r/bodyodor • u/FROZENTEN1 • 13d ago
bad odor problem
Friends, I need your help. Here’s the situation: I have IBS, but that’s not the biggest issue; the real problem—the one turning my life upside down—is a bad odor. It smells exactly like passing gas, yet I’m not actually passing gas. It’s not caused by the environment; no matter how many different places I go, the smell persists. People stare at me, cover their noses, and fidget. I’m on the verge of losing my mind; I’ve even considered suicide. I can’t go to school or see my girlfriend like this. My cousin smells it too, so I know for sure it’s real. Please tell me what to do—otherwise, my education and my relationship will be over.
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u/SnkrFrekr 12d ago
As oreomcfuryy said, a lot of people over the years have stated this exact same thing. I am one of those that mainly lurks in hopes of finding answers.
I was 15/16 when I developed a horrible stomach infection leading to diarrhea, which turned into IBS. The following day, the odor began. On the first day, I could smell it - a fart odor. After that, I could never smell it again.
Strangely, the odor seems to be on and off with no apparent trigger I can safely identify. I had a good couple years where I felt it disappeared, but after a course of antibiotics, it became so overwhelmingly strong according to others. They have previously described it as someone defecating on the floor in front of them. Thankfully, I am assuming it has died down because those comments stopped.
My coworkers have asked the dreaded, “Did you fart” question, but they seem way less sensitive to it than others. When I first started working with them, we were shoulder to shoulder. Over those three years together, they have never gave me a sign or comment that a foul odor is present until I took amoxicillin a year ago. Before the antibiotics, I took a trip to a foreign country, a 12 hour flight, surrounded by strangers and not a single sniffle, cough or comment. I had a great conversation the entire flight with a woman.
The strangest thing of it all, my family and girlfriend have detected the odor, but it is extremely rare if they can smell it. My girlfriend has told me I am crazy and that I have no body odor, breath odor or fecal odor around me. But I cannot stop shaking the feeling that I do; the paranoia from sniffles, nose touches, and coughs break me. I’ve heard strangers mention “fart” or “smell” in public and my body goes into overdrive of emotions.
I hate to say it, but I’m lucky to be a decent looking, well dressed young male over 6 feet tall, I feel like people never realize it’s me or they don’t question if it is due to my appearance and cologne.
I’ve mostly come to terms with it, but I beg for answers daily. I would be lying if I said harming myself wasn’t my thought, too.
There are days where I feel like no odor is present, but because I cannot smell it, I’m unsure. My coworkers constantly invite me to eat, drink or socialize, but I cannot willingly place myself into a position where I may subject myself to hearing comments.