Suffering from fish odor syndrome, a woman has to bathe 4 times a day

Kelly Fidoe-White, 41, has been experiencing body odor since the age of 6, but it wasn’t until the age of 34 that she discovered the real cause.

Currently, Kelly is a radiologist in Manchester (UK). She suffers from Fish Odor Syndrome (TMAU).

According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, only 100 cases of the syndrome have been recorded. Patients often give off a variety of strong odors such as rotten fish, onions, and waste.

At the age of 6, Kelly noticed that her urine was fishy like fish. When she hit puberty, she started to have an unpleasant body odor after going to the bathroom.

Every day, she has to change her uniform twice, using a lot of perfume to cover up the unpleasant smell. At one point, Kelly’s mother had to bring new clothes to work for her son when someone complained about her smell.

“As a healthcare professional, it really bothers me when people ask if she knows she should use soap in the shower,” Kelly said.

To limit the smell, Kelly said she used to shower up to 4 times a day. But that was only a short-term solution because her problem was not related to personal hygiene.

“In fact, the odor is often more unpleasant after a shower when the pores are more open due to the warm water,” Kelly shares.

“You shower more, use stronger soaps, wash your clothes with soda crystals, spray your body with perfume. It all makes it worse.”

Sometimes, the fear of others recognizing her smell led Kelly to switch to night shifts and become depressed.

She said: “You don’t want to bother other people, so you don’t stop thinking: Am I sweating? Is that person coughing because of me?”.

There is currently no cure for Fish Odor syndrome. However, symptoms can be reduced by avoiding certain foods and taking certain nutrients.

Over the years, Kelly has found unique ways to improve the disease, such as adopting a choline-reduced diet. She avoids foods like liver, kidney, beans, peanuts and choline-rich vegetables.

However, not enough choline contributes to the risk of developing neurological conditions such as fibromyalgia and Parkinson’s disease.

Kelly also underwent counseling after being bullied for years with taunts that her body odor was due to her weight.

“In fact, I smell the worst when I’m at my lowest. Currently, I believe I have almost no symptoms. That result is due to a combination of supplements and some lifestyle adjustments,” Kelly said. explain.

“I want to speak up for those who suffer with me but are silent because of the stigma against body odor. People are afraid to share for fear of being ridiculed.”

An Yen (Follow The Sun)