urine ammonia odor

[sami4]

Has anyone noticed an ammonia odor in their urine? I notice this once and a while even when I am not dehydrated. I am not sure if it is something I have taken like a vitamin, or eaten? Does anyone have any ideas what it may be that causes this?
Sammie

[Sarojini]

Well, urine does contain the ammonium ion (NH4+), which is a waste product of your normal metabolism. Depending on what you're eating, that can increase and you may smell more ammonia in your urine. If it's REALLY REALLY strong, or you are REALLY REALLY worried about it, you may want to mention it to your doctor, and he can do a full panel on your blood and urine to check for blood/urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine excretion, etc to make sure your kidneys are in good working order -- they probably are fine, but if not you want to catch it early so any meds you're on can be tweaked.

I'm pretty sure you're normal though :grouphug:

[massagedoula]

Hey, my urine always has a little ammonia odor. I have noticed this starting 1 week before I "got" IC. It is my new urine smell and I have asked many doctors and no-one knows the answer. I have gotten a CBC lately and my bloods were fine (except extremely low vitamin D)...so I don't really know why this smell happens to me. It is a scent I associate with IC.

[Cheries]

Many people say the same thing about the urine having an odor to it. I know that when mine gets like that it is my first sign I am headed for a flare. I have even read this in the book about cystitis, can't remember what it is called.

[sami4]

Thanks so much for all your input. My blood work an BUN are always normal also, and I am going to watch closely now to see if the ammonia ordor is connected to a flare? Maybe something like Prelief would stop it?
Sammie

[TexasHoney]

My urine always smells worse during a flare or uti.

[Sarojini]

Well, I do notice my urine has a different odor during a flare -- I would not describe it as "ammonia" but just, ickier. It's a different smell than a UTI, but also different from my normal, non-flare urine. I just call it the "IC Pee" smell because I can't even describe it... it's pretty strong though. So, I guess you may be just having the same problem, and maybe your "IC Pee" is ammonia smelling!!! :) :grouphug:

[dminton]

It's interesting to read this post. Just this weekend, I noticed a strong odor twice in a row, but it disappeared. It was associated with a flare coming on. It disappeared during the flare. I am truly mystified by what that is about. I wondered if I had a vaginal infection, but I am definitely not having any problems in that area. This happened once before, and I had a definite UTI. This is the first time this happened without a UTI. If anyone knows what this is about, please let me know!

Diana.

[Sarojini]

I don't know why it happens, but I do suspect it has something to do with inflammation -- if your bladder is inflamed, then your body releases all kinds of different chemicals and things into it, and it's pretty likely at least that some of the chemicals (or a combination of them) smell funny. *shrug* I don't know. No one has ever been able to give me a definite answer either....

[dminton]

Yes, that's as good an explanation as any. I wouldn't describe the odor as ammonia, but I guess just a foul odor. Of course, I was sure I had a UTI, but nothing developed over the weekend. Yet another IC mystery!

Diana.

[Cricketmk3]

I've always described the odor associated with a flare as smelling like a match has been lit.

[ICLori]

IC Pee! Exactly! I think of it that way too, and I always get it whenever I have an especially bad flare. It always comes before the flare like you say then disappears sometime during the flare. But when I smell that (and it's every bit as strong as asparagus-pee if you know what I mean) I know trouble is coming. I also don't know how to describe it, except that it's icky. And it's not really the same as UTI smell (although I kind of forget exactly how that smells.) It's not BV or yeast infection smell either. It's some kind of weird chemical type smell. I think of it almost like that smell ants give off (formic acid?) when they are defending their anthill (I used to help destroy anthills when I was a kid, to keep the red ant population down).

This thread is so interesting! I'm glad to know I'm not nuts, LOL - others have smelled the infamous IC pee smell too! This is embarrassing, too, but when I am having that, even my undies will smell by the end of the day, and normally they do not smell.

Blessings, Lori