air-like something was carrying the smell of my urine INSIDE my bladder. I didn't leak any urine, and my underwear, clothe were clean and my groin area skin didn't smell,
Something very subtle, air-kind something was seeping out from my body emitting odor of my inside.
Now you think I'm mental. don't you?
Sometimes I think I'm crazy too. and I WISH I were crazy.
And this smells change up to places, foods, condition, hormonal change, mood, or even weather.
I really can't pinpoint which thing trigger which smell. I just always have BO that follows me like radiation. Strange thing is my skin rarely have any BO now. (or my gas)
It's.... more like aura around me.
So people doesn't notice it was me first time, but slowly they start to notice it's me.
More bizzar thing is, this smell can travel to hundred meters in sec.
I MEAN IT.
I saw all the people walking hundred meters ahead me suddenly stare back at me, then start to look around as if they thought 'normal looking person like me' cannot emit this kind of odor spreading so vast area.
Plus, my family or friends or docs can't detect this smell. (though nurses can smell it I don't know why)
Many strangers can smell it (one day whole compartment of subway glared at me because of my smell. I remember the angry disgusted glares of people. I don't take subway after that.)
Some people mention it 'what the hell is that smell'... 'who **ted'... 'that's her'...
But my friends can't smell it. They are not lying. They usually point out my every defects, so when they say they don't smell, it's true.
Further strange thing is, the smell changes up to places.
Sometimes it start to emit in basement or bathroom, sometime in alleys, sometimes at my home, it just changes and I don't know why.
Just one more plus, some odors not emitted from me(like garbage smell or other persons smell) FOLLOWS ME.
One day there was an alcoholic in waiting room and I stayed there about one hour. After that day, for 2 days I emitted alcoholic stench from my body. I wasn't even sitting next to him but it was like my body aura absorbed the stench!
Think it was demanding reading, sorry.
But I had to vent all the strange symptoms that's killing me everyday.
How can this kind of symptom exist?
Severe BO? I can live with that. But smell of my inside gut or bladder escapes me?!! and it spreads to vast area in seconds?! and whatever I eat however I shower the smell doesn't go away?! and the BO is not normal human stench?
Sometimes the smell is so not human, more like sulphur substance in Lab, I can blame it to sewage problem.
Now I'm taking xanax to calm me down, and it helps me about sulfhuric odor, but when I take xanax too much it becomes rotten garbage odor.
Already too long to read, I'll add some more in replies.
Is anyone here have this problem?
What the hell is this? How can physically this kind of thing exist?
PLZ, somebody, help me.
My psychiatrist gave up on me and just throw me some xanax sometimes risperdal but they don't work much.
Oh, and every physical dr (GI, Hormonal, Traditional docs) gave up on me too.
Best Answer
if no search result is presented, click the 'communities' in the upper bar at the search result page
I made a google+ community for people experiencing the same nightmare. but I've found that medhelp.org doesn't allow you to post including some URL link.
so... anyone would like to join the google+ community, go to the Google Plus site and search "Strange_Smells_Following_People";
it's the name of the community at the moment. I will appreciate if any native English speaker suggest better name.
so... anyone would like to join the google+ community, go to the Google Plus site and search "Strange_Smells_Following_People";
it's the name of the community at the moment. I will appreciate if any native English speaker suggest better name.
I had the same "nightmare" for years. It's incredibly hard, but I have a wife and a son that I love so much, they can help me bear the pain. First off, I have never spoken about this "condition" to my wife. It seems that she never "smells" me....and is honest about it if she does smell (if I fart or have stinky feet). My story is too long to write and I have all the same experience as all of you had. the strangest, and still going, is that when I drive, other drivers and people in other cars seem to smell something, even when my windows and their windows are rolled up!! I thought its just in my head but I see people trying to smell their armpits or putting their heads in diffferent places in their cars as if to find the smell.
Forget about social settings, party's and going to the mall, it is incredibly difficult, that my wife gets depressed, mad or sad if I want to go home right away. But is has gotten to a point where my ability to provide for my family has been nightmarish, I have been laid off twice, even if I went above and beyond work, the second time I lost work--I have even been given an award for my services, and yet I got fired. Then my current, I have only been their for 4 months, people have been noticing me and my smell, even from afar, even on the first floor where the doorman/security guy coughs VERY LOUD or laughs and talks about "the guy", its "him". Now, its gotten to a point where rumblings from our directors office about me, although I faintly hear them, I know they are talking about me.
I have accepted my curse, people laughing at me, hating me, the looks, everything.... but if I lose my job again, it hurts so much that my family will suffer for it. i cannot combat it eitheir because I have no diagnosis, it so weird that my smell can be smelled by afar, and yet some people cant smell me. funny thing is the same people I work with that talk to me and are "friends" with me, cough all the time as if they smell something bad.
If they fire me, if I try to sue, its not like its discrimation. I do not know what to do anymore, I need help.
One more thing that validated that I do have a smell.... I went to my dentist, I showered and "perfumed" before coming, and oh yeah I have deodorant on, and brushed. Then my dentist begain talking with me, then she asked me what my nationality was... then she said she know some of my native languange. then she did talk in my native languange with a bad accent but clear as day, translated: " your armpits smell bad!" I was lost for words and just had a nervous laugh.
God help me, I prayed, I still suffer everyday.
Forget about social settings, party's and going to the mall, it is incredibly difficult, that my wife gets depressed, mad or sad if I want to go home right away. But is has gotten to a point where my ability to provide for my family has been nightmarish, I have been laid off twice, even if I went above and beyond work, the second time I lost work--I have even been given an award for my services, and yet I got fired. Then my current, I have only been their for 4 months, people have been noticing me and my smell, even from afar, even on the first floor where the doorman/security guy coughs VERY LOUD or laughs and talks about "the guy", its "him". Now, its gotten to a point where rumblings from our directors office about me, although I faintly hear them, I know they are talking about me.
I have accepted my curse, people laughing at me, hating me, the looks, everything.... but if I lose my job again, it hurts so much that my family will suffer for it. i cannot combat it eitheir because I have no diagnosis, it so weird that my smell can be smelled by afar, and yet some people cant smell me. funny thing is the same people I work with that talk to me and are "friends" with me, cough all the time as if they smell something bad.
If they fire me, if I try to sue, its not like its discrimation. I do not know what to do anymore, I need help.
One more thing that validated that I do have a smell.... I went to my dentist, I showered and "perfumed" before coming, and oh yeah I have deodorant on, and brushed. Then my dentist begain talking with me, then she asked me what my nationality was... then she said she know some of my native languange. then she did talk in my native languange with a bad accent but clear as day, translated: " your armpits smell bad!" I was lost for words and just had a nervous laugh.
God help me, I prayed, I still suffer everyday.
1 Comments
Hey so sorry your going thru this I have suffer from this condition for as long as I can remember but I will tell you this there is a light at the end of the tunnel. what I mean there was a time when everyday was a bad day for me. I too went thru a period I thought it was all in my mind all the test I took came back normal and when I asked people I trusted they would say the same thing I don't smell anything. In spite of this condition I believe with everything in me that one it was real and two I could defeat it. I tried eating healthy but healthy eating or not seem like I still omitted some foul odor. try supplements, probotics and so forth. whatever I did seem to only partially work. until one day I realize with everything episode I had it was accompanied by intense anxiety. This may sound crazy but in my intense it has been proven. it was like I was the firecracker and my anxiety was fire. and depending on how stress I was feeling the worse I smelled. I could be lying in bed and because I was so worried about the ride to work with all those people on the train or bus I would have an episode. I was so afraid of smelling bad it literally controlled my life.
A couple of things about smells:
It really is taboo like you wouldn't believe. Walking around with your penis hanging out isn't as bad. What? You have a medical condition(s)? No you just don't shower.
People will desert you in droves. Make no mistake. Whatever happened to compassion? What about friends? Surely family will have your back? **** me!
It is no point asking someone - even family - if you smell. It's not to avoid hurting your feelings. It's just taboo. They will make fun of you though. The best sign if you've improved is sniffing rate, particularly near an Asian person.
Signs you smell include coughing ("come clean") and sniffing. Try and be consistent in your hygiene routine so that 1) you will feel more confidant 2)you will be able to gauge your success on body language - especially sniff rate.
Beware. Once you smell more than once, It sticks. You not be able to rely on old sniffers. They (especiall assholes) will now sniff when you are clean too. therefore you need to find new objective sniffers. Do not fall victim to paranoia. Be honest with yourself and develop a good hygiene routine. This helps with paranoia. Paranoia drives you crazy as bat ****. If you've done the best you can do (shower everyday, new cloths everyday, perspirant, teeth, feet etc, forget about it. Let everything slide, but learn. Develop strong mental boundries to minimize hurt and self esteem erosion.
Beware of depression!!! it sneeks up and compounds your problem. Seek help if need be. Find inspiration. Work on self esteem and confidence
People can be soooo cruel. Do not inflict extra suffering on yourself. Have self compassion. But do something about it asap everyday. Get plenty of sleep, water, lots of dark greens, etc. Don't forget to ****. The headgame becomes the hardest part of your recovery. You must establish confidence that you have done the best you can everyday.
Do not react to sniffers and taunts! Never react emotionally. You risk coming across as psycho and loosing your job, and it only encourages assholes. You need to accept your situation.
Yes, stress makes things worse, so try and relax.
I wouldn't wish this on anyone. It will severely test you as a person. Rise to the challenge!! Good luck.
It really is taboo like you wouldn't believe. Walking around with your penis hanging out isn't as bad. What? You have a medical condition(s)? No you just don't shower.
People will desert you in droves. Make no mistake. Whatever happened to compassion? What about friends? Surely family will have your back? **** me!
It is no point asking someone - even family - if you smell. It's not to avoid hurting your feelings. It's just taboo. They will make fun of you though. The best sign if you've improved is sniffing rate, particularly near an Asian person.
Signs you smell include coughing ("come clean") and sniffing. Try and be consistent in your hygiene routine so that 1) you will feel more confidant 2)you will be able to gauge your success on body language - especially sniff rate.
Beware. Once you smell more than once, It sticks. You not be able to rely on old sniffers. They (especiall assholes) will now sniff when you are clean too. therefore you need to find new objective sniffers. Do not fall victim to paranoia. Be honest with yourself and develop a good hygiene routine. This helps with paranoia. Paranoia drives you crazy as bat ****. If you've done the best you can do (shower everyday, new cloths everyday, perspirant, teeth, feet etc, forget about it. Let everything slide, but learn. Develop strong mental boundries to minimize hurt and self esteem erosion.
Beware of depression!!! it sneeks up and compounds your problem. Seek help if need be. Find inspiration. Work on self esteem and confidence
People can be soooo cruel. Do not inflict extra suffering on yourself. Have self compassion. But do something about it asap everyday. Get plenty of sleep, water, lots of dark greens, etc. Don't forget to ****. The headgame becomes the hardest part of your recovery. You must establish confidence that you have done the best you can everyday.
Do not react to sniffers and taunts! Never react emotionally. You risk coming across as psycho and loosing your job, and it only encourages assholes. You need to accept your situation.
Yes, stress makes things worse, so try and relax.
I wouldn't wish this on anyone. It will severely test you as a person. Rise to the challenge!! Good luck.
like derp74 said, my stuff gets worse when my anxiety level goes high. I will also try relaxing my mind while I am trying some physical treatments.... though it's very hard because I have been experiencing this nightmare over 10 years so I have so many memories related with this nightmare...
i feel like this all the time when you go somewhere like on a bus you feel liek people are talking about you saying you smell it drives you to the edge i wouldnt mind but i had a shower 5 mins before i got on the bus. i have never felt so bad in all my life but everytime i ask someone they tel me i dont but by asking you lose your pride and self confidence. i have eventually lost all my friends as i only feel comfortable being by myself but by being by yourself this gives you more time to think and you start doubting yourself i dont no what to believe anymore if anyone can help i would appreciate it thanks
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I think it is very telling that the people who are around you (and people who care about you and would be honest with you) do NOT smell anything. You THINK strangers around you are smelling you, but that just may be a psychological reaction, because YOU think you smell, so you think they smell it too, and you feel self conscious.
What do you mean nurses can smell it? How many other people, besides you, and not including strangers, have verified that they smell something? How do they describe it?
While there is no doubt that certain medical conditions and diseases cause different odors, you've seemingly had a lot of very thorough work ups from many different specialists, and again, it is just too significant to ignore that really, YOU are the only one who smells this.
I'm sure you are frustrated and I'm sure you genuinely believe this is going on (and it might be, obviously I can't say either way), but my own personal assessment is that perhaps this IS indeed psychological in nature. It could be olfactory hallucinations, it could be an exaggerated perception of a very subtle normal body odor. It sounds like perhaps when you stayed in the "hot" country, something happened there that changed you. Maybe due to the circumstances, when you WERE having BO and other issues, you became so overly sensitive to it and upset by it, that you were sort of left traumatized?
I'm not saying that you're crazy, and I feel for you, but with all the medical assessments you've had, and the fact that no one close to you smells it, really points more toward something pyschological in nature. Have you tried therapy? How about any other meds besides Xanax?
I wish I had something better to tell you, but that's my hunch. I think it wouldn't hurt for you to dive into mental health treatment, give it a try. In the very least, if the smell is real and undiagnosed, you need support to get you through this. I'm sure it is affecting every aspect of your life.
Very best of luck to you!