Foul menstrual blood odor

[geezlike]

I have never noticed much of an odor with my period, up until last month and now today.  It is absolutely revolting!!!  The blood has gone from being a lightish red to a deepish red-brown and it's kinda gooey and ickey.  I have not experienced many vaginal infections of any type in my life (I'm 38), so I'm very concerned about this smell.  I tried using the 3-day Monostat, but it appears to not have worked.  I'm really scared about this abrupt change in the odor.  On top of it all, I don't have any health insurance.  What should I do about this?  I can't risk getting naked with my man because the smell is literally that bad.  

[Esalab]

I had the exact same symptoms as the original poster. I thought I would check but not post on here either way, but I checked once, found nothing, and read other answers on here saying to squat and bear down so I checked again and there it was, the most foul smelling and terrifying thing I've ever encountered! I had to comment just to thank everyone who commented before me. I'm so relieved I'm almost crying...and NEVER buying another tampon ever again! Also made a doctors apt. cause how am I not sick when it actually smelled like something died inside of me!?

Thank you thank you thank you to all you wonderful women! This is feminism!

[specialmom]

Ugh, well, at least you found it and aren't having any bad repercussions from it.  It happens.  Okay, happened to me once.  I about died too.  And that is definitely something you never want to happen again.  What I do, as I can't imagine not using tampons, Is make a mental note, out and in, like I have a mental process of checks and balances to make sure I don't forget!  Anyway, glad it turned out okay and you found that thing!  Arghhh.  Being a woman is a pain in the butt sometimes, right?

[Stuffin83]

I've had this issue but if it was a tampon, wouldn't my OBGYN see it during my Pap? Plus I hardly ever use Tampons and only experience the foul smell during my menstrual.  I need a solution. Makes it so uncomfortable to be around people.

[specialmom]

This is not uncommon.  They make scented tampons?  I'd try that.  good luck

[Beachgirl47]

I am so glad I found this discussion. I just started my period yesterday and the smell was atrocious!!  I would have NEVER thought to look for a tampon stuck inside me. I got in the shower and inserted a finger. Just when I was convinced there was nothing inside me I pushed a little further and low and behold I FOUND AN OLD NASTY TAMPON!! I have no idea how long it has been inside me. How has it not made me sick?  How has it not been felt during sex?  How long will this smell persist?  So many questions!!  Thank you to everyone that has contributed to this conversation. I would never have looked had I not read all this.

[stephlalala]

I cannot believe it!  I am in the same boat as so many of you.  I had a very unusual period this month that started and then stopped for over a week.  When it came back the blood was much darker than usual and smelled horrific.  I worried I could be smelled from across the room at work and felt very concerned but too embarrassed to call the doctor.  I finished my period yesterday rather abruptly, which is also unusual for me as it normally tapers off slowly.  Anyway, I was ready to forget about it all since it was gone, but still felt a bit concerned.  I did a search online to see if there could be an underlying reason due to my age (38) or other health problem.  When I saw so many who had found a forgotten tampon I thought I'd better at least check to be safe, though I was certain that was not the case.  Low and behold, a tampon was stuck quite a way up and was sideways and wedged with the string curled around it.  I'm not sure how long it was even there, but I feel so relieved to have found it!  I thought you got toxic shock syndrome if you did this, so I was sure that could not be the cause of my strange symptoms and odor.  Wow.  Thank you all so much for your help.  I'm so glad I found this before it did become something more serious!

[Mrscardiva]

Honestly I don't know how to get it out? How did you guys get it? :(

[Aitch70]

Thank you! I think this article might well have saved my life. After feeling progressively more ill over the last month I googled my symptoms and it brought me here. Never for one minute did I think I had a retained tampon and yes I've just found it! Thank you!

[Curiosity2293]

OMG! I literally just had an old tampon pop out of me! (forgive me for being so forward with this) but I was on the toilet going number two and for some reason I had to push a little harder and next thing I know a tampon was also coming out of my vagina at the same time the poop was coming out!  To be honest I feel so much better knowing that the old smelling blood that was a brownish reddish color finally won't be smelling or looking like that anymore. Last month I went to the doctor and told Them that I think I left a tampon inside of me and they checked and claimed that I just had a cervix infection. However, that was simply not the case , based on what just happened to me! And yes! It does help to squat!