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Mum-of-one has 'no quality of life' as she smells like 'rotten fish and eggs'Carmen Davies, 29, was diagnosed with trimethylaminuria (TMAU), also known as fishy odour syndrome, in June 2023.

It means Carmen emits a strong scent affecting her breath, sweat and urine due to the genetic disorderNewsLee Grimsditch Nostalgia Writer, Katy Hallam and Jake Meeus-Jones14:12, 30 May

2025Carmen missed a family member's funeral because of the condition(Image: SWNS) A mum has bravely opened up about her battle with a rare condition that leaves her smelling like spoiled

fish.

Carmen Davies, a 29 year old from Fallowfield, Manchester, has been grappling with trimethylaminuria (TMAU), also known as fish odour syndrome, since her diagnosis in June 2023.

The rare genetic disorder means Carmen emits a powerful odour from her breath, sweat and urine.

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Unable to properly digest certain foods such as fish and eggs, she quickly develops an overwhelming smell upon consumption.

Carmen, while unable to smell it herself, is painfully conscious of the reactions from those around her when she's out in public.

Article continues belowCarmen had a long fight to be diagnosed and says the disorder makes her not want to leave her home(Image: SWNS) In spite of rigorous hygiene practices, including daily

showers, diligent teeth brushing and the use of perfumes, the smell lingers and leads Carmen to often stay home to spare others the discomfort.

The disorder has had a profound effect on her life – it has hampered her job prospects and even caused her to miss her cousin's funeral last year.

Carmen tries to remain resilient, choosing not to take people's remarks to heart, though admits it's an ongoing challenge, reports the Manchester Evening News.

She disclosed: "I live my life having to stay away from people, and that's led to massive mental health issues.

"Smelling like rotten fish, rotten eggs, urine and faeces is horrendous - it doesn't matter how much I wash.

"I go out wanting to be cautious about other people and feeling guilty about myself standing next to someone."

Despite the difficulties posed by TMAU, Carmen draws strength from her role as a mother: "I have a beautiful baby boy though and any issues from my condition have to be overcome.

"He needs to be outside - so with having a child, I've had no other option to try and take myself out of my comfort zone at times.

"It's a natural human reaction to go 'oh, what is that smell?' so I try not to take it personally, but it is really hard. My aim is to try and explain it to other people.

"It really has altered my way of life in every single way."

The condition is caused by a mutation in the FM03 gene, which helps break down trimethylamine. Without it, the compound builds up, causing a fish-like odour.

‌ Carmen first realised she had started to smell when she was at college - with reports suggesting the disorder may become worse during puberty.

She said: "It all started when I was about 18. There was this one boy that told everybody that I smelled like poo - I thought it was strange, and just being malicious to me.

"So I didn't take any notice of it, but then I started hearing indirect comments about me from other people - that I needed to have a bath and have a wash.

‌ "This guy then started to make songs about me on his YouTube channel - he'd nickname me 'poo-dle'. ".

Carmen eventually sought medical advice, though she claims she was initially told it was a mental health-related issue.

According to Metabolic Support UK, only around 100 people in the UK have been identified with the condition, and it may be under-diagnosed and misdiagnosed.

‌ Carmen shared her challenging experience with a perplexing condition: "They believed I had a condition where I could smell smells that weren't there - but I shower every morning and keep

clean so I went back to the doctors and said I was sure something was wrong."

She recalled pushing for a referral to a TMAU specialist centre, recounting how she was dismissed: "I asked to be referred to a TMAU specialist centre - I was told it was really rare and

that it was all in my head."

Persistent visits to medical professionals marked her quest for an answer as she explained: "I wouldn't leave it and kept going back to doctors as I couldn't do anything without people

commenting about how I smelt. I eventually had an official diagnosis from my doctor in 2023."

‌ Carmen confirmed after a long battle for recognition of her health issue.

Educating on how to cope with the symptoms, she detailed her restrictive diet: "You can only manage your symptoms by food - I have to avoid red meat, anything processed or frozen, green

vegetables - you'll always have an odour."

Carmen has experimented with fasting as a method to moderate the condition's impacts: "Over the years I've found that fasting makes you smell worse in the first seven days but if you

continue your fast then your TMAU tends to smell like cinnamon."

‌ However, the approach carried its own challenges: "It was working in the sense that I didn't smell like faeces and sewage, but I became too thin from not eating enough."

Describing her daily struggle where social interaction becomes daunting, she mentioned: "I don't have any quality of life - I have to wake up and have this smell every day."

Yearning for her former hobbies, Carmen expressed sorrow: "I did ballet, singing, and dancing when I was younger, and I'd do anything to be able to do that again."

Article continues below She sombrely noted how her condition limits participation in family occasions: "Family gatherings are off bounds."

Reflecting on her isolation and missed opportunities, Carmen lamented: "I lost my cousin, and I couldn't go to his funeral because of it - I really do sit in my house all the time.

"I did meet someone on a TMAU forum online, and we completely understood each other - it's so hard to explain to other people, and I wish the world could be kinder about things."