Talk Cancer

Question:

My son is 9, and in the past few months has begun taking medication for ADD.   Within an hour or two after taking his meds, he starts to emit a fairly strong smell.  It isn’t a sweaty smell, like BO, but more of a greasy smell, the way you might imagine smelling after frying hamburgers for an 8 hour shift.  He is taking Ritalin now, has taken the generic version (Methylin), and initially tried Adderall for a short period.  He has had the same reaction to all three.  We are certain that it comes from the meds — if he doesn’t take them for a day, no smell.  If he takes it an hour or two later than the normal 6am, it comes on like clockwork in about an hour. It’s a strange situation.  The smell seems to be emitted only from his upper body, mostly around the chest, upper back, and shoulders, not the armpits.   Also, unlike a more typical BO, the smell goes away — if we don’t shower him, the smell will usually have dissipated in a couple hours.  Same with his clothes — he can take off his pajamas or shirt, which smell totally rank, and within a couple hours, the smell will have left them.  Again, unlike BO — if you stink up a shirt from sweating into it, it smells until you wash it.   Sometimes, he’ll change clothes due to the smell, and his body will smell clean, while the clothes stink — almost liking he is exuding this scent that the fabric absorbs.  Weird all the way around. We have talked to the manufacturers of both Ritalin and Methylin, and neither have any record of this type of symptom ever occurring for either drug.  Our family doctor and psychologist are at a loss, too — no record seems to exist of this condition.  The doc did run bloodwork to confirm normal liver and kidney function. As I said initially, he is only 9.  We usually have to shower him daily before school, about 1.5 hours after taking his meds.  When not taking meds, he needs a shower only every other day, and can go a third day in a pinch — he is not at the teen stage of needing to bathe daily to combat BO.  And, as mentioned, this does not smell or behave like a typical body odor anyway. If anybody has experience with this problem, or has any suggestions of other resources, I would love to hear it.  I (and my doctors) have run out of ideas, between the manufacturers and internet searches. Thanks, Mark

Response:

: My son is 9, and in the past few months has begun taking medication for ADD.   : Within an hour or two after taking his meds, he starts to emit a fairly strong : smell.  It isn’t a sweaty smell, like BO, but more of a greasy smell, the way : you might imagine smelling after frying hamburgers for an 8 hour shift.  He is : taking Ritalin now, has taken the generic version (Methylin), and initially : tried Adderall for a short period.  He has had the same reaction to all three. :  We are certain that it comes from the meds — if he doesn’t take them for a : day, no smell.  If he takes it an hour or two later than the normal 6am, it : comes on like clockwork in about an hour. : It’s a strange situation.  The smell seems to be emitted only from his upper : body, mostly around the chest, upper back, and shoulders, not the armpits.   : Also, unlike a more typical BO, the smell goes away — if we don’t shower him, : the smell will usually have dissipated in a couple hours.  Same with his : clothes — he can take off his pajamas or shirt, which smell totally rank, and : within a couple hours, the smell will have left them.  Again, unlike BO — if : you stink up a shirt from sweating into it, it smells until you wash it.   : Sometimes, he’ll change clothes due to the smell, and his body will smell : clean, while the clothes stink — almost liking he is exuding this scent that : the fabric absorbs.  Weird all the way around. : We have talked to the manufacturers of both Ritalin and Methylin, and neither : have any record of this type of symptom ever occurring for either drug.  Our : family doctor and psychologist are at a loss, too — no record seems to exist : of this condition.  The doc did run bloodwork to confirm normal liver and : kidney function. If it’s too distressing, perhaps changing meds would help. Do the kids tease him, or comment? Emma

Response:

My son is 9, and in the past few months has begun taking medication for ADD. Within an hour or two after taking his meds, he starts to emit a fairly strong smell.  It isn’t a sweaty smell, like BO, but more of a greasy smell, the way you might imagine smelling after frying hamburgers for an 8 hour shift. He is taking Ritalin now, has taken the generic version (Methylin), and initially tried Adderall for a short period.

Body odor in children is usually a sign of kidney or liver disease,  or alternatively leukemia. Since it’s directly following administration of a psychotropic drug–I would suspect kidney or liver disease. Talk to his doctor.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My son is 9, and in the past few months has begun taking medication for ADD. Within an hour or two after taking his meds, he starts to emit a fairly strong smell.  It isn’t a sweaty smell, like BO, but more of a greasy smell, the way you might imagine smelling after frying hamburgers for an 8 hour shift. He is taking Ritalin now, has taken the generic version (Methylin), and initially tried Adderall for a short period. Body odor in children is usually a sign of kidney or liver disease,  or alternatively leukemia.

Strike the word "usually"  and replace it with "can be" Since it’s directly following administration of a psychotropic drug–I would suspect kidney or liver disease. Talk to his doctor.

SSRI’s, especially Zoloft,can cause B/O in some users,  so perhaps stimulants can too in a minority of people. drinking lots of water might help dissipate it. also,hot baths are more helpful than showers with that sort of problem.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – : My son is 9, and in the past few months has begun taking medication for ADD.   : Within an hour or two after taking his meds, he starts to emit a fairly strong : smell.  It isn’t a sweaty smell, like BO, but more of a greasy smell, the way : you might imagine smelling after frying hamburgers for an 8 hour shift.  He is : taking Ritalin now, has taken the generic version (Methylin), and initially : tried Adderall for a short period.  He has had the same reaction to all three. :  We are certain that it comes from the meds — if he doesn’t take them for a : day, no smell.  If he takes it an hour or two later than the normal 6am, it : comes on like clockwork in about an hour. : It’s a strange situation.  The smell seems to be emitted only from his upper : body, mostly around the chest, upper back, and shoulders, not the armpits.   : Also, unlike a more typical BO, the smell goes away — if we don’t shower him, : the smell will usually have dissipated in a couple hours.  Same with his : clothes — he can take off his pajamas or shirt, which smell totally rank, and : within a couple hours, the smell will have left them.  Again, unlike BO — if : you stink up a shirt from sweating into it, it smells until you wash it.   : Sometimes, he’ll change clothes due to the smell, and his body will smell : clean, while the clothes stink — almost liking he is exuding this scent that : the fabric absorbs.  Weird all the way around. : We have talked to the manufacturers of both Ritalin and Methylin, and neither : have any record of this type of symptom ever occurring for either drug.   Our : family doctor and psychologist are at a loss, too — no record seems to exist : of this condition.  The doc did run bloodwork to confirm normal liver and : kidney function. If it’s too distressing, perhaps changing meds would help. Do the kids tease him, or comment? Emma

I don’t think he has gotten any grief from it — we give him his meds when he wakes up at 6-6:15, then shower him at 7:30.  On weekends we often skip the shower, and as I said, the smell is gone a couple hours later.  One thing I forgot to mention — he seems to be sensitive to changes in dosage.  The docs are still trying to get the right amount, and moving up or down has seemed to make it worse for a week or so.

Response: