embarrassing ............

[sue@ssh]

Firstly, hope nobody on here can identify me!
Secondly, is this a diabetic issue?

I am currenty in process of losing employment due to hygiene issues. This has been brought up on two/three ocasions in separate posts, so must be an issue although I cant see myself as Ive been portrayed.

Im supposed to be basically smelling dirty, or 'off'? I shower every day, change clothes every day, wash clothes after two wearings at most. Im currently using special deodorant from GP.

Obviously,the more this gets brought up, the more paranoid I get. Could this be the vicious circle - the more worried I get, the worse the supposed pong gets?!

ANY suggestions welcome!!!!!

Desperate.

 

[sugarless sue]

Welcome to the forum,Sue.Firstly who is telling you this! Sounds like a form of psychological bullying to me.

 

[Patch]

You can't be fired because you smell. Are you on contract?

 

[sandymaynard]

Hi Sue,
when you say a smell? what sort of smell?, sounds like bullying to me, have you noticed a smell?,
can i give abit of advice here please don't take thsi the wrong way!
i use femfresh wash down that region! i find that the femfresh returns your area back to the natural ph that the area of your body should be!
give it a shot, it cost about £2.25 from the chemist or supermarket, if nothing else it will make you feel more confident!
it helps and smells nice, i use it regular every shower that i have!

 

[Aadrgon]

Hi Sue

Sorry - not a problem I've encountered but someone else might of


I take it you don't smoke

Is it possibly something to do with your diet - Some strongly smelling foods can cause odour problems.

Do you perspire a lot ?

I can't see you can lose your job for what could be a medical issue

 

[sue@ssh]

Thanks folks .....

No, dont smoke and try to keep to basic healthy diet. Odd curries are for weekends!
This is HR dept Im talking about saying they have had complaints from the last paces I have been at - last one for only a month! They are very reluctant to place me elsewhere due to this.
No one will tell me to my face exactly WHAT the supposed pong is ....
##Yep, DO perspire - hence the Driclor overnight.
I do use TENA pads for weak bladder - changed every day. Thanks for the tip for down there, will try this next.
At wits end, paranoid, worried, you name it.
Am going back to GP with this anyway. Will keep you updated as to whatever transpires.

Thanks to you all.

Sue

 

[sandymaynard]

Hi Sue,
First thing is i use impulse hint of must for deodrant last the whole day! there is no need to be embrassed my mum has a weak bladder, she uses tena lady, i told her my tip of femfresh last month!
she says it works great! also you can buy femfresh deodrant for down there as well, it is a nice fresh smell,
i feel for you sue, poor you! there is no need to feel ashmed! it is the other people who should be! there is no need for people to be that way!
Sue i can understand the feelings that you must be going through, it is best not to get too stressed as you will make everything worse! See your gp as there might be something they can prescribe for you!
give femfresh a shot, before i forget Sue my mum says in certain chemist's in certain areas you can get tena lady's that have a slight fragrance to them! please don't feel ashmed!

 

[sugarless sue]

Ask the doctor about medications for weak bladder,Sue,also bladder training advice.There are products out there that can help with this.
If it makes you feel more confident try and get a small travel spray and fill it with Febreze ,then ,if you think you need to, just give round your general area a quick spray!!

 

[Aadrgon]

Hi again Sue

As previous quotes - no need for you to feel ashamed or embarrassed in here
We will suggest what we can to help

Hope you get it sorted

 

[HLW]

If it's a problem with sweating, there's a deoderant called PerspireX that might help, I know someone who uses it, she says it's really effective.

 

[Patch]

If it IS perspiration that's the problem - you could try Gillette Anti-Perspirant. It's the ONLY one I've ever used that actually stops the wetness and odour. You can get one that has a really mild smell (so you can use some body spray to make you smell all girly) - so you won't smell like you're wearing mens deodorant!

 

[Trinkwasser]

It's plausible you have some kind of chronic infection like thrush or some form of fungus, both not uncommon with diabetes. Sometimes you can whiff of ketones, a bit like pear drops or acetylene.

I'd get further investigations from your doctor, nurse etc. to help track down the cause.

 

[ChocFish]

Hello Sue, first let me tell you that even if we could identify it would make no difference, even problems that may be embarrasing to you are being taken seriously by us all and everyone will be trying to suggest some ways to help you solve this problem; also thank you for being so brave and posting, it helps in many ways, its possible there is another diabetic in here or a newbie with a similar problem and hiding in fear and embarrassing and you may feel better because you got things off your chest.

You have already been given really good advice here, so check all that out, although deodorants and body sprays and fabric conditioner help to mask any odour you need to get to the root of the cause so off to the doctor you go; have you changed your diet recently, what are you eating most days?
Try to start drinking a glass of kefir every day, it might help because kefir promotes healthy bacteria, in any case are you drinking enough water (added sugar free flavouring syrups eg da vinci or sugarfree squash?), green tea or tulsi tea?

When I first saw your post I thought there is some kind of witch hunt going on there, why are your colleagues running to HR to complain? Have they ever directly spoken to you about this problem? If any of my colleagues had a body odour oroblem I would ask them to come out with me for a coffee or something and gently broach the subjecft and offer to help you find a solution and definitely would support you, no way would I run off to the HR department. And if the HR department have told you about the complaints can they at least tell you more about the smeill, what kind etc? These people are less sensitive than a giant warthog in the way they seem to be dealing with this. you need support and encouragement, surely?

What about your friends and family can you ask any of them if they have noticed and maybe havent said anything for fear of upsetting you? Try and find out.

I do hope that you get the help you need, oh I just remembered one of my staff developed and odour, some years ago now, and it turned out that she forgot to remove a tampon before inserting a new one so the old tampon was being pushed up really high and she was not aware of that each time removing the lower tampon and then none as the period was finished, only a visit to the gynae solved that little misery.
So you see you there are people in similar situations, I hope things are better for you very soon.

Love and hugs

Karen x

 

[iHs]

Hello Sue

I have a feeling that your problem stems from your use of Diclor that the doc gave you for perspiration. Anti perspirants such as this stop you perspiring at the site it is applied but your body needs to be able to perspire from somewhere so this is what is happening more like and is looking elsewhere on your body. You might be better off to stop using the Diclor and just use a less agressive anti perspirant and use baby wipes mid day to freshen up with in the loo and a fresh spray of deoderant.

 

[SilverAndEbony]

Hi Sue,

I am overweight, and when I sweat the the 'folds' of fat I have get very sweaty. I am enjoying the delights of bad night-sweats at the moment, so I don't smell of a fresh daisy. most mornings
On very hot days I spray antiperspirant under my 'folds' of fat. and on my back because the sweat gets smelly very quickly there.
I worked with someone who had bad BO years go. Too much spicy and garlicy food, plus he didn't wash his hair often enough. So, even if he didn't eat spicy food, his hair was smelly :-(

I have noticed that, as my hair is very greasy, I have to be careful with the clothing I wear, but don't wear fresh-on each day. For example scarves and coats. The smell builds up quite quickly in my case. Anything that comes into contact with my hair always picks up the oils and sweat from my hair and scalp.
I have a big problem with the lanyards we have to wear at work. They are made of material, and after a week or two they don't smell too fresh. I also end up with blocked pores at the back of my neck and in my hair. I now use a leather bootlace to hold my work ID card and pass on, which doesn't irritate my skin, or smell. (hopefully)

My approach is to spray with antiperspirant where I can, wear natural fabrics, wash myself and my hair every day. And hope for the best, really.

I hope you get help from your doctor soon. It sounds like you are doing all of the obvious things.

Take care, and look after yourself. And don't forget to let us know how you get on.

Thinking of you,

Ellen

 

[candy1567]

Hi

I can vouch for what silver and ebony says about getting sweaty in the folds of skin. When i was a lot bigger and my bs where so much higher i used to sweat an awful lot so what i used to do was to use a dove roll on it really does work. It doesn't contain alcohol and smells really nice and is easier to apply than sprays, also as its sooooo warm in our office i have a desktop fan on my desk to keep me cool and use wet wipes if am hot especially my neck.

Hope you get it sorted soon, and i admire you for sharing this

Take care

Juliexx

 

[IanD]

My non-diabetic wife has occasional problems with a fungal problem particularly under her breasts, but under folds of skin, & this can be somewhat offensive. Though she wouldn't lose a job over it. It's more a problem for her than others.

I suggest trying athletes' foot type spray & powder to kill any possible infection. There is a danger that aggressive antiperspirants would aggravate the problem.

 

[SilverAndEbony]

I've had an infection underneath my breasts - I thought of it as nappy rash or something.


I spoke to a pharmacist at the time, though I can't remember what I used to help clear it up. Something more like canesten I think.

 

[catherinecherub]

Mycil powder, used in treating athletes foot, is very good for sore skin because of sweat rash or fungal infections.

Catherine.

 

[sue@ssh]

THANKS TO YOU ALL FOLKS, you have cheered me up. I think anyway.
I have seen GP, who has advised spraying 2-4 times daily plus a mouthwash (as I have had tooth infection and recent extraction). Nothing more than Im already doing but a heck of a lot more frequently!
We have discovered a mildew in corner of bedroom, so Ive washed wardrobe AGAIN ......
I have a meeting with bosses on Wednesday - have been told so by UNION but STILL waiting for MY official invite!
GP given me another self analysis form for depression - it was just under scale in January, now risen to 'moderate' - hardly surprising ............ going back to GP following Monday to see what suggestions made re this.
Thanks again - from Sue who is wandering round in perfumed haze ...........