Odd "smell"
From time to time I have the sensation of a very disgusting, sickening smell. It's mostly if I am under a lot of stress. The scent is so overwhelming that I can't eat. Even water tastes like the scent. It is kind of like bad sweat (way past perspiration) and rancid oil. It can last a few hours to a few days and I have often lost a small amount of weight because I can't make myself eat. Because my doctors can't find any other reason for it, they have said it must be my MS. Has anyone else been bothered with this?
Hi Joys-An,
I've had a similar problem this year, especially with a bad sebum odor emanating from my scalp even after I wash my hair. I've had other embarrassing kinds of odor, too. My solution is to practice more vigorous hygiene, and much more often than I used to. Since I've been going through menopause, I've been blaming the hormone shift for my offensive odors. Hormone therapy has helped some. If you are in the stage of life when perimenopause or menopause are factors, you might consult your OB/GYN.
Frankly, I don't see how MS could be causing a change in odors. I suppose if there is brain damage to the center involving the sense of smell, you might be smelling something that isn't really there. Have you had anyone else confirm the odor actually exists?
It is common for medications to have such side effects. Did you do a medications review with your doc? Have you recently added a new med? It's worth checking out. I had a body odor/scalp sebum problem the first time I took prednisone. It went away after I stopped the steroid.
An overactive thyroid and adrenal conditions can cause body odor as well.
I hope you can get to the bottom of it soon.
Kim
I am so thankful to have found this site for I don't feel like I've been signaled out. LOL I have fought the bad odor thing for just over a year now. I have a caregiver now that baths me everyday and if I get hot I wipe down with alcohol swabs and then scent free lotion. My doctor says it is the area of brain that controls sense of smell etc.
I often get the weird smell sensation as well as the taste as well. I often will smell for no reason ammonia only 10 time stronger than bottled ammonia. And when I am drinking a hot beverage usually tea it will taste like I am licking an ashtray. It comes and goes and I never know when it will show up.
Wow! I thought I was going crazy because lately I smell ammonia off & on, but no one else does. It's crazy how it's MS related.
