Smelling cancer!

Posted by trixie1313 @trixie1313, Jan 26, 2019

Did anyone smell their cancer before diagnosis? For months I kept smelling a strong ammonia-type smell and would have prickly heat waking me in the middle of the night as well as my breast swelling. I'd ask family members if they could smell anything on me and they did not. I drank more water, changed my eating habits, but nothing stopped it. After my first lumpectomy, most of the smell had gone. After the second lumpectomy/partial mastectomy, it was completely gone. Now, 2 1/2 months post-surgery, I am starting to smell that smell again and getting quite concerned that maybe cancer is coming back somewhere. I have 9 more radiation treatments to go and finished my TC chemo in October, but was chemo resistant.

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@veenu

Thanku so much for helping by replying to my message. I fell really bad to ask you but can you plz. Keep in touch and tell me more about it, of course if you wish to and get to know more about it from others.
It would be a huge favour for me.

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I sure will! Just not sure when I'll be back to exercising. Lol

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@mglinkhart

My cancer has come back and I should have known but it was in both armpits. I didn’t have breast cancer in my right breast, but I did have a Metastasis to the bones in my neck my ribs, my sternum, my back, my hips, and in my liver and my lymph nodes so now I am stage four and they say I have about two years. My dogs won’t come near me anymore. They smell it if I hold them they wanna jump down really fast, the first time I had it, my neighbor had a golden retriever, and that dog would not leave my side until I had my mastectomy. Once I have my mastectomy the dog came and smelled me and never came back animal skin sense it. Certain dogs have a real nose for cancer. Hope this helps Maria.

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Hi Veenu.,

Totally agree, I will share my experience. I was diagnosed with stage 2 almost slipping into stage 3 ductal carcinoma in 2003. I had leaking from my nipple and an indention in an area where my cancer was located. Ding Dong OBGY Dr , when she examined me told me the indention was prob due to the fact I had an injury there ( banged into a corner table when I was a teenager. I bruised this area and this is why I had an indention.
Hello, I switched OBGY Dr ASP . After my needle biopsy I was treated by a more experience oncologist. About a year before my diagnosis. my King Charles spaniel would sleep next to my side where my cancer was located. In the middle of the night she would lick my the area by my breast above my very thin nightgown. I believed she must have either smelled the cancer. I don't know if this can be proven yet as you mention after my surgery she not longer had the need to lick the area where my cancer was located. Animals are wonderful. I can't live without them. They never think you are crazy or are they judgmental. She began to sleep by my feet after my surgery ..... so yes only in my opinion and others perhaps on the site , dogs can communicate with you to alert and warn a person. Sadly we often failed to pay attention. Don't be so hard on yourself as each day is a gift. Surround yourself if you are able to with positive people. Sadly people are so fearful and react weird way when we are sick. At first I was very angry and then came to realize everyone walks the walk at some time in their life. They will remember people as ourselves. Find the beauty of each day in Nature. flowers. walks, listening to birds out side, waterfalls, its healing but most of all be gentle on yourself. I finally told my husband I don't need a fan club or pity party f rom anyone. I just need my family and a handful of very understand and compassionate friends.
God Bless.

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Hi!
I’ve searched for similar experiences! For approximately a year before I was diagnosed with left breast tumor, I’ve smelled unpleasant odor, onion-like smell, at my left palm, that use to woke me in the middle of the night. No soap nor disinfection could remove that smell. Two months ago tumor showed up and was removed. PH report revealed LIN which is considered as a benign tumor from last classification. Immediately after the surgery, the smell disappeared. I am a radiation oncologist dealing with breast cancer for more than 20 years. None of my patients have ever reported nothing similar to me.
Thank you for sharing!

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I have been wondering about cancer odor lately. My husband died of cancer one year ago. He had an strong distinct odor. After his death I moved to California to be with my Sons, and about a month or so after, I began to smell that same distinct smell. It lasted for a couple of days and went away. It's been 9 months since I smelled it, but now it's back. I have been smelling it for the last couple of days. It doesn't smell like ammonia though. I can't describe it, but it's the exact smell my husband had. I thought it may be my breath, but I thoroughly brushed my teeth and used mouth wash, and it's still there. It seems to be in my nose. I feel like if I brought it up to my doctor, she would think me a hypochondriac. I have an appointment in a couple of months. I will probably bring it up at that time. I just wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience.

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@jr90616

I have been wondering about cancer odor lately. My husband died of cancer one year ago. He had an strong distinct odor. After his death I moved to California to be with my Sons, and about a month or so after, I began to smell that same distinct smell. It lasted for a couple of days and went away. It's been 9 months since I smelled it, but now it's back. I have been smelling it for the last couple of days. It doesn't smell like ammonia though. I can't describe it, but it's the exact smell my husband had. I thought it may be my breath, but I thoroughly brushed my teeth and used mouth wash, and it's still there. It seems to be in my nose. I feel like if I brought it up to my doctor, she would think me a hypochondriac. I have an appointment in a couple of months. I will probably bring it up at that time. I just wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience.

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I have had similar concerns to the point where I am using a lime as my deodorant. I had a lumpectomy in Nov 22 but my smelly arm pits were a problem months before the surgery. In my investigation, I did come across an article about the things no one tells you about menopause and your personal smell can change. I have chalked my smell to this phenomenon. Look into all the effects of menopause and it might ease your fear until you see your doctor (definitely ask your doctor about it)

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Thank you, that article you mentioned sounds interesting. I have noticed little changes this year. I am definitely going to speak with my doctor.

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@veenu

Hi there,
Can you plz, tell that what kind of smell were you able to sense. I'm actually doing a research over it so it would be a great help to me.
Hope to get your response.
Thank you

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For me, (left armpit only, even while showering, but really strong after sleeping) like fresh cat spray (pee), with an undertone of the smell handling raw onions leaves on my hands. Other warning signs were periodic sharp pains in left breast and rapid weight loss.

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During chemo my pits smelled like a dumpster. We must all excrete whatever toxic stuff is in us. Post-chemo, that odor fading fast.

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@lrw5

In early 2020, I began experiencing terrible underarm body odor, primarily in my right underarm. I mentioned to to my GP who suggested I switch deodorants. Still, it persisted.

I went in line and found a 2009 study in Japan by researchers who thought that strong underarm body odor, coupled with excessive ear wax, could be an indicator of very early breast cancer cells developing. Well, this certainly made me take notice, as in addition to the strong underarm body odor, I had noticed excessive wax in my ears.

So, in December 2020, at the height of the pandemic, I went in for a mammogram. This led me to have two biopsies in my right breast due to a papilloma and a radial scar. I then had surgery to have them removed. Shortly thereafter, the strong underarm body and the earwax disappeared!

Mammograms since have been clear. Well, the strong underarm body odor has once again reared its ugly head. So, I am scheduled for another mammogram in 10 days just to see. I am not taking any chances, especially since my sister had breast cancer!

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Ohhhhh my gosh…earwax! I noticed a big difference in earwax in just one ear, but I cannot remember if it was on my breast cancer side or not, or if it was before or after my surgery. It was much darker and there was more of it. Now that I’m done with surgery, chemo, and radiation, it seems normal again. I never, ever would have thought to relate that to cancer, but now I wonder…

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I would take those smells seriously and get it looked into. I am not sure my sense of smell is the same after having Covid twice, but I definitely had noticed my mom to have a strange smell before she got diagnosed. I wrote it of as different laundry detergent or something but it definitely did not turn out to be that. I also could smell that my cat smelled different when she had cancer. Cats don't usually have a smell that I can distinguish. I can also smell that my husband smells different now and then during his cancer treatment -- I would like you to know, though, that in that case it was never because the cancer had come back. I think it was just from the treatments changing his body chemistry.

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