Strong urine odor – anyone else dealing with this?

Yep. That. Thanks. 😁 😁

So, out of nowhere—like, just the day before yesterday—my urine started having this incredibly weird smell (okay, I’m underselling it, honestly, it doesn't just "smell," it's more like... 😁 😁) that's actually hard to believe. Anyway, I know what you're all thinking:

Have I started any new pills, antibiotics, or iron supplements? — Answer: NOPE
Did I eat something specific to trigger this? — Not really. The day before yesterday, I had a sandwich for lunch, barely anything for dinner, just some crackers I always snack on. Yesterday, I had some sautéed greens and fried chicken for lunch, then bread, fresh cheese, cream, and radishes for dinner.
And yeah, I’m drinking plenty of fluids—mostly water 🙄

I don't have any other symptoms, so I'm just wondering (couldn't find a straight answer online), how long should I wait after a change like this before heading to my primary care doctor... without feeling like a total idiot for even bringing it up? You know what I mean?

Wait a few more days... if things don't settle down, get a urinalysis done. It’s gotta be a bacterial infection. 🤷

Let's just say things get pretty unpleasant if you decide to go all in on asparagus.

Angela Wright said:Let's just say things get pretty unpleasant if you decide to go all in on asparagus.

which is basically why I said I hadn't really eaten anything special

Jose Miller3 said:which is basically why I said I hadn't really eaten anything special

Yeah, I get it—that bit about the asparagus was just meant to be informative.

It’s entirely possible that whatever you did eat caused some weird chemical reaction or combination in your system.🤷

I’m with gentlecanyon92 on this one: if this doesn't clear up, go get a urinalysis done.

p.s. I once carried an E. coli infection around for ages without feeling a single symptom, but my urine smelled absolutely foul.

Could it be E. coli?

What if you're actually pregnant?div>

James Cox6 said:What if you're actually pregnant?div>

Honestly, half of Reddit—including me—is probably just rolling on the floor right now, clutching our sides and gasping for air because this is so funny... 😂

Nope, I'm not. But hey, if I am, you guys and your great-great-grandchildren will be reading about my life story for the next two millennia... 😁 😁 😁

Jose Miller3 said:Honestly, half of Reddit—including me—is probably just rolling on the floor right now, clutching our sides and gasping for air because this is so funny... 😂

Nope, I'm not. But hey, if I am, you guys and your great-great-grandchildren will be reading about my life story for the next two millennia... 😁 😁 😁

Baby... when I was pregnant, my urine smell changed completely. It was intense. Just awful.

That’s why I’m asking—it reminded me of that.

Look... go see a GP and get a urine culture done. Take it to a public clinic or someone like Dr. Mihaljević and wait maybe two days max.

Otherwise, it could be kidney-related.

Jose Miller3 said:Yep. That. Thanks. 😁 😁

So, out of nowhere—like, just the day before yesterday—my urine started having this incredibly weird smell (okay, I’m underselling it, honestly, it doesn't just "smell," it's more like... 😁 😁) that's actually hard to believe. Anyway, I know what you're all thinking:

Have I started any new pills, antibiotics, or iron supplements? — Answer: NOPE
Did I eat something specific to trigger this? — Not really. The day before yesterday, I had a sandwich for lunch, barely anything for dinner, just some crackers I always snack on. Yesterday, I had some sautéed greens and fried chicken for lunch, then bread, fresh cheese, cream, and radishes for dinner.
And yeah, I’m drinking plenty of fluids—mostly water 🙄

I don't have any other symptoms, so I'm just wondering (couldn't find a straight answer online), how long should I wait after a change like this before heading to my primary care doctor... without feeling like a total idiot for even bringing it up? You know what I mean?

Hey everyone, I'm dealing with the same thing. This strange odor in my urine is bothering me too. Just a heads up, I have hypothyroidism, so I'm wondering if it might be from the Synthroid I'm taking....................

Jose Miller3 said:Honestly, half of Reddit—including me—is probably just rolling on the floor right now, clutching our sides and gasping for air because this is so funny... 😂

Nope, I'm not. But hey, if I am, you guys and your great-great-grandchildren will be reading about my life story for the next two millennia... 😁 😁 😁

Do tell. 🍿

I'm reviving this thread because I don't see the point in starting a new one. 🙂

I just noticed my urine has an incredibly strange odor. It’s hard to put into words, but it smells chemical. Some sites suggest ammonia, though I have no idea what ammonia actually smells like, so I can't be certain.

To be clear, there's no pain. No signs of an infection—at least none yet.

Someone mentioned asparagus earlier. About three hours ago, I had two bowls of asparagus soup—it was just the instant kind from a can. Could that be affecting the "scent"?

I’m looking for some advice here. Has anyone ever dealt with a disgusting urine odor? It started about three years ago and hasn't let up. My doctor just tells me it’s perfectly normal. That is the extent of the conversation. Is there some kind of herbal tea or something else I should be drinking? I checked my urine pH levels and everything seems to be within the standard range. Any help would be appreciated.

Get a urinalysis done. If you've got an E. coli infection, it can lead to a nasty case of UTIs.

Perhaps you might consider cutting back on the alcohol consumption.
Are you currently taking any medications?

It would also be wise to increase your water intake.

Just got my urinalysis back. Everything looks fine! I don't touch alcohol and I make sure to stay hydrated with plenty of water. Honestly, I’m at a loss for what to do next.

Yeah, I’m on the pills, though I actually stopped taking them for a bit. It didn't matter. Everything stayed exactly the same.

If you’re actually healthy—no diabetes, no bacterial infections, no yeast issues (did you check with your OBGYN?)—then start looking at your diet. You want to change how your sweat and urine smell? Here is the "greatest hits" list of culprits:

Asparagus, cumin and coriander, salmon, chili peppers, alcohol, Brussels sprouts (and any other cruciferous veggies), puffed wheat, coffee, garlic (and all the onion family), fenugreek, heavy amounts of red meat, and protein powders.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. There could be plenty more. Start tracking what you eat and drink, look at your spices, and pull them out one by one. That's how you'll find the source.

Thanks for the help, really, but I don't sit around eating the exact same thing every single day. As for coffee, I drink a standard amount! Everything else is just an occasional thing. That’s why this doesn't make any sense to me. This has been going on for two years now... and everything seems perfectly fine.