I know it's a bizarre thing to worry about, but

[Condessa]

My son smells wrong.  This is my little guy with cancer.  I have always been more keyed in to smells than most people.  Lately ds7's scent is different, off somehow, and while there's some variation from day to day, it seems to be getting more and more so.  He has also generally been very fatigued lately, but the smell is not necessarily stronger on the days when his fatigue is worse.  It's not the medication on his breath or anything like that, though I do smell it more strongly from his breath than from the rest of him.  It is not a bad smell, really, but something about it creeps me out.  Every time I hold him, that smell has me going "Something's wrong!  Something's wrong!" on the inside.

We'll be seeing his oncologist and doing all his monthly tests on Wednesday, so if it is something that will show up on a blood test, we'll know soon.  

[Jean in Newcastle]

I’m glad that the appointment is soon. Hopefully everything will check out fine but if not, getting treatment immediately will be good 

[mommyoffive]

Sending some hugs.   I am glad you have doc apt so soon and can ask about it.  

[maize]

I know there are dogs trained to sniff out cancer in people.

Sorry I don't know of a specific thing that would cause the smell you are noticing.

[KSera]

Hopefully it’s nothing or just a growing older thing, but I think you’re wise to listen to your gut and bring it up. Hugs to you and praying for a good check up. 

[Katy]

What kind of smell?  Can you describe it?

[Junie]

Could it also be your pregnancy hormones that are causing the smell to be more pronounced?  Maybe it's just your perception and not an actual change?

Praying for you and your little guy.

[prairiewindmomma]

Hugs. Fwiw, when my dd smelled off, it was that her metabolic panel was off, not the cancer. Some chemo is hard on the liver and when the liver is strained it’s filtering ability drops and I could pick up more smells. 

I know it’s nerve wracking anyway to wait…hugs!

[PeterPan]

10 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Fwiw, when my dd smelled off, it was that her metabolic panel was off, not the cancer.

That's what I would have assumed. Can op call the doctor's office and have them run a panel before the go in so they doctor can discuss?

My ds has had some strange smells (fish, ammonia, etc.) so I can understand wanting an explanation. It's at least worth a call to ask if they'd do something sooner.

[Ausmumof3]

This happened with the person in my life who had cancer also.  I hope it’s not bad news for you.

[Melissa in Australia]

Hugs

 Sending positive thought

[fraidycat]

Hugs. I hope everything is alright and that it is just pregnancy nose that is the culprit. But also, trust your momma gut and ask for them to test all.the.things. like vitamin & mineral levels, organ function, blood sugars, etc. - all things that can cause "off" smells.

[gstharr]

Some medical condition can cause a distinct odor. Many years ago, I had spent a day with a friend.  When i called her a couple hours later, she said that she   was so fevered that she could not get out of bed. I rushed to her house. She was super  hot, and incoherent,. But, I was  most alarmed by how foul her whole body smelled  it was an awful odor, yet strangely sweet smelling. I became so unsettled by the smell that I called 911.  Turns out she had toxic shock syndrome and the smell came from her  experiencing critical organ failure.   

[Pawz4me]

Certain types of chemo and other cancer fighting drugs can cause a marked change in body odor. I'm betting that's what it is.

[prairiewindmomma]

I forgot to mention this, but did they talk to you about special handling of bed linens and stuff if he is actively taking chemo? All of that can be excreted through sweat and other body fluids and if you are pregnant you need to be purple gloved to handle that. I had to do it while nursing as well.

[ktgrok]

Could be blood sugar, but also maybe that he's that age where his body chemistry is changing?

Oh! Any sinus issues? Pollen is terrible now and post nasal drip can cause an off smell to breath. 

[Condessa]

17 hours ago, Katy said:

What kind of smell?  Can you describe it?

The only thing I can think of that it is at all similar to is old person smell.  Not actually like my grandparents, but like dh's grandparents when they were in the nursing home.  But not quite like that.

[Katy]

Just now, Condessa said:

The only thing I can think of that it is at all similar to is old person smell.  Not actually like my grandparents, but like dh's grandparents when they were in the nursing home.  But not quite like that.

Musty?

Mothballs?

Ammonia?

Roses?

[Condessa]

17 hours ago, Junie said:

Could it also be your pregnancy hormones that are causing the smell to be more pronounced?  Maybe it's just your perception and not an actual change?

Praying for you and your little guy.

I'm sure I'm more sensitive to it because of the pregnancy, but the change in my perception of smells happened almost five months ago, and this is a distinct difference just in the last few weeks.  It's possible, but I don't think it is just me.

[Condessa]

17 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Hugs. Fwiw, when my dd smelled off, it was that her metabolic panel was off, not the cancer. Some chemo is hard on the liver and when the liver is strained it’s filtering ability drops and I could pick up more smells. 

I know it’s nerve wracking anyway to wait…hugs!

That may be it.  His blood tests related to liver function were a little off last month, so it might be that getting worse.

[Condessa]

1 hour ago, prairiewindmomma said:

I forgot to mention this, but did they talk to you about special handling of bed linens and stuff if he is actively taking chemo? All of that can be excreted through sweat and other body fluids and if you are pregnant you need to be purple gloved to handle that. I had to do it while nursing as well.

Yes, but it is not the traditional chemo.  He's in a clinical study for an oral MEK Inhibitor.  It's supposed to not cause that nearly as much, but they have got me using gloves if I absolutely have to be the one taking care of that stuff or dh doing it if at all possible.

[Condessa]

1 hour ago, ktgrok said:

Could be blood sugar, but also maybe that he's that age where his body chemistry is changing?

Oh! Any sinus issues? Pollen is terrible now and post nasal drip can cause an off smell to breath. 

His blood sugar could be affected, and will be tested on Wednesday.  It has been fine previously.  He's only seven, so I'd be surprised if it were body chemistry changes.  No sinus issues.

[Condessa]

9 minutes ago, Katy said:

Musty?

Mothballs?

Ammonia?

Roses?

No.  Old person body scent that you faintly smell when giving them a hug, that's a little more--I don't know--sour? warm? frail? yellowish?--than a younger person's scent.  I don't really think we have the vocabulary necessary to describe it.

[Drama Llama]

. . .

Edited October 28, 2021 by Nothingtoseehere

[PeterPan]

41 minutes ago, Condessa said:

No.  Old person body scent that you faintly smell when giving them a hug, that's a little more--I don't know--sour? warm? frail? yellowish?--than a younger person's scent.  I don't really think we have the vocabulary necessary to describe it.

https://www.franklinpark.org/blog/old-people-smell#:~:text=As%20our%20skin%20matures%2C%20its,of%20us%20are%20familiar%20with.

[Condessa]

His blood tests came back okay.  The liver-related tests look the same as last month, so not normal, but not bad enough to need to make a change at this time, and not worsening.  They added some more metabolic-related things to his tests, which didn't turn up anything.  Glucose levels were fine.  The only thing in his tests that came out worse than last month were his white blood cell counts, but that shouldn't have anything to do with his scent.  At this point they are saying it is likely that the smell is an unknown side-effect of the study drug he is on, as it builds up gradually in his system over time, so could very well have just taken this long to build enough to cause this effect.

[mommyoffive]

9 hours ago, Condessa said:

His blood tests came back okay.  The liver-related tests look the same as last month, so not normal, but not bad enough to need to make a change at this time, and not worsening.  They added some more metabolic-related things to his tests, which didn't turn up anything.  Glucose levels were fine.  The only thing in his tests that came out worse than last month were his white blood cell counts, but that shouldn't have anything to do with his scent.  At this point they are saying it is likely that the smell is an unknown side-effect of the study drug he is on, as it builds up gradually in his system over time, so could very well have just taken this long to build enough to cause this effect.

Glad you got some answers and that you brought it to their attention.