Mom's urine smells really bad!

There can be a few reasons for fishy smelling urine. I have actually had that issue for most of my adult life but none of the typical lab tests ever showed anything. I have a lot of abdominal and pelvic adhesions- probably from undiagnosed endometriosis and I think that the adhesions interfere with the functions of organs somehow so I will never feel normal and Drs do not want to even acknowledge Adhesion Related Disorders. People can have them from surgery, inflammation, a blow to the abdomen. I also have very fishy urine after eating fish, and I have heard about other people with this problem, but the medical community doesn't seem willing to acknowledge this problem either. It might be an enzyme deficiency or organ dysfunction. I also retain a lot of fluid but Drs refuse to believe that too. Our medical system leaves a lot to be desired.

Thanks for the info on the cause of the urine oder . I'm going to make a appointment for her and hopefully she keeps it and as someone else posted a while back I'm going to write her doctor a letter stating on her health or hand it to her nurse without mom knowing or she will cause a seen. Also trying to get my mom comfortable with the fact of getting a professional caretaker or looking into Assistant Living because she is getting bad day by day . Today she couldn't hold her poo and made all over plus she kept saying how she felt like she wanted to pass out but refuses to go to the emergency. I checked on her like 10 minutes ago and caught her playing solitaire on her phone so not sure if she was even telling me the truth or feels better? Eiether way she has to at least see her primary care physician asap.

Fishy smelling urine is a sign of an enzyme deficiency in the urinary track. She needs to see a Dr. Good luck with that.

I'm so sorry it's so difficult. Can you talk with the City or State to see if she can be moved-with or without her consent--to assisted living or a nursing home? At some point, you must take care of yourself.

Thanks for the advise . She drinks a lot of water but refuses to change her diaper or wet clothes which contribute to the odor like I said I feel bad but she does need better care which I can't no longer provide she has taken a toll on my own health and I being the youngest have aged and have more wrinkles then my oldest sister's do! My mom was in a Rehabilitation Center a year ago due to falling and dislocating her shoulder she gave the nurses there pure hell hitting two nurses refusing to exercise only reason she came home is they told her if she didn't comply she would stay there longer .

Fedup73, other causes of strong urine smell is dehydration. A lot of elders don't like drinking a lot of water because that means more trips to the bathroom or more changes of their Depends or guards.

Another reason is that certain prescription medications, and even over the counter items, can cause a strong smell. Have the doctor check the list of ALL meds that she is taking.

AZO makes over the counter pills for a variety of situations, and i found they work pretty good for myself. But check with your Mom's doctor first.

Great advice from the other posters. Here's some tips I figured out that have helped. My mother's similar to yours, diabetic, though Mom does have dementia. She's wets herself too. Whoever in your home buys her her diapers, buy instead those pads that stick to underwear. First, they're cheaper. Second, with diapers the wearer has to be practically stripped to get a clean pad, so likely the soiled diaper will stay in place, which is real bad. The pads are too easy to swap out so Mom stays cleaner. I get the ultra thick pads and they hold a lot of urine.

Get your mother to a doctor. Since your mother is a diabetic, she may be prone to a urinary tract infection. If so, they'll come often. Mom's doc has a standing order that if I think Mom's has a UTI (because of the urine smell and she gets REAL confused), the doc's office supplied me with those plastic urine catchers for the toilet, I pour the urine into a sample bottle, and deliver it to the lab. Now, I catch any UTI early. Good luck.

I expect you can see that your mother wouldn't take too kindly to the explanation that she can't move with you when you go because she smells and nobody likes her!

But that genuinely is not the reason. This is the real reason: she needs more support than she can get in a standard domestic setting, even the loving one that you have provided so far.

The proof of this is that in spite of everything you have tried to do for her, she is currently suffering from: self-neglect; plus I would be very surprised if she *didn't* have a raging urinary tract infection which will only get worse and could cause permanent kidney damage if it isn't seen to; plus you have reason to suspect that there is a potentially serious problem with her gut; on top of which she has serious chronic conditions that require professional monitoring.

It's very difficult for her doctor to intervene or make recommendations if she won't go to her appointments, but until she's been examined and proved otherwise she is assumed to be a consenting adult and you can't make her go. You're stuck in a Catch-22. You need another ally. Call your local Area Agency on Aging, explain that you are moving and you are concerned about your mother's living situation, and ask them to come and do a wellness check. Her refusal - or more likely inability - to understand the risks she is taking with her health, plus the mental problems you've noted to do with her abusiveness and hallucinations, mean that she is vulnerable and deserves their concern; so with a bit of fast talking you should be able to get her onto their radar.

Your mother won't like it. You will have not to worry about that - this is for her benefit, and it's important, and she'll just have to lump it.

Your mom could have a urinary tract infection which can cause foul smelling urine. She ought to see her doctor.

Why does she sit in a dirty undergarment? Is she just not changing it? It should be treated like underwear. If it becomes soiled in any way it ought to be changed.