I was wondering if anyone else has had a phantom amonia smell related to their lyme disease? When my symptoms first started, I had this for several months, but it went away and I haven't had it since (in about 4 and a half years). No one could ever tell me what it was except that it can happen if you are in kidney failure, which I wasn't...
Thanks!
Posted by MichaelTampa (Member # 24868) on :
Some time ago I would jog in the morning before food and had that type smell. I later learned I was burning muscle (because I had no other fuel/food) and that is what I was smelling.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
I used to smell ammonia in the shower.
I would scrub my hair and scalp with shampoo, and then wash my face with soap, before I rinsed both my face and hair under the shower.
I could smell ammonia when I did this. I tried several different shampoos and soaps. I asked my doctor, who had no idea.
Much later, I found out that this was due to one of the chemicals in the shampoo, reacting with the soap. So it was not a phantom smell, and it was not abnormal.
Posted by js8 (Member # 37715) on :
Hmmm. Interesting. I never would smell it at any certain time, like it the shower.
I kept thinking I'd somehow gotten cleaner on my clothes, but I hadn't gotten near any cleaner because I was breastfeeding and was super OCD about not getting near any chemicals.
Maybe I'll never know! Weird...
Posted by sky537 (Member # 21859) on :
The smelly It is related to the neurotoxins in your body. Your body is trying to get rid of the toxins.. Does your urine smell like amonia?
Posted by js8 (Member # 37715) on :
sky - I don't think so. I haven't smelled the amonia smell in a very long time - years. It was when my symptoms first started.
Maybe my body just gave up fighting the toxins after a few months! It would be interesting if the smell came back if/after I start treatment.
Posted by 0ldman (Member # 22101) on :
I had this happen again just recently. I was smelling ammonia on my chest when I got up in the mornings for almost 2 years.
It cleared up as I got more active, just popped up again last week. Changed my meds up, started herxing again off of abx, smell came back, started back on abx, smell got weaker. About 4 days smelling, today has been clear.
No one else can smell it on me. My wife says that extremely rarely I smell like I'm sick (we aquired parental superpowers to smell sick kids).
Posted by sleeping dog (Member # 27267) on :
i used to experience many phantom smells, including ammonia. also, smells that i had always experienced as pleasant (like freshly laundered sheets, fresh cut flowers, or coffee) became too strong and unbearable. i had to take the sheets off my bed in thee middle of the night once because i woke up and could not tolerate the strong smell of the detergent. also, things smelled spoiled or rancid like milk, yogurt, or fish when they were not (as confirmed by family and friends that were convinced i was losing my mind). with antibiotic treatment, each of these has improved dramatically, but not completely. also, just knowing that i am not insane and that this is a real lyme symptom has also helped. good luck! it does get better...
Posted by gigimac (Member # 33353) on :
I wake up to a sour smell in my hair and on my clothes when I wake up in the morning. It's only in the morning and no one else has ever been able to smell it. I have asked my mom to smell my shirt but she couldn't smell it.
It seems pretty strong upon wakening and then seems to go away. It doesn't seem to make a difference if I shower before bed.
My urine does smell very strongly of ammonia
I guess I am really toxic. I first noticed this smell after starting abx and it hasn't left since.
Posted by js8 (Member # 37715) on :
Thanks for all your stories - its very interesting...
Sleeping dog - I've had a similar experience. For a long time I absolutely could not tollerate the smell of bread! I would nearly puke every time my husband would be making toast! That's gone away, but it's absolutely amazing how many symptoms that I thought were nothing are all related now!