Odors

[HfxBaz]

For the last few days I've been smelling 'stale garlic' sweat , is this normal for some or all diabetics?
I was diagnosed as prediabetic months ago, is this something i should get in contact with my gp about or hold out until July for my re test ??

 

[Oldvatr]

The common odors associated with diabetes are acetone (pear drops breath) and vinegar (acetic acid) which are the excess waste products from burning ketones instead of glucose. These are often also associated with a severe condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) which can happen if diabetes is not under control. If you are doing a strict low-calorie or low carb diet, then it may just be keto breath which is a natural consequence of those diets, and nothing to be concerned about.

However, garlic sweat would probably be due to another cause. Some people recovering from Covid-19 report strange smells, so it may be necessary to get your bestie to do an independent check to make sure it is not your olfactory system playing up.

Do you have access to a glucometer to check your sugar levels when this is happening?

 

[HfxBaz]

The common odors associated with diabetes are acetone (pear drops breath) and vinegar (acetic acid) which are the excess waste products from burning ketones instead of glucose. These are often also associated with a severe condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) which can happen if diabetes is not under control. If you are doing a strict low-calorie or low carb diet, then it may just be keto breath which is a natural consequence of those diets, and nothing to be concerned about.

However, garlic sweat would probably be due to another cause. Some people recovering from Covid-19 report strange smells, so it may be necessary to get your bestie to do an independent check to make sure it is not your olfactory system playing up.

Do you have access to a glucometer to check your sugar levels when this is happening?

Sugar levels have been anywhere from 5.2 - 9.1 over the last few days, rapid test came back negative on covid.

 

[Oldvatr]

Sugar levels have been anywhere from 5.2 - 9.1 over the last few days, rapid test came back negative on covid.

Those levels would not produce keto breath, and unless you are on a SGLT-2 medicine (-gliflozin) then it is probably not DKA related. T am presuming you are not eating garlic laced foods, but sweat does not normally reek, so there is a sign of some bacteria action working on sulphur compounds in the sweat that is abnormal. Sources can be onions. cumin, or curries or possibly egg. or some mustards.

I suggest this is something that is not diabetic related,so I will share a more general article here
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/sudden-change-in-body-odor#causes