To wonder why my period suddenly smells so bad?

[OneShyEagle]

Sorry, I know this is TMI, but hoping I can get some advice.

I wear tampons, but for security, wear period underwear to bed, as I often bleed too much for a tampon. Aware you’re probably not supposed to use tampons at night, but it’s always been fine for me.

Anyway, this morning I woke up, after having the heaviest day of my cycle, so I had definitely leaked a lot.

The really weird thing is, it smelled awful! This has never happened to me before and I’m late 30’s. I’d say it had a fishy odour. I’m so embarrassed writing this, but wondered if anyone has any suggestions as to why, or has experienced this before?

i washed as normal and have been worrying all day in case I smell, but if there is a smell now, it’s much less obvious than it was.

If anyone has experienced this, I would be so grateful to know what had caused it? Please help a very embarrassed mum.

Also, I can’t quite believe how quick people are to seek medical attention! She’s had a smelly faff for 1 day! There’s definitely things you can to check / eliminate before seeking a precious NHS appt. Some good suggestions on the thread already but if you’re feeling well and the smell has gone then I don’t think you need the panic level of making an immediate appt somewhere. There’s no wonder we’ve got a crisis on our hands. And yes I know people have died from TSS etc but you have to risk assess these things.

Jad this with a piece of cotton from the tampoon that had got stuck inside.

Finally fell out after a few weeks and it stank!! No bigger than a matchstick head mind.

I came here to say the same. Every period I had for around 6-8 months smelt revolting.

The gp wouldn't help me or refer me for a scan and brushed me off as having bv. The gel and treatment for bv did nothing. I went back every month and they point blank refused to help me. I was labelled a nuisance and time waster. One of the main reasons I eventually left there.

I was so self conscious and I knew that it was not only me that could smell the smell so I ended up calling in sick to work during my periods.

Eventually I saved up enough to pay privately for gynaecology and they took swabs, all negative for bv or infections.

I then paid for an ultrasound and I had loads of fibroids. They said it looks like one had burst and the tissue was stuck in there unable to pass.

One day I had a horrific period that felt like labour pains and I passed a massive clot. It smelt like a rotten corpse!

Ever since then I've not had any more issues with smell. Thankfully the rest of the fibroids seem to be small enough that they don't cause any issues either.

Being a woman is shit sometimes! Hope you figure it out!

Anyone who can manage with just pads at night for the first two days of their period must have very light periods! I also wear both tampons and pads and there's no way I'm giving up nightly tampons at the start of my period.

All this talk of lost tampons always panics me, I have OCD and am always convincing myself I forgot to take the last one out before I put a new one in. Will be avoiding period pants after this though that's for sure (not that I have any inclination to try them anyway)

Could you seee a doctor?

Could be bacterial vaginosis triggered by a heavy/unusual period? I had this start after my DH had a vasectomy and me getting a tummy bug around the same time. Just through it all off . Took me months of dithering veggie I went for a gp app and they did a swab and boom. These days you can buy tests in most places and also the solution. I wish I’d had that 20 years ago! It just rotated through fish smell and thrush until I got help.

Same issue with m&s period pants. Its them not you. Throw em out

@Limth you have such a way with words!😄

@ScarletWitchMall I can say is 😳😳😳😳

I think it might be the period pants too. I would ditch them and either sleep on a folded towel at night or maybe wear 2 pairs of normal pants or do both.

A lost tampon smells really, really awful (like a meat filled dustbin on a hot day) but I don't think it would stop smelling til you get it out. But if ditching the period pants for a few days doesn't stop the whiff get checked in case.

Of course she should have an appointment if she is worried about an infection or something stuck and rotting inside her.

Honestly yes & I'd check again for a missing tampon. I was feeling very self conscious for couple weeks, of course didnt feel able to say to DH & wasn't until next period flushed the bugger out! Didn't occur to me because I'm always careful. I'd obviously checked several times before & felt nothing but peri menopause & flooding I'm guessing i just shoved an extra one up overnight when totally exhausted 😩 felt so lucky to get it out without any lasting nfection

Ah my stinky pants were M&S too! Never tried another brand because they put me off.

After noticing a bad smell once, a few hours ago whilst feeling perfectly well? I think if we all rang the GP’s with that level of triage and that quickly we would be in an even sorrier state than we are now. I was in agony my this morning, literally thought I was dying. Turns out I needed to fart quite a bit.

This 100%. It's the pants, ignore the poster who said hot wash, that's absolutely the wrong thing to do as it sets proteins like blood. You need to soak in cold water then rinse under running tap, squeezing out all the blood til water runs clear. Sounds weird but you get used to it and otherwise that blood is still going to be inside the pants.

Always wash on cold and use vinegar and they work very well, I've had pairs I've had for ages and they don't stink. No fabric conditioner as that affects their absorbency and can lead to smells as well. Lots of people say period pants are disgusting and stinky because they don't care for them properly.

I would get it checked. But i dont think it's that unusual...especially as you get older..Mine occasionally have a smell of fish and gone off meat ( sorry to be so graphic ) . I have noticed that sometimes if you eat fish the dsy before, your urine can smell fishy the next day. Garlic can also come out in the urine. . And if the urine gets mixed up with the blood the oversll effect is not nice. I always am very clean and frequent changing of sanitary products through the day is important.

In this day and age, because it's a subject you can't really bring up over lunch with the girls, I'd ask AI.
I've asked AI a lot of questions about nukes and war and it now thinks I'm after world domination for some reason.

@iamthehotstepper I used to be an ER nurse and this was so common. The pt. would have no idea how long the tampon had been in 🤷🏻‍♀️. Long enough to smell so bad…

I have issues if I wear disposable pads but period pads and period underwear are usually good for me. I do give them a cold express wash with a dark towel then a regular cycle with my clothes, and at the end of my cycle I usually wash them an extra time before I put them away.

I’ve asked similar questions and I’m scared I’m on some list somewhere now and ChatGPT has grassed me up 😂.

I didn’t consider it might be suspicious that I have a quest for world domination but I suppose that’s a reasonable conclusion to come to and maybe I should reframe my questions so I’m not triggering some kind of government alarm and they realise it’s just partly down to worry and partly from being ND and fixating on things and wanting all the answers.

I remember visiting Sellafield nuclear power station with a group of friends as a young adult and being surrounded by kids on school trips. I had so many questions the kids weren’t getting a chance to ask any and the staff had quite a close eye on me and my geeky pals.

This happened to me and I was adamant I hadn’t left one up there. I checked and lo and behold, there it was… however the smell was still there. I started feeling poorly shortly after and ran a temp etc. a few days later after being paranoid, I checked again and I’d left another one in, before the one I’d found!!! I’ve never done that before in like 30 years of periods!!! I don’t even remember putting it in!! But there was one I’d put in without removing the other, twice!!! I was mortified as I was one of those “I wouldn’t be daft enough to do that” people! (Not saying you’re daft by the way). Needed antibiotics but was ok. Defo get checked out.

Thankyou for this!! I knew cold water (and salt my mother says) is good for getting blood out of fabrics, but I never knew this and I have many pairs of period pants!! (Sounds daft along with my other comment) as I have to triple protect due to severe endo. The three P’s my mum says! Plug, pad, pants!! After the tampon incident I use a mooncup, then always infinity as I seem to be allergic to other pads then the special Kecks. But wasn’t aware how to take care of them clearly!! Will be adjusting how I wash them!!

Update!!!

There was no smell this morning. It’s the pants!!

This is way gross, but I always smelled yuk on my period, which is always super heavy. I thought it was just "one of those things". It was not. I had bacterial vaginosis, probably for ages (no symptoms). When I eventually swabbed for it, for unrelated matter & got treatment, the odour disappeared.

Could be mixed with discharge or could be some of the blood is old?
Even without bleeding I have days where I smell different down there with no explanation, most days it’s fine and then others it’s not pleasant.. and I’m a very clean person.