# that was fish odor... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 7, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364 "2005-03-07T14:50:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rewindforward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f19dbf/32.png) [@rewindforward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rewindforward)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/1 "2005-03-07T14:50:13Z")
well at least I didn’t post this in the general questions… where else could I have put it… anyways… yeah that was fish odor… looked it up on the net as to why… and came up with bv where there’s an imbalance with more bad bacteria than good… Didn’t know that douching can actually cause that… you’d think it would get rid of the bad. But yeah… one site link… [http://www.cdc.gov/std/BV/STDFact-Bacterial-Vaginosis.htm](http://www.cdc.gov/std/BV/STDFact-Bacterial-Vaginosis.htm) it also says well… I think maybe she could have been a bad girl… what are your 2 cents on the fish issue… lol ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/2 "2005-03-07T15:48:19Z")
I believe I speak for a number of us when I say: WTF? ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/3 "2005-03-07T16:25:21Z")
Maybe she’s part mermaid. ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/4 "2005-03-07T16:37:33Z")
Is this an except from _Ulysses_? ---
**Author:** ![Apricot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@Apricot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apricot)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/5 "2005-03-07T17:06:31Z")
There are some women that naturally have a more fishy odor, even in the absence of disease. You should have asked her if she had recently been tested for STIs and shared your recent results with her. I would have left out any discussion of odor, though. It’s impossible to diagnose STIs over the internet. It’s also impossible to diagnose in one’s partner without some medical testing. There are some signs though - check out what the professionals look at in a brothel for some advice there. You can always use your judgement and decide not to hit it after an inspection. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/6 "2005-03-07T17:12:38Z")
A tuna snack before hopping into bed? ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/7 "2005-03-07T17:37:45Z")
> [@Kythereia](#): > > A tuna snack before hopping into bed? or shortly after jumping into bed ---
**Author:** ![rewindforward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f19dbf/32.png) [@rewindforward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rewindforward)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/8 "2005-03-07T23:12:59Z")
think it cleared up today… yesterday was after not having a bath for a couple days… > [@Apricot](#): > > There are some women that naturally have a more fishy odor, even in the absence of disease. You should have asked her if she had recently been tested for STIs and shared your recent results with her. I would have left out any discussion of odor, though. > > It’s impossible to diagnose STIs over the internet. It’s also impossible to diagnose in one’s partner without some medical testing. > There are some signs though - check out what the professionals look at in a brothel for some advice there. You can always use your judgement and decide not to hit it after an inspection. ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/9 "2005-03-07T23:22:03Z")
Thanks for sharing! ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/10 "2005-03-08T01:32:33Z")
A blind guy applies for a job as a lumber grader at a small saw mill. The owner asks the guy how he can grade lumber if he can’t see it and the guy says he does it by smell. The owner puts an old piece of cedar on a table and asks the guy he grade it. “Number 3 cedar, 4 knots, not worth kindling.” The guy was right. The owner puts a piece of oak on the table. “Number 1 oak, tight grained, furniture quality.” Right again. The owner is getting desparate and has his secretary strip and get on the table. The blind guy takes a sniff. “Hmmm, I’m not sure, flip it over and I’ll try again.” The secretary flips over and the guy takes a sniff. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say this is the shithouse door off a tuna boat.” ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/11 "2005-03-08T01:53:04Z")
I totally disagree with the statement that some women just smell fishy. That is NOT a natural odor for women, and is a sign of infection. BV causes this odor, and BV is not an STD. Trichomoniasis also causes a fishy smell, and IS an STD. And again, anyone who thinks that this is a normal, natural smell of women is either completely ignorant or has been hanging out with the wrong women. ---
**Author:** ![Keapon\_Laffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e274bd/32.png) [@Keapon\_Laffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keapon_Laffin)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/12 "2005-03-08T02:50:11Z")
> [@Ghanima](#): > > Thanks for sharing! Hahaha… my exact sentiments… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Apricot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@Apricot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apricot)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/13 "2005-03-08T03:00:19Z")
Well, as a women’s health professional - some women just have a fishy smell. An overpowering smell is not normal, but a more fishy odor is certainly not pathological. It’s worth checking out, though. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/14 "2005-03-08T03:36:43Z")
No offense, **Apricot** , but on this issue you are dead wrong. Google “women’s health” fishy odor and it’s perfectly clear: The normal smell of a vagina is clean and musky. Any abnormal odor, but fishy ones in particular, are symptomatic of an infection. BV and Trich are the two culprits of the fishy smell. Bacterial vaginosis is _extremely_ common, and in fact, represent 50% of GYN visits due to vaginitis. BV’s ubiquity has led many people to believe vaginal odor to be normal in adult women, and has spawned an entire industry of products designed to cover that smell. It’s not normal for any women to carry that smell, and the suggestion that it can be strikes me as vaguely misogynistic and quite ignorant. Can you give me one site that says a fishy smell can be normal? ---
**Author:** ![Apricot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@Apricot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apricot)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/15 "2005-03-08T03:44:51Z")
I think the difference of opinion is based on the fact that I have a very very good nose - my previous occupation was in developing food products. I can smell things below the detection level of most people. I know from person experience that there are women who have a slight fishy aroma but have no clinically detectable signs of infection or imbalance. Based on my experience with other people olfactory senses - if you can smell it, it’s probably not normal. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/16 "2005-03-08T03:47:15Z")
So your site is “I can smell real good?” You’re spreading misinformation, and it’s not helping anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Apricot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@Apricot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apricot)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/17 "2005-03-08T03:54:40Z")
This is not believable somehow? BV is an imbalance of bacteria in the vagina, a loss of lactobacilli and an overgrowth of anerobes. But even in a healthy vagina there are a small number of anerobes. These will produce the characteristic odor in very small amounts. Anyone who doesn’t like the smell of their vaginal secretions should take steps to correct the problem, including first seeing a medical provider to rule out any number of conditions. I think we agree about that. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/18 "2005-03-08T03:59:18Z")
No, that’s exactly my point- it’s not believable, anyhow. The fishy odor _only_ comes with the presence of an infection, and it’s not possible for a healthy vagina to have a fishy odor. For someone to state that it _can_ be normal is just progatating a myth and giving credence to those boorish jokes. Are we not fighting ignorance here? Yes, the companion of the OP should see a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/19 "2005-03-08T05:37:09Z")
Hanging a little pine tree from the belly ring can assist with interim issues. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![rewindforward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f19dbf/32.png) [@rewindforward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rewindforward)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364/20 "2005-03-08T15:00:53Z")
> [@Ghanima](#): > > Thanks for sharing! yeah well one’d always heard the expression ‘smells like fish, tastes like chicken’… but it never smelt like being in a seafood store… thought I’d get some opinions about that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-fish-odor/293364.md?page=2)