Question 1

how do i know if i have ammonia buildup in my body?

Accepted Answer

Liver Encephalopathy: Ammonia levels are not usually measured unless a patient has chronic liver disease. Patients with severely elevated ammonia levels may present with altered mental status/drowsiness/decreased level of consciousness.

Question 2

i was told today by a pharmacist that two of the anticonvulsants i have been taking for 20 years can interact with each other and cause excess buildup of ammonia and potential brain swelling. i take dilantin, depakote, and topomax. thank you?

Accepted Answer

: Needs to be put into perspective.  Both Dilantin, and Depakote, could theoretically cause liver damage (rather uncommon event) and this could result in high ammonia.  Not clear to me, if you truly require 3 anti-epileptic drugs, and you might consider modification.  Talk to your neurologist about your future medication usage, as this depends upon seizure frequency, co-morbidities, etc.

Question 3

how can i tell if my ammonia levels are high in my body?

Accepted Answer

Blood test.: A blood test can determine the ammonia level in your body.

Question 4

do slightly elevated ammonia levels always indicate a problem in the body?

Accepted Answer

Yes, maybe: An ammonia test measures the amount of ammonia in the blood. Most ammonia in the body forms when protein is broken down by bacteria in the intestines. The liver normally converts ammonia into urea, which is then eliminated in urine.

Ammonia levels in the blood rise when the liver is not able to convert ammonia to urea. This may be caused by cirrhosis or severe hepatitis.

Question 5

why does my body odor randomally start smelling like ammonia or cat urine ?

Accepted Answer

: Body odors occur due to many factors e.g. skin bacteria, sweat glands, food and fluids. Bathe daily with soap and water, avoid excess o f'smelly' foods eg onion garlic etc and use a good deodorant- you might come out smelling like roses!

Question 6

what causes an ammonia smell on your body after you work out or walk 2+ miles?

Accepted Answer

Common in runners: Ammonia comes from the breakdown of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. It is made up of hydrogen and nitrogen . The body breaks down protein and converts it to glucose to use as fuel and nitrogen is the waist product. Nitrogen is usually converted to urea by the kidneys and excreted(pee'd) out. If the kidneys can't handle the load it is eliminated out the body through sweet.

Question 7

what would cause ammonia smell on your body after you work out or walk 2+ miles?

Accepted Answer

Too Little Water: You probably are not taking in enough water to make up for what you lose through sweating while exercise. Carry a water bottle with you and make sure you keep hydrated. If it persists with that, let your md know - it could be a symptom of something else going on in your body.

Question 8

40 yr old female. change in body odor. ammonia smell when working out and after i've slept. not overweight. drink good amount of water. please help?

Accepted Answer

Many Possibilities: Since you mentioned working out I have to wonder if you have had a change in your diet, we often do not notice it, but our diet has a significant effect on out body odor. Are you on any medications now, they can also have a significant effect on body odor. With your history of lymphoma are you on steroids, could you have high sugars or steroid related diabetes. There are more, but this is a start.

Question 9

while testing for clues to fatigue and night sweats, 2 tests showed high ammonia levels  91 & 44 . hepatitis test neg. why isnt body disposing ammonia?

Accepted Answer

Not a reliable test: Blood ammonia is rarely of much use. Unless you have a failing liver, there is no good reason to do this test. So if your liver functions like the bilirubin level are normal, you can ignore the ammonia levels.

Question 10

10 days before period. ammonia smell in panties. sharp pain at times in lower right section of stomach that comes and goes.. body temp 99.1f.

Accepted Answer

See Below...: Your symptoms are somewhat non-specific.  These can be symptoms of normal ovulation or they can indicate an infection or an ovarian cyst.   The Ammonia smell is frequently something called bacterial vaginosis that is treated with antibiotics but it won't give you pain or a low-grade fever.  If your symptoms persist, see your gyn.  Best wishes!

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Doctor answers about:

Ammonia buildup in body

A member asked:

How do i know if i have ammonia buildup in my body?

A member asked:

I was told today by a pharmacist that two of the anticonvulsants i have been taking for 20 years can interact with each other and cause excess buildup of ammonia and potential brain swelling. i take dilantin, depakote, and topomax. thank you?

A member asked:

How can i tell if my ammonia levels are high in my body?

A member asked:

Do slightly elevated ammonia levels always indicate a problem in the body?

A member asked:

Why does my body odor randomally start smelling like ammonia or cat urine ?

A member asked:

What causes an ammonia smell on your body after you work out or walk 2+ miles?

A member asked:

What would cause ammonia smell on your body after you work out or walk 2+ miles?

A member asked:

40 yr old female. change in body odor. ammonia smell when working out and after i've slept. not overweight. drink good amount of water. please help?

A member asked:

While testing for clues to fatigue and night sweats, 2 tests showed high ammonia levels 91 & 44 . hepatitis test neg. why isnt body disposing ammonia?

A member asked:

10 days before period. ammonia smell in panties. sharp pain at times in lower right section of stomach that comes and goes.. body temp 99.1f.

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