Body odor problem update

Hi Everyone, 
  For anyone who is not familiar with my story.  I had RNY about 7 years ago, regained my wt and last year had the intestinal portion of the DS or now as I am learing it is BPD.  Since I had my second surgery I have had a horrible odor coming from my skin/pores.  My surgeon, primary care doc and now infection control doc are all not sure what is going on.  The rest of the post was also posted on the DS board, thought I should post here too.
  Just thought I would give everyone an update on my odor problem.  Went to see an infection control doctor and I have him stumped too.  He started me on Augmentin and Doxycycline.  I was to be on augmentin for a week, then a week off.  I then was to do doxycyline for a week and then off for a week.  Off for a week and start the process all over. Well I started the augmentin and by the first day I had such horrible diarrhea and water for stools that I had to stop it.  So, he told me to stop that one, wait a week and try the doxycycline.  I started the doxy and it did not give me the diarrhea and watery stools like the augmentin.  However, it did not get rid of the odor so back to the doctor I went.  He now has me back on Flagyl which if anyone has followed my story works but gives me horrible diarrhea too.  He told me to play around with the med and see what I can get to work for me. I am starting off with 1 per day and going to see if I can get it to a point where the smell is gone but no diarrhea. The 1 pill per day is giving me diarrhea and water stools so thinking about a half of a pill.

So, I am thinking...what does all this mean? I must have an overgrowth of bacteria that keeps lingering on but why and where?  I also continue to have s/s of bowel obstruction.  About every two weeks I have horrible pain in my stomach and this weekend I also had this with vomiting and diarrhea that lasted a lot longer than it has in the past.  I am wondering if the two are connected in anyway.  I am thinking that I need to have an exploratory surgery to see what is going on.  However, when I mentioned it to the infection control doctor he thought that was way too invasive and risky but I don't know what else to do...something is going on in there. 

Any ideas, would be helpful and appreciated.  Thanks for listening,
Lori

Lori
I see you had a doctor in Michigan also. I had the same problems you did and others I know did too. the odor seems to becoming from the gut. and intestines and out through your mouth. I don't think its bacteria. Once my common channel got surgically lengthend the odor was gone imediately! I don't know why or what it  was and my doctor wasn't sure either but it worked. consider this surgery instead of exploratory.
Lori evers

Hi Lori,
  I think that I spoke with you before about this, didn't we?  You were lengthened to 200 cm weren't you?  I was just at my surgeons office today and he is talking about lengthening to 200 cm and trying to make my pouch smaller. This is going to be risky he says but I just can't live with this smell anymore.  I was just thinking of exploratory to see what is going on in there.

Thanks,
Lori

This may be a silly question, but---can you smell this odor yourself, or do other people smell it and tell you about it? The reason I ask is that there is a---well, I don't think it's called a disease, but a disorder of some kind, where people THINK they stink. THEY can smell it, but no one else can.

No, I can't smell it. My co workers have told me about it as well as family and friends.

Hi LorI:

So what you received in surgery would that also be called an ERNY? Did the Surgeon shorten your common channel, if so to what length...I believe that a safe length is 150cc or up....But many Dr.'s are taking past ERNY'ers to 200 cc....

I have had an ERNY and I was told I received 100cc and I haven't had a real problem with odor at all other than rather pungent gas at times, mainly after carbs....But as far as reaking odor through the skin that hasn't been a problem but I do have a little bacteria build up from time to time but it seems to correct itself on it's own, I don't really understand why...It's been over a year now since my revision and the gassy/smellies have really tamed down and the family is soooo glad it has....Probably a lengthening of your intestines will help you immensely but I would be darn sure of what they are going to do....

JRolfson