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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by tensor on July 16, 2010, at 14:18:51
I have noticed that my sweat has a strange odor lately (a couple of months back), a really unpleasant odor. It's not my body that smells but rather pillows, covers and sheets that I have been in contact with and I sweat alot now due to summer but also due to meds. I think this started about the same time I started to take clomipramine (150mg) and Ginseng.
Could any of these be the cause?Thanks.
Posted by bleauberry on July 16, 2010, at 15:03:11
In reply to Strange sweat odor, posted by tensor on July 16, 2010, at 14:18:51
I have the same thing happen with any kind of supplement or med that increases the catecholamines...dopamine, norepinephrine. Must be some sort of weird protein thing, ammonia thing, or whatever. Impossible to describe that odor. It is definitely not a normal body odor.
I have found two things make it go away. Antibiotics such as Doxycycline. And antifungals such as Diflucan. Most of the antimicrobial herbs also. I guess someone could put two and two together and figure that the odor is excretions from unsuspected chronic infections, and that somehow the particular meds or supplements feed them the proteins they need to really thrive.
If that much odor is making its way through the skin, just imagine how much is circulating around inside your veins and brain. It's coming out your skin because there is so much of it.
I consider an odor like that to be a diagnostic clue. Whatever makes it go away is even a stronger diagnostic clue.
While it probably seems like the odor is coming from everywhere, and probably is, check to see if it is also from the armpits. Get some tea tree oil. With a cotton ball wipe in the armpits real good. It has a strange odor and will be weird. After about 15 minutes, take a shower and wash out the armpits. Some of the tea tree oil odor will still linger, but most of it gone. The next day, don't be surprised if the disgusting mysterious odor is completely gone from the armpits. If so, you know it is a chronic infrection hidden within. The kind that can cause all of the psychiatric symptoms we are trying to address.
Just thought you might find it interesting.
Posted by ed_uk2010 on July 16, 2010, at 17:09:28
In reply to Re: Strange sweat odor, posted by bleauberry on July 16, 2010, at 15:03:11
>If that much odor is making its way through the skin, just imagine how much is circulating around inside your veins and brain. It's coming out your skin because there is so much of it.
It doesn't work like that. Freshly perspired sweat is actually almost odourless. Micro-organisms which live on the surface of the skin convert odourless chemicals present in sweat into volatile compounds which smell rather errrr stinky.
Certain parts of the body (eg. the armpits and genitals) have a different type of sweat gland: apocrine glands. Apocrine glands secrete a different type of sweat which contains fatty substances. It is the bacterial breakdown of these substances on the surface of the skin which creates the body odour.
Many antidepressants, especially clomipramine, can considerably increase sweating. This can be dealt with in some cases by using an aluminium chlorohydrate antiperspirant on the armpits at night. Concentrated aluminium antiperspirants can be very effective when used on small areas but they frequently irritate the skin.
Antibacterial products can be applied to the skin in order to reduce the population of odour-causing bacteria. An antibacterial wash should be used on all the parts of the body which cause the odour. Try to use the wash twice a day.
Hope this helps.
Posted by weatherfreak on July 19, 2010, at 3:35:35
In reply to Strange sweat odor, posted by tensor on July 16, 2010, at 14:18:51
I get that too sometimes, especially in my pillows. I have it quite bad at the moment and it's the middle of a cold winter here.
Posted by bleauberry on July 19, 2010, at 19:50:30
In reply to Re: Strange sweat odor, posted by ed_uk2010 on July 16, 2010, at 17:09:28
Though this explanation makes sense on paper, it does not really fit. I say that because, if the person's odor is anything like the one I experienced, it does not wash off no matter what. You can scrub scrub scrub with hot water and potent soap and whatever else you want for 20 minutes, and as soon as you get out of the shower and begin to dry off, guess what, there is that odor again. It doesn't wash off. It is not ON the skin. It is within, wreaking from the inside out, not sitting on the outside, and not the result of bacteria or fats or whatever on the outside.
> >If that much odor is making its way through the skin, just imagine how much is circulating around inside your veins and brain. It's coming out your skin because there is so much of it.
>
> It doesn't work like that. Freshly perspired sweat is actually almost odourless. Micro-organisms which live on the surface of the skin convert odourless chemicals present in sweat into volatile compounds which smell rather errrr stinky.
>
> Certain parts of the body (eg. the armpits and genitals) have a different type of sweat gland: apocrine glands. Apocrine glands secrete a different type of sweat which contains fatty substances. It is the bacterial breakdown of these substances on the surface of the skin which creates the body odour.
>
> Many antidepressants, especially clomipramine, can considerably increase sweating. This can be dealt with in some cases by using an aluminium chlorohydrate antiperspirant on the armpits at night. Concentrated aluminium antiperspirants can be very effective when used on small areas but they frequently irritate the skin.
>
> Antibacterial products can be applied to the skin in order to reduce the population of odour-causing bacteria. An antibacterial wash should be used on all the parts of the body which cause the odour. Try to use the wash twice a day.
>
> Hope this helps.
Posted by ed_uk2010 on July 20, 2010, at 17:29:47
In reply to Re: Strange sweat odor, posted by bleauberry on July 19, 2010, at 19:50:30
To be honest Blueberry, I don't think that your theory applies to the majority of people with body odour........unless they've eaten large amounts of strongly scented foods such as garlic.
>Though this explanation makes sense on paper, it does not really fit. I say that because, if the person's odor is anything like the one I experienced, it does not wash off no matter what. You can scrub scrub scrub with hot water and potent soap and whatever else you want for 20 minutes, and as soon as you get out of the shower and begin to dry off, guess what, there is that odor again. It doesn't wash off. It is not ON the skin. It is within, wreaking from the inside out, not sitting on the outside, and not the result of bacteria or fats or whatever on the outside.
Posted by weatherfreak on July 23, 2010, at 7:59:43
In reply to Re: Strange sweat odor » bleauberry, posted by ed_uk2010 on July 20, 2010, at 17:29:47
I cant believe I heard this on the radio on thursday. All shows are pod cast or streamed and stored on file for quite some time. Is this what you mean?
Go to JJJ Radio, Australian website. Every thursday they have Dr Karl on answering questions about anything and this one came up on July 23rd. It's quite interesting. It's on between 11-12AM Australian EST.
JJJ is Australia's youth network if you cant find it, you wont be able to miss it on the ABC website via a link.
It comes and goes with me and started before I was on medication.
Posted by tensor on July 24, 2010, at 11:25:21
In reply to Re: Strange sweat odor » tensor, posted by weatherfreak on July 19, 2010, at 3:35:35
This is the end of the thread.
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