Hello all, I am a 22 -year-old college student with IBS-D. I have gone through all the tests: colonoscopy, upper and lower endoscopy, blood and stool samples, and they found nothing. For awhile I thought I had celiac, but then when I found that on top of gluten it was hard for me to eat dairy, soy, egg, and a few other things, I thought it could something else. I went to another doctor and after trying a new diet (which didn't work), he suggested it must be the catchall IBS. I too used to be afraid to go out for fear of not knowing where the closest bathroom was. But I have begun taking supplemental digestive enzymes and this has seemed to help. I still try to stay away from wheat and dairy, but everything else, at least in small amounts, seems to be okay. During periods of severe stress, i.e. lots of schoolwork due over a short timespan, my D flares up. In any case, I recently added more fiber to my diet and this has seemed to help (not counting when stress is high). My stools are more formed and claylike. But the fiber has made my gas and BMs considerably more foul in the smell department. Now, I am constantly paranoid that I smell bad. People are constantly sniffing when they are around me and, to be quite honest, it is rather embarrassing to be the "smelly kid." I know some people are just sniffling because it is cold and their noses are running, but one time, shortly after a BM, some guy passed behind me, sniffed, and said, "wow, that's terrible." So I'm not just being paranoid. I use anti-bacterial soap to kill the germs on my skin that cause odor as well as, in my opinion, a pretty good smelling anti-perspirant (I tried cologne, but the scent was too strong and it bothers people in the classroom). I constantly bathe and wash my clothes (and I just started using those scented dryer paper-things). But yet everytime I use the rest room, I notice significantly more sniffing around me. It's gotten to a point now where I try to go only in my apartment bathroom, and before going, I'll remove my pants and shirt. What's worse is that I can never tell, regardless of whether the BM was foul-smelling or not, how badly I smell. When I smell myself, I just smell my anti-perspirant, which is pretty good in my opinion. Somebody please help me. What can I do to get rid of or mask the odor when I use a public restroom? Because it is extremely annoying having to walk all the way back to my place just to use the bathroom. And does anyone know if this strong smell is just a temporary result of switching to a diet with more fiber, meaning in time my body should adjust, or is this just one of the side effects of fiber?
Jim,It sounds like you have overcome one obstacle of IBS (fear of being away from a bathroom) and are now in your struggle to get over another one. Sometimes we think we may smell to others. Most likely you don't. Have you been drinking alot of water. Water will cleanse your system. Maybe that will help with the odors. I haven't had the same experience but as a woman we go through times when we think we smell. It sounds like you have covered most cleaning methods. Do you have someone close to you that you could ask to "smell" you. This will be the best way to find out. It may be embarassing to ask that special someone but at least they will be honest. If they confirm the smell consult your doctor. Hopefully its all in your head. :)
Keep us posted.
I am still pretty lost. I don't know what to do. I've been doing a lot of laundry lately, but that's not everything I think. People don't overtly sniff me anymore, which is good, but they still get uncomfortable and shifty around me, and they touch their noses a good amount. I think it might be my breath. I'm going to get a tongue scraper and see what happens.
But it can't just be that. In my big lecture class the other day, I was sitting like 7 rows back from the front, so far enough so that the professor couldn't smell my breath, but he kept gagging nonetheless. He always looks very neat and polished, and looks like he has excellent hygiene, so he can probably tell when someone else doesn't. He was clearly having a hard time breathing up there and he kept holding his finger up to his nose, I guess to avoid smelling the bad odors. Also, I know I'm not being paranoid because I don't think it's a coicidence that wherever I move in that classroom, that's where the kids with the sniffling "runny noses" sit. I realize it could be B&O, and I'm doing my best to take care of that. But could it also be "aroma"?
I'm not sure how to explain this. But there's a door that connects my bathroom to my closet. Is there anyway that the smells from the bathroom could be getting into the closet and attaching themselves to my clothes? But not deep enough into the clothes so that when you do a close-up fabric smell you can smell anything, but enough so that other people can smell it? Because unfortunately for me, my clothes smell fresh, but maybe that's not what they smell like to everyone else. If my clothes smelled really bad, then I could tell myself, but I don't think that's not the case here b/c I've been doing a lot of laundry lately.
Also, the other thing I've noticed is that since adding fiber to my diet, the odors my body produces have become significantly stronger (i.e. gas, bowel movements, sweat, breath probably, etc.) Is this something I should be worried about? And what does this mean? Does this mean I am just healthier now, or is this just something that happens when you add fiber? And has anyone else noticed this? Or has anyone else had an experience when their odors became significantly stronger?
The other possibility is that maybe people just don't like the smell of my anti-perspirant, or maybe it is too powerful? But this would probably be my last guess.
But it can't just be that. In my big lecture class the other day, I was sitting like 7 rows back from the front, so far enough so that the professor couldn't smell my breath, but he kept gagging nonetheless. He always looks very neat and polished, and looks like he has excellent hygiene, so he can probably tell when someone else doesn't. He was clearly having a hard time breathing up there and he kept holding his finger up to his nose, I guess to avoid smelling the bad odors. Also, I know I'm not being paranoid because I don't think it's a coicidence that wherever I move in that classroom, that's where the kids with the sniffling "runny noses" sit. I realize it could be B&O, and I'm doing my best to take care of that. But could it also be "aroma"?
I'm not sure how to explain this. But there's a door that connects my bathroom to my closet. Is there anyway that the smells from the bathroom could be getting into the closet and attaching themselves to my clothes? But not deep enough into the clothes so that when you do a close-up fabric smell you can smell anything, but enough so that other people can smell it? Because unfortunately for me, my clothes smell fresh, but maybe that's not what they smell like to everyone else. If my clothes smelled really bad, then I could tell myself, but I don't think that's not the case here b/c I've been doing a lot of laundry lately.
Also, the other thing I've noticed is that since adding fiber to my diet, the odors my body produces have become significantly stronger (i.e. gas, bowel movements, sweat, breath probably, etc.) Is this something I should be worried about? And what does this mean? Does this mean I am just healthier now, or is this just something that happens when you add fiber? And has anyone else noticed this? Or has anyone else had an experience when their odors became significantly stronger?
The other possibility is that maybe people just don't like the smell of my anti-perspirant, or maybe it is too powerful? But this would probably be my last guess.
Jim,
It sounds like you are really struggling with the "odor" As far as your bathroom being close to your closet. I guess it is possible for some smells to linger out, but not sure if it would leave a stronger enough odor on your clothes. Buy some febreeze. That doesn't have a strong enough smell to bother people yet it will give your clothes a clean fresh smell. Also keep some on you for your book bag in case you need to use a public restroom or if you feel you need to freshen up.
Your diet can defitnely change your body odor. I really think you need to speak to your doctor about this. Hope you can get this straighten out soon.
When I go to a public washroom and think I may smell it up I flush the toilet as I'm going so that it doesn't sit there too long. And I bought a small spray bottle of rood scent that I carry around in my purse that I spray while in the toilet. You may want to give those things a try.
Is there anyone you trust and like enough to ask if you actually do smell? Sorry for the wording.
Is there anyone you trust and like enough to ask if you actually do smell? Sorry for the wording.
Mary,
Thanks for the suggestion. I just recently heard about the "courtesy flush" on another chatboard too and I think I'm going to start using that now, and as for carrying the small spray bottle idea, I like that and I think I'll try that too. Some people say burning a match in the stall after you're all done works too, which is another possibility. Anyhow, the overt smelling done by other people as I pass by has subsided somewhat now that I have thoroughly washed my clothes. Now it just occurs in classrooms and stuff. But this may partially have to do with a) the powerful new body wash I bought b) the somewhat strong-smelling anti-perspirant I bought or c) I might have overdid it with the Snuggle scented dryer sheets. But at least now the smell, I hope, is somewhat benign if still irritating. We'll see how my professor reacts tomorrow.
Thanks for the suggestion. I just recently heard about the "courtesy flush" on another chatboard too and I think I'm going to start using that now, and as for carrying the small spray bottle idea, I like that and I think I'll try that too. Some people say burning a match in the stall after you're all done works too, which is another possibility. Anyhow, the overt smelling done by other people as I pass by has subsided somewhat now that I have thoroughly washed my clothes. Now it just occurs in classrooms and stuff. But this may partially have to do with a) the powerful new body wash I bought b) the somewhat strong-smelling anti-perspirant I bought or c) I might have overdid it with the Snuggle scented dryer sheets. But at least now the smell, I hope, is somewhat benign if still irritating. We'll see how my professor reacts tomorrow.
Jodi,
I actually tried spraying Febreeze on my bag b/c I was so paranoid, but I think I overdid it. As I passed one kid in the library, he gagged and sort of shrieked at the same time. But as for carrying it with me, I might try that as well. I actually asked a female friend who I trust how I smell and she said good. So part of me might be thinking that now it's not necessarily a bad odor, just maybe too strong. But I could be wrong.
I actually tried spraying Febreeze on my bag b/c I was so paranoid, but I think I overdid it. As I passed one kid in the library, he gagged and sort of shrieked at the same time. But as for carrying it with me, I might try that as well. I actually asked a female friend who I trust how I smell and she said good. So part of me might be thinking that now it's not necessarily a bad odor, just maybe too strong. But I could be wrong.
Okay, I am thinking that BO is definitely the culprit right now. The past day or so, I just thought that I overdid it with the scented dryer sheets. They say only to use one sheet, but I was so anxious to cover up bad smells that I used two. But now I don't think that is it. I've realized now that as the day goes on, and my body sweats more, people start to smell me more and more. I smell my clothes and they smell fine. I even asked a friend of mine to smell my clothes again and she said they smell fine. This is partially why I think it is a natural scent. I did my laundry again today, and all I used was hot water and no dryer sheets to wash out the supposed "dryer sheet" smell. But some of my clothes still smell the same. I noticed the smell is especially strong in areas where I sweat, like the armpits, the middle of my chest and my back. I figure if it was the dryer sheets, the smell would be distributed equally throughout the garment, but it's not. And I also realize that it kind of smells like a men's locker room. Sadly, I almost made another one of my teachers gag today. The people sitting around me were also clearly irritated. I received a number of dirty looks. So I skipped my afternoon class in which I people started sniffing me as soon as I walked through the door. I showered twice yesterday and once this morning before class and put on anti-perspirant under my arms. What more can I do? Jodi, I took your advice and called my doctor (gastro and primary) and hopefully they'll get back to me soon. How did changing my diet, adding fiber and raw vegetables, do this to me? I can't change back and take out fiber and raw veggies b/c they've helped me a lot. Is my body just trying to partially detoxify itself, or is this more of a permanent thing? Has anyone gone through a similar experience after a diet change? Are does anyone have any general hygiene tips? Please help me. I can't go to class like this. Not only is it embarassing and annoying to have people constantly smelling you, but I'm sure it detracts from others learning experience as well.
Jim, The only thing I can suggest at this time is to make a doctors appt and ask him/her if they smell an odor. If your friend tells you don't smell than its hard to say what else to tell you. I feel terrible that you are going through this and that I don't have more advise. Sorry 
Please keep me posted.
Hi Jim
I agree with the others that it is very important you consult your Dr/GI about your problems and concerns. There can definitely be a link between foul odor/digestive issues. It sounds like you are very conscientous hygiene-wise, so I doubt that is the culprit.
Our diets can definitely make themselves know by the odor our bodies might emit. Too much garlic, your perspiration can smell like garlic, etc. etc. I, myself, have problems when I eat fish. I once found a name for people that eat fish, and then smell 'fishy' afterwards..so the connection between what we eat and odors is recognized by the medical community. If I eat fish..within several hours, my urine and other body secretions may carry that odor. I've never had anyone complain to me, but I myself can certainly pick up on it!! Sooooooo....I avoid fish, even though I love it. (Unless I know I'm going to be spending an abnormally long period of time by myself...then I'll eat as much fish as I want 
You may want to try a little experiment while waiting for your drs appt. Keep a food diary of what you usually eat. Exclude one of the possible offenders for a week or two..see if you notice a difference (or if others seem to notice a difference)
When you speak to your Dr, make sure they don't take this matter lightly. It definitely is 'fouling' (sorry for the bad pun) your self-esteem/confidence in public. Make sure your Dr. takes your concerns as seriously as you do. A visit with a dietician may be a source of good information as well.
Good luck..let us know what you find out.
Jim,
Try taking chlorophyll capsules. A naturopath I talked to told me to take them and they're the only thing that ever worked. Chlorophyll is supposed to have antibacterial actions, acts to heal and repair tissues, increases circulation to the organs, and is an internal deodorizer. It works and it's fairly inexpensive.
Search the web for the cheapest source of Mega Chlorophyll, 100-mg caps, 120 caps/bottle, from World Organics Corp. you can find. A lot of places sell the 50-mg capsules, but it's more cost effective to take the 100-mg caps (but few places sell the 100s). The last time I bought them I got them from easypricematch.com for $11.22/bottle. I've taken 4 caps at a time, twice a day, for the last two years and wouldn't be without them. Each person being different, you may have to experiment with the dosage that works for you. I tried other brands available in local health food stores, but the quality of the chlorophyll wasn't the same and consequently they just didn't work.
When the body gets overloaded with toxins and can't eliminate them, odors begin to come out through the pores in addition to causing bowel movements with a bad odor. I suspect this might be your problem. Those with chronic diarrhea or constipation often have this happen to them. So do those who have to take pharmaceutical drugs/antibiotics for long periods of time. Even people who go on cleansing/detoxing regimens often develop this when the body begins to purge itself of accumulated wastes/toxins.
Be advised that your bowel movements will be green for as long as you take the chlorophyll, but it will definitely get rid of any smell your body might put off! I also take probiotics several times a day to keep the "good" bacteria in the gut. Please let me know if this helps.
Try taking chlorophyll capsules. A naturopath I talked to told me to take them and they're the only thing that ever worked. Chlorophyll is supposed to have antibacterial actions, acts to heal and repair tissues, increases circulation to the organs, and is an internal deodorizer. It works and it's fairly inexpensive.
Search the web for the cheapest source of Mega Chlorophyll, 100-mg caps, 120 caps/bottle, from World Organics Corp. you can find. A lot of places sell the 50-mg capsules, but it's more cost effective to take the 100-mg caps (but few places sell the 100s). The last time I bought them I got them from easypricematch.com for $11.22/bottle. I've taken 4 caps at a time, twice a day, for the last two years and wouldn't be without them. Each person being different, you may have to experiment with the dosage that works for you. I tried other brands available in local health food stores, but the quality of the chlorophyll wasn't the same and consequently they just didn't work.
When the body gets overloaded with toxins and can't eliminate them, odors begin to come out through the pores in addition to causing bowel movements with a bad odor. I suspect this might be your problem. Those with chronic diarrhea or constipation often have this happen to them. So do those who have to take pharmaceutical drugs/antibiotics for long periods of time. Even people who go on cleansing/detoxing regimens often develop this when the body begins to purge itself of accumulated wastes/toxins.
Be advised that your bowel movements will be green for as long as you take the chlorophyll, but it will definitely get rid of any smell your body might put off! I also take probiotics several times a day to keep the "good" bacteria in the gut. Please let me know if this helps.
KLS,
I was wondering what Probiotics you are taking and for how long? What type of IBS do you have & have they helped you. I just started an OTC kind and am waiting for them to kick in. The label says it can take anywhere from 7-30 days. I am only taking one per day. Your experience do you feel more than one is more beneficial?
Thanks for any info.
I was wondering what Probiotics you are taking and for how long? What type of IBS do you have & have they helped you. I just started an OTC kind and am waiting for them to kick in. The label says it can take anywhere from 7-30 days. I am only taking one per day. Your experience do you feel more than one is more beneficial?
Thanks for any info.
Thanks for the advice everyone,
I was planning on trying the probiotic 'acidophilus' because that's what my doctor suggested. Because I have IBS-D, my stomach may be lacking enough "good bacteria." Also, I was planning on trying activated charcoal, preferably in powder or chewable form if they exist, to cut down on gas. I hear it works. Does anyone have any experience with any of these supplements?
I was planning on trying the probiotic 'acidophilus' because that's what my doctor suggested. Because I have IBS-D, my stomach may be lacking enough "good bacteria." Also, I was planning on trying activated charcoal, preferably in powder or chewable form if they exist, to cut down on gas. I hear it works. Does anyone have any experience with any of these supplements?
jodi569,
I've been taking a brand called "SBX" for about two years now and I swear by it. I've tried so many other brands of "gut flora" in the past, all incredibly expensive, recommended by all kinds of natural healing newsletters, well-known websites, naturopaths, etc., and none of them did a thing for me except drain my bank account! There's no acidophilus on the market that's worked for me. In fact, last year I found a site where someone said that acidophilus doesn't work for a whole lot of people. Acidophilus is a lactobacillus, and many people don't respond to it because it's not the right bacterial strain for them.
I then switched to trying SBOs (soil-based organisms). I tried the highly touted Primal Defense, and also an extremely expensive Japanese brand called OMX-12 -- they did nothing for me either. Then I found www.wholeapproach.com a few years ago when I began the overwhelmingly difficult battle of trying to rid my body of a systemic yeast infection I've had most of my life. I went on their protocol which includes SBX and found their stuff actually works. SBX contains two Chinese mushrooms, the herbs astragalus and schizandrae, and "SuperB-X Base" (the soil-based organisms).
The Chinese mushrooms have immune-stimulating properties, and so do the herbs, and reportedly they act in combination to stimulate the immune system even more. The SuperB-X Base is the component that consists of the soil-based organisms which are the "good" bacterial flora that your gut needs to stay healthy (they clean up putrifactive bacteria both in the earth and in your intestinal tract).
WholeApproach.com is the only place in the US that carries it. They say it's also effective because it's the only brand which really survives the acidity of the stomach, so the bacteria stay alive to do their job (this is a huge problem with all the acidophilus products); and it's supposed to contain more soil-based organisms than other brands. If you go to the website, look down the sidebar on the left and you'll see where you can click on "Forums - Q&A". You can read more on SBX there. I buy it when it's on sale (which is every other month).
In answer to how much to take...the Whole Approach people told me that if you take it on an empty stomach it will go into the gut and act there (reducing yeast overgrowth and therefore symptoms of Candida (chronic constipation or alternating constipation/diarrhea -- both of which have always been my problem -- as well as breaking down putrefaction there). If you take it with food, they say it will then be able to be transported around the body and reach your internal organs, fighting yeast and toxin overgrowth there. Their program was designed specifically for those with yeast overgrowth, but I believe this probiotic will help anyone simply because of the way it works -- if it breaks down putrefaction and toxins and helps the body eliminate them as well as stimulate the immune system, then I would think anyone should get benefit from it. I take one in the morning on an empty stomach and I also take one with food during the day. In the past I've taken two at a time, two or three times a day.
Www.ghchealth.com (the makers of Oxy-Powder) sells a brand called Latero-Flora. They have a quote on their page by Dr. Atkins (and others) saying that it works better than acidophilus (but again this was for those with Candida overgrowth). It's also reasonably priced. Take a look at that one too. (I haven't tried this one.)
I have another suggestion for problems with diarrhea. You could try taking Pascalite clay. It's absolutely harmless and has some pretty incredible healing properties. Go to www.pascalite.com. Pascalite clay (do NOT confuse this with Bentonite clay, which you do NOT want) comes powdered and is quite cheap. You can either make your own capsules with the help of a little encapsulating machine bought from a health food store, or simply put 1/4-1/2 tsp (or more depending on severity) in a glass of juice or water and drink it down. It provides bulk for the bowel and has a tendency to heal all kinds of things while it's going through your body. It absorbs and binds toxins and then moves them out of the gut. It isn't a pharmaceutical drug so it has no side effects. You do have to make sure that you don't take any medicines or food within two hours of it, because it will bind everything and eliminate it. I did this after the doctors gave me ulcerative colitis after an operation I had three years ago -- then nobody could figure out how to stop it! I suffered with it for months until one of the naturopaths I talked to told me about Pascalite, so I started taking it. I think I took about 4 capsules, three-to-four times a day. And it stopped the diarrhea cold in one or two days. I continued to take it at a lesser dose for a couple weeks just to make sure it wouldn't come back and it never did! I now take one capsule (about 1/4 tsp) every day just for it's general therapeutic effects. You can read more by going to www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com. Somewhere down the page you can type in "Pascalite" and then read some of the articles the search comes up with. (Www.Pascalite.com now sells ready-made capsules in case you don't want to bother with making your own.)
Jodi, I hope this helps. I don't know if the Pascalite will work for someone who's had IBS-D for a long time, but it did stop my ulcerative colitis when the MDs couldn't, and it's so cheap it couldn't hurt to try. In case you're like me and acidophilus does nothing, I would recommend giving Later-Flora or SBX a try.
I've been taking a brand called "SBX" for about two years now and I swear by it. I've tried so many other brands of "gut flora" in the past, all incredibly expensive, recommended by all kinds of natural healing newsletters, well-known websites, naturopaths, etc., and none of them did a thing for me except drain my bank account! There's no acidophilus on the market that's worked for me. In fact, last year I found a site where someone said that acidophilus doesn't work for a whole lot of people. Acidophilus is a lactobacillus, and many people don't respond to it because it's not the right bacterial strain for them.
I then switched to trying SBOs (soil-based organisms). I tried the highly touted Primal Defense, and also an extremely expensive Japanese brand called OMX-12 -- they did nothing for me either. Then I found www.wholeapproach.com a few years ago when I began the overwhelmingly difficult battle of trying to rid my body of a systemic yeast infection I've had most of my life. I went on their protocol which includes SBX and found their stuff actually works. SBX contains two Chinese mushrooms, the herbs astragalus and schizandrae, and "SuperB-X Base" (the soil-based organisms).
The Chinese mushrooms have immune-stimulating properties, and so do the herbs, and reportedly they act in combination to stimulate the immune system even more. The SuperB-X Base is the component that consists of the soil-based organisms which are the "good" bacterial flora that your gut needs to stay healthy (they clean up putrifactive bacteria both in the earth and in your intestinal tract).
WholeApproach.com is the only place in the US that carries it. They say it's also effective because it's the only brand which really survives the acidity of the stomach, so the bacteria stay alive to do their job (this is a huge problem with all the acidophilus products); and it's supposed to contain more soil-based organisms than other brands. If you go to the website, look down the sidebar on the left and you'll see where you can click on "Forums - Q&A". You can read more on SBX there. I buy it when it's on sale (which is every other month).
In answer to how much to take...the Whole Approach people told me that if you take it on an empty stomach it will go into the gut and act there (reducing yeast overgrowth and therefore symptoms of Candida (chronic constipation or alternating constipation/diarrhea -- both of which have always been my problem -- as well as breaking down putrefaction there). If you take it with food, they say it will then be able to be transported around the body and reach your internal organs, fighting yeast and toxin overgrowth there. Their program was designed specifically for those with yeast overgrowth, but I believe this probiotic will help anyone simply because of the way it works -- if it breaks down putrefaction and toxins and helps the body eliminate them as well as stimulate the immune system, then I would think anyone should get benefit from it. I take one in the morning on an empty stomach and I also take one with food during the day. In the past I've taken two at a time, two or three times a day.
Www.ghchealth.com (the makers of Oxy-Powder) sells a brand called Latero-Flora. They have a quote on their page by Dr. Atkins (and others) saying that it works better than acidophilus (but again this was for those with Candida overgrowth). It's also reasonably priced. Take a look at that one too. (I haven't tried this one.)
I have another suggestion for problems with diarrhea. You could try taking Pascalite clay. It's absolutely harmless and has some pretty incredible healing properties. Go to www.pascalite.com. Pascalite clay (do NOT confuse this with Bentonite clay, which you do NOT want) comes powdered and is quite cheap. You can either make your own capsules with the help of a little encapsulating machine bought from a health food store, or simply put 1/4-1/2 tsp (or more depending on severity) in a glass of juice or water and drink it down. It provides bulk for the bowel and has a tendency to heal all kinds of things while it's going through your body. It absorbs and binds toxins and then moves them out of the gut. It isn't a pharmaceutical drug so it has no side effects. You do have to make sure that you don't take any medicines or food within two hours of it, because it will bind everything and eliminate it. I did this after the doctors gave me ulcerative colitis after an operation I had three years ago -- then nobody could figure out how to stop it! I suffered with it for months until one of the naturopaths I talked to told me about Pascalite, so I started taking it. I think I took about 4 capsules, three-to-four times a day. And it stopped the diarrhea cold in one or two days. I continued to take it at a lesser dose for a couple weeks just to make sure it wouldn't come back and it never did! I now take one capsule (about 1/4 tsp) every day just for it's general therapeutic effects. You can read more by going to www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com. Somewhere down the page you can type in "Pascalite" and then read some of the articles the search comes up with. (Www.Pascalite.com now sells ready-made capsules in case you don't want to bother with making your own.)
Jodi, I hope this helps. I don't know if the Pascalite will work for someone who's had IBS-D for a long time, but it did stop my ulcerative colitis when the MDs couldn't, and it's so cheap it couldn't hurt to try. In case you're like me and acidophilus does nothing, I would recommend giving Later-Flora or SBX a try.
ty kls. i really appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences and also the websites to visit for more information. I will let you know how it works out.
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
kls,
I just came back and read your reply, I must have missed it before because I didn't pick up on that chlorophyll thing. But I just ordered some online and will begin taking it soon. I bought Body Mint just because that was the first one that came up on my search and on drugstore.com it got 4-and-a-half stars out of 5. Have you tried this kind before or know anyone who has? Did it work? In any case, the reason I am trying this is because the acidophilus is taking too long to work (plus I'm taking the chewable GNC brand and I don't really know how effective it is). I've realized now why people are so put off by my body odor. Simply put, my odor smells like poo, which explains some of the dirty looks people give me in class. I suppose they just thought I was passing gas in class because I didn't smell like this before. I noticed it when I was taking off a sweatshirt I was wearing. I sweat generally from the underarms, the chest and my back, but I've been putting anti-perspirant under my arms and on my chest so I couldn't really smell it in those two places. But when I took my sweatshirt off today, I whiffed the back part that was covering my back and it did smell something like a BM. Anyhow, I will let you know if Body Mint does work for me. And what is the highest dose you can take that is still safe? You mentioned you take 4 caps twice a day. So would you say it's about 800 mg per day? And is chlorophyllin as effective as chlorophyll because that's the main active ingredient in Body Mint?
I just came back and read your reply, I must have missed it before because I didn't pick up on that chlorophyll thing. But I just ordered some online and will begin taking it soon. I bought Body Mint just because that was the first one that came up on my search and on drugstore.com it got 4-and-a-half stars out of 5. Have you tried this kind before or know anyone who has? Did it work? In any case, the reason I am trying this is because the acidophilus is taking too long to work (plus I'm taking the chewable GNC brand and I don't really know how effective it is). I've realized now why people are so put off by my body odor. Simply put, my odor smells like poo, which explains some of the dirty looks people give me in class. I suppose they just thought I was passing gas in class because I didn't smell like this before. I noticed it when I was taking off a sweatshirt I was wearing. I sweat generally from the underarms, the chest and my back, but I've been putting anti-perspirant under my arms and on my chest so I couldn't really smell it in those two places. But when I took my sweatshirt off today, I whiffed the back part that was covering my back and it did smell something like a BM. Anyhow, I will let you know if Body Mint does work for me. And what is the highest dose you can take that is still safe? You mentioned you take 4 caps twice a day. So would you say it's about 800 mg per day? And is chlorophyllin as effective as chlorophyll because that's the main active ingredient in Body Mint?
Also, if the chlorophyll has anti-bacterial properties, isn't that similar to taking an antibiotic. So won't the same thing (bad body odor) just happen again once I stop taking the chlorophyll. I understand that you are taking a probiotic as well, but do you still get all the benefits of the probiotic while you are taking chlorophyll, which would presumably kill 'good bacteria' as well as the bad?
Hi Jim06,
1) I hadn't heard of Body Mint, so I went to their website and watched the video. Yes, it will work -- it's the same stuff I take (chlorophyllin is the active ingredient derived from chlorophyll). The problem is the dosage you might have to take and, therefore, the cost.
Each tablet of Body Mint contains 100 mg of chlorophyllin, which is what each capsule of my World Organics chlorophyll contains. But needing 800 mg daily, I would be spending about $80/mo for Body Mint, whereas my capsules for that same amount only cost about $23/mo. Almost everybody on the Body Mint "Customer Review" page at drugstore.com said it worked for them, but several people said it didn't. I think if those people who said it didn't work had just increased their dosage, it would have. I'm sure it'll work for you, but if you have to take as high a dose as I do, you'll be spending a whole lot more on it than just ordering the World Organics brand. So keep using what you've got and if it doesn't seem to work, just increase your dosage until it does. When yours is almost gone, I'd think about switching to World Organics.
2) I haven't been able to find any information on chlorophyll "toxicity". I have no idea whether 800 mg/day would qualify for causing long-term toxicity, or whether chlorophyll toxicity is even possible for that matter. It might be, I just don't know.
3) The action of chlorophyll isn't the same as an antibiotic. Antibiotics are formulated to kill specific strains of bacteria. The benefits of chlorophyll come from its ability to increase oxygen in the body.
I found the following two excerpts on chlorophyll interesting:
"Chlorophyll is a very important part of the algae. Its molecular structure is almost the same as that of the hemoglobin, which is responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body. Oxygen is the prime nutrient, and chlorophyll is the central molecule for increasing the oxygen availability to your system. Chlorophyll is vital for the body's rapid assimilation of amino acids. Algae is the highest known source of chlorophyll."
"In "The American Journal of Surgery" (1940) Benjamin Cruskin, M.D., recommends chlorophyll for its antiseptic benefits. The article suggests the following clinical uses for chlorophyll. It neutralizes strep infections, heals wounds, hastens skin grafting, cures chronic sinusitis, overcomes ear inflammation and infections, reduces varicose veins and heals leg ulcers, eliminates impetigo and other scabby eruptions, heals rectal sores, successfully treats inflammation of the uterine cervix, gets rid of parasitic vaginal infections, reduces typhoid fever, and cures advanced pyorrhea in many cases."
4) Yes, if you stop taking chlorophyll the stench will return. The chlorophyll is there to increase the oxygen in your body. Take it away and the problem returns.
5) Probiotics increase the "good" bacterial strains in your body that keep it healthy. The chlorophyll is just adding more oxygen to the body, so there's no problem taking both of them.
By the way, I just started taking a product called Oxy-Powder because I read that it gives off oxygen throughout the whole GI tract. Possibly, I can reduce the chlorophyll dose by using both of them daily. I'm not taking Oxy-Powder the way the manufacturer (ghchealth.com) says to. It does definitely seem to do what they say ("melts" accumulated junk out of your small and large intestine). But it causes gassy diarrhea when you start (part of the "cleaning" process). It's a godsend to people with constipation, but it causes watery gasseous diarrhea in the beginning. If you're NOT constipated, it will turn your BMs to total gushing water! It does seem to cut down on "smells", though. It might work as well as chlorophyll if I could take as many capsules daily as they recommend, but I can't due to the diarrhea it causes. I'm going to continue taking a couple capsules in divided doses per day and see what effect it has over time. I've noticed I seem to have less gas, a little better digestion, etc. since I've been taking it.
Hope I answered your questions. Good luck, and let me know what happens.
1) I hadn't heard of Body Mint, so I went to their website and watched the video. Yes, it will work -- it's the same stuff I take (chlorophyllin is the active ingredient derived from chlorophyll). The problem is the dosage you might have to take and, therefore, the cost.
Each tablet of Body Mint contains 100 mg of chlorophyllin, which is what each capsule of my World Organics chlorophyll contains. But needing 800 mg daily, I would be spending about $80/mo for Body Mint, whereas my capsules for that same amount only cost about $23/mo. Almost everybody on the Body Mint "Customer Review" page at drugstore.com said it worked for them, but several people said it didn't. I think if those people who said it didn't work had just increased their dosage, it would have. I'm sure it'll work for you, but if you have to take as high a dose as I do, you'll be spending a whole lot more on it than just ordering the World Organics brand. So keep using what you've got and if it doesn't seem to work, just increase your dosage until it does. When yours is almost gone, I'd think about switching to World Organics.
2) I haven't been able to find any information on chlorophyll "toxicity". I have no idea whether 800 mg/day would qualify for causing long-term toxicity, or whether chlorophyll toxicity is even possible for that matter. It might be, I just don't know.
3) The action of chlorophyll isn't the same as an antibiotic. Antibiotics are formulated to kill specific strains of bacteria. The benefits of chlorophyll come from its ability to increase oxygen in the body.
I found the following two excerpts on chlorophyll interesting:
"Chlorophyll is a very important part of the algae. Its molecular structure is almost the same as that of the hemoglobin, which is responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body. Oxygen is the prime nutrient, and chlorophyll is the central molecule for increasing the oxygen availability to your system. Chlorophyll is vital for the body's rapid assimilation of amino acids. Algae is the highest known source of chlorophyll."
"In "The American Journal of Surgery" (1940) Benjamin Cruskin, M.D., recommends chlorophyll for its antiseptic benefits. The article suggests the following clinical uses for chlorophyll. It neutralizes strep infections, heals wounds, hastens skin grafting, cures chronic sinusitis, overcomes ear inflammation and infections, reduces varicose veins and heals leg ulcers, eliminates impetigo and other scabby eruptions, heals rectal sores, successfully treats inflammation of the uterine cervix, gets rid of parasitic vaginal infections, reduces typhoid fever, and cures advanced pyorrhea in many cases."
4) Yes, if you stop taking chlorophyll the stench will return. The chlorophyll is there to increase the oxygen in your body. Take it away and the problem returns.
5) Probiotics increase the "good" bacterial strains in your body that keep it healthy. The chlorophyll is just adding more oxygen to the body, so there's no problem taking both of them.
By the way, I just started taking a product called Oxy-Powder because I read that it gives off oxygen throughout the whole GI tract. Possibly, I can reduce the chlorophyll dose by using both of them daily. I'm not taking Oxy-Powder the way the manufacturer (ghchealth.com) says to. It does definitely seem to do what they say ("melts" accumulated junk out of your small and large intestine). But it causes gassy diarrhea when you start (part of the "cleaning" process). It's a godsend to people with constipation, but it causes watery gasseous diarrhea in the beginning. If you're NOT constipated, it will turn your BMs to total gushing water! It does seem to cut down on "smells", though. It might work as well as chlorophyll if I could take as many capsules daily as they recommend, but I can't due to the diarrhea it causes. I'm going to continue taking a couple capsules in divided doses per day and see what effect it has over time. I've noticed I seem to have less gas, a little better digestion, etc. since I've been taking it.
Hope I answered your questions. Good luck, and let me know what happens.
Jim06,
You mentioned charcoal in an earlier post...I can tell you, yes, it works great for gas. And it's cheap. You can get it from Vitamin Shoppe if you have one locally; or you can get it online from various places. It comes in capsules. I always keep a large bottle around because my family uses it frequently. Although, my daughter, who swore by it for years, now tells me it doesn't work as well for her anymore. It still works for me (although I really don't seem to need it much anymore), but that's probably because I take Pascalite clay, chlorophyll, probiotics, and now Oxy-Powder daily. I keep telling her she has to change her diet, as well as include daily probiotics in it, but she's young and in college, and has no time, and can't be bothered with it right now, etc... (She does, however, religiously take my probiotics for several weeks after each round of antibiotics the doctor puts her on because she's learned that lesson the hard way -- she gets horrible diarrhea that won't go away if she doesn't.)
Did you read my earlier post to jodi569 about Pascalite clay? Since I've been taking it I rarely ever need to take charcoal; and it's incredibly cheap. But if you need something to get rid of gas quickly, I think charcoal may work the fastest.
If gas seems to be a constant problem, then taking digestive enzymes before you eat will cut down on most of it. I swear Digesticol is the best product out there right now. (Expensive but it works.)
Take care.
You mentioned charcoal in an earlier post...I can tell you, yes, it works great for gas. And it's cheap. You can get it from Vitamin Shoppe if you have one locally; or you can get it online from various places. It comes in capsules. I always keep a large bottle around because my family uses it frequently. Although, my daughter, who swore by it for years, now tells me it doesn't work as well for her anymore. It still works for me (although I really don't seem to need it much anymore), but that's probably because I take Pascalite clay, chlorophyll, probiotics, and now Oxy-Powder daily. I keep telling her she has to change her diet, as well as include daily probiotics in it, but she's young and in college, and has no time, and can't be bothered with it right now, etc... (She does, however, religiously take my probiotics for several weeks after each round of antibiotics the doctor puts her on because she's learned that lesson the hard way -- she gets horrible diarrhea that won't go away if she doesn't.)
Did you read my earlier post to jodi569 about Pascalite clay? Since I've been taking it I rarely ever need to take charcoal; and it's incredibly cheap. But if you need something to get rid of gas quickly, I think charcoal may work the fastest.
If gas seems to be a constant problem, then taking digestive enzymes before you eat will cut down on most of it. I swear Digesticol is the best product out there right now. (Expensive but it works.)
Take care.
kls,
I appreciate your advice. You have certainly been much more helpful and more informed than any dcotor I have yet to see.
I have begun taking Body Mint and have upped the dose to 600 mg/day. And while this has helped somewhat, I think, there is still one part it has not "deodorized" yet. That is my back. There is a part of my back, right between the center and my neck, that sweats and when I take my shirt off it just smells bad right there (kind of like sulfur, I think). No where else on my body does it smell like this. I don't understand. My armpits smell nothing like this nor do my feet (although these still smell bad). Is there some organ that detoxes right there or something like that?
Also, you mentioned that people who have diarrhea/constipation for a long time or have been on prescription drugs/antibiotics for a long time tend to have this odor problem because their body is detoxing. I've had IBS-d for several years and I was taking both a prescription drug for depression and an antibiotic for acne for several years as well (3-4). And while this makes sense, one other possibility I was thinking of was that maybe my diet consisted of too many animal products. I do eat a lot of chicken. So maybe the sulfur content in the food could be a, if not the primary than at least a secondary, contributor to the odor.
I read about the Pascalite clay and it sounded pretty amazing so I ordered some. I don't want to get my hopes all up b/c there are numerous products I've tried in the past that didn't quite deliver the results I expected (i.e. L-Glutamine, but maybe that's b/c I didn't take enough), but I am fairly optimistic. Do you think the Pascalite clay might also aid with my odor problem by making the detox process move along a bit quicker?
The reason I'm so persistent in trying to get rid of this bad odor is because this whole ordeal has really taken a toll on me mentally. While I feel better now that I'm not taking those drugs anymore, the downside with the smell is that I'm hesitant to leave my apartment now and going to class is just torture for me because the annoyed looks I get, the comments people sitting behind me make, the loud sighing, coughing and sniffing, etc. I only have a week left of classes then finals, and I am really hoping I can make it.
I appreciate your advice. You have certainly been much more helpful and more informed than any dcotor I have yet to see.
I have begun taking Body Mint and have upped the dose to 600 mg/day. And while this has helped somewhat, I think, there is still one part it has not "deodorized" yet. That is my back. There is a part of my back, right between the center and my neck, that sweats and when I take my shirt off it just smells bad right there (kind of like sulfur, I think). No where else on my body does it smell like this. I don't understand. My armpits smell nothing like this nor do my feet (although these still smell bad). Is there some organ that detoxes right there or something like that?
Also, you mentioned that people who have diarrhea/constipation for a long time or have been on prescription drugs/antibiotics for a long time tend to have this odor problem because their body is detoxing. I've had IBS-d for several years and I was taking both a prescription drug for depression and an antibiotic for acne for several years as well (3-4). And while this makes sense, one other possibility I was thinking of was that maybe my diet consisted of too many animal products. I do eat a lot of chicken. So maybe the sulfur content in the food could be a, if not the primary than at least a secondary, contributor to the odor.
I read about the Pascalite clay and it sounded pretty amazing so I ordered some. I don't want to get my hopes all up b/c there are numerous products I've tried in the past that didn't quite deliver the results I expected (i.e. L-Glutamine, but maybe that's b/c I didn't take enough), but I am fairly optimistic. Do you think the Pascalite clay might also aid with my odor problem by making the detox process move along a bit quicker?
The reason I'm so persistent in trying to get rid of this bad odor is because this whole ordeal has really taken a toll on me mentally. While I feel better now that I'm not taking those drugs anymore, the downside with the smell is that I'm hesitant to leave my apartment now and going to class is just torture for me because the annoyed looks I get, the comments people sitting behind me make, the loud sighing, coughing and sniffing, etc. I only have a week left of classes then finals, and I am really hoping I can make it.