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wierd smell to urine

18 replies

katiekittlemouse · 11/11/2008 17:54

sorry if tmi.
about once a month and I'm not sure if it's the same time each month, I get very wierd smelling urine. It smells a bit like straw, strange I know. I'm not dehydrated as I rarely drink caffene and always drink heaps of water and lots of green tea and herbal teas. Does anyone know if this is significant or abnormal?

I've noticed the smell today, I am clean, had a shower this morning! I am in about day 6 of my cycle if that has any relevance to anyone with any knowledge or info on this!

OP posts:
misi · 11/11/2008 22:32

yes, it could be, but what I would suggest you do, is to keep a diary of what food you eat each day, what your wee smells like and when, cross reference the 2 after a week or 2 and see what comes up. if your wee was smelly all the time I would worry a bit but as it comes and goes, it will very likely be
something to do with what you eat or may be a hormonal thing.

how long has this gone on for? (shh, how old are you too?)

what herbal teas do you drink?

and lastly for now, do you take any supplements or drugs?

misi · 11/11/2008 22:32

forgot, what green teas do you drink too?

piratecat · 11/11/2008 22:33

i was going to say. if it's sugarpuffs it's cos you are pg!!

must just be a hormonal thing!

cheshirekitty · 11/11/2008 22:37

You have not eaten asparagus, have you? It makes your wee stink.

katiekittlemouse · 12/11/2008 11:39

misi, I am 43 (ssshh!) I mainly drink peppermint tea, green tea with jasmine (only 2 cups per day) and camomile & honey. I do take thyroxine daily, but have done for yonks... also I take a mulitvit tablet every day.

cheshirekitty - no asparagus...

OP posts:
southeastastra · 12/11/2008 11:40

mine smells of sugar puffs, when i've been eating sugar puffs

SJLTM · 12/11/2008 12:42

OMG mine too !!! thought that was just me .

misi · 12/11/2008 12:58

aha, underactive thyroid messes the whole endo system up!!

the green and herbal teas you mention are not normally associated with strong smells, but a multivit maybe. at certain times of the month, the B vits within the multivit will be used more and at other times, less so. B12 as you will probably know turns your wee strong orange colour and can smell a bit. at some times of the month, your need for B12 will be far greater so less is excreted through the urine, at other times, less needed so more through the wee (and therefore a stronger colour too, does this sound like you?)

It may also be that a time of every womans life is approaching if this problem has only been going on for a while? when other hormones start to wind down, the endocrine system goes into flux (tis why some women suffer terribly at this time). as you also have thyroid trouble, this makes a difficult time more likely (but not assuredly).

have you had a blood test recently?

underactive thyroids should be checked via blood tests regularly, some docs do it once a year (bad idea) others do it 6 months. if you haven't had one for a while, may I suggest you ask for one to be done and see if you can add in a female hormone check too?

keep a diary of food and smell to as that could be helpful if hormones are ruled out.

are you sure the smell comes and goes over the month?

another possibility is a monthly cycle related infection. my notes remind me that I had one lady who had a smelly wee each month for a week (different smell to you though but was a non sweet smell). we worked it out that is was related to her cycle and her immune system/hormones.

I would suggest asking for your blood first for TSH, T4 (tft4), FBC, U+E, LFT, female hormone's and if possible a urine microalbumin test with a GHb test added in for good measure if you have a good GP?

katiekittlemouse · 12/11/2008 13:06

gosh misi, thanks.... this is very interesting.. you are very knowledgeable!

I will def. get a blood test as it feels like longer than 6 months since I last had one (they do check it fairly regularly). Will try to remember to ask for the extra tests.

No, I am not sure it comes and goes over the month, but will keep a note of when I get it to see if there is a pattern. My periods have changed in the last year or so, perhaps it is 'that time'.

OP posts:
girlandboy · 12/11/2008 13:10

Ahhhh....the Sugar Puff effect! Well known in our family!

I wonder if there has been any scientific research into this? And if not, why not?! And why is it only Sugar Puffs?

Misi????

misi · 12/11/2008 13:48

its partly to do with the chemicals in the product.
asparagus makes your wee smell cos of certain compounds within the plant and the smell is a sign that your kidneys are working well as they are removing the compounds out of your blood for elimination!
so I guess its something similar with sugar puffs? wouldn't have a clue whats in sugar puffs to cause the same effect, can't stand them myself but may be interesting to find out on a cold dark night when I have nowt else to do

girlandboy · 12/11/2008 13:52

Go on misi - EAT SOME SUGAR PUFFS!

SoupDragon · 12/11/2008 13:56

Asparagus doesn't make everyone's urine smell, you have to have a particular hormone to make it happen apparently.

katiekittlemouse · 12/11/2008 13:57

OMG!!! I've just remembered I did eat asparagas yesterday, at lunchtime.... how could I not realise!!! That is soooo wierd!
It must make you lose your memory too, or maybe that's just my age!

OP posts:
misi · 12/11/2008 14:09

soupdragon, its not a hormone, its a metabolite of methionine.
there has been studies that show not everyone produces lots of these metabolites and it is not known why, but those whose wee does smell often have the strongest livers and other detox pathways and those whose wee smells less have weaker livers.

it is all to do with the way methionine is used by the body. this is a sulphur based amino acid that is a pre cursor of glutathione (the main detox amino acid within the liver). methyl groups and other sulphur groups are also involved and those whose wee smells have a dominance of one and those whose wee does not smell so much have a dominance of others.

SoupDragon · 12/11/2008 14:11

I knew it was something Didn't think hormone sounded right!

misi · 12/11/2008 14:11

sugar puffs? eating? me? yuck!!
so sweetly sickly, I may burn one in the name of science but not eat one, sorry!!

southeastastra · 12/11/2008 14:55

mmmm tell them about the honey mummy

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