One woman, who has an extremely rare disease that causes her to constantly smell fishy, said she showers four times a day to mask the smell.
Kelly Fidoe-White, 41, from Oldham, Manchester has spent her entire life with trimethylaminuria (TMAU), a condition more commonly known as ‘fishy odor syndrome’.
It’s such a rare condition that it’s been recorded only 100 times by medical data, but some medical professionals think the true figure could be much higher, with some sources putting the figure closer to 200.
TMAU sufferers produce a range of strong body odors, including rotten fish, onions, and feces.
Kelly, a senior radiologist, was formally diagnosed in 2015 at the age of 34.
Kelly Fidoe-White, 41, from Oldham, Manchester has spent her entire life with trimethylaminuria (TMAU), a condition known as ‘fishy odor syndrome’.
Kelly, a senior radiologist who has imaged with her husband, Michael, was diagnosed with the disease in 2015 at the age of 34.
He said you should know, ‘People call it a curse and I can see why. To sum it up, it’s confusing and isolating.
“I’m confused because people generally don’t like to deal with body odor issues directly, so if you ask them frankly they tend to tell you they don’t smell anything, but unfortunately in the end the weird person is talking about it.” joyful. come back instead of dealing with you personally.
“As a healthcare worker, it’s really uncomfortable to be asked whether you can use soap while washing,” she said.
The 41-year-old has been insulted for decades, causing Kelly to change her uniform twice a day and use whole cans of deodorant to cover up the smell.
Her mother once had to go to work in a new suit because someone in management complained about her smell.
She is tied to the house for fear that others will notice her smell and now works at night, she also suffers from depression.
The 41-year-old has been insulted for decades, causing Kelly to change her uniform twice a day and use whole cans of deodorant to cover up the smell.
The 41-year-old began experiencing symptoms when he was six years old and noticed that his urine smelled like fish.
Years later, when she hit puberty, she developed a strong body odor that went beyond her visits to the bathroom.
He showered several times a day to remove the smell, not realizing that this was making the smell worse.
Kelly added: “It has absolutely nothing to do with personal hygiene. I could wash it every hour of every day and that would only be a short-term solution.
“In fact, patients smell worse after a shower, as the pores open more than with hot water.”
The 41-year-old woman experienced her first symptoms at the age of six and noticed that her urine smelled of fish.
Kelly says, “It’s insulating because you don’t want to bother people with the smell, so you’re constantly asking, ‘Am I sweaty? am i too hot? That person is coughing, is it my fault?’
‘The situation can take over your thoughts if you let it. I have developed a strong hypervigilance about people’s responses to smell.
“The worst part is that it makes you feel like I’m driving you crazy.”
By the time Kelly hit puberty, she developed a strong body odor that went beyond her visits to the bathroom. She showered several times a day, not knowing that her scent was getting worse.
For years, Kelly has sought ways to improve symptoms, including a choline-reduced diet.
Avoid foods like liver, beans, peanuts, and cruciferous vegetables because they are all excellent food sources.
But his choline-reduced diet puts him at risk of developing neurological disorders such as fibromyalgia and Parkinson’s disease.
He said, “The whole situation in treatment is illogical because your first thought is that it’s BO. is is [body odour]†
“So you wash more, use stronger soaps, wash clothes with soda crystals, etc., apply more perfume and body spray, and it just makes things worse.
“I eventually learned that the skin’s natural pH should remain at 5.5 as the acid breaks down the TMAU as it passes through the skin: soap, bleach, and soda crystals are generally alkaline.”
Kelly has searched for ways to improve symptoms over the years and cut back on a choline diet by avoiding foods like liver, beans, peanuts, and cruciferous vegetables, because they’re all excellent food sources.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for Kelly’s condition, but avoiding certain foods and supplementing with nutrients can reduce symptoms that change over time.
After being bullied for decades, she received therapy and counseling, saying the troll’s body embarrassed her and the smell was due to her weight.
“It had nothing to do with weight, it was often thrown on me,” he said. In fact, my smell was worse at idle. I believe I am now relatively symptom-free.
“This is due to a combination of scientifically selected supplements to reduce TMA production and promote TMA oxidation and some lifestyle changes.”
The 41-year-old also received therapy and counseling after years of being held hostage and abused related to her condition.
Kelly said: “It’s tough because once you’re labeled as someone with a BO problem, some people use it like a stick to beat you up if they don’t like you.
I want to give a voice to my other patients who are suffering in silence from the stigma that weighs on ‘BO’. People are often afraid to express their opinions for fear of being ridiculed.
“Unfortunately, when people do this, it can be difficult to get specific treatment because the odor is often intermittent and primary care doctors tend not to refer solely to the person’s references.
“I found an online community, that makes sense.”
Kelly said she talked about her condition because she wanted to give a voice to her peers.
Source: Daily Mail
