Strep "smell"

[reactive]

My ds9 wanted to switch to our family doctor since his old ped was female. He had his second visit with him a few weeks ago to follow up asthma. He knew briefly of the possible PANDAS thing, but I did not push the issue with him since we are planning to see Dr. K in the next few months. I asked the doctor to check him for strep (please) even though he did not have a sore throat that day because he started having a symptom flare a few days before the appt.

 

Our doctor said to me "we can test him, but even if it is negative I want to treat him anyway...he smells like strep." So they did a rapid strep: negative. He was started on Omnicef for ten days. His symptoms abated with the Omnicef. Now, I have to tell you, that he did have a certain weird breath smell; I could even smell it in the waiting room while we were waiting, and had this smell for a few days. It is now gone.

 

It makes me wonder where the strep is/was...I think Buster or someone else said it can be in the sinuses?

[Suzan]

Oh yeah, I know that strep smell. When my girls used to get strep in their throats I could smell it and always knew when they had it before I even got them swabbed. I always thought it smelled like a hospital. That was the only way I knew how to describe it. Did your doc culture it? Glad he treated even with a negative rapid.

 

Susan

[peglem]

When I would call to make same day appointments for strep test- I would report a "plegmy" smell as a symptom to the triage nurse on the phone...it always seemed to be dismissed as not significant, so I stopped.

[reactive]

Oh yeah, I know that strep smell. When my girls used to get strep in their throats I could smell it and always knew when they had it before I even got them swabbed. I always thought it smelled like a hospital. That was the only way I knew how to describe it. Did your doc culture it? Glad he treated even with a negative rapid.

 

Susan

No culture, since treating anyway. He does not have tonsils anymore, not sure if that makes a difference in the effectiveness of the rapid. But he had no sore throat or fever either. If the doc was not giving antibiotics, he would have cultured him, I'm pretty sure.

[thereishope]

No tonsils doesn't make a difference with a rapid test. My son, after t and a, tested + on a rapid. All 3 of my never get a sore throat or fever when they have strep. The only way I know is through a test. Next time, maybe still do a culture. It's a good way for you to know what he was reacting to. Also, if the culture came back negative, it could maybe open the doors to seeing if strep is somewhere else.

 

Have you discussed a prophylatic ab with him or are you waiting for Dr K? If you are putting him on a proph ab right, take him back for a folow up rapid and culture 2 weeks after finishing meds.

 

I'm glad you have doctor who will give meds based on a clinical dx of strep.

[smartyjones]

Now, I have to tell you, that he did have a certain weird breath smell; I could even smell it in the waiting room while we were waiting, and had this smell for a few days. It is now gone.

/quote]

 

 

what was the smell? i remember back last spring - i think when my son was off the first month of keflex but starting to backslide - he had this weird seafood-like breath smell. i remember it b/c it was so strange.

[harmony]

My ds9 wanted to switch to our family doctor since his old ped was female. He had his second visit with him a few weeks ago to follow up asthma. He knew briefly of the possible PANDAS thing, but I did not push the issue with him since we are planning to see Dr. K in the next few months. I asked the doctor to check him for strep (please) even though he did not have a sore throat that day because he started having a symptom flare a few days before the appt.

 

Our doctor said to me "we can test him, but even if it is negative I want to treat him anyway...he smells like strep." So they did a rapid strep: negative. He was started on Omnicef for ten days. His symptoms abated with the Omnicef. Now, I have to tell you, that he did have a certain weird breath smell; I could even smell it in the waiting room while we were waiting, and had this smell for a few days. It is now gone.

 

It makes me wonder where the strep is/was...I think Buster or someone else said it can be in the sinuses?

I can smell a sinus infection - smells like rotten meat- very strong smell. My sons last sinus infection (the one that sent him to ER and in the surgery room twice) was cultured and came back as strep A- so yes it can be in the sinuses.

I don't recall ever smelling strep throat though- I will definitely be on the lookout though!!

Thanks for sharing this

[reactive]

No tonsils doesn't make a difference with a rapid test. My son, after t and a, tested + on a rapid. All 3 of my never get a sore throat or fever when they have strep. The only way I know is through a test. Next time, maybe still do a culture. It's a good way for you to know what he was reacting to. Also, if the culture came back negative, it could maybe open the doors to seeing if strep is somewhere else.

 

Have you discussed a prophylatic ab with him or are you waiting for Dr K? If you are putting him on a proph ab right, take him back for a folow up rapid and culture 2 weeks after finishing meds.

 

I'm glad you have doctor who will give meds based on a clinical dx of strep.

My plan is to wait for Dr. K. I did not write this in my first post, but we have seen many local physicians over the years. Myself, I had been unsure that my son really had PANDAS until recently reading Dr. K's site and reading this forum. Now I feel he has to have it. But I want Dr. K's opinion. At one point, I had been seeing one of our local infectious disease specialists, and I asked him about antibiotics. He gave us a 7 day supply and told me to call back. When I called back the nurse gave me the brush off. That told me he was not on board, which he could have just told me in the office. Our family doctor is reasonable, but I also do not think it is fair of me to expect him to treat something that frankly, I know more about than he does. With a full recommendation from a specaialist (Dr. K), I think our doc would me more receptive.

[reactive]

Now, I have to tell you, that he did have a certain weird breath smell; I could even smell it in the waiting room while we were waiting, and had this smell for a few days. It is now gone.

/quote]

 

 

what was the smell? i remember back last spring - i think when my son was off the first month of keflex but starting to backslide - he had this weird seafood-like breath smell. i remember it b/c it was so strange.

To me it smells like a yucky medicine like smell. Not like spoiled food or anything, but distinct and different. Sorry, it is hard for me to describe. I still wonder about sinus areas and stuff like that because he had no sore throat or fever...just increase in tics and OCD and the smell.

[earnestfamily7]

I know the strep smell also... I think I picked it up from my mom....when when were pre-panadas.... the kids get sick w/ sore throats she would always say they smell like they are sick take them to the Doctor! She told me it was something her mom/grandparents brought from the 'old country' .... I can smell it now too when they have infections... it is a distinctive smell... it really smells like sickness (I liked the hospital analogy) My ped also will treat the kids on the 'strepy smell' ... still working on long term antibiotics...

[Joan Pandas Mom]

I could smell it on my son. I thought I was crazy but a Dr. friend's daughter (she is 22 or so) has OCD. I was talking to him back in October about my son's OCD and PANDAS last exacerbation and he said he could always smell strep on his daughter.

 

My ds9 wanted to switch to our family doctor since his old ped was female. He had his second visit with him a few weeks ago to follow up asthma. He knew briefly of the possible PANDAS thing, but I did not push the issue with him since we are planning to see Dr. K in the next few months. I asked the doctor to check him for strep (please) even though he did not have a sore throat that day because he started having a symptom flare a few days before the appt.

 

Our doctor said to me "we can test him, but even if it is negative I want to treat him anyway...he smells like strep." So they did a rapid strep: negative. He was started on Omnicef for ten days. His symptoms abated with the Omnicef. Now, I have to tell you, that he did have a certain weird breath smell; I could even smell it in the waiting room while we were waiting, and had this smell for a few days. It is now gone.

 

It makes me wonder where the strep is/was...I think Buster or someone else said it can be in the sinuses?

[pixiesmommy]

My ped when I was little would diagnose a lot of things based on smell. My grandmother can smell and distinguish strep, flu, and sinus infections. She once told my mom I was going to get pneumonia if she didn't get me to a dr, and she was right on the money too- they said I had 'walking pneumonia' and I was hospitalized.

 

My DH can smell on my breath when I am getting a sinus infection before I feel any symptoms whatsoever.

 

So all of this to say, yes, I think it's very possible! And it sounds like you have a good dr if he is following instincts as well as what happens in a test tube! Yay!