1. < Breast Cancer

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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Mentor
Chris, Volunteer Mentor | @auntieoakley | Nov 3, 2021
In reply to @loribmt "@auntieoakley, I was spared that treat! 😂🌽 Frozen stem cells have that characteristic smell of creamed..." + (show)
@loribmt

@auntieoakley, I was spared that treat! 😂🌽 Frozen stem cells have that characteristic smell of creamed corn. I think that would put me off of that forever!! 😂😂 It’s the preservative.
I think your husband used his own cells so they were harvested and frozen. Some allogenic transplanted cells are frozen too if coming from a long distance. My bag was fresh, not Birdseye. 😂

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Yeah, and you would always know if the person with you in the elevator just had the transplant because you could smell it, even through the masks. Luckily creamed corn was never one of our favorites.

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Mentor
Lori, Volunteer Mentor | @loribmt | Nov 4, 2021
In reply to @auntieoakley "Yeah, and you would always know if the person with you in the elevator just had..." + (show)
@auntieoakley

Yeah, and you would always know if the person with you in the elevator just had the transplant because you could smell it, even through the masks. Luckily creamed corn was never one of our favorites.

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I was relieved that my cells were fresh! 😂 I remember going through the education classes pre-transplant the week before and was told about the creamed corn smell from the preservatives used for the stem cells. Meeting with my doc later he said I won’t have to worry about it because they’d be flown in fresh that day from my donor! Yay. I don’t like creamed corn but it goes in one of my favorite chowders so I’d hate to lose love for that soup. LOL

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Mentor
Chris, Volunteer Mentor | @auntieoakley | Nov 4, 2021
In reply to @loribmt "I was relieved that my cells were fresh! 😂 I remember going through the education classes..." + (show)
@loribmt

I was relieved that my cells were fresh! 😂 I remember going through the education classes pre-transplant the week before and was told about the creamed corn smell from the preservatives used for the stem cells. Meeting with my doc later he said I won’t have to worry about it because they’d be flown in fresh that day from my donor! Yay. I don’t like creamed corn but it goes in one of my favorite chowders so I’d hate to lose love for that soup. LOL

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Still love corn chowder! Hahaha 🤪

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mammam | @mammam | Nov 25, 2021
In reply to @trixie1313 "After the first lumpectomy, I told my oncologist about that and he had said that in..." + (show)
@trixie1313

After the first lumpectomy, I told my oncologist about that and he had said that in all his years he had heard of 3 patients that their dogs alerted them to this, but I was the first person! I'll be seeing him after radiation and shall also be seeing an organization (TheSecondOpinion) who are a group of specialists that me meet with accepted patients after reviewing their medical records. I've always had a sensitive snifter, in fact smelled electrical wires arcing in wall when no one knew that and could smell a gas leak for over a year where the plumber came out twice in the year and finally found a hairline crack in the gas line under the house. Strange, but true!

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I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer was into lymph nodes, had double mastectomy, chemo radiation had very strong underarm odour, had to get special deoderant went away after treatment, i have very sensitive nose as well, noticed it start to come back again so found your experience online. i am now 1 1/2 years post treatment concerned its coming back thought i was imagining things but those around me noticed the odour too. not sure of connection

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1 reply
trixie1313 | @trixie1313 | Nov 25, 2021
In reply to @mammam "I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer was into lymph nodes, had double mastectomy, chemo..." + (show)
@mammam

I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer was into lymph nodes, had double mastectomy, chemo radiation had very strong underarm odour, had to get special deoderant went away after treatment, i have very sensitive nose as well, noticed it start to come back again so found your experience online. i am now 1 1/2 years post treatment concerned its coming back thought i was imagining things but those around me noticed the odour too. not sure of connection

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@mammam
For me, the smell went away somewhat after the lumpectomy and then completely after the second tumor was removed. If you haven't had a mammogram in the recent past or an MRI breast or PET scan, maybe discuss your concerns with your oncologist to see if they can do further testing to reassure you that all is well.

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acaillouet | @acaillouet | Jan 4, 2022

I went to my doctor today because of an odor I’ve had under my left armpit for the last 2 weeks that I can not get rid of!
He checked for rash, infected hair gland or swollen gland & nothing. Asked about last monogram….well I’m past due for one. So I thought that strange & googled it & found info on breast cancer & odor under armpit that you can’t get rid of. I have my monogram scheduled & praying there’s no association & will go from there. I am 65 years old & am living in a hotel right now waiting for contractors to repair my home, lots of ceiling/wall sheetrock replacement, from Hurricane Ida that hit us in August.
Signed,
Stressed Enough

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2 replies
trixie1313 | @trixie1313 | Jan 5, 2022
In reply to @acaillouet "I went to my doctor today because of an odor I’ve had under my left armpit..." + (show)
@acaillouet

I went to my doctor today because of an odor I’ve had under my left armpit for the last 2 weeks that I can not get rid of!
He checked for rash, infected hair gland or swollen gland & nothing. Asked about last monogram….well I’m past due for one. So I thought that strange & googled it & found info on breast cancer & odor under armpit that you can’t get rid of. I have my monogram scheduled & praying there’s no association & will go from there. I am 65 years old & am living in a hotel right now waiting for contractors to repair my home, lots of ceiling/wall sheetrock replacement, from Hurricane Ida that hit us in August.
Signed,
Stressed Enough

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@acaillouet
Please don't put off your mammogram and don't let fear stop you from looking into this. Let us know how your testing comes out. Wishing you the best.

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1 reply
shangrilalisa | @shangrilalisa | Jan 7, 2022
In reply to @acaillouet "I went to my doctor today because of an odor I’ve had under my left armpit..." + (show)
@acaillouet

I went to my doctor today because of an odor I’ve had under my left armpit for the last 2 weeks that I can not get rid of!
He checked for rash, infected hair gland or swollen gland & nothing. Asked about last monogram….well I’m past due for one. So I thought that strange & googled it & found info on breast cancer & odor under armpit that you can’t get rid of. I have my monogram scheduled & praying there’s no association & will go from there. I am 65 years old & am living in a hotel right now waiting for contractors to repair my home, lots of ceiling/wall sheetrock replacement, from Hurricane Ida that hit us in August.
Signed,
Stressed Enough

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Oh my gosh! I asked my onco surgeon about this very thing! I never had an armpit odor issue until the past 18 months or so and it was ONLY on my right side, the side my BC was on. She said it wasn’t related. I still suspected it was cancer related though…I’m going to ask my hemo oncologist next time I see him. Wow. Thought I was nuts!

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lajohnson | @lajohnson | Feb 22, 2022

I just want to thank you Trixie1313 for your posts. I have had a recent mammogram and everything looked fine. Unfortunately, I have been smelling a DISTINCT smell of ammonia in my sweat- specifically on the under part of my bra. Preliminary tests show no signs of liver or kidney disease. But now the skin on my breasts is changing color. I am going to use this information along with YOUR information to go to the doctor and request more testing be done! (I'm not crazy either)! LOL

I went to the Primary Care physician today and got a blank-faced, "I don't know" about the ammonia smell. I forgot to mention the change in breast color because I had a list of seven things and only got to six of them. (Back and rib pain being two of them).

Anyway, I am going to call a breast care center tomorrow. Your posts are the only thing I could find on the internet that tied the ammonia smell to breast cancer. I also appreciate how you mentioned that it is rare and even your oncologist does not see it often.

Of course, I want to be absolutely wrong about all of it but at least I feel like I'm heading in some sort of direction now whereas earlier I didn't know where to start!

Thanks again for sharing your story and helping me! I wish you the very best with your journey. God Bless you and your family!

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1 reply
lajohnson | @lajohnson | Feb 22, 2022
In reply to @trixie1313 "@acaillouet Please don't put off your mammogram and don't let fear stop you from looking into..." + (show)
@trixie1313

@acaillouet
Please don't put off your mammogram and don't let fear stop you from looking into this. Let us know how your testing comes out. Wishing you the best.

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Hello, please make sure you read my "thank you" post from 2/22. I tried to post it as a reply and had a computer error. YOU HAVE REALLY HELPED ME A LOT AND I AM SO GRATEFUL!

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