# Strong Odours --does anyone get them?



## swisswhitechocolate (Jul 18, 2002)

Hi,I'm new to this forum and I have a question related to odours that are making my life miserable. About 2 years ago I was going through a very stressful time and my stomach used to rumble a lot. Then one day I heard this huge rumble and I felt a huge sensation of heartburn. Since that time till now I've been suffering with heartburn and I also get this unusual symptom- I can smell odours of food I ate 2-3 hours ago coming up very strong.







It usually comes up in a big gush if I'm standing up. The odours are so strong that people with me can smell them too and will usually ask 'what's that smell?' I used to think it was coming from the other end but I don't feel any distention that one would normally feel if it was wind & sweet foods usually retain their sweet smell (also a GI specialist I consulted told me that smells cannot reach the other end in 2-3 hours and remain the same). I saw a few specialists for my problem but I didn't follow up on it because I was moving places and I never had the confidence to do anything about it. I think it may be a spasm that is occuring inside that is causing a reflux. I was wondering if anyone else experiences odour problems like this? For the past few years my social life has suffered miserably and I've isolated myself from all my friends because I feel embarressed about this problem. I used to hang out with friends but when they start noticing these odours and sniffing then I feel so bad about myself that I stop hanging out. I can't eat foods like dark chocolate, coffee, mustard or anything that will make the odours stronger. The bad part is that I get no warning when they come up and I've become constantly paranoid about them. I pray to God that there is someone out there that knows what I have and will lead me in the right direction. If anyone knows what I'm talking about please reply. Thanks for your patience.


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## sabriel (May 27, 2002)

Hi swisswhitechocolate,You could very well be suffering from GERD (reflux). Unfortunately there is no way to say for sure without having and endoscopy (gastroscopy). I had one about 3 and a half years ago, and that was when my GERD and Hiatus Hernia were found.I often belch, and can not neccessarily smell, but always taste food that I have eaten many hours ago. Another fairly accurate indicator of reflux is if you feel any acid come up in your throat, or you feel a burning sensation in your oesophagus too. I am pretty sure GERD is often accompanied by a Hiatus Hernia too, which can also cause you to belch a lot.You might like to try taking some antacid if you feel any burning. I take an acid pump inhibitor drug myself, but you can't get it without a script and to get it you usually have to have an endoscopy.Sucking on mints or chewing mint gum may also help with the odor problem. (however gum can contribute to wind/gas problems so take care with how much you chew).Hope this helps some, I know how miserable these probs can make you feel, and they sure are a social killer too.


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## swisswhitechocolate (Jul 18, 2002)

Dear Sabriel,Thankyou so much for taking the time to reply. I do plan to get myself checked up soon. I think that I may very well have GERD which would explain heartburn that I get. I had an endoscopy done a about 2 years ago which was normal but I haven't followed up on it. I tried antacids before and they didn't help much. I will try using more mints, I know they do help. anyways thankyou for your helpful suggestions & thanks again for replying







God Bless you


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## sabriel (May 27, 2002)

Hi again swiss,Good to hear that you are going in for a checkup again, follow up is important.However, just wanted to tell you that you might want to be careful with mints. Although mint is good for overall digestion, it is actually bad for GERD. It can cause the LES (lower eosophogeal sphincter muscle) to 'relax' which actually makes the reflux worse.Antacids are your best bet. You might want to discuss with chemist/pharmacist what would be best, a double strength variety for example may be more effective. Some antacids are better than others too.Best wishes, and hope you are feeling better soon.P.S. Here are some a really good articles about GERD too, you might want to have a look at. http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?Article=3352 http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?Article=3426 http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?Article=3353 http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?Article=3351


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