I stink

[soapysoapsoap1]

I’ve been really struggling with this and I don’t know what to do.

I used to shower once a day (a proper shower, not a quick wash) but I found that by the end of the day I smelled really badly, as if I haven’t showered. I’ve tried everything type of deodorant and antiperspirant, and I’ve tried every shower gel and scrub and wash and soap. I’ve also tried using no products at all. NOTHING makes a difference.

I usually shower twice a day because if I don’t, I smell so badly it’s noticeable and obviously I can’t have that. I’m not particularly sweaty (I do sweat but not an abnormally amount) I just smell. It’s a BO/musty smell and really horrible. if I shower before work I can actively smell myself later on.

ive even tried Mitchem, no difference

Am I just a total freak? This has been going on for a while and I’m too embarrassed to get a boyfriend because I can’t stay at someone’s house or hang out for too long without having a shower.

any help or advice would be really appreciated, thank you in advance x

My pee is usually a normal yellowy greeny colour

My pee has never been yellowy-greeny... hmm. It should be a very light yellow except the first one of the morning which would be a bit darker tellow, if you are well hydrated. Definitely want to echo the advice that others have given. And say how great it is that you are asking and will be able to get your health checked out properly to hopefully get down to the root cause. Do see a different GP in the practice or if you can't (but you should be able to), change GP surgery. No idea what the other one was thinking. It's true that all sorts of strange ie altered smells can occur during perimenopause so with the period issue it definitely all could be related to an ovarian issue.

Might be an idea to do some of your own laundry as well, as even if they are doing the laundry well 'for them', you might need to do yours slightly differently to make sure odours aren't lingering. A lot of people are washing at 30 maybe with eco stuff, this does not work for me on items that go close to various parts of the body. Especially if I have been on the metro or to the gym. I use a stain spray on these items and biological washing capsules. At 40 degrees and not on a quick wash. Yes you have established that the odours are coming from your body but if there are also some that linger on your clothes and are activated as you get hot during the day then that will make it worse.

First of all, back to see a different GP please, the consult you were given is atrocious. I can imagine what a worry this is for you.

Second of all, you said it can be a musty smell? Have you been checked for Diabetes? Or a fungal infection somewhere? Both of those can leave you with a musty smell.

I think you need to be a squeaky wheel here, don't be fobbed off by one GP. Your symptoms suggest an underlying condition that needs treating/a secondary referral.

I have naturally very smelly B.O. and like you tried everything. Mitchum didn't work for me. What has finally killed it is showering with Hibiscrub. Total gamechanger. Kills bacteria dead and sticks to your skin so keeps the smell away all day. I only need to use a little dab of natural deodorant afterwards.

Driclor is also a miracle but you need your pits to be totally 100 percent dry before you apply it or it'll sting like mad. I couldn't shave my armpits while using it, it was agony.

Driclor, bar soap, zoflora in the washing machine. When you wash your armpits really scrub them, spend a while on each one, not just a couple of seconds. Throw away any cheap old clothes that have the smell embedded. Don’t try to mask bad smells with perfume as it kind of mixes and smells worse.

Bad breath can be from your stomach, do you have indigestion or anything?

These things can all be fixed, don’t panic!

I really do feel for you, it's so awful when you can't work out what's wrong and your GP doesn't really seem to be interested but you need to insist on some further testing - it definitely doesn't sound like a hygiene issue. Def agree with a poster upthread who said make sure you go back later in the day, not when you are just washed.

I had a massive problem before I got on to hrt so I would strongly suspect you've got some hormonal imbalance going on. It doesn't sound like your diet is too problematic although I wonder if you are eating enough - are you in ketosis perhaps - can cause breath/body odour problems?

For me its the food i eat. I stay in india for one year and i eat a lots of curries and onion. Almost everyday. And i stink. When i back to uk and eat like usual and its become normal. But it does need time

Dettol soap to kill bacteria. Then rub this all over shower fresh, wet pits. Life changing.

www.amazon.co.uk/PitRok-W1060-Push-Up-Crystal-Deodorant/dp/B000S858L0

You really need a new GP. Unless you're on hormonal birth control not having periods really isn't nothing to worry about. I would have zero confidence in that GP. Something is going on, there is something underlying and given the lack of periods could well be hormonal. The GP would only test a couple of things, a gynaecologist would be much more thorough. 20 BMI is in the healthy range and shouldn't make your periods stop. It's not as simple as everything's fine because the GP ran a couple of tests. You need a better GP and referral to relevant specialists. Given the lack of periods I'd probably start with a gynaecologist, an endocrinologist might also be a good route to go down. A good GP will know what needs to be checked and what specialist you need to see once you've spoken about all your symptoms with them.

Please please see your GP again OP and, as PP said, be persistent, be that ‘squeaky wheel’ that they just can’t ignore. A lot of the symptoms you’ve mentioned have made me think you should go back to your GP. Specifically though, you mentioned migraines, and that jumped out at me particularly. Migraines can sometimes (not always though, of course) be a sign of insulin resistance, which is linked to diabetes.

I don’t want to worry you at all, and I want to emphasise not a doctor or medically trained! I just want to point out that migraines can be a symptom of insulin resistance. I can see you’ve also written that you’ve been drinking a lot of water (this may be very normal for you though, and something you’ve always done), which can also be a sign of insulin resistance.

Please make an appointment with your GP as urgently as you can and, if you can, take a relative or friend with you for support, to avoid the GP fobbing you off.

is the new? Did you have covid? DD swears she smells different and friend's husband had to be checked out at hospital as he did smell and friend said his body smell had changed which was weird for her too. he didnt smell like the man she had me and married

Haven't RTFT. Do you swim regularly? When I used a swimming pool, I'd always shower afterwards but the chlorine/chemicals must've stayed on me because if I used a body spray afterwards it made me smell really foul instead of perfumed.

I give another vote for going to see another GP. This sounds like there could be an underlying medical issue. From a quick google, it could be hyperthyroidism, or kidney or liver disease. Do not panic but do get it checked out. If you are young and in otherwise good health then most of these things are treatable.

Yep this.

I would look into improving gut health. Maybe try cutting out dairy too. Poor bacteria balance in your gut can cause all your symptoms.

In addition to GP of course!

mitchem bursts my head-try dry self with cool set hairdryer n apply sure 24 stick...
also
how old?is this new?did u speak gp/nurse?
i am 49 currently swing tween tryna decide if am ragin,roastin,psychotic,wrapsleevejumperable or care...cowchdive...
know what?its fixable... ok xxx

I can't help with the other stuff but I had a lingering vaginal smell even after trying bv and thrush treatments, ended up getting referred to gynaecology and having scans etc my periods were all over the place along with other gynae symptoms. Months later I got another unrelated issue and I went back to the gp and said I was still having the smell down there and she gave me tablets to treat the BV and that did stop it. I agree you need to go back to the gp about everything, could be multiple things and you're unlucky or it could be one thing causing all of it. I hope you get it sorted, I was SO self conscious about the smell and it would appear straight after showering I was at my wits end.

I found when I had Covid, and was quite unwell with it, my armpit sweat stank even though I was washing and using deodorant.

I'm pregnant and suddenly have to put on deodorant multiple times a day. Could def be hormonal. I'd want to be checked out anyway with your other symptoms. Can you make an appt and push for a gynae referral?

Have you tried benzyl peroxide?
It's usually suggested for acne and recommended for BO by dermatologist Dr Dre, you can find her on YouTube

PCOS would be worth looking into because not only does it cause very irregular periods, it’s accompanied by high testosterone levels which someone mentioned above can make you smell more.

You don’t have to be overweight to have PCOS.

I started my periods at 11. I’m 40 now, and have never missed a single one (except when pregnant and just after). In that file I have been severely underweight (BMI far lower than 20), overweight and everything in between. I have also enduring some major stresses. My point is that it is not normal for your periods to disappear at your age.

*in that TIME, not file.

Wash with Dettol antibacterial bar soap from boots, superdugs & most supermarkets & not shower gel.

Wash your clothes with biological washing powder at 40 or 60" to get rid of dried sweat odour.

Speak to your GP to find out if it's anything medical.

Shit yes this is what got me too!
That is incredibly serious op.that’s your body shutting something off going into survival mode and often the periods take the brunt first.
bmi isn’t everything.but you mention skinny? If your malnourished enough your periods have stopped that is serious and u need help.

I don’t want to worry you op.did you say your age?
because with the menopause hormone fluctuations may cause a change in body odor or vaginal odor.a drop in ostrogen can also do this creating more bacteria and smell. Add this to you lack of periods it could be quite serious.and you need to go get checked for early onset menapause. And you need to get that considered and checked as soon as because treatment and support is needed with this.
Don’t go changing or omitting lactose or going to some quack. Only a doctor and proper bloods and tests in hospital can tell you about allergies.

Another voice to the chorus of those saying you must see another GP regarding absent menstruation.

Regarding the BV smell, I get that when I've eaten fish. It happens almost instantly - fish for lunch, stinking by 3:00pm. The stink never lasts overnight or beyond. I think, though, this is a byproduct of the fact I use Multi-Gyn Actigel nightly to balance my vagina to prevent thrush (long story, but it definitely works for me!) Prior to using Multi-Gyn the stink would last a day or two, presumably until it had worked its way out of my body.

Good advice from pps regarding different soaps/anti-perspirants to try. I've found roll-on versions of anti-perspirants much more effective for me than sprays, even within the same brand.

Finally, I know this will be a daft question, really, but do you remove the hair from underarms etc.? If not, that could be a source of odour clinging to hair? (PS I do know it's daft to ask, but I also know some women don't remove their hair, particularly between partners! lol)

my room smells after me being in it overnight

Yep this sounds like Trimethylaminuria (or Fish Odour Syndrome which CRUCIALLY doesn't always make your body smell like fish, it's just a common description)

Your description above about the room smelling after you've been in it overnight even when going to bed clean, your PJ's stink after one wear, even when you & PJs are both clean to begin with etc - these are the things you need to be strongly emphasising to your GP and demanding a test for Trimethylamnuria