Hi Holly,
I came across your site today and filled with awe of how much you know. Therefore I would like to ask your for your insight concerning an issue, most people I came across on the internet, are silently suffering from.
I am aware of apocrine glands in the armpit and ano-genital area. I do know that when one sweats in these regions, if it mixes with bacteria, it would give off offensive odors. What I don't understand is that, even though when some people wash off the sweat, and apply deoderant and antiperspirants, there still seems to be offensive odor given off.
I have also noticed that after taking a shower, maybe 5 minutes of more, I might start to give off odor from the armpit. I have tried various remedies I came across online, to no avail. I currently use an antiseptic soap and dove, but the issue persists. This is really affecting me psychosocially, physically and so on. I always dreaded going to class because I noticed some of my classmates could perceive the odor(by their body languages).
I came across a site called drnatura.com, have you heard about it and what do you think about one cleansing out oneself? They say that it is good for one to periodically cleanse out the GI system, and toxins from the other systems in the body. I am thinking about giving it a try, to see if it rids me of this odor. By the way the odor recently started towards the end of spring '06. I don't sweat excessively (no hyperhidrosis), its the odor i'm concerned about.
I also recently noticed/feel some excessive heat inside me (whole body). Its quite uncomfortable, but when my temperature is obtained, it is usually within normal limits. My labworks seem to be normal i.e. thyroid studies, liver functionand so on. I went to see my doctor regarding the armpit odor issue,and asked for a refferal to a dermatologist. The doctor simply disregarded my request, and informed me that she'd consult the dermatologis herself. I received a note from the doctor to limit fat/salt/cholesterol intake, which I don't often consume.
There are numerous people whom I came across that suffer from this issue. I truly would appreciate it if you could give me some advice.
thanks
Well, thanks for the praise, but I don't know everything. That is why I have to constantly look up stuff all the time and re-evaluate what I think I know! I recommend some of the sites on "relatively reputable resources", in the margin of my website, here.
I am sorry to say it, but as appealing as the idea of cleansing your GI tract may sound, an unclean gastrointestinal tract is not your problem. "Cleansing your GI" will not help you one bit, it will just clean out your wallet. It is a popular fad based on a medieval notion that some sort of undefined "toxins" (they never give them actual chemical names so I can look them up!) in the body are causing problems, and need to be cleansed with attacks from above and below with laxatives and enemas, or other devices. The idea has not a bit of sound scientific evidence to support it, although it is an easy thing to picture, especially for medieval minds.
To read more about GI cleansing, take a look at Dr. Stephen Barrett's article. (I especially like the protest from a colon cleansing enthusiast that he politely adds at the bottom of his article, pretty much handing the poor person a rope that they then gleefully hang themselves with. It is filled with grammatical errors, conspiracy claims, and the eyebrow-raising claim that our intestine has a BRAIN! I must have missed that one in my anatomy class.)
For further reading on popular scams in general you might want to check out my own article, How To Avoid Getting Conned by People, Including Yourself.
The good news is that I really think a dermatologist can help you. I know you say you don't have problems with excessive sweating, but you might want to check out possible treatment with botox injections, which can control sweating. I'm not sure what the verdict is on using that for odor, but I understand it is a life saver for some who have excessive sweating. If your dermatologist doesn't help, see a different one. Of course, we will assume you are bathing every day!
I'd also recommend seeing an endocrinologist. I am not sure what you mean by "excessive heat" in your body. You have not revealed your age or if you are female, so that may make sense if you are entering menopause, which can happen prematurely for some women. Whether you are female or not, an endocrinologist will be better than your average MD at sorting out any hormonal imbalances that may cause a sensation of heat or overactive apocrine glands. If you have a fishy smell, you may have a relatively rare genetic condition that you should get checked out by an MD.
I hope that helps you get started on the right path! Now make peace with your colon!
Holly
