I have episodes where I have this really funky smell that overwhelms me. It is an acrid odor that is hard to describe and it is so powerful that it shocks me with its sudden onset. It usually lasts only 1 or 2 seconds. Then it will go away. I may go weeks without it happening, then for a period of 2 or 3 days it will happen every few minutes. I have asked people who were around me when it happened if they smelled anything and always they do not. My doctor was baffled by it and put me on some sinus pills. It didn't make any difference. Has anyone had such an experience? Did you get an answer for it? When it happens to me it just drives me crazy. The odor is so strong that is actually scares me.
I had my sinuses checked by an ENT. He pronounced me normal. I do have and have had reflux forever, but it is controlled very well with one little pill per day. My first assumption, and the doc's, was that it was sinus related. But no sinus medication has made a difference. Since I am the only one who smells it, and it is so overwhelming, it really is a mystery.
sounds like you might need to get a your bowels checked....colonoscopy. I recently heard a story while i was in school about a women came in the ER with a broken foot. The ER doc came over and he smelled a horrible smell so he sent her straight to get testes. She was taken back to the OR to have her bowel removed because she had necrotizing fasciaitis. The point i'im trying to make here is that there is a really horrible smell and no one knows what it is so this is just something to be aware of. Apparently this lady didn't know she had that. luckily she came in that day for a broken bone. she would have died if the fasciatis kept spreading. your body becomes sepsis.
Wouldn't hurt to get your bowls checked but I believe in order to have something like the woman had you would have that smell all the time, not just 'attacks' of it.
It ain't my bowels. I had a colonoscopy within past 6 months. The smell would be constant and noticeable to all if it were that. This smell is not septic. It is a very odd smell, hard to describe. Nothing like I have smelled before, so I cannot describe it. I have not had any episodes of it since my first post. But that could change any moment. When it comes, it is sudden, overwhelming, and downright scary. I notice that when I have it, my hands smell odd to me. I can wash and wash them, but they still have this funky odor. Embarrassingly, I have asked people to smell my hands. They smell nothing. No, I do not work around any chemicals. I am either driving or working in an office every day. You can see why I haven't found any doctors who know what to do with this oddity.
It ain't my bowels. I had a colonoscopy within past 6 months. The smell would be constant and noticeable to all if it were that. This smell is not septic. It is a very odd smell, hard to describe. Nothing like I have smelled before, so I cannot describe it. I have not had any episodes of it since my first post. But that could change any moment. When it comes, it is sudden, overwhelming, and downright scary. I notice that when I have it, my hands smell odd to me. I can wash and wash them, but they still have this funky odor. Embarrassingly, I have asked people to smell my hands. They smell nothing. No, I do not work around any chemicals. I am either driving or working in an office every day. You can see why I haven't found any doctors who know what to do with this oddity.
You said earlier that it only lasts 2-3 seconds, is it longer than that to begin with be able to wash your hands or has the ammount of time of the attacks increasded?
I can wash my hands and as soon as they are dry, I can smell them again. It's a musty smell. The attacks of the odd odor have not increased in frequency. They may come 2 or 3 days in a row, then go weeks without. The duration of the phantom smell has not increased, but when I am having episodes of it, the hand smell is constant. Go figure.
I had my sinuses checked by an ENT. He pronounced me normal. I do have and have had reflux forever, but it is controlled very well with one little pill per day. My first assumption, and the doc's, was that it was sinus related. But no sinus medication has made a difference. Since I am the only one who smells it, and it is so overwhelming, it really is a mystery.
Do you do sinus rinses? I've had similar experiences, but it is usually strongest after I do the rinses.
I have done sinus rinses before, but never when I was having an episode. I will try that next time. Thanks for a simple suggestion. However, I really do think this is something mis-firing in my brain. But your suggestion is good.
