A couple months ago (end of June, beginning of July) I had got this pain in my left armpit. I can feel a small malleable mass there, and at first figured it was an ingrown follicle, and waited for it to come to a head. It never did, it just mysteriously disappeared. During and after that I started smelling these mysterious smells... sometimes smelled like burnt dust, mold, vomit, or a smell I can not describe... but all of them were foul. They were not accompanied by a bad taste or any strange residue on my tongue (as sometimes a bad smell can come from the mouth). No one else could smell these smells, and they went with me everywhere. Even when I left the house I could smell them. I tried putting oils (vanilla, orange etc) under my nose, but the other smell over powered it. I tried putting vapour rub (Vix) under and inside my nose, and after a few sniffs I could not longer smell the vix, just whatever foul smell was occuring. It came and went, but was strongest at night. I'd washed myself vigorously, used non-scented and scented products, and got other people to actually smell me in case I was te source. I told them not to be polite and be honest. They said I didn't smell vulgar.
It stopped after a month. A trouble free month and a half passed, and I mentioned the bad smells to my Psychiatrist (figuring it was likel psychological.) At the time I did not attribute it to my armpit. He told me if they did not go away to get a CAT scan... but otherwise just pulled this face that gave me the impression he found it strange... However, since they went away, I didn't get any tests done. However, yesterday my armpit began to hurt in the very same spot, with another small lump. Today the bad smells returned, so now I am linking the two.
No, I have not had a sinus infection recently, nor have I had congestion or pain and pressure around the eyes.
I'm a bit curious if anyone has had similar symptoms, or have a guess as to what it might be? I was afraid to bring it up with my GP, thinking he'd think I was crazy or making it up, and even was tempted not to mention it to my Psychiatrist about it. I guess I am more or less fishing for other people with something similar so that /I/ don't think I'm crazy.