What is that weird smell?

Nurses General Nursing

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We have a patient in a long term setting. The patient is very clean, edges on neuotic he is so clean and everything has it's proper place,and the labels are turned just so. No Mess, not fility. Yet he smells really weird. We keep the door closed, because if you open it, the smell wafts out and nearly takes you out. I was wondering if it could be due to a fungus. Have you ever seen this before, and is there help for this man?

Specializes in Med Tele, Gen Surgical.

OP, OP....where art thou? Maybe everyone has moved on, but I'm obsessed! What is the smell? Acid, fecal, fungal, a little bacterial? Just wondering........

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Specializes in LTC.

What is the smell? Is it a body odor? Is it a chemical smell? Is it a sweet smell?

Be more specific on the characteristics of the smell because I'm very curious.

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Specializes in Trauma, ER, ICU, CCU, PACU, GI, Cardiology, OR.
they did a special on discovery health channel (before oprah killed it) about a girl with trimethylaminuria (tmau). say that 5 times fast.

when i worked in derm we had a man who's feet smelled so bad from fungal infection that when he took off his boots in the exam room people out in the parking lot would almost pass out. no hygiene problem whatsoever. really sweet guy, too. he went on course after course of griseofulvin and topical treatments galore. - nothing would knock it back for very long.

i'll 2nd that emotion regarding the discovery health channel, i wouldn't miss an episode when it was on. however, i wasn't aware that oprah had something to do with the cancellation, interesting i wonder what were her reasons?

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Specializes in Psych.
i'll 2nd that emotion regarding the discovery health channel, i wouldn't miss an episode when it was on. however, i wasn't aware that oprah had something to do with the cancellation, interesting i wonder what were her reasons?

there is a discover fit and health that plays some of the discovery health shows. i know directv carries the channel as it is a favorite in this house. i love some untold stories of the er.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
i'll 2nd that emotion regarding the discovery health channel, i wouldn't miss an episode when it was on. however, i wasn't aware that oprah had something to do with the cancellation, interesting i wonder what were her reasons?

i don't know! i tried to find out at the time - but all it said was that she bought that particular channel. before they made the final switchover they would drop some clips of oprah giving stuff away to the audience with lots of ecstatic cheering for oprah and cgi glitter and glowing stuff all around. i had to get rid of my expanded cable for a while - so i'm out of the loop now and mostly watch stuff online.

it's good to know not all of the shows are gone! untold stories of the er and trauma: life in the er are good, too.

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She was able to buy it because it was for sale!!! She has maintained some of the shows. And others show up on 'sister' channels.

But that is not the topic here.

What is that odor???? Please let us know!

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Specializes in LPN.

Sorry it took so long to get back, The smell is sweet, yet kind of metallic, and very powerful. It isn't body odor. I will have to go look at his meds and see if there is anything you all have mentioned. I learned a lot from your posts. I will get back to you all later. Thanks again for all the info. He dosen't have any plants in his room. He isn't able to get up and stack anything anywhere as he refuses to get out of bed. We had him in the hospital once, and cleaned out the room really well, but as soon as he came back, the smell came too. I would really like to help. I know people are put off by the smell, and that doesn't really help him socially.

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