Lets treat ourselves: My fecal smell started with hemorrhoids and antibiotics methinks

I don't know what exactly causes my fecal smell, but I know for definite that it started, like lots of people, when I was in my teens. In my case, 3 things happened, where I was taking a course of Antibiotics for a throat infection, just starting a new school, and I got my first hemorrhoid.

Before then I'd always been one of the sweatiest wee chappies round the town, all over my body, pits and behind. But even though I'd have a really sweaty bottom, it was in no way, shape or form the same as the current problem.

At 1st I could smell the hemorrhoid too; it was pungent, foul, and a smell you just instinctively knew came from the anus. Eventually, the hemorrhoid descalated into a benign skin tag that traverses across the anal cavity, like a band of cables looping through an opening. As for the smell, as time has gone on I don't get it, and I only gauge it off other people, who generally describe a fart or fecal smell... Familiar folks?

I've been to a colorectal surgeon, who told me the skin tag is acting like a bridge between the inside and outside, and it's allowing safe passage for internal fecal fungi and bacteria from inside this lil bumhole out to the wide open plains outside, where it's infecting the skin. Lemme assure ye though, hygiene is not an issue. I could regularly clean, have a shower after every bowel movement and, without making an EL James novel of this, take particular care, and still comments would be made to damage my tender soul.

I have to admit that I still don't know lots about it, but I definitely have a few observations. Firstly, while the default is that it is present, sometimes it does seem to vanish for a day or few hours. I still haven't put the pattern together, but I live for those days where, without warning, I'm inducted into the general populace, and I can fully engage in whatever I'm doing or whoever I'm with without worrying about myself. Secondly, it seems to have degrees too, somedays really bad, somedays not so much. I cannot tell yet whether the bad days are a different smell or just more intense. Thirdly, after a long period of R&R, like a weekend on the couch clocking up 10 hours in the bed, there's a definite improvement, as opposed to three 12 hour shifts in the bar I work in, which are just torture by the end, trying to gauge other peoples reactions. And finally, while there's certainly other things that make it worse, I've noticed without a doubt it's bad out after a night out of boozing and, interestingly, after swimming in a chlorinated pool (good bacteria wipeout?).

I've had a few doctors visits, plus the colorectal guy, but there seems to be little consensus. I've generally ruled out leakage, since after a comment I'll check my bottom and I'll be clean as a whistle. However maybe there are gaseous leakages. What I'd say is more likely is the skin tag acts as a bridge so the bacteria and fungi can get to be in the wrong place, but that poses the question; if like 50% of the population have hemorrhoids, why don't they all have similar anal smells? Is my specific microbiome different, maybe since those Antibiotics , or is my hemmie? Once that's figured out, it'll better inform the best course of action.

The lack of help from doctors is frustrating, but to be honest the medical community has more important diseases to be treating, so I can understand them kinda telling us to get over it. However, when I'm on those moments where I don't smell, and I'm realising my full potential, I just know it would be a shame to continue living a stunted life like this. So I'd recommend we do the work they're not arsed (get it?) doing, and treat ourselves.

To be honest, I've been reluctant to date with treatments because, even though after a couple of years I know it won't get better by itself, I don't want to try something that will in the long term make the problem worse. For example, while it seems to work for some forum posters for a matter of weeks, will using prescription-based antimicrobial treatments eventually lead to resistant microbes?

So if anyone has anything that's worked for them, any help or anything they're going to try, giz a shout and post it up! I've started probiotics and an anti-candida diet to no major results, but apparently you have to be real strict and patient. I've more things to say but I've work in the morning. And I know this is very sappy, but take comfort in the fact we're not alone; if man landed on Mars 50 years ago, we can surely stop ourselves smelling like a toilet in 2017. Tweet