Body Odor-An Unpleasant Encounter
Biology 103
2002 Second Paper
On Serendip
Body Odor-An Unpleasant Encounter
Melissa Brown
"What is that smell?" you ask.
"It is absolutely disgusting," you reply to yourself as you continue
walking along. Then you realize that this smell just keeps on following
you, from classroom to lunchroom to dorm room, even in the courtyard.
Then it hits you that garbage has not been following you everywhere but
you are the cause of that disgusting smell; you have body odor. What is
this phenomenon of body odor? According to John Riddle, Body odor is
the term used for any unpleasant smell associated with the body(1).
Most of us are concerned about how we look especially, how we smell so
body odor which can be a potentially fatal blow to a person's social
life is not a welcome addition to one's ingredients for success. It is
this human fear of being excluded that led to the invention of the
term, body odor. In the 1910s and 1920s, advertisers highlighted
people's discontent with the things around them and with themselves in
order to encourage them to buy their products. A group of advertising
men used the term B.O. to mean body odor in a women's deodorant
advertisement for their product, Odo-Ro-No. It played upon women's
sentiments that beauty was important to achieving their main goal in
life: a husband.
Listerine, which today has mundane advertisements with bottles of
Listerine and a voice talking about the results of laboratory research
that show Listerine's ability to combat gingivitis, cavities and so on,
also used this approach. Listerine had an advertisement that showed
"pathetic Edna" who was approaching her "tragic" thirtieth birthday and
was always "a bridesmaid and never a bride" apparently because she
suffered from Halitosis or bad breath (of course it could not have been
personality problems that was hindering Edna's romantic progress!). As
a result of this ad, Listerine's sales went from $100,000 a year in
1921 to more than $4 million in 1927. Body odor is a major concern for
most people and even those who do not suffer from it are concerned
about preventing body odor because of its negative social consequences.(2)
People are very sensitive about how they smell. Humans do not
appreciate the power of a bad smell as much as skunks appreciate
theirs. The striped skunk which is known in the scientific community as
Mephitis mephitis accurately shoots a narrow stream of yellow fluid,
butyl mercaptan, up to 10 feet at a threat. If the fluid hits the eyes
of the threat it may cause temporary blindness. Even if the skunks
misses, which is rare, the musk will cause nausea, gagging and general
discomfort. (Perhaps next time you are at a party and you receive some
unwelcome attention, you should raise those armpits or let out a breath
of air to your unsuspecting predator.) Most people however, try to do
quite the opposite and purchase expensive perfumes to mask odors and
create a sensual smell that will attract the opposite sex. They spend a
lot of money buying perfumes like Object of Desire by Bvlgari and they
do not realize that the fluid that skunks emit is commercially used as
a base for perfumes because of its clinging nature.(3) This makes me wonder whether if it is only by having a bad smell that we can get a good smell.
So what exactly causes us to have that bad smell? Most of the causes
are related to lifestyle choices. If you use drugs, toxins or herbs
such as alcohol and cigarette smoking, you body will smell. Also if you
eat certain foods such as garlic and raw onions you will have an
unpleasant breath. You can also develop body odor by simply sweating
excessively or practicing poor hygiene. A couple other causes of body
odor include: tooth or oral conditions such as periodontal disease and
gingivitis. Also, there can be inborn errors of metabolism for example,
aminoaciduria. Most of these problems are a result of a decision that
the sufferer had made about how he chooses to lead his life. If he
chooses to be a chain smoker he will smell like a cigarette. If he
chooses not to shower or wash his clothes then he will have a pungent
smell. If he chooses not to practice proper dental hygiene then he will
have Halitosis. However, if he sweats excessively because he has a fear
of social situations then his cause of body odor cannot be as easily
rectified. In addition, people who suffer from aminoaciduria also
cannot easily change their lifestyle to rectify their body odor because
aminoaciduria results from an enzyme deficiency. We should not judge or
marginalize people because of their smell because the cause of it may
go beyond poor hygiene.(1)
Almost everyone has received a compliment about the perfume that he or
she is wearing. This shows that people react to scents and that a
pleasant scent encourages a favorable perception of that person. New
research has shown that some individuals are highly sensitive to
smelling a component of body odor which is called androstenone.
Furthermore, if the person can easily smell androstenone then he will
decide whether or not he likes the person based on the smell. What is
androstenone? It is a human pheromone which is a chemical attractant
that is in body secretions like perspiration. Men release large
quantities of androstenone while women omit small amounts. So men are
more likely to be judged by their smell than women. According to the
study, fifty percent of people cannot smell androstenone at all and one
half of them can only catch a whiff and enjoy the scent. Those who can
smell androstenone, on the other hand, do not like the smell and
compare it to urine or perspiration. The study went on to show that
there was a correlation between the ability to smell androstenone and
the androstenone-smeller's judgment of the person. In other words, if
someone can smell androstenone on someone else and finds the smell
unpleasant then he will dislike the person.(4)
Clearly, there is a lot at risk if one has body odor since man is a
gregarious animal then body odor can make him unable to maintain or
even start relationships. We have realized this so there are number of
ways to eliminate body odor. One of the most rudimentary ways to get
rid of body odor is to wash with both soap and water especially in the
groin area and armpits which are more likely to smell. The best soap to
use is a deodorant soap which impedes the return of bacteria.
Showering, as well as, washing your clothing regularly will help to
prevent body odor. In addition, we should wear natural fabrics like
cotton which absorb perspiration better than synthetic materials like
polyester. Athletic apparel makers like Nike and Adidas are adopting
this idea in their clothing design by creating materials that cause the
sweat to evaporate faster.
You should also use commercial deodorants which mask underarm odor or
use antiperspirants which reduce the amount of perspiration. If these
fail then you should turn to France, the land of fine perfumes and "Le
Crystal Nature" which is a chunk of mineral salts that helps to keep
bacteria under control without irritating the skin. A more serious
approach to fighting body odor is Drionic which is an electronic device
that plugs up overactive sweat ducts and keeps them plugged for up to
six weeks.(5)
There are many ways to avoid having body odor. The easiest way to find
out what is available to you is to take a stroll in your local Eckerd,
CVS or Riteaid.
Body Odor is a major concern for human
beings. It is one concern that affects men and women to almost the same
extent. We are concerned about our smell because people judge how we
take care of ourselves by our smells and use this information to decide
whether we are worthy of friendship because of it. We need to pay
attention to how we smell not only because of social interactions but
because odors from our body may alert us to a medical problem like a
urinary tract infection or periodontal disease. It must be noted
however that much of the hype about body odor comes from marketing
consultants who need to sell their companies' product and play on our
insecurity. Try to avoid being caught up in this web of commercialism
while at the same time taking good care of your body.
References
1) Body Odor. It gives basic information about Body Odor.
2) It provides information on the less renowned tidbits of history.
3) It provides information about the striped skunk.
4) It provides information that otherwise would not get a lot of attention.
5) It provides online information about problems that affect teenagers
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01/22/2006, from a Reader on the Web I have been searching for an answer about this one person I work with. He smells intensely of a vinegar like substance, but honestly I would have to say he smells like pickles. half the people I work with say the same thing. It is so intense that I get a headache and a stomache and he is unbearable to be near. I cannot find anything on the internet that would explain this, and I do not have the guts to ask the poor guy, because honestly I cannot even be near him. Any speculation on this matter????? Thank you
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Additional comments made prior to 2007
Western culture need to avoid of escalation of hatred and wilingness to take advantages over other using somebody's personal issue as their body/breath odor! Where every house or apartment, everyone has access to bath, shower. Where there is no hygiene issues! This attitude can be fueled by nuslim nations. So one should think about this ... Reader on the web, 1 April 2006
I have the same problem with one of my employees who is from Nepal. I think it could be the spicy food they have, another employee addresses the matter to me since I'm the manager but it is a very delicate matter and I feel sick if I stay 3 foot close to this person. Besides this is a high end retail store and also had customers commenting on the way this person smells. I'm going to have to let her go but wonder if there is anything this person can do to get rid of that horrible odor ... Yolanda, 26 April 2006
i have just noticed a body odor of vinegar. I saw reference to another person about same problem. This just started in the last few days and I am trying to find a reason. Any suggestions? Supplements? thanks ... Tom, 15 July 2006
I
see alot of people with posted requests for body odor issues. Mr.
Chan has won the Geneva award for his invention in the medical category
for a product that cures body dor. A press release was issued and
maybe some of your readers would benefit from it.
Here it is below:
Dr. Mist winner of several awards including the Geneva Award for itsí
invention in the medical category is currently marketed as a deodorant
is also used as a multi-function hygiene product. As a deodorant,
there is absolutely no staining, no aluminum, alcohol, oils or
fragrances and it flushes out toxins. Customers are moving away
from sticks and gels which stain their clothes and lasts part of the
day. Dr. mist will last for days, even if bathing is not possible
(ie: patients in hospitals, campers, etc)
Dr. mist is a new invention based on floatation technology that works
like an anti-perspirant, but still allows the pores to breathe.
As recently featured on the news, it is also very effective athlete's
foot, soothes mosquito and insect bites, accelerates healing in wounds,
clears up acne and pimples with visible results in 24 hours and soothes
skin irritation ... Claudette, 13 September 2006
I had bad breath and body odor since I was born. Spent more than 20
years and thousand of dollars trying to find what was missing in my
system until I saw Dr. Brenda Watson describing what happens when there
is not enough intestinal flora in the body. What happens? Vitamins
along with impurities go straight to the blood causing the odor. So
that is what was missing in my system.
I started taking probiotics (the higher the number the best) and multi
enzymes and that was the beginning of my cure. Now I added Culturelle
Lactobacilus Gg and no more body odor and bad breath.
Please, tell other people so they do not go through what I went through ... Mindy, 31 October 2006
My daughter is told she smells like pickles......we can't figure out what is causing this.....it's not perfume, soap, shampoo or anything else she's putting on externally.....I read your body odor article and the question posed by one of your readers is the same as mine.....why does my daughter smell like pickles??? What can be done about it?? ... Lupe Rodriguez, 7 December 2006
Re: an earlier post
Either he's wearing something that smells of what you described or it could be some form of disease ex. cancer. could be other forms but if you are that concerned. Does he have a desk? write an anonymous letter? it could be a medical problem and you do need to get your views across, because it could save his life ... Jennifer, 3 February 2007
I have recently noticed a slight wiff of vinegar odor from my body. I asked a friend if he noticed it and he said "no". I shower daily and am clean. Any ideas what may cause this? ... Phil, 16 July 2007
Hello there. I have been experiencing an odor for a while now but I still don't know where it is coming from. It occurs mainly when I am around my friends and it doesn't smell when I'm at home or at my doctor. Other people say that they smell it also. Please advise me what to do if you guys ever came across such an experience before. Thanks in advance ... Saf, 2 October 2007
smelly like mildew, poop, gas, it varies
I have noticed in the last three months that i smell like the mildew smell. i have noticed that somedays strongr than others and sometimes it smells like rotten eggs.... i have lost 15 pounds in the last four months, going through a divorce...i am wantin to gain weight thinking maybe i is it but its not working.. i am loosing i stoped working out... i dont want to loose more and smell while at the gym. i akesked my friends and they say i dont smell but sometimes hwhen i dnt know the people they make remarks usually men and little kids.... at work i knwo it killlin my job and i erally love it here.. i have been her two yrs but now i have this prob... it once smelled like poop,then rotten eggs, then mildew/mold. i take many showers doesnt help usually happens mid day and after..... n sometimes it just smells like gass... i figured it out maybe its something in my blood or toxins... ihavent tried anyhing becausei didnt knw what to do but i hope that good had put thi spage n my path for something... i am so not confident.. anymore my selfesteem is dead.. iam good lookin just the smell now.... i knw peeople cough. put there hands on there noise... i ned help.... i thought maybe i was the only one but now i know i am not the only stiky one... itake showers but it oesnt help, the last two m onths i have been so tired....
Hi guys, like you, I also
Hi guys, like you, I also have body odor. Mine isnt fecal though (a poop smell) but it smells like meat when i sweat. Pretty weird, huh? Yea, well my scalp has this nasty odor too. It smells right after i wash it and when i straighten it, it smells like cheese or feet. I feel so embarrassed when im aound people because i know they can smell it- even my friends and thier parents cover their noses when they are around me.
I've had this problem for about 6 years now, and it all started in eigth grade. Now i'm in college, and haven'e made many friends in fear that someone else will notice my smell and look at me in a bad way. As a side note, last summer when i was a freshman in college, my odor changed from a meaty/hamburger smell to a sour smell. I dont know what triggered this change, but when this smell came, i would smell right after i took a shower ( in fact, when i got out of the shower my body would smell like my soap, except it was soo much stronger and worse). So i started to cut back on the meat and ate a vegetarian diet to see if this would make difference. A week later, my sour smell was gone, but it returned back to the hamburger/meaty smell i had before, except it had a sweet odor mixed with it (maybe because i was eating alot more carbs?)
Anyway, i just wanted to know if any of you guys hve experienced these kinds of odors with the sweat and scalp and give me some advice. I want to live my life again.
so depressed..
Hi everyone!
Just reading everyones comments makes me feel a little better but also sad.. I was somewhat hoping that it was all in my head and i was just imagining things but its obvious that this is a problem that many people go through. I am 24 years old and i am a single mother. I am attractive but i always shy away from men who try to date me because somehow someone always makes a comment about it smelling like "poop" or peole always asking who passed gas. There is instances that i myself can smell the smell it smells awful like fish and rotten eggs and i cant believe that that awful smell come out of me.
: (
i dont know what to do. It is really embarrasing i just want to cry.
Try cutting out the sugar
Try cutting out the sugar from your diet; at least no more than one desert a week. That will decrease the bad bacteria in your intestines and female area. Drink more water to clean your blood. Another post recomended multi-enzymes. Also coffee and black tea are toxic to your liver. Hope that helps.
why do i smell? :'(
hi im a 19 yr old girl, since primary school i always sweated alot and i never thought it was a big problem till secondary school. people use to make jokes about me and i never knew they were talking about me,they'd wear scarfs to try and hide the smell when sitting next to me in class. i tried to push the thought that i stunk out the window but when you travel on the bus for 5 years and no one sit's next to you it kind of gets you down. im now in college and it's constantly hot, i drive so no one has to suffer and they dont say anything horrible to me on the bus anymore which is the only good thing. but when i get to college i smell disgusting and i use deo, i've tried everything on the market. i just want to cry when i hear the mean things the girls say and they say it loud so i can hear it . but im not gonna let them see me cry!!!. i dont mean to smell, it's not like i do it on purpose. i do wash twice a day or more, i went to the doctors and all she said was 'you just have sensitive arms my dear, theres nothing i can do' the only person that could have helped sent me away with out even trying. i've never felt so down and depressed in my life , i cry when im alone. i don't want to worry my family or friends they have there own problems to deal with . i mean, i feel sorry for the girls in my class. having to smell me 7hr's 5 days a week . if i was them i wouldn't sit next to me or talk to me either, even my dad says i smell like a pig :'(. i'd say im a really happy girl with alot of friends but this is getting to me,it's just so hard i cant take it anymore. i want to be like other girls , the ones that never sweat, that don't have to buy 30 deo's just to try and smell nice. that don't want guys talking to her cause shes scared their say that she smell's.that smell pretty!. i need a miracle cause my confidence is shattered to 1000 pieces. but it's so nice that im not the only one, that people have over come this. it gives me hope that i can be normal one day . thankyou.
Please talk to your
Please talk to your parents--someone in your family to help you. They would be very sad to know that you are suffering so much and not able to talk to them. Look through the other ideas and see which ones that you can do. How's your diet? Are you eating a lot of sugar and drinking pop (probably doesn't help), taking vitamins (good), drinking lots of water (good), eating lots of veggies and beans...Mostly, don't give up! We all have lots of things like this that we have to battle all our lives--sometimes they are very serious and sometimes they are a nuisance. This is probably a health-problem that can be helped by changing how you eat and some additional things that you'll need to do to take care of yourself. Most importantly, love the young lady that you are and appreciate those things that you are good at and make you special--you are an unrepeatable creation. I will be hoping that you get to the bottom of this thing! Talk to someone who loves you!
ever since i was little
hi everyone
ever since i was young in elementary school, i didnt shower much, even tho i should had.i shower regularly now, and use things to help scrub of dead skin. in school i would hear comments about a poop smell or diaper smell in the area i was in. i felt like burying myself alive right then. i always had a tough time dealing with this. from elem to high school i dealt with this. after hih school i hadnt heard any comments from my friends or family until last week at work. my frend passed right behind me and said dude you reek and i replied huh? to which she replied a completely different thing...i went to the bathroom and tried washing my face and airing my self out( i had been sweating at work)
what can i do? this makes me feel terrible and takes me back to my middle school years..
not fair at all
halitosis
dear people please help.am 27 years old female suffering from halitosis from past 10 years,imagine how i lived my teenager life/?people pointing at me,some do not want to talk to me they go away when they see me.i got divorced because of this killer.whenever i go for a date guys escape even tho am so preety and well educated.i am living alone now away from my family and people.
I TRIED ALL SOLUTIONS,I EVEN VISITED HALITOSIS CENTRES AROUND THE WORLD.please help
smell
I SMELL LIKE SMOKE???!?!! MY MOM SAYS I SMELL LIKE SMOKE IM JUST LIKE WHAT THE HECK??!!??!?!?! I DON'T SMELL ANYTHING BUT I HAVE A COLD SO I CANT SMELL ANYTHING ANYWAY BUT I DON'T SMOKE I'VE HEARD OF A RARE DISEASE THAT MAKES PEOPLE SMELL LIKE CIGAATES BY THE WAY IM 12 I CANT EVEN SPELL CIGARETTE I HAD TO GET A SPELL CHECK TOO SPELL IT I MEAN COME ON?? WHY DO I SMELL LIKE CIGARETTES USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN I WORK OUT IN GYM CLASS TOO please help me i don't smoke
fecal odor.OMG
Oh my god! this smell is driving me crazy.I'm a 25 years old woman,good looking and always was worry about how do i look.but now this is ruining my life.it's started a few months ago after i had anal sex.i dont know if there is any relation but what i know is that before that i was normal. stinky,spoiled smell around me.
it wasn't as bad as it is now.now!!!not even me can stand the smell,give me nauseas.i feel very depressed.i dont wanna go to work,either school.sometimes i just wanna die!! i tried changing my diet,vitimans,glutimine supplements,nothing worked for me! so i decided to go to my doctor.they test me for STD infections.the test came positive for chlamydia in my rectum and anus. and i might have proctitis as well,cause my rectum is inflammed.maybe that is my problem.i'm treating my STD with antibiotics but the smell is still with me!!they are going to do a sigmoid! it's a test which they use a camara to see through you small intestines!' i hope they find something and prescribe me with the cure! but im so nervous about the smell! i'm not eating well,cause i noticed that as soon i eat the smell it's stronger! i swear that if i find the cure,i will let you know,cause i know what you are going through!
pray for all of us! good luck!
Garbage smell
I have been suffering from a garbage like smell for years. It gets worse when I eat. I have isolated myself. I am always in a state of fear. I've had upper GIs, colonoscopys, rectal surgery, taken antibotics. Still I smell. If i eat outdoors, bugs fly around me. I am at my wits end. I am very clean about myself. I work out. I take fiber daily. I have good bowel movements. But still that smell. Often at work folks walk by and sniff at me. Sometimes even blurt out loud, "what is that smell"! I don't know what else to do. I'm writing you because u said your problem intensify once you've eaten. I usually eat breakfast, the nothing until I come home. Not good, I know. I just want to be normal. Any suggestions?
email me. lets help each other out
Ok I suffer too. It is hardly ever noticable in home. But in school, it's totally noticable (especially in classrooms). That horrid smell of sulfer and feces engulf me and a wide area around me, kind of like a forcefield (that smells like poop). Sometimes I know when the smell is coming, sometimes i don't. For example, if I feel the need to pass gas, I'm already expecting to smell feces (due to the fact that i believe I have weak anal sphincter control *HELP PLEASE*). Then it just comes out. Doesn't matter what I ate the day before. It still smells like poop! Gosh don't you just hate it when family and friends tell you that they don't smell anything? But when you go to school you see your surrounding classmates turn the other way or cover their noses. (In my situation there are people talking behind my back saying i smell like shit. And they think i can't hear them). Today I sat close to a friend of mine i just met. I could totally tell he was smelling me due to his reactions. He was lying forward on the desk trying to cover his face from the smell, covered his nose, stared at me a couple of times, etc. I asked him to be honest about if I smell bad. He said no. Why are people like this? I know they are trying to be polite and all but honesty would help us even more. Sucks because my family thinks I have a mental illness. They don't want to help me because they don't believe me. If you feel the same way I do and are alone email me. Tell me your story.
l3xu5@yahoo.com
these comments remind me of
these comments remind me of my own situation. but recently, i've come to think that much of the odor issue i have is in my head. i think that i have probably imagined much of the odor that i used to think was real and coming out of my body. what got me about 13x's comment was the part about family and friends reassuring him/her about the odor. i've done the same thing--asked someone whether or not i smell, got the wrong answer (reassurance) and went on believing that i smelled like an open sewer/garbage can/dead fish/etc. i've found that i can dream up anything about myself and believe it in the face of a great deal of evidence to the contrary. as for coworkers covering their noses and the like, well, it's almost certain that i've let on that i am paranoid about my odor (by overcompensating: wearing too much cologne, say, or popping mints constantly). and chance are--since i'm so awkward (because i don't have healthy relationships with people because i think they're all insincere)-- the only way my coworkers have to relate to me is to make jokes and spend part of their day fucking with my head. people become aware when others have hang-ups about things. how they deal with it varies. some say nothing about the hang-up. some try to be reassuring and supportive. others are complete assholes about it and take every opportunity to behave thusly. yet, when one asks for an honest answer--as 13x did--and gets the answer that no, one does not in fact smell bad, it is again the wrong answer, and one continues to believe 1) that one is a stinking vat of roasting garbage; and 2) nobody is being honest. however, if one puts oneself into new situations--say, with people one does not know--and tests the idea that one does not smell (i.e., by acting normally and confidently, even if it is just an act for the sake of doing the test), one probably finds that said people do not behave so strangely. as the article above points out, advertising is quite powerful, and some of us are quite sensitive to it, even though we are otherwise intelligent, rational people. i think, at bottom, that most people who suffer from this odor phobia thing are probably dealing with a delusion of some sort that, while not easy to get rid of, is treatable if one is willing to trust other people and to re-train one's mind to understand that most of the time, things are probably okay and not nearly as bad as they may seem.
Hey Sweetheart, You are
Hey Sweetheart,
You are not crazy, the same exact thing is happening to me. I smell the poop smell always around me and sometimes I smell fish, spoiled rotten fish and my stomach is always gassy. People are wierd they say they dont smell anything but I hear the same people making mean comments when they think I'm out of ear shot. My family say's I'm crazy and that it is all in my head. I don't know what's going on.
I read an article that in the 80's they gave a triple antibiotic drug to intensive car patients; and that this my be the cause of my problems, a yeast overgrowth. I have been taking some pro-biotics and enzymes and the smell is subsiding some. I just want this to be over so I can live a normal life.
I'm sorry that people are so mean. I wish I could help you and make this whole thing better for both of us. But, keep your head up! Also "Please find the book The master Key system by charles haanel and read it" I think you will like it. God Bless You Honey, and even though I dont know you I love you and understand what you are going through. I wish I could find a friend like you. Also if I was in your class I would tell you the truth. In one way I think that this issue has made me a better person in ways that really matter, Lets both let this count for something.
Mind over matter?
Hi all
It happened to me for a couple of weeks. Totally embarrassing – didn’t even want to go to work let alone leave the house (and I love my job!)
But for now it seems to have disappeared... actually, I take that back. It comes and goes, but I think it’s a mind over matter thing and I am trying not to let it take over my life. A couple of weeks ago when I first smelt it, I decided to cut out coffee and stopp eating as much junk food as I had lived on for over 10 years (used to have around choccie bars a day, numerous can drinks and ate out most of the time), and then when this happened, it was like a realisation to kick out my bad habits.
I honestly believe that herbal teas helped. I started with fennel and nettle, and then a colleague let me have the Twinings Morning Detox, which I will continue to take every morning, whilst drinking peppermint / fennel and nettle drinks everytime I needed something warm. It wasn’t easy to begin with, but it got to the point where I would do anything and everything to lose the smell. It killed my self esteem.
Activia yoghurts helped too. I do actually think it is to do with nerves, and also the body having too much acid and needing alkaline foods. Who knows really – all I know is that it has taught me to be a lot more conscious about what I eat as coffee, chocolate and alcohol speed up heart rates and therefore nerves can be the worse.
But perhaps I am wrong and it's not a mind over matter thing. Either way, I have a blood test and a neurologist appointment scheduled so I shall keep you all updated.
My prayers and best wishes are with you all.
D
im 15 years old and have the
im 15 years old and have the same promblem my family and doctor cant smile it but most of friends smell it when i play sports beacuse i sweat alot i think thats the promblem
me too
I've suffered with this since I was 12 and I'm now nearly 50. There is NO cure for this and you just have to learn to deal with it, don't keep setting yourselves up for failure and disappointment by thinking you can cure it. The smell will sometimes be not as bad but that's the best you can hope to achieve. Get yourselves tested for TMAU, but if you don't have TMAU you probably have BROMHIDROSIS which is smelly appocrine sweat (not normal eccrine sweat). This also has nothing to do with personal hygiene, most of us are cleaner than you non-smellers out there with your stupid comments about washing clothes (well duh).
Vinegar / Faeces / Trash smell
Hi all
Been reading all of these comments, and still at a loss. I can relate. Since my birthday at the beginning of the year, I have smelt of BO. Changed my deodrant, and then realised that I could smell my feet a lot more than usual. Started placing deodrant down there to hide the smell but in the last week or so, the feet have smelt of vinegar, and this week, I have smelt me smelling of faeces, vinegar and of a trashy smell. I am driving my mum up the wall asking if I smell (for her to tell me no) and my friends have told me I don't (and I know they would tell me if I do). I am worried sick. I have taken days off work as I too have seen people rubbing their noses and coughing around me, received the bad stares from people on the bus and train, and now am thinking of not going on holiday incase I make people on the plane journey want to go overboard with my smell!!
My diet is bad. I used to snack on a lot of sweets, chocs and fizzy and have now cut that out; but I am so sensitive, I don't know what to do. I am even fearful of going to church, and I love church so much.
Can anyone help? I'm so scared of losing my job, my life, my family and my friends.
Thank you. God bless. x
fecal odor
ok. i've been reading what's been posted about this fecal odor stuff and here's my take.
i developed this like two years ago. i was in a club (i guess i'm an attractive guy) and i'm dancing with this hot girl. all of a sudden she moves away from me. everyone is staring. someone holds their nose. I get a faint whiff of something horrible smelling pooplike odor. that can't be me, right? Leave the club and go into a store - they complain of a poopy smell. everywhere i go the same complaint.
go to the doc. she accuses me of being gay and catching something through anal sex. she gives me flagyl. i change doctors. the flagyl doesn't work. another doctor does a full battery of tests. nothing.
i troed probiotics. heavy doses. nothing except heavy doses of probiotics MAKES YOUR POOP MORE STINKY so when i used the whole bathroom my whole brownstone building smelled awful. probiotics didn't solve it - although my skin and nails got a lot better.
went on an essentially all protein diet - just protein and veggies - no sugars or grains at all. that solved it. but the problem then became hypoglycemia - had it bad.
so i deduced that it must be yeast. used grapefruit seed extract to kill it. then i used glutamine to heal my gut. high does of glutamine - like 10 grams or more. also took zinc - high doses of 100 mg or more a day. IT WORKED.
are you hearing me???? it worked. the odor went away.
but now my intestines arevery sensitive and i'm learning the hard way.
coffee? the smell comes back. green tea? the symptoms come back. Alcohol? the symptoms definitely come back.
I read somewhere where the b vitamin niacin would help and i took that and it made it much worse and I was literally holed up in my apt for 2 weeks.
so my conclusion:
this is leaky gut. intestinal hyperpermeability. note that a lot of sufferers here also have IBS or colitis. also note that IBS is prevalent among autistics - I've read a number of autistic kids having this smell - and noted it myself a while ago as a volunteer.
during IBS the intestines are inflamed. Think about how big your pores get when you have a big bruise. the intestines and colon become hyperpermeable and they let the odorous byproducts of digestion into the bloodstream where they are filtered out in sweat and presumably urine (my pee smells bad too during stuff like this).
this starts a wicked cycle of autoimmune shit which sucks.
when I'm rigidly regimented - no one notices a smell around me.
my regimen.
multivitamin
multimineral
zinc
glutamine 5g morning 5g night
rice protein 10g morning 10g night
take grapefruit seed extract for a couple of days - it works better than garlic and you won't smell like garlic.
the interesting thing about tea, coffee, and alcohol is that they are known to produce intestinal lesions. the TANNINS in them do this. avoid tannins.
the key to healing the intestines. glutamine. glutamine heals stomach ulcers in two weeks.
i haven't licked it yet but i know this protocol works and it will at least allows you to lead a semblance of a normal life.
I'll repeat:
multivitamin
glutamine
grapefruit seed extract.
this is a yeast infection that has eaten through colon lining coupled with irritants in the diet which keep the colon inflamed. then you absorb the byproducts of digestion (skatole etc.) and this produces the smell. logic dictates that healing the lining and avoiding inflaming foods will promote healing.
good luck everyone.
stay thirsty my friends.
Body Odor Problem
First, I want to say that my heart goes out to each and every one of you. This is a very real problem for us all. For this reason, I am not going to post as anonymous. If anyone wants to contact me, please do.
The odor problem started over a year ago. It has taken on different smells (smoky burnt cigarette smell, chemical smell – like burnt metal, sweaty metal, sour smell). I have seen 2 medical doctors, 2 dermatologists, 1 surgeon and an endocrinologist and his assistant. I have been tested for diabetes, as well as a number hormone tests, which turned up nothing. The worst part is that every doctor I have seen has said they don’t smell anything.
The endocrinologist, in my opinion, did not believe me and prescribed an oral medicine, which I found out, after some internet research, was used to treat depression and dys-morphic disorder. I ended the visits with these doctor’s when they looked at me finally and said there is nothing else they can do.
I have had family members and coworkers tell me they don’t smell anything either, however their actions cannot hide the fact that they do smell it – like sneezing, coughing, brushing at their nose, etc. I lived in the Bronx and had to stop taking the express bus into Manhattan because people were complaining to the bus driver. Now that I am in New Jersey, I have to take the train everyday and it is a trial. People openly stare, hold their noses and verbally complain about the smell – I had one lady spray me with perfume on the express bus. Adults can be very mean and immature.
I shower all too often but even the soaps and deodorants do not work. Some soaps and deodorants have actually exacerbated the cigarette smell. I have tried every soap, deodorant and powder on the market. I have tried chlorophyll, zinc, magnesium, vitamin B, natural deodorants with no aluminum – nothing has worked.
One doctor suggested using Botox, which I am trying to get my health insurance to cover, but after hearing from a previous post that this did not work, I am now skeptical.
I can’t believe that there is not enough extensive research on body odor. There are too many of us out there for this problem not to be taken more seriously.
Body odor problem
I as well as 4 of my children suffered from body odor problems. We had fecal,gas-like,fishy type odors that started many years ago. We also had IBS and various other symptoms. We all have intolerances to wheat/gluten, milk,
and redmeat. It took me several months to figure out the connection between the food and the odors. If we adhere to
a strict diet and eliminate these foods that we are sensitive to we do not have the odors or the other symptoms of food intolerances like IBS. I hope this helps I am trying to inform as many people on these forums as I can because I know how painful this condition is and has been for my children. I hope this may help.Food intolerances can be hard to detect it is done by process of elimination and I know some of the people with this condition do not have other symptoms. For them I suggest testing for things such as inborn errors of metabolism such as TMAU.
Body Odor Problem
I also have the curse of B.O. At work lately, people have been talking about me. I remember when it first began when I reached puberty in 4th grade. All of the mean girls started calling me musty. I did not have many friends and this was terrible for my self esteem. I thought I finally got over it and now the women are talking about me at work. I am never sure if I smell or not. I always smell myself, I wash under my arms at least 3 to 4 times a day at work. I carry powders, soap, lotion, deodorant, perfumes, extra blouses, etc. I shower twice a a day. My hubby says he does not smell me but I just can't be sure. Strong perfumes make me sneeze. I get Botox shots and I also use a prescribed deoderant from my derm. Dr. I sweat all the time and I have always been a sweater. I don't wear polyester. I can only bear cotton,& linnen. I smell okay to myself but I have noticed my right side is sweatier than my left. I think it's because I am right handed and I use it more. I did drink too much coffee and I have gone cold turkey. That could be part of the problem. My doctor testd me for thyroid problems and I do not have any but I am border line for hyper thyroidism.
I used to suffer from
I used to suffer from terrible body odor also; I'm not sure but I think my problem was basically attributed to my diet. I have since cut back consuming white sugar as well as limiting my carb intake.
When I bathe, I shower first then run a bath and add about 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar to the water along with about 1/2 cup of borax washing powders. I soak in this solution for a few minutes and wash my body one final time with anytype of body wash. I will rinse off and then pour some of the vinegar on a few clean washcloths and wash my face, neck, underarms, groin area and feet; basically any area where I ususally experience severe sweating during the day.
I will try to leave the vinegar on for a minute and after I have finished washing off in vinegar, I will completely rinse off and throughly dry off
Over the past few weeks, I have found this to work wonders; my body odor has completely vanished.
Good luck.
how do you get rid of it
im 15 kids at my school say i smell like garbage,poop,shit idk where its coming from went to the doctors she just told me kids are just evil and mean..i didnt bye it cause if it was that..why do every new school i go to they said the same things even in my choir the kids talk about me, at school i stay to myself hate social events,i later went into depression dreaded school,tryed to kill myself cause i didnt want to go to school ...had to go to a facility for "kids with have mental problems",they ppl there were telling me it was in my head and telling about pschology...but i no im not crazy i know what i hear...nobody in my family understands,all they say is ignore it and in about 3 yrs you'll be out of school....i dread going to school..its where now if im by someone i expect them to say somthing stinks everyone is telling me what to do but they dont know what im going through sometimes when i have a bad day at school i tell my mom it was ok juss so i wont worry her with the bad news and even though its summer when i think of school all the bad then think of suicide but i tell my counselors when they ask me do you have any suicidal thoughts ever since you got out of the facility i say no...so they wont take me back there...but really they come back at night when i think about school...i dont belong there i just need a cure thats all i need... im energetic very pretty friendly fun to be around but ever since this ive been by myself i really really really need a cure
I am 47 and I have the exact
I am 47 and I have the exact same issues. Although it has been with me for years. I can't advise you cause I don't know what it is or what to do either. God help us. Often think of ending it all :o(
Body odor condition
47 year old anonymous- Please do not end your life because of this condition. I know how you feel as I have had this condition myself for several years and have just recently discovered a connection to my food intolerances and all the various odors that I have experienced. I have food intolerances to wheat/gluten, milk, and Redmeat. I had odors that sometimes would be fecal, gas-like, or fishy. I also had problems with IBS and many other symptoms due to food intolerances. Food intolerances can be very difficult to detect it takes a process of elimination and extensive food logs to determine which foods you are sensitive to. You did not mention whether you had any other symptoms other than odor. If you do, maybe possibly you could have some type of food intolerance. If you don't have any other symptoms other than odor maybe you could be tested for an inborn error of metabolism such as TMAU (trimethylaminuria).
You also did not mention the type of odor that you are experiencing. I have different odors for each food I am sensitive to. I hope this helps as I am trying to contact as many people on these forums as I can.
Your not alone
I am going through ur exact same situation. Hate going to school because scared of what they are going to say. so if ever need someone to talk to you can contact me.
Hey don't talk of suicide
Hey don't talk of suicide don't give up like that. You said you are pretty and fun to be around, people will see past the problem and you keep looking I'm sure you will find a way to solve it and certainly reduce it, never give up look at everyone else in the same situation. If suffered problems too and still do, for me a change of diet effected alot I believe cutting out sugary foods and especailly fizzzy drinks will help alot and look into probiotics and all the other supplements people suggest like zinc etc. Maybew it is a yeast infection look it up in google and there are plenty of pages with ways to detox or solve this problem. What have you got to lose...give them a try. I have suffered too with BO for three years, I too had to go to school and I smelt but I was strong I never gave up and tried to be myself, yes occasioanally I got comments not directed at me but hints and it was hard but I never thought of suicide. Despite the fact that I had this problem I still had many friends and people never dared to directly say anything to me simply because I was popular and normal in every other way. For those who sweat alot I recommend driclor while it hasnt cut out all my problems it totally stops sweating and I'm surprised more people don't know about it. Everyone stay strong your not alone.
how do you get rid of it
i've suffered with this for avery long time too,i can't imagine for someone of your age going through it,some of the suggestions offerd here haven't worked for me,like probiotics,chrorophyl and so on,you might have something called tmau do some research on it,i think thats my problem,but i haven't been checked,there is a product on the internet called tremarax that's supposed to control the symptoms of tmau i'm going to try in the near future,good luck don't ever give up.
hey, i know that feeling,
hey, i know that feeling, going through the same thing my self and its killing my self esteem and giving me suicidal ideation. kinda wishing someone would just put a vaccum and suck all the bad smell out and put me out of my misery. if you find a cure, please let me know, i will let you know if i find something. thanks, and stay strong
smell like Sh-t
Have you been eating and drinking enough water ? No one told me I smelled (except a child who said I smell like a diaper ) ...I guessed a dirty diaper .My breath was horrible and I didn't know what to do about it ...it smelled like a sewer!It would stink up a room and I am sure everyone could smell me but were too polite to tell me . Anyway , I hadn't been eating or drinking much because I tried to keep my weight down . When I finally started to eat and drink more my horrible breath went away . Try drinking 8 glasses of water a day and eat a healthy diet and see how you smell then .Good luck.
Same here
Im 21 and i think iv had some kind of BO problem most of my life but about 6 months ago it got a lot worse all at once. I droped out of college and all just to avoid the people and their comments. But i found the cure. Try to eat veggies and meats. no sugars and try to avoid carbs as much as possible. On this diet my nasty smells and the nasty things people would say gradually went away over the course of a few months. The results are not instant but if you stick to the diet and dont cheat by eating candies and sodas and such i think you'll have the same success as me. It took me 4 months to get completely smell free and then i began eating the wrong foods again last month and the smell has returned so im going to begin eating correctly and i know it will all go away. Also once your on the diet long enough those suicidal thoughts and the terrible paranoia all go away. Im so much happier now even when people say something about the smell it doesnt totally make me just want to shoot myself right there. So try that out. Try eating right and give it time. and when you feel the urge to cheat and eat the wrong things just remember that the longer you eat badly the longer you'll be smelling the way you do. For some people it takes a few months and for some it can take over a year but everyone iv spoke to who were able to stay on this diet say it helped their BO go away. GL, stay strong, and god bless.
Vinegar Smell
I tended to smell the aforementioned vinegarish smell more on my lower body than in the underarm area.
B.O
I'm 15 and I'm looking for help with excessive sweating. I go to school and this is where it is worst- however when I'm on my own I am probably 99% normal and sweat no more than anyone else would- none.
People tell me it is in my mind, saying that if I don't think about it I won't have the problem. They are often right, but as I am very socially aware I am always concerned by how I smell- so obviously I'm thinking about it.
Others claim they simply cannot smell it at all, or that it is 'normal' for my age. I was wondering a few things. Is it normal for a boy of my age? I have seen others with the same problems at school but on a much smaller scale.
So is it normal for my age?
And..
I have tried 'Mitchums' mens anti-perspirant which does limit my sweating, but of course I still do. Anyone have other solutions? It would be VERY much appreciated- and in want of a better phrase which isn't an overused cliche, it's ruining my life!
Probiotics
I was affected by hyperhidrosis (particlulary sweaty armpits) for over 25 years and did see a lot of success using natural pro-biotics. I do understand the frustrations of the vinegarish smelling BO. It takes a bit of work to get rid of, but I do think probiotics are a good solution. Cheers
Body odour (keeps people holding their noses)
People keep holding their noses due to my bad body odour mostly smelly in hot enviroment, mostly emanates from the armpits and sides of the nose. It has a stigma effect making me,almost to keep off from people. Have tried to contian it by using artibacteria,furgal soaps and gels to some extent its working but has not been effective. Please advise on the right medication and what to do
Documentary on people living with bromhidrosis (body odor)
Hi
I am a body odor sufferer as well. I am interested in interviewing people for a documentary that I will begin in the late summer, early fall.
I'm looking for fecal, urine, vinegar odor sufferers (men, women and children) who would be willing to tell their story, e.g. length of time with the odor, type of odor, protocol used, reaction of others, work situation, mental health issues.
I have a theory that I would like to explore. The inteviewees would be given a heavy metals test (DMSA provocation test) free of charge. I would reveals the results if relevant during the documentary.
Ultimately, I want to bring attention to the malodor to help raise money for research on something other than TMAU.
Do let me know if you are interested at rpeagler@hotmail.com.
Thanks and best wishes
Robin
Urine smell
Iam 28 yrs old and suffer from a urine smell no matter how many times I shower a day . My soap smell only last a min I am tired of family telling me that they smell nothing and it's all in my head but if I sit by them or walk past they rub their noses that is hurtful to me . I even heard them talking about me and I just cried . I have been with my honey for going on 12yrs and he doesn't have the nerve to be honest with me I have 2 young boys that are not in school yet and would like to find out what the cause of this is before they start so they wont have to suffer the embarrassment of friends talking aabout their mother as i have pleas help me. Thank You for caring
Nastassia
Horible, horible, horible body odor
I discovered my body odor in 2005 and i started going to the doctor for it. They told me i had an infection and gave me antibiotics three times but it never went away. I have quit my job because people said they could smell something spoiled or rotten in the air and it smelled up the whole store. When the wind blows people cover there noses when i'm around , other people constantly cough when i'm around and gave me dirty looks and really think i have tmau the fish malador syndrome but August of 2009 i will pray that this nightmare will end. My whole house stinks from this and i just want this this to end. i bathe 2 to 3 times a day for long period of time just to make sure i am fresh and clean but an hour later i am right back where i started, smelly. I know i smell because my husband has this look on his face like you smell really bad, but when i ask if i am he says i am not. I even heard my neighbors talking one day about me and i dont even go outside anymore because everyone stares at me.I 'm going to keep praying that every thing will turn out ok August 20th. God bless..............
Body Odor
Hi I can relate to you 100% I have been through the same thing related to this bad body odor I have. It has been really hard to deal with and has had a negative impact on my social life. I don't even barely leave the house like I use to, scared of people saying rude comments or giving me dirty looks like I'm doing this on purpose. LOl sometimes I feel like a thing not a person because of the way people treat me it's tough. I have also had to deal with neighbors making rude remarks about my body odor. I also stink up the house, basically any room I'm in. I get so irritated with this body odor issue that I somethimes get into arguments with those close to me like my dad and bf. I can tell I really stink by the way they react around me, but ofcourse when I ask them they say
I don't smell when I know they are lying.I have been to two doctors thinking it was a medical issue and had blood work done and all of it came back normal. I have great hygiene and also take like 2-3 showers a day but like 30mins later I'm back to stinking. I have tried chorophyll and it has not worked. I am currently taking Zinc and I think it has reduced the odor a a little bit but not much the odor is still noticeable to others. I take Zinc 50mg. The doctors I seen also said they did not smell anything and I'm thinking yeah right then why does everybody else seem to notice it. People tend to say I smell like fecal matter basically poop. This all stareted 2 years ago and I'm still going through it. Sometimes people can even smell me from a distance and I'm thinking what the hell I can't believe my odor is that bad. Anyhow just wanted to share my story and let everyone know you are not alone and I think we will get through this eventually. I pray everyday for a solution to this problem. Also those that have something rude to say about us are not any better then us and who knows they may go through it one day themselves. You see I use to think I would never smell and in fact was the girl everyone wanted to be around and always got compliments on my perfumes now I'm the girl everyone wants to stay away from lol what a change huh? God bless all of you and keep your head up it will get better.
Horible, horible, horible body odor
Like you, I always dread going to the office, people sit away from me and
one of my peers gets nauseous when she is around me.
Have you gone to some type of therapy or treatment for this?
How has it worked or what is going to happen August 2009?
body odor
I went through the same thing. i lost my child due to the inability to hold a job because of harrassments. I lost over 25 jobs. cant go shopping or to church. I had people to spray perfume and other things on me. In school children would beat me up after school and pour washing powder on me. I am currently trying healing waters to clean my colon, and a suana to open my pores. I am going to try probiotics. People sometimes do smell you and say they dont to keep from hurting your feelings. your husband may have gotten used to the smell that he does not smell it anymore, he looks at the smell as normal.
Horrible body odor
I too have horrible body odor that started in 2005. Your story sounds exactly like mine. I worked part time with a woman who smelled like feces. We all held our noses when she came near. One night, before I left work, I stopped in the restroom (1 stall) and she was just coming out. I couldn't wait until I got home, so I held my breath and went in. The odor was so strong, that it was literally like a fine mist or haze in there. When I sat down, I could feel the moisture on my bottom. Less than a month later, I too started smelling like this woman. I'm convinced that I picked up a virus or bacteria from her. Doctors have told me that that isn't possible. They can't find anything wrong with me, but they do smell my odor. Like you, I have had to quit my job. I have been tested for TMA (negative) and have exhausted my savings trying to find a cure. I am virtually a prisoner of my home (my stinky home) I know exactly what you're going through. I wish people would stop thinking this is something we can control through diets or probiotics. It isn't!! We do not chose to smell this way. I now need dental work, but I'm too ashamed to go to the dentist. When I last went, the dental hygenist inadvertently made a gagging sound. She left the room and came back wearing a mask. Stay strong. Stay prayerful.
Horrible body odor
I, went through similar experiences with bad, bad, body odor. The smell seemed to vary somewhat depending on what I ate or drank. I tried cutting back on anything (food, coffee, beer, garlic, beans) anything I thought would make the smell worse. Finally I decided to quit drinking water from the tap and purchase bottled water. It took about a month, but slowly the smell went away. It is relative cheap about $1.00 per 5 gallons. I can relate to your situation and hope this also will help you.
Good Luck
David
comment on horrible body odor
I too used to have the horrible body odor that smelled like i pooped in my pants..i had to detoxify my body..i had a yeast infestation throughout my body..mostly in my stomach that would go all over
my liver was toxic too..im still working on detoxing that
but the poo smell has gone away..i used alot of antifunagls to get rid of the yeast like garlic and horseradish
for awhile i smelled to high heaven likr garlic but it is more socially acceptable than poo smell
some times when im nervous im scared that i will smell but so far i havent smelled any poo smell,i do still have a smell that i cant really explain..to me it smells like wet closthes that have been left to mildew..still a work in progress
Hi your problem sounds
Hi your problem sounds exactly like mine - could you tell me what your planning on doind next or how your treating it? Thanks
homemade colon cleanse list
Does anyone have any suggestions for another list of homemade colon cleanses? I don't want to use the products from all these websites.
Dear my pickley vinegar
Dear my pickley vinegar friends,
It took me many years to find the reason why i smelled of vinager, i tried the dental fillings thing, the probiotics/prebiotics countless perfumes and antiperspirants even had surgery for hyperhydrosis to stop the smell. None worked. The answer is so simple when i figured it out and so was the cure. Your ph is off in your body, you might have also noticed you are also tired or stressed as well. PH is a scale that measures how acidic or alkaline a substance is. The scale ranges from 1 to 14 with 1 being very acid, 7 neutral and 14 very alkaline. There is lots of info on the net on the foods that lower your acid levels. Sticking with neutral foods is the easiest answer to get balance. Also drinking anything that replaces your electrolytes helps. The vinegar smell is often common with people who are on atkins/low carb eaters due to ketosis and the ph diet helps with this as well.
What type of doctor should I
What type of doctor should I see for such problem as body odour? I'm desperate. I don't know what to do anymore. Everyday, I find myself drifting further into seclusion because I feel too bad for people who will have to deal with my smelliness. In class, people sitting next to me get so uncomfortable that they start to sniff, get red in the face, and start moving uncomfortably. I don't understand why this is happening to me. No one else in my family has such problem...none of my friends. I never even knew there were other people out there going through the same things until I started to do some research. I asked my friends once if I smelled bad,m but they said no. But everywhere I go, I can see it in the way people around me get so uncomfortable to the point that I feel really guilty.
I wish I could talk to someone about it, but I don't know who and how.
HI, MY NAME IS LISA. I BEEN
HI, MY NAME IS LISA. I BEEN GOING THROUGH THE SAME ODOR PROBLEM THAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH. IT ALL STARTED LAST YEAR MAY. I'M SO STRESS I TRIED EVERYTHING BUT NOTHING WORKS. I WENT TO MY DOCTOR SHE SAID SHE DONT SMELL ANY THING IT'S ALL IN MY MIND. AT TIMES I FEEL LIKE I AM LOSING MY MIND, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS NO CURE FOR MY ODOR. I DONT HAVE A SOCIAL LIFE, I STAY HOME TO AVOID PEOPLE. IF YOUR NEED A FRIEND TO TALK TO I CAN BE THAT FRIEND CAUSE I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH. GOD BLESS
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