TMAU community I need your help. I have suffered 12 years with TMAU and like so many I had no idea what was wrong with me.Two years ago I finally learned and got tested and diagnosed with TMAU (which it emptied my savings) and have not been able to get or keep employment because of unimformed malicious people. I am in a situation where all of family have turned their backs on me and refuse to acknowledge TMAU as a serious condition but they have always made very hurtful comments about my odor. I need all my TMAU family to right letters to my state Florida and the state of New Jersey telling your stories and information on TMAU. My children future is important to me so many people here have complained about my odor and it has caused some serios problems along with coexisting issues I would love to tell anyone my story just e-mail me I also would gladly accept any letters of encouragement and support as well as testimonies to inform and made aware to various political representatives as well as the uninformed people who have harassed and violated me. We must stand together where their are numbers there is results and improvements.Thank you all and I hope to hear from each and every one of you soon. Gratefully L.Williams (kish)
Kish,
It's been a long time since I've been on this site, but it was a relief for me also when I learned that I wasn't just imagining that others were talking about me. I don't blame others as they just don't understand and no one wants to be around someone who smells bad for sake of them being the target. I myself have been a victim of this thing for over 15 years now. I sweat very easily and it smells like nasty fungus feet, fish or garbage. It was so bad 5-7 years ago that I would leave my job on my lunch break to come home and shower, thank God I had an hour for lunch; I would try to change into a similar looking shirt or blouse/same color to avoid coworkers noticing I had changed clothes. I have left jobs and not accepted positions just for this reason---BODY ODOR! I work out of my home now which is a blessing in itself. I too as others mentioned have cried myself to sleep, I used to cry during my break at home while showering,pray all day that I would not smell. The anxiety would too much most of the time. It was very taxing for me riding a bus after my car was wrecked. I would bring soaps to work, even antispetic/antibacterial soap as hibiclens to wash with while at work, change of underwear,extra deodrant, anything I could think of but most of my days I would hear whispers about me smelling bad. Anytime any odor was in the room it was suspected to be me. I would try to make sure I keep the fabric sofener sheets, that had clean fragances available to rub on my clothes. How I wished someone would just come up to me and talk to me like two grown ups. I would always get to work early and one morning I got up the nerves to talk with an older coworker whom I considered to be wiser and would use discretion, I showed her information about excessive sweating/body odor and she seemed to be very supportive, until I heard her in the next cubicle talking about me and how she didn't believe I really took showers. Oh well so much for that I thought. I never confronted anyone, no reason to, I understood that they just don't understand. I started to wonder if I was really a nasty person as they would say. I never confided in others again. It got so bad, really bad that I became suicidal. It sounds silly but a mind can take only so much frustration with dermatologists/other doctors not really offering longterm suggestions. I sweat from head to toe, my children are also grown in their twenties. I tried to talk to them about it but they seem to think it is all in my mind, I guess I have tried so hard to be clean that I don't have the odor around them. I fill at a lost even working at home because I still have to go around others during worship services and other functions. I pass up a lot of invitations, not that I get a whole lot, but the ones I get to eat out with others, going to family functions I just don't go, if carpooling for whatever reason, I try not to ride in some peoples cars I try to let people off the hook and not embarass them, I just talk my way out of the function or ride by myself, I have functioned mentally on fumes and a prayer. I know these things won't always be, God has asured us that, pain, sickness, and death will be done away with (Rev 21:3-5), but it sure is hard dealing with it right now. This thing makes us feel like a leper at least I do. Just as Job we too must realize that God does not cause our problems and sicknesses but he will remedy the situation on a large scale. I could talk all day. There are actually others and I know someday this social disease will be done away with just as the billion other deformities, sicknesses, diseases we are afflicted with. Thoughts and prayers to you my cyber friend. God's blessings always.
i also feel the same for many years now but always get told its in my head ive been teated 4 tmau and it came back negative does any1 know of any over odour conditions it could be plz
Stay strong Kish. I have suffered for 20 years with this condition. I am a single parent. I also did not realize it until about 5 years ago. I thank God, I raised 2 children who are now 20 and 26 years old now and so far are doing fine. It is a struggle, but you can make it.
I have also been suffering with this condition since around 2012. I have never experienced such a distressing condition in my life. I feel social isolated and depressed. I enrolled to University and that’s when I noticed people were reacting to me in a negative way and I did not know why. I have sensitive senses, to smell , taste etc yet I cannot always smell the odour despite how much I try. I want to give up my career as a social worker, because I am mentally drained by this condition. When I ask close friends and family they say they cannot smell anything and it’s in my head. I have been going to the GP for years and they have completed several blood test and stated that nothing is wrong with me, then why do people react by covering their nose and sniffing when they come next to me, I am so fed up and think why, why me.
The GP referred me for counselling because they also implied that the thought of a smelly odour is in my head. I have recently been referred by the GP after doing research for myself about the symptoms I am experiencing which are the same as TMAU. I fully understand how everyone feels and wish their was more that can be done to support sufferers of TMAU. I have suffered for far to long and feel like the only thing I can do is deal with the condition for the sake of my sons. My youngest son also feels that he has a foul smelling odour when he sweats. Even if I don’t sweat I still get the smell, I may need to step down from another role I have just started because of TMAU. I have left several roles in the past five years and just feel demotivated. No support or help with the condition and left to deal with social isolation and anxiety at work and I’d other social situations.
Hello Chan-c first and foremost, love to you from the heart. I don’t know you but I love you and understand your emotional pain. I became mentally drained myself and felt like I just couldn’t go on. But you know what with all sincerity, God created us with the will to live - we want out of the horrible situation not out of our life. I truly understand I too did not realize how bad I smelled to others I though I just wasn’t liked but no matter what attention I paid to hygiene it didn’t work for long. Always anxious, always suspicious that others smell me makes me want to isolate. If you are still working around others just know someone is praying that you have endurance, strength and will make it through the day. Keep a tidy up bag with you at work and other places with alcohol wipes, witch hazel wipes to clean areas like underarms when you visit the bathroom, reapply deodorant and powder, there are travel size hygiene preparations you can keep with you. when we are anxious we Sweat so we have to be prepared—I had to learn to live with this. Each person is different so work to find out what will work for you. Nope it’s not in your head and how embarrassing it is to try to find someone you trust at your job to ask if you smell, I thought i had a person I could talk to explaining to her about the sweating but this is so irregular that it still got back that I was going home on lunch to shower. No one would talk to me they would talk around me. But in saying all that just know you can only do so much – keep in mind This too shall pass. God knows your fears and frustrations and what’s really happening – most of all He is not causing this may be allowing this heavy trial but not causing it. One day it will be done away with. Women sometimes carry extra’s( underwear, even a change of shirt if you are a person who sweats a lot) to work if you know what I mean anyway. This is real just as if a person who has to cath themself to urinate, there is an imperative need to tidy up even if not very active for us with sweating/odor issues. Don’t want to live with it but this is my relief for now. Eat foods that don’t contain high levels of choline, practice extra hygiene, try chlorophyll, body mint whatever may work for you, even change clothes, shoes through out the day. if possible if you sit at a desk keep it wiped down with alcohol or some other antibacterial wipes. Yep I had to do this. Just know I have learned to pray for piece of mind and I pray for others also. Well know you are not alone and it also may help to speak with a dermatologist who might be able to recommend or prescribe something to help deal with the symptoms. Pay attention to your son and see if there is some levity to his reports of smelling foul after he has cleaned up. Let him know you are listening and give some pointers, I hope you have more good days than not so good days. Much love and smiles to you and your family. BB1