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Original poster

One smelly armpit?

12 replies

YellowOtter · 13/05/2013 16:57

I've never really had a BO problem - I've washed and used antiperspirant and everything has been fresh and fine.

Just recently, I've noticed that my left underarm is really smelly. Washing and using deoderant doesn't seem to help. The smell keeps coming back!

My right armpit is completely normal and not smelly.

Does anyone have any ideas about what could be causing this and what I can do to stop it? I'm at a bit of a loss...

OP posts:

Picoo · 13/05/2013 17:59

I had that problem after pregnancy. Hormones I guess.

Somebody suggested washing my arm pits with toothpaste, the flouride is supposed to kill the cause of the smell. Felt a right eejit doing it but it worked for me - and lovely minty pits to boot (I love the smell of mint).

Original poster

YellowOtter · 13/05/2013 18:40

Thanks, I'll try the toothpaste. It isn't a serious problem in the grand scheme of things, I'm just more puzzled as to why it would only affect one armpit?

Strange.

OP posts:

belleshell · 13/05/2013 18:43

it might be an infection!!! is it red inflammed or sore!!

Original poster

YellowOtter · 13/05/2013 19:01

Nope, all completely normal apart from the smell!

OP posts:

digerd · 14/05/2013 19:40

I remember that happening to me during the menopause and I love my spicy food. Mine was the right arm-pit. Then as I aged other problems emerged and the pills for that stopped me sweating at all < now I feel cold all the time >. I can't win

Original poster

YellowOtter · 15/05/2013 16:59

Hmm, well I haven't just had a baby, and I'm only 28 so I hope it isn't the menopause!

Must be something weird and hormonal - hopefully it will go away soon.

digerd despite this strange sweat issue, I'm with you on the cold all the time thing - for me it is because I have hypothyroid. It can be miserable. Hopefully the sun will come out soon and we won't feel like we're living in a deep freeze all the time!

OP posts:

digerd · 15/05/2013 17:56

Yellow
I have ust been out in my garden, the sun is shining and it suddenly feels lovely and warm despite only 14 degrees in the shade.
I've had my heating on all day.

Are you taking Thyroxine and what dosage?

Original poster

YellowOtter · 15/05/2013 18:48

I'd been on 150mcg Thyroxine but I've recently changed to Armour thyroid which is desiccated porcine thryoid gland. I'm hoping this makes me feel a bit better because I still had loads of hypo symptoms on the Thyroxine, and I was already on quite a high dose.

Perhaps this is the cause of the pit problem - who knows?!

OP posts:

digerd · 15/05/2013 19:29

It does sound strange, as sombody who had their Thyroid removed totally was supplemented with 150mcgs.

I had an overactive Thyroid in my early 20s - I nearly died as wasted away and my pulse was 160 sitting still, and I couldn't get up the stairs due to breathlessness. Also sweating like mad even in the winter.

They overdosed me with the pills to slow it down and was so underactive, don't think it was producing any Thyroxine at all. My brain slowed down so much I was slurring my speech. Many years ago. I didn't know about the blood test details. Or what they were after I had a reduction Thyroidectomy and was told it was working fine.

I think it really does vary for the individual and age of the person.

Do hope your new medication helps you, but not heard of it in UK, or it's a new discovery.

Original poster

YellowOtter · 15/05/2013 20:11

That sounds absolutely hideous. Did the thyroidectomy eventually solve the problems?

I think thyroid problems can be so awful - I've really struggled with mine through my twenties, but I'm hoping I'm getting closer to being properly "well" again now. Armour is actually really old - it is what they used to treat thyroid patients with before thyroxine was invented, and I think it is getting more popular again because it is more readily absorbed than the thyroxine (according to my Dr).

OP posts:

digerd · 15/05/2013 21:28

It was hideous, especially the overactive Thyroid as I had outbursts of rage over trivial things, but the worst was being so paranoid. I thought it was a nervous breakdown. It was eventually diagnosed when my Thyroid swelled up into a goitre and my eyes bulged with a mad staring look, and I was only 25.

Yes the op did work, but 22 years later, my blood test showed a slight HYPO - not that I noticed symptoms, and GP put me on 50 mcgs of Thyroxine, which I have been on since 1996. My last FSH was 4.8,

alijane1 · 17/01/2014 20:59

I hope I can help with this problem as I had the same thing. With me I didn't have a problem until a couple of days after giving birth to my daughter who is now 7, recently the smell seemed to be getting worse and would start within minutes of getting out the bath! I saw online that rose oil can help body odour problems so I've started adding rose bath oil to my baths and dabbing Neals Yard Rose Facial Oil on the offending armpit. I was amazed that the problem instantly stopped! No more stinky armpits for me! I hope this helps :-)

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