A long story, where to begin...

[potty_mouth]

Hello Everyone,

First of all... thank you! I have been watching posts on here and other sites for years, and have got to say that this site in particular has really helped to keep me heading in the right direction. I don't know why I haven't posted before. I guess I was waiting for some concrete evidence. Something that might help you guys the way I've been helped.
I will try to cover everything relevant for my entire BB history in a later post, but a brief summary would be:
I'm 33 and currently live in Australia (any other BB sufferers in Aus out there?!), but I lived the first 28 years of my life in England.
I believe i have a body odour problem too, but the BB is more constant and the worse of the two. I used to get tonsil stones and always have dry mouth/ white tongue/ PND.
Recently I went to Biolab testing centre in the UK. I had several tests done. One called the Gut Fermentation Profile, showed increased ethanol in the blood after glucose, consistent with a yeast overgrowth. Probably candida. I have had candida in my ears before (had a swab done) and sometimes the ear wax is really stinky, like stagnant water goes (anyone else get this?). I just use some canesten liquid which is meant for the toenails. But I'm sure it never really goes away as it comes back all the time.
I had my tonsil area swabbed at the same time, but no candida showed up. However, anaerobes did. The doctor (who's pretty shit I have to say) says that we all have anaerobes in our mouths, but I'm starting to think I have two problems
I have had 2 CT scans done about one year apart, both showing mucosal thickening to the maxillary sinuses (probable sinus infection).
When I was much younger I was referred for TMAU test (genetic test) which came up negative. But later read that not all gene deficiencies are tested for, and since that was years ago i had the urine test for TMAU done here in Aus. Both negative for TMAU.
I play soccer and get some pretty bad reactions from people during and after the games. I think this is more body odour related, because the skin around my nose and chin smells really badly if I rub it with my finger and sniff it. It normally smells bad, but much worse after exercise. Does anyone else get this? ...Does everyone get this? An ex girlfriend of mine told me she got that too, and she always smelled fine!
I had my tonsils removed about a year ago, and like most people have found, it hasn't cured me. I think it did help though... before the tonsillectomy, anyone sitting within 3 rows of me on a plane would be sniffing and rubbing their noses... now it's only the person next to me! Obviously, the tonsils just collect all the crap that is coming from the source of the BB rather than actually being the source. However, I never had my adenoids out so may one day give that a go.
Anyway, that's enough of my loooong journey for now. I do feel with the candida diagnosis, and with other people's threads about the IC valve, metronidazole and hypochlorhydria that I have several avenues to investigate.
I look forward to one day finding my cure and sharing it with you all

[bbking1984]

My story too sounds somewhat similar. I'm a 27 yr old man. I have seen people who sit near me sniffing in buses, movie halls and what not. I used to get tonsil stones daily a few years back. Recently I haven't got any, though the bad breath is still present. I have chronic post nasal drip (PND). Whenever i use nasal decongesteant drops or saline nasal flush, it gives me temporary relief. My nose becomes clear and I could smell anything. To clean my throat i usually swallow hard food like bread, burger, pizza etc which cleans the throat during its passage. After using decongestant drops and eating hard food, bad breath disappears for an hour. But later it returns with a vengeance. Problem with decongestant drops is that it gives temporary relief; but after a few hours, nose congestion will be too horrible and it causes PND too, and hence horrible bad breath. I am looking for a permanent solution. Hope we all can share our stories and derive the solution.

[Phantasist]

bbking1984,
Nasal decongestants should only be used temporarily. With prolonged use antihistamines damage the mucus lining of the nasal passages. Mucus membrane is very sensitive. It will swell up and close off the passageways and you won't be able to breathe through your nose.
The post nasal drip probably collects in your throat and is good food for the anaerobic bacteria. To get rid of the accumulation, bend forward with your head down and clear your throat vigorously several times. Either spit out the phlegm or swallow it, and then swallow some hot water. This will give you some temporary relief.

[bbking1984]

Phantasist,
Thank you. I stopped using decongestant a few days back, since I found that although it gave me temporary relief, it actually made the breath too worse to deal with.
Coughing violently and gagging to bring the PND out also make the problem worse, I believe. What I do now is, just swallow the phlegm and have some hard food and drink water. It gives me temporary relief, for around 30 minutes. I believe, post nasal drip is the real source. I don't know how to stop it permanently.

[mike987]

Phantasist,
Thank you. I stopped using decongestant a few days back, since I found that although it gave me temporary relief, it actually made the breath too worse to deal with.
Coughing violently and gagging to bring the PND out also make the problem worse, I believe. What I do now is, just swallow the phlegm and have some hard food and drink water. It gives me temporary relief, for around 30 minutes. I believe, post nasal drip is the real source. I don't know how to stop it permanently.

Not sure if it's the source... Why should mucus make your breath so bad? Haven't we discussed knowing many people with allergies, PND, and no BB?

Bacteria imbalance may be a source more so than the mucus... I've thought along similar lines as you before.... Even if PND isn't the source, if we could somehow cut it out, it could perhaps make our BB manageable.

[halitosisux]

I think it totally depends whether the PND itself is due to an infection of some kind and whether it's draining from a part of the nasal system that is infected in some way. PND is not always due to infection, so that may explain the confusion and why not everyone with PND gets BB.
If PND is due to purely to allergy, it will tend to be clear, but if infection is involved it will tend to be yellow or green or brown.

I know that with chest infections, if the mucus is yellow it means a virus is involved, but if it's green or brown then bacteria are involved. Maybe the same thing applies in the nose.

The back of the tongue and throat is constantly bathed in a mucousy film, so really it's going be no different to what it would be if you have clear odourless PND from allergies.

I also think that if a person has BB, PND of any kind will be an exacerbative factor. This could then be misleading and make people think their PND is the cause.