I just wanted to give an update on the results of my 23&me genetic results which I have been eagerly waiting on!
Just a little background on me:
The first time I remember having BB was around 11 when another kid in class told me I stink. I’m not sure how bad my breath is, I’ve never had comments (although do get a lot of nose rubs!) and I’ve managed to have a few boyfriends and I have a load of friends and manage to live a relatively normal life. Of course I mask how I feel on the inside about it - constantly paranoid chewing gum (like us all!). People seem to still get close to me when talking so I’ve always assumed it’s not that bad but I have no idea. I have a constant sour/stale taste in my mouth which is how I measure how bad the breath is. I’ve noticed too people tend to sneeze around me and get a blocked nose
I’ve had loads of theories as to the cause and spent £100s on supplements. Currently paying £1000s for dental treatment to replace some old fillings and get wisdom teeth removed just in case that’s the cause.
I read some posts on here about potential genetic defects causing BB - I think they involved liver detox pathways and some had said they were cured from certain supplements. After nothing really working for me I thought I’d try one of the 23&me genetic tests to see if I could get to the bottom of it.
Luckily I have extensive experience with genetics so I knew I’d be able to decipher my results (but I think we are all basically medical professionals now after reading all the posts on here!
) I decided to upload my raw data into another site (not sure if I can put the name here but I will add to the comments if I can) the site basically compares your DNA to scientific literature to see if certain mutations or variants you carry are associated with certain diseases/risk etc. To my surprise a match came up for mild TMAU! I have never suspected TMAU as I’ve never noticed any fishy like odours from my sweat or urine. Although I’m pretty sure if I have a mild version it may manifest itself intermittently or the smell may just be mild.
I spent hours online looking at databases and comparing my genetic mutations to those in articles etc. Basically, mutations in the FMO3 gene cause TMAU (there’s loads of sites where this is explained). Some mutations seem to cause severe symptoms and they are most commonly seen with the disease. For me, I seem to have two mutations on the FM03 gene (c472G>A and c923A>G). There’s an article which shows patients with these two variants had mild TMAU!
Of course this isn’t a definite diagnosis but definitely a step in the right direction. I would honestly recommend anyone who feels at a loss with their cause to try a 23&me test. I know the results may be difficult to interpret but I am more than happy to help anyone who needs it - just give me a message!
If I do have TMAU, I don’t know to feel. Kind of glad if this is the cause as I can manage my symptoms and if it is mild I feel like I can live a normal life! A part of me is hoping i have found the cause so I can stop wracking my brains and being disappointed at each failed attempt at a cure.
I think I will make an appointment with the GP next to go for testing - hopefully they listen and send me! Before then, I am going to try a TMAU diet and maybe invest in the recommended supplements - I will keep you all updated!
Please feel free to comment or message me with any questions I’d be more than happy to help! Good luck to you all!
