Wierd Smell

[Eve]

Wierd smelling wee (couldn't bring myself to post it in the title and see it flashing up in the Latest Posts thing...argh!).

It's been happening quite a bit lately over a fair few months now. I'm not sure quite how to describe it, I thought stale but not quite, and quite noticeable when I go for a wee. Not constant but quite frequent.

No signs of infection I've noticed, no stinging, itching, discharge etc... I figured maybe something to do with the gallstones/malabsorption? I need to go frequently though that's not unsual and I drink lots (not alcohol, don't drink very often).

I don't want to bother the doctor if it's something mundane or harmless but it'd be good to make it not smell wierd as it's a bit grim.

When did Friday nights get this exciting, sitting in posting about wierd wee!

[rov1100]

A common cause of smells down below is an infection or Candida that can affect your groin area. If this area feels moist or sticky then you need to have it seen to. No real worry just a yeast problem.

[maclarencat]

Your urine can smell different if you eat strong flavoured food. Maybe its something you have started eating. Next time take note of what you have had to eat and drink that day.

[Eve]

Not sticky or what I'd say moist in an unusual way.

Not sure if diet related, is pretty samey really as on low fat for gallstones and lost at least a stone since it got infected. Had pretty much the same diet since out of hospital mid Nov, a small coffee to start the day, a ham salad sandwich with saladcream on brown bread for lunch then a wafer thin chicken, tomato and saladcream sandwich/wrap for tea, some cheeky chocolate to keep me going and orange cordial and one or two cups of weak tea with sugar during the day while at work. Weekends I tend to just have something in the evening (yep, another sandwich!), maybe something little in the day to keep me going and coffee.

I'm sure had it a bit before then though when eating more normally though I was eating that kind of stuff before so could be something in my diet, if I can work out what I can cut down/avoid it hopefully.

[237SJ]

I`m not an expert but I would think it could be something in your diet. Some people claim they smell a sugar puff smell in their urine when they eat too much sugar. Your diet is quite high in bread/carbohydrates which is sugar by a different name. Sandwiches for all meals are not very healthy if you don`t mind me saying. Maybe you could try substituting some lean, healthy protein and vegetables for the meals you are having now.

[maclarencat]

Oh Jenna that does not sound a very healthy diet. You need to be eating more food but healthy. More vegetables and more fruit. There is nothing wrong with the food you are eating but it is too little.

[Eve]

I know, you're right. I'm such a bad faddy eater, with the low fat gallstones thing I just found something I'd eat and stuck to it - just easy and no thinking about it. Bad too as I can see how much weight I've lost (as in a yay I've lost a load of weight way), it's dropped off me which is great as I did need to lose some but need to keep sensible about it. Worrying a bit about putting it back on now!

Hopefully I'll branch out a bit more after I'd had my gallbladder out which should be soon with any luck.

I got a new wok for Christmas (and a new saucepan - I'm getting old haha!) and yet to try it out yet and got my George Forman but so put off by seeing how much fat is in everything in the shops! Really quite shocked me.

Sounds like it's an idea to cut back on bread too! Didn't think about the fat/sugar thing! Will try and be good and have something a bit different over the weekend with some fruit and veggies in. Need to get some cooking done as feeling really tired after work at the moment - could make something over the weekend with extra and freeze it.

[237SJ]

I`ve got a wok. I love it. There is so much you can cook in it and it can be so healthy. You could google Ken Hom or any other Chinese cook`s recipes and get some ideas. Veggies in a wok (with oyster sauce, garlic, and soy for example) is so quick. Almost as quick as making a sandwich.

[Eve]

I was experimenting a bit (before gallbladder kicked off) as we have a large Chinese community here and a lot of supermarkets with all sorts of lovely stuff in them. I've not been too adventurous yet but learnt to make my own egg fried rice, lakhsa and been experimenting with vermicelli. I tend to wander round for ages then just get something I could probably buy in a supermarket but looks more authentic and feels more fun!

I quite fancy a stirfry actually, need to get some oil though and they have egg noodles (assume low in fat?) and sachet sauces (Blue Dragon and one of the others) on offer in Tesco, well did the other day, so might go indulge myself with a big bag of stir fry veg - save trying more unknown things for post-op :)

[carlton23]

Eating plenty of fruit did it for me.

[daffy654]

It could be caused by medication, some of the prescribed stuff i've had over the years has done odd things to my wee. One herbal supplement for menopause sent my wee green. lol

[Sqad]

No big deal......it is almost certainly dietary.

[jd_here]

Asparagus is a cause of smelly wee.

[rowanwitch]

if you have lost a lot of weight quite quickly could be ketones you can get dipsticks from the pharmacy to check

[Eve]

Thanks all :) Eww no asparagus for me haha.

Hopefully it will sort with diet adjustment then or when my weight settles - it has dropped off me since I was in hospital. It had slowed down but I seem to have lost more in inches as clothes which were snug before are hanging off me now - I got some new work trousers which were a fairly tight fit a few months ago and they come straight off now with the button and zip still done up!

Are ketones bad to be worth getting some stick things to check? Mind you if I get some and it is them I can monitor trying to sort them out (will they tell you what they say and what they should be to get them back to normal?).

Been good today and went and got a load of nice healthy chicken stirfry stuff with egg noodles and loads of veggies and tried my new work out :)

[rowanwitch]

not particularly but you shouldnt be losing weight so fast you produce them unless you are doing a low carb diet like atkins mention it to your gp if you have to see him or may be the nurse can do a dipstick for protein glucose etc

[boxtops]

Do you think (since you eat so much read) that you might have a wheat allergy or similar, which might make your wee smell stale?

[wolf63]

What about a Yeast allergy or intolerance?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candidiasis

[whiskeryron]

get your nurse or gp to do a diabetes test, best to be on the safe side.

Ron.

[Eve]

Not low carb as having a bread with sandwiches/wraps. Not on a diet diet, just trying to be low fat and eat smaller meals to try and keep my gallbladder behaving until it gets whipped out.

I was intolerant to lactose and gluten for a while, years go now though, over 10 but managed to introduce them ok as long as I don't overdo it. I always thought my system was being arsey post eating disorder and it being messed about so much that it was then funny with certain foods, especially as I had a phase as a vegetarian then vegan.

I'll see if the nurse can do a dipstick thing then I next have some bloods done - would one of the practice nurses/healthcare assistants be able to do it without me bothering the doctor? I've been tested for diabetes on various occasions due to things like recurrent groin abscesses and always come back ok.

Meds wise am sticking to omeprazole and painkillers (codydramol/codeine phosphate) so as little as possible. Off my immunosuppressants until after my op and staying away from my malabsorption meds as they have been causing problems.

Hopefully a more balanced diet should help sort things out. Being good and having some more healthy chicken stirfry tonight :)

Thanks everyone for your help!

[pdust]

its true about the sugar puffs... its dead funny bringing it into a conversation and watching most of the people there go 'omg yeah!!' lol