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1898092 tn?1323403422

2 Separate Body Odors! Please help, desperate!

Two separate body odors are present with me. I have already went to the Dr and she said that I have a genital e. coli infection, which is Bacterial Vaginosis. I told her that I also have an odor emitting from me and she acted as if she thought I was crazy... She did the Pap exam and told me she didn't notice any genital odors. Okay, that's good..but she didn't mention or seem to even care about my other concern, which was the main reason why I even went to the doctor in the first place! This odor is ruining my life. It affects me every single day-- when I go to work it is the worst. EVERY one notices it. People make comments about it and to me, in general--hinting...as if I don't know I smell. Um, hello! If YOU can smell it, I should be able to and I do. This has been so incredibly stressful for me and it is driving me insane. I am getting paranoid because of it and I avoid everything social that is within my control. Odd thing is, my boyfriend of many years claims he can't smell my body odor and he told me I'm acting like a hypochondriac because I'm always looking on the web for whatever it may be that is wrong with me. I work at a hospital nonetheless and when I walk around I can fill a room with my weird odor/scent. This particular odor that can fill a room is only one of my odors. I'll get to the other one later that I think is directed to the Bacterial Vaginosis). I specifically became aware that my body was producing a unique odor/scent after I started working at the hospital and I think may be due to the "clean" environment, as in void of other odors?. Not that the environment itself is causing the odor, because it is not. I notice the odor everywhere. It seems that after I get physically active the smell intensifies exponentially. I don't just mean sweat- we all know what that smells like. I wear deodorant and I even put body powder on around groin area and arm pit area, etc. to help absorb any moisture which brings me to the BV, or aka genital e. coli infection as the doctor said I had. I don't know if I have a genital or skin yeast infection, but I am really moist down t here and it soaks my panties and has a stale urine odor many times, but as often as that there is a pungent oniony smell, of which I can always remember having, but not constant. So, I'm thinking I have chronic genital bacterial infections? How would this cause an overall weird body scent, and if these odors are not related in any way then what is the other odor? I need to get blood tests, I guess? But what specific blood tests should I ask to get in order to see what is causing my body odor. I have done many hours of research on body odor culprits. Diabetes (ketoacidosis), diverticulitis, trichomoniasis, body/colon toxins, that fish odor syndrome that starts with a T, etc...but I don't think that the fish odor syndrome is what that body odor/scent smells of. I think my body odor possibly smells musky, metal-ish. It's weird. I don't know how to explain it and I'm at a loss -- especially when my doctor doesn't even believe me. I guess I should go to an appt with another doctor. I also am overweight, get shaky and weak and absent minded when I don't eat and am constantly tired all the time, even with 9+ hours of sleep. I think that is a symptom of hypoglycemia, but also was wondering if the sleepiness was also due to hypothyroid disease as my aunt just recently told me she has hypothyroid and she treats it with medicine, as it was completely inactive. Also, during my employment screen a while back the employee services nurse told me that my hemoglobin was low, as in I'm a little bit anemic she said... I know there's a lot of different ideas and info floating around in here..I don't know. I just want what's wrong and imbalanced with my body to go away and back to normal. I just want to feel normal and smell nice for once. This odor thing has been going on for the past 8+ months. Not sure if both BV thing and the complete body odor is related but it seems like maybe the other odor not related to the BV is emitted through my pores. Not sure of that but it's just a thought. Another thing, I have kitties and I was wondering if maybe toxiplasmosis could be a culprit in this body odor of mine. Well, If anyone at all has any input on this, please help. I want my life back. I'm at a loss. Main concern of mine is the culprit of the smells. Thanks.
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Avatar universal
You could be dealing with residual biofilms. I recall watching a documentary about a woman with this issue. She fixed it by addressing her diet. I'd suggest eating healthier/no sugar and including d-mannose, some xylitol, and peobiotics to your dirt. Dairy may be a culprit. Best of luck and I'm sorry about the doctora
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Avatar universal
Did the research and can help. But ... I'm not going in to details here. Too much to go over and I don't want to type forever back and forth. It's up to you to reach out. I'm here if you need me
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3 Comments
Hi, there I really need any info related to this problem. Thanks
I'm very interested in what you have found. I've been searching for a cure for a yr and a half now to no avail.
Sarah, if you click on a poster's name, you can send them a private message. It is possible that this is what Tochilv meant, and also since that post was from March, it is possible Tochilv is not watching this thread any more.
Avatar universal
I know what you are going through. My groin smells like onion and cumin. Very similar to the way smelly armpits smell. It fills up whole rooms. Anxiety and stress trigger it. But I can’t calm down because I’m so traumatized. It would be awesome if I could know when such pungent smell is released because I would then avoid entering public places. I’m becoming a recluse, scared of living life. This is taking an emotional toll on me so much so that I have suicide ideations. This isn’t how life should turn out for us. The world is difficult enough to thrive in and with this it just diminishes my will to live.
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5 Comments
Same here. Been going on since at least July now. Recurrent BV and yeast. Garden of Life vaginal health probiotics (in pink box) got rid of the yeast and now my wet prep shows no clue cells (for BV), BUT the odor is still horrid. The last doc I saw said she could smell it but since my results were clear, she gave me the same "some women just have an odor" BS. I've been having all the thoughts you';re having. Idk what to do at this point.
Here is something to try.  Antibacterial soap used on the outside of the vagina (not in).  Get into the folds of the area.  This might help.  But do not put it in the vagina.  See if that makes any difference at all.  Let us know.
You’re absolutely right! Suicide was the only thing in my mind when I posted my comment about my situation. The Lord rescued me though. I was making plans on how to carry it out. When I would cry at night angry at God on why I had to deal with horrific humiliations, panic attacks, agoraphobia because of my genital odors for 6 years, I heard God’s voice in my head say that if I committed suicide I wasn’t going to a good place. Jesus is the author of life and I couldn’t be my own God and take my own life. No matter what I was going through. I decided to open up to my parents. I’m 23 years old and living with them. My odor started my last semester of high school in 2012 and it completely derailed my life. I had gotten accepted to a top notch university. And from one moment to the next, my life went from being a beautiful ray of sunshine to complete darkness. My immediate family never noticed anything because this progressed slowly, until the year 2017 where I was getting panic attacks anywhere I would go. It didn’t matter how many showers I took, how hygienic I was, pills I took, stress triggered my amygdala sending my body into fight or flight response. And odor was one of the ways cavemen kept predators away. So since I had carried so much PTSD from my situation, I smelled everywhere. When I opened up to my parents on January 1st, we’re Catholic so we began to pray the rosary and asked Our Blessed Mother to intercede to Our Lord Jesus for my mental and physical healing. And on the 15th of January I received a miracle from my Lord. He revealed to me that everything I had endured had been demonic attacks. I am now free. I go out and no one rubs their noses. I am eternally grateful to God for my miracle. It’s not easy though because the enemy tries to tell me in my mind that I’m not healed but through prayer, faith, and Catholic sacraments, I’m learning to combat his attacks.
I realize that you can't contact me so here goes what I know. First of all Let me tell my story, what I did, the research of 14 yrs now and the truth. Its the whole Truth... There is no Cure.
My story started 14yrs may be a little bit longer looking back I had a few episodes of smells prior to the 14 yrs but they were like once a year for like 5 yrs.  So I say lets start when it finally surface and the nightmare started for me. I was at work in the recovery unit, I was at my station there were 3 people in the room, one was a patient. I notice a weird musty smell, then it got worst like a skunk smell. It was so bad that it made me want to throw up. Then my heart raced and I clocked my heart rate to about 160, I was in panic I was scared because I knew it came from me. I felt faint because my heart was racing, I was lightheaded, my skin felt weird too, like vibrations, a flush, a buzz going through it but for just a minute or so. Those few min felt like hours to me. I also noticed that I had a flush, a charge or electricity going  through me, my hair smelled like I just blow dried it and overheated the blow dryer burning my hair. I looked at the other Rn and she was gagging too. The surgeon walks in and he smells it and just continues to work and then just leaves. Of course I try to smell myself but I can't. I don't or can't smell myself right after the episode. This crap that's happen is overwhelming to me. I am in a panic, I am frighten, I'm embarrassed, I can't figure out how or why this **** is happening to me. I was normal yesterday, all I could think of WTF, I just want to leave but I can't. This event happened over and over to me in a 14 year period.  I went to my pcp had the lab work, went to see allergy Md who told me to change my deodorant, they all gave me the story of food, diet, ect... people that's not it. It might be for some but its not it for me or you. I started estrogen but realized the risk are not worth it. I wanted to commit suicide sometimes. I became self isolating, I didn't trust myself to be around anyone or worst be in someones car as a passenger. My kids noticed, Once during one of my episodes it was really bad these worst ones lasts the longest and were frequent and without a pattern in the very beginning. My husband would gag and leave me where ever I was. This one particular night about 2am I had this severe episode I didn't notice at first because I was in a hard sleep (REM) and I woke up to my husband popping up on his knees and leaning down on me and wrapping the blankets around me so I couldn't move to keep the smell from leaking out of the blankets. Yeah, I wanted to end it there. He never did that again but still he did worst stuff, like ignore me if we ever bumped into his buddies while out and about. He never introduced me to anyone while I was married to him. He just ignored me at home. I later found women on his phone. I should have divorced him but I felt like a worthless piece of **** that I was lucky to have him or anyone be around me. He died suddenly and I don't miss him anymore because I've come to terms with all of this, I don't believe he ever loved me, Nurses make great money and while who's to say he wasn't after that.
So long story short, 12 nurses in my department wrote to the director to have me relieved of my position. I made them physically ill. I have never had a incident where I was written up but somehow they managed to haI ve me terminated on false charges. I had the union intervene on my behalf  because I went to apply for unemployment and it was denied. I fought that and the hospital never showed up to the arbitration so I won that but still out of a job. I was losing my home. everything was falling apart around me. I couldn't find a job because word was out what I was. 6 months later I'm a mess but the union tells me the hospital want to settle. So I settled, its to late I've lost my home. So every job it takes about 4-6 months before they try to fire me on some charge, I always hear them talking about how they could do it. So  its been really a long road one that keeps repeating and now I don't get panicky,  I've gone to the various Md and specialist to check thyroid, endocrine Mds, skin Mds. GYN Md's, I'd asked the same question on different sites. I know as much as anyone of those MD's now because I've lived it. There is no cure, no has any documentation on it just us at sites like this. For me I thought it was cyclic meaning it came with my periods and when those stopped it didn't I thought ok, 10 yrs of post mental pausal but now its 14 and its still occurring. I still think it cyclic because when I feel my self ovulating on one side next day or so I get an episode. once in the morning and once in the evening for 1 day. the week before I get a musky smell all day on my skin lasting for 2-3 days.  I still get the vibrations or tingling on my skin, If I'm near a person who has allergies I send them in a coughing fit. Or their eyes water and throat get tight. My smell sends people into anaphylactic shot  if they stay near me for a long period of time. When at work I have to go into a small room with others and they all cough the entire time. I'm so over this that I no longer care if I bother you with my smell anymore. I stopped getting panic attacks while your coughing your lungs out. I know you will have no choice but to get away from me and keep 6 feet away and talk **** about me to anyone who will listen. SO now that you know where I stand with this her is what I do to get by at work. First I recognize that this happen while out and about or at work mostly so that tells me its people that are making me nervous, as it happens very little at home anymore. I can't lick this nor can you but I can clean the air around me. I do it with a product that doesn't have a smell to it something the hospitals use, its odorless, small compact and fits in my pocket. If I spray it in the air or directly on me, no more odor. And I do it alot, I spray my hair my chest because this thing is coming from the thymus gland on my upper chest towards the neck, that is why we can't smell ourselves the spray from our chest is sprayed up its away from us, we will smell it once it lands on something or stays in the air. Your armpits won't smell. This is your only defense. Buy a good supply on amazon remember to get odorless industrial if you can. You have to keep it with you at all time
This is my question 2009 on just Ask an Expert: its cut and paste. BTW don't get mad at this Md he was trying to help me. I was hard on him, you guys understand why, that day was not my finest and I wish I'd hadn't been so damn hard on him but this it what it does to us. I am a much kinder person now, because I know there is no cure. I won't let it rule me any more.


This is my Question it was cut and paste here:
Health Professional: RAJESH CHAUHAN
RAJESH  CHAUHAN
RAJESH CHAUHAN, Doctor
Category: Health
Satisfied Customers: 1,461
Experience: + 26 yr experience; amongst 'Top 100 Scientists', 'Top 100 Health Professionals', & Who's W
Verified
Health Professional: RAJESH CHAUHAN Md asking me Questions:
Do you remember any health event that took place roughly 2 years ago with you?
Do you have any health problems?
Any stress?
Any discharge PV or PR?
Any partial UV prolapse?
Have you changed partners frequently?
Ask Your Own Health Question
health problems last 2 years... just remarried. never had a problem before that.

Me answering here:
no health problem, had a physical for a recent surgery today all labs were normal except cholesterol that was just slightly elevated, 24 hour urine, catacholamine normal, tsh,normal menopausal cycle normal, thyroid normal.

stress nothing unusal I'm a nurse for over 15 years I know my job and I'm very calm when things occur... but it get a little stressful at times but rarely.

no discharge what so ever vaginally. uterus is patent. i do have fibroids and unable to get pregnant.

I wish i could change partners once in awhile but my husbands is totally against it...he is 6'2 and let just say he would hurt the guy, just kidding. ... no, sadly I am totally true to my husband. I rarely had any sexual partners, just 3 in all my years. first husband married 23 years then another partner for 7 years, and now my husband of 3 years.

I do notice the chances of these events occuring are within my menstral cycle about a week before and a weeks later. my doctors have put me on hormals everything from birth control to post menopausal hormones. noting worked... they tell me it all in my head... my co workers can agree that it just random.

I just read something that says i should have my doctor run a test to detect:
Trimethylaminuria
and the h.p for stomach. if those fail I should avoid meat, chicken, fish and dairy produce.?

health problems last 2 years... just remarried. never had a problem before that.

Health Professional: RAJESH CHAUHAN
It could be simple bacterial vagonisis for you, which is a treatable condition. Other than that I am really unable to figure out and would want other experts to help you.
Ask Your Own Health Question
That is 100% wrong, on multi, levels, rethink doctor... you must have it in you, I didn't expect a right answer, but I expected better than that. I said I had fibroids, confirmed by ultra sound last year, a vaginal infection would have show up on pap's vaginal exams and swab's. it is not related to the vaginal vault unless fibroids can control something as strong as thalamus r/t pit, that would travel the pathways of hormonal release, and the cyclic period, which would trigger rhythum changes and that would explain my sudden burst of tachycardia with increase heat flashes, finally ending in increase anxiety and release of sweat and ............smell

Health Professional: RAJESH CHAUHAN
In my previous post to you I had confessed my inability to figure out your problem and that I would have loved that some other expert would have helped you out owing to my inability. I thought I had clicked on the ‘opted out’ button, but here I yet see my ignorance of not verifying if my opting out has

Yaah, indeed that was really tough one for me to figure out the way you have resolved this issue of how this smell gets generated, with the fibroids initiating a strong stimulus to the thalamus, etc, etc, and finally because of increased anxiety and sweat you are getting that smell, which you say is like skunk. I will have to read up more about it in details.

However for now, I think you must get an advice on the preventive as well as management aspect of this smell. Hence in the best interest of your health I am opting out for other experts to be able to help you.

Best wishes.

Ask Your Own Health Question
Don't worry doc,.... no sweat.... you are in good company, my doc's at home are unable to help me as well. It would seem all the great thinkers of our times have past. We as a whole community are left to our resources and reduced to our own intelligents, my frustration is... it is difficult to have one that just won't listen and will not even TRY, yet my HMO continues to pay the jack ***,( not intended to insult you). So there you have it... you are off the hook.  

So here is how you handle this, don't think suicide, try and find a job where you are alone in a room or work from home or work out in the field where you are alone in your car. Self isolate during working hours.
Carry the spray it must be industrial like for a hospital and odorless. Spray often because you can't smell yourself. Spray the air when no one is looking. Stop taking 6 baths a day it won't help. Its not that we are dirty people we aren't that not why we smell. Get a hold of your feelings don't panic it brings it on. Stay calm try and control your nerves. Make friends like places like here, find the support group. you can't beat this so find a way to live with it. Never wear anything twice in a row, get your body weight under control and try not saying it will work but try to avoid red meat and coffee. Coffee smells like skunk. Get in shape and learn to deal with the anxiety block the anxiety without drugs, go for a run or hike or walk. Hope this helps.
Avatar universal
I have had the same problem for years. I am iron deficient also as im vegetarian. The smell fills my office and people dont like coming in (and no, its not due to my personality), but when I see doctor's they say they cant detect it. When I go for dancing lessons straight after work, everyone stands as far from me as possible, but they themselves stand close to each other (I dont know them, so again, it cant be about my personality). Ive been tested for vaginal infection but it was negative and I have no other signs. And obviously I have OCD regarding hygiene!
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Avatar universal
Im 17 and going through the same thing need help asap ..school is hell
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Avatar universal
I'm curious. Did you find any answers? I'm going through the same thing.
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1666434 tn?1325262350
Definitely keep us posted on any updates it will be interesting to hear the cause.
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1898092 tn?1323403422
Hey, thanks for commenting!

I was checked at the doctor for Chlamydia and Ghonnorrhea--both negative. There was no reason to have that, but the Dr. tested anyway, which was good. But, I had a urinalysis along with my pap exam and culture, but all the doctor said was that my vaginal lining, as in texture, was uneven, but other than that my pap was normal. She still wants me to see my OBGYN, which I fully plan on ASAP. I was just wondering if there's anyone else who has had this "phenomenon"... happen...such as a bacterial infection plus, maybe a severe, advanced yeast infection to cause such a unique, odd scent. Like, I said- it can fill up a whole room and the Dr. I went to said she didn't smell anything, but I noticed she rubbed her nose and reacted in ways that I am familiar with every day with other people whom I work with and around. So very frustrating. I just wish a damn doctor would not ignore my initial reason I come to them. She reacted as if I was insane when I told her and it was not easy to tell her because of the taboo BO topic.

Anyway, as of any STD that I may or may not have-- they've at least ruled out G + C. To me, there's no reason I would have one as I've been in a single monogamous relationship my entire adult life. ..Anyway, I've been making appt.s so only time will tell, but I still would like to know if anyone else is going or has gone through this before and how they treated it and kept this from recurring.

Thanks :\
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3 Comments
Any update?  I have the same problem and dr just thinks I'm crazy..... won't even return my phone call anymore.  I smell 10 mins after taking a shower.  People at work laugh at me all day long.  They smell me before I even get close by - fills a room.   Tried to get a medical leave until I can get a dr to find out what is wrong.  No luck.
Any updates for you? I've been suffering since about July...though my lab results are now clear of BV and yeast, the smell hasn't gone away since the beginning. The doctors at my PCP have been acting like it's all in my head, but the most recent doc I saw said she can smell the odor...but since my results are clear, she brushed my concerns off. I wish doctors had to experience trying to hold down a job and maintain sanity while smelling like this. I'm sure there'd be a solution by now.
There was a segment on a medical show, medical mysteries or something of that sort, I didn't see the entire show but it was two women with this issue and the medical team found their problem. I have tried with fail to locate that segment and obtain the answer. Don't give up!!! There is HOPE IN JESUS! Please respond. Trying to communicate with others to bond and find our ANSWER! As individuals doctors will continue to ignore our plea!!!
1666434 tn?1325262350
As you said it could be several different things or factors combined.  Sometimes it can even be your diet contributing to your vaginal scent and your hormone levels, have you made any changes in the last 6-8 months that would have an impact?  and have you confirmed that you do not have any STD that would cause this?
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