To worry about DH's weird breath smell?

[FortunesFave]

He's a fit and healthy 47....he doesn't drink alcohol or do drugs or smoke. He works out and eats an admirable diet.

However...over the past few months I've sometimes noticed a weird smell on his breath. I described it at first as a "Dairy/sweet" smell.

But it's got worse...last night he went to bed before me and when I walked into the bedroom, the whole room smelt of it. It's a sweet sort of smell...not absolutely rank but unpleasant and odd.

He is a health nut and says it must be a yeast imbalance...and has taken some brewers yeast and later some apple cider vinegar.

I just caught a faint whiff of it again though ...(it's evening here in Oz)

He sometimes has a bit of gut pain...and indigestion...that's all I can think of which isn't perfect about his bodily health. He's not a doctor-goer...should I worry?

i guess your dh could be right with what he thinks it is
a yeast imbalance

i meant to also look into probiotics

We can all speculate, but a medical opinion is required. I was just trying to point out that one possible cause, like ketoacidosis, needs immediate checking.

@Terralee

You can't get DKA in type 2 diabetes. If you get very very high blood sugars you can go into a Hyper Osmotic Non Ketoic Coma. People can get sudden type 1 diabetes into their 40s which includes DKA.

Anyway, I think a Gp appointment is called for.
But if OPs husband won't go there's not much she can do.

Unfortunately I know only too well you can with t2, although rare and more typical of t1. At which point it is a situation justifying A and E. It is worth him seeing a GP if only to eliminate diabetes or any of the suggestions here. His idea of a good diet may well be on the cusp of disordered eating and that will impact physically.

Lots of medical conditions smell of something. Hence why they’re training dogs for cancer and covid!
Some folks can pick up some conditions particularly well- historically it did used to be taught to doctors ( we’re talking 100 years ago) but was than seen as unscientific.
My husband has a severe mental health condition - when he is very ill he gets a distinct smell...very weird...but with this illness it is a known phenomenon.
Quite what you’re smelling is the issue. Maybe, under normal conditions, I’d suggest going to Gp explaining and get some routine bloods done to check out obvious stuff folks mentioned here like ketones and diabetes- but I’m not sure GPs are going to be easy to get hold of for this type of issue right now.

A GP I know says that not being able to smell patients (in video or phone consultations) is a great handicap in making diagnosis.

A new smell is important.

Test sticks (for wee) are usually easy to get hold of and done at different times of day might be useful. (A friend with medical training tested herself when on night duty at a hospital and bored... her test strip showed very high sugar in her wee - she has type 1 diabetes and had no idea of it.)

There is this woman (British I think) who can smell Parkinson's. My DC always smelled differently before they came down with sth.

So, I think he should be seen by sb. knowledgeable.

OP, what time of day does DH take the apple cider vinegar? Is it on an empty stomach and undiluted? It’s possible he has irritated his stomach lining if so. The apple cider vinegar is very acidic and should be diluted 1 part to 9 parts water before drinking it. It could account for the stomach pains and it’s also a risk for stomach ulcers. Another consideration is he could have Helicobacter Pylori, a bacterium which is linked to the cause of stomach ulcers so he should probably be tested for this and stop taking the apple cider vinegar until he has a diagnosis for the pain.

Girly anytime he wants...not daily...he doesn't take it on an empty stomach and it's always dilute. He's pretty knowledgeable about nutrition and food.

I think this has been mentioned earlier but this was one of my first ever symptoms of acid reflux. He needs to get checked out anyway (as you know).

But if he does have H.Pylori, he shouldn’t take it at all, it will make it worse. At least if he stops taking it until he knows one way or the other.

To those saying take him to A&E, that is not the appropriate service. Not sure about in Oz (where OP is) but in Britain A&E is for "Choking, chest pain, suspected stroke, blacking out, bleeding you can't stop, struggling to breathe". In other words really serious, imminently life threatening stuff.

@FortunesFave

Greyish forgive my ignorance but isn't diabetes something you're born with or get through being overweight/eating a lot of sugar?

Not necessarily. Some element of type two diabetes is generic and can happen even if you are not overweight, though it is more likely to develop if you are overweight. Also some adults can develop type 1 diabetes later in life , again not very common but definitely possible

I think he needs to get tested for diabetes, that kind of smell could indicate ketones present. Type 1 or 2 can happen at any time

DS was diagnosed with T1 diabetes by the smell, I would really push him to get checked because it can get life threatening.

Also you mention it smells like off dairy, I had this smell last year and I had developed Lactose Intolerance. Apparently it can come on at any time which surprised me.

forgive my ignorance but isn't diabetes something you're born with or get through being overweight/eating a lot of sugar?

Actually not necessarily, there's a strong genetic factor to both and t1 while rare can occur in older people,

New research being done seems to be showing that being overweight may be caused BY t2 diabetes rather than being the cause OF diabetes.

I know slim people who've always been slim with type 2

Age and race can be factors too.

Covid now seems to be a factor too, though of course covid's not been around for long enough to know exactly how and why.

But posters are right diabetes is only one possible cause and as we can't smell it ourselves it's really difficult to know for sure.

There are sweet smells associated with a number of conditions, diabetes is probably one of the most common of these but without knowing ops Dh's full medical history we can only make fairly random guesses.

But as some of these can indeed be serious and even urgent he really needs to get a medical appointment ASAP.

I'm afraid I agree he doesn't necessarily sound health conscious perhaps more dr avoidant?

Is he afraid of going to the dr op?

People that are can sometimes do all they can to stay fit and healthy in order to avoid seeing hcps.

Could be ketones but he might just be in ketosis because of his diet it doesn’t necessarily mean he is diabetic .

@CandidaAlbicans2

To those saying take him to A&E, that is not the appropriate service. Not sure about in Oz (where OP is) but in Britain A&E is for "Choking, chest pain, suspected stroke, blacking out, bleeding you can't stop, struggling to breathe". In other words really serious, imminently life threatening stuff.

With all due respect, ketoacidosis is life-threatening.

I see most posters suggesting dr or pharmacist for a blood sugar level check, which is the correct approach UNLESS the OP's husband starts feeling very unwell. I would have no hesitation in going to A&E or calling an ambulance in that instance.

If I hadn't been taken to A&E when I was unwell, I would have damage to my organs, etc. Luckily, they checked my blood sugar levels - which were at 35 and got me on to a drip immediately. Followed up by insulin.

With all due respect, ketoacidosis is life-threatening
I see most posters suggesting dr or pharmacist for a blood sugar level check, which is the correct approach UNLESS the OP's husband starts feeling very unwell. I would have no hesitation in going to A&E or calling an ambulance in that instance

@Frankie2008, many posters are just saying "go to A&E" straight away as they are diagnosing OP's DH without having even seen him or conducted tests! What I'm saying is that, with the info OP has shared, he is not unwell at the moment so he does not currently require a trip to A&E (which is backed up by the Gov advice on my post). All he needs to do at the moment is either go to a pharmacy or to call the Oz equivalent of 111.

Graphista Sun 18-Oct-20 15:46:57
forgive my ignorance but isn't diabetes something you're born with or get through being overweight/eating a lot of sugar?
.........
Diabetes type 1 often manifests itself for the first time in an older child or an adult. One of my husband's aunts developed it as an adult, after she had had children, and someone else I know was 21. They were on insulin injections thereafter but they managed.

Diabetes type 2 is linked to being overweight but people do get it for other reasons.

Ketone breath is a symptom.

I bought a blood sugar checker from the pharmacy for less than £20 - easy to use. Why not get one tomorrow and check your own blood sugar before suggesting you do his? Lots of info online about the normal range should be within first thing in the morning.

Haven't read all the replies but in case no one has mentioned, stomach pain can be a sign of diabetes so he does have a symptom.

Did you get your DH to speak to anyone, OP?