Smells

[G-Ma]

What is it? I clean and clean and wash and wash and still feel like there is a bad smell on me.  The kids say it must be in my nose because everything around me smells very clean and good but I hate it.  Does anyone else go through this?  What is it? What do you do about it?

[peleroja]

I've never figured it out either.  I frequently smell like stale urine or ammonia.  Nobody else seems to notice it (or they are too polite to say anything).  It drives me crazy.

[Rerun]

Your toxin level is high and the Uriah tends to come out your pores.  At least that is my opinion.

[twirl]

Is that a toy monkey? cute--------
My husband used to smoke and he quit about 20 years ago and now he smells things I can not. It drives us crazy....
he smell kitty litter when the cat was compeletly an outside cat?
I think I may smell something no one else does with I have a sinus problem

[stauffenberg]

In the old days before dialysis, patients with endstage renal disease would eventually develop 'uremic frost,' which was an accumulated white substance composed of uremic toxins which eventually emerged on the surface of the skin.  This led to the skin being nicknamed 'the third kidney,' because it can, if necessary, replace some small portion of normal renal function by acting as a filter for toxins in the body.  So Rerun is right.

Since uremia has a smell, you could well be noticing the build up of toxins in your own blood.  The ability of patients' to sense their own diseases by their awareness of the inner state of their body is called 'coenaesthesis.'

[G-Ma]

thanks Stauff and rerun....and all...it has been worse again since I complained that my new fistula runs were not cleaning me.  I felt worse than terrible and must have come out my pores.  Friday we used my cath again and I feel great and smell is getting less again...I think we will use cath on monday and then try the fistula again with a larger needle.  NXStage lady thinks I should continue with cath and allow fistula more time to mature.  I'm going to NXStage/Davita to talk again on Tuesday so we shall see about everything.

[kitkatz]

Holy smoke. Here I thought I was the only one with an odor only I can smell.  I drive myself crazy with bleaching my clothes because the oder lingers in them. I also notice an odor after along day of doing stuff.  My hubby does not notice it he says I smell fine.

[G-Ma]

and people wonder why we are """losing it"""....

[Jess21]

Yes when I first started feeling sick (about a month before I went into the hospital) I always smelled an ammonia smell.  I'd scrub in the shower like crazy but the next morning I'd always smell it again.  No one else noticed it though.  I don't smell it anymore though.

[Stacy Without An E]

I've noticed that late in the day I have a smell that usually only I can smell.  I'm a big fan of good hygiene, so it drives me crazy that this occurs.

The toxins that excrete from the skin cause me to have bad acne breakouts from time to time.  Do you know how embarrassing it is to have acne at thirty-eight?

And try wearing black clothing.  Every time I scratch my face skin flakes shower down and it appears that I have dandruff.

These are some of the major reasons I stay single...who would want to put up with all this crap?  I'm Grossy McGross.

[kitkatz]

Think forty-five with acne.

[Bajanne]

i haven't had any problems with smell, except that there are smells which I now positively crave (talked about in another thread about 'Pica'), but my brother who was on dialysis until he passed in 2004 used to talk about this ammonia smell.

[peleroja]

After reading this discussion I realized that once I went on the cycler 3 months ago, I no longer "smell" myself.  Maybe I really wasn't getting enough dialysis before.  Interesting thought.

[jbeany]

I've noticed that late in the day I have a smell that usually only I can smell.  I'm a big fan of good hygiene, so it drives me crazy that this occurs.

The toxins that excrete from the skin cause me to have bad acne breakouts from time to time.  Do you know how embarrassing it is to have acne at thirty-eight?

And try wearing black clothing.  Every time I scratch my face skin flakes shower down and it appears that I have dandruff.

These are some of the major reasons I stay single...who would want to put up with all this crap?  I'm Grossy McGross.

Blah, it's not any prettier at 37.  So much for outgrowing it when you got out of puberty!

[paris]

It is so good to read when someone has a similar problem.  I often think I am going slowly crazy (well, that could be true!).  I always feel like I have an odor and what you describe is exactly what I smell----ammonia.  And then I get ammonia mouth.   Bath and Body love to see me walk in the store.  I spend more money on fresh smelling soaps and spritzes.  Glad I am in such good company!

[monrein]

I'm so happy not to smell ammonia breath or taste like I just drank a few gulps of bleach left sitting in a metal cup overnight.  It used to burn my throat and cause me to feel even more nauseous than usual but it's all gone since I started dialysis. 

[G-Ma]

It makes sense to me now.  Years ago I had a good friend who I worked with and he was on dialysis and had 3 transplants and amputations before he passed away.  I always could smell when he missed dialysis as toward the end he just didn't care about going or maintaining some sort of health but no one else seemed to be able to smell this.  Strange...............BTW twirl, it's a teddly bear from kitzkat, not a monkey.  I forgot to answer you yesterday.

[Ken Shelmerdine]

The only time I have sensed it is in my mouth when I have an empty stomach and then it's only slight. Until I saw this thread I thought I was imagining it

[Lori1851]

Dustin use to have and odor. I really noticed it after dialysis but we got use to it.
Lori/Indiana

[G-Ma]

Oh lord..today was a horrible taste when home hemo training started...was that Heparin??? anyone else and what do you do?

[iketchum]

I want to thank everyone for giving me my sanity back. Nobody else could smell the "chemical" smell. It really drove me nuts at times.

[meadowlandsnj]

I have a really sensitive nose and I smell the odor in dialysis, like stale, urea smell sometimes from the drains.  I use a lot of Bath and Body also to try and hide it.  I thought it was me but it is from the place itself.  That's why I can't eat on the machine-the smells make me sick to my stomach.  When I tell the techs they say to me it's all in my head!  But I can smell it! 

Donna

[G-Ma]

I noticed the "smell" disappeared about the middle of this week.  Could it be my blood was not being cleaned thoroughly?  It's lovely not to have that......... Now I can smell my house again.  Everyone always says oh you have it smelling so good, and it really does.  Of course I also was trying to cover up whatever.   

[kitkatz]

My hubby says when I leave dialysis I have a peculiar smell. Must be the sweat or something.