This Woman With Rare Condition Smells Like Fish All The Time

A woman, Kelly Fidoe-White who has suffered from fish-odour syndrome -Trimethylaminuria – her whole life has spoken of her struggle.

The disease which makes sufferers unable to break down a certain compound, choline, in food implies they can smell like a range of odours, including fish, onion and faeces.

Kelly would shower up to four times a day and used whole cans of deodorant to mask the smell – none of which worked, before she was diagnosed two years ago.

35-year old Kelly said, 'Besides the smell itself, there are very few other symptoms at all and of course you have the side effects of anxiety, social isolation – it’s hard.'

‘As far as I know, this condition affects 300 to 600 people worldwide – it’s not very well known.’

Because she does not have a sense of smell, it is difficult to manage what really affects it.

Speaking further, Kelly said, ‘There is no magic pill that you can take to make it better, I personally take a cocktail of medications.

‘One of the things they [the doctors] turn around and say to you is: ‘If it smells going in, it’s going to smell going out.’

‘So things like fish and seafood are major triggers.’

‘There was more than one occasion where I would say: “I’ve had fish paste sandwiches for my lunch,” when kids would say “You smell like fish”.

‘That was difficult to deal with as a teenager.

‘I was spending a stupid amount of time in the shower just before my diagnosis. Using red hot water, scrubbing until my skin was bright red and it was just too stressful.’

But despite her condition, Kelly, found love with husband Michael, 16 years ago.

The 45-year-old said: ‘Kelly’s smell has sometimes affected me in a negative manner but I haven’t said anything to Kelly. I’ve just kept it to myself.

‘When we were living together at the start I did notice it. But it wasn’t straight away when we first started seeing each other – it was never a problem.

‘I don’t believe she tried to hide it either.

‘Kelly wasn’t that confident when we first met – and I think the best way of me helping her with the condition is to just be supportive about the condition.

‘If that was me living with the condition, I think I would struggle to do as much as Kelly does.

‘I am sure he won’t mind me saying this, but he produces his own smell anyway!’