is near death . the doctors told her that she is starting to have the death smell. has to go to the doctor tuesday for her kidney problems. I just lost my surrogate grandpa 7 years ago. I grew up without grandparents when my biologicial parents met my step dads parents they took them in as second children and accepted my sister and I as their granddaughters. they have known and been in my life since I was 6 weeks old.

I'm sorry that is happening to you and your family.

I've never heard such an expression and especially not coming from a doctor 'death smell'.
I'd be looking for another doctor.

thank you very much. my folks probably will. when you are near death you have a certain odor that signals the end. my biologicial father had it. he died shortly after.

Sorry to hear that.

Valerie I thought that too. Seems like a weird thing to say, but apparently, a person slowly experiencing some sort of biological or metabolic breakdown would produce a distinct odor as metabolic/biological processes breakdown or fail.

It might not necessarily mean a person will die, but could signal a person is very ill.

The body is a massive living organism and emits odors based on chemical / hormonal and immune processes.

Anyway, im not a doctor / or a medical professional, this is just based on my own theoretics and several online searches concerning the topic of a death smell. As for switching doctors, it is always best to get more than one medical opinion.

I worked in health care half of my life and I have never ever heard such a thing.

The body does omit odors. There is distinctive odors such as body fluids, cancer,
and some other diseases.

However, I have never in my life heard a doctor or any other professional say
there is a 'death smell' or that there is a 'death smell that signals the end of life'.

I would certainly look else where for a doctor.

PS. I have seen too many dead people to count and I have never smelled a death smell before
they died. Never.

i am sorry to hear that...

Some forms of cancer do smell terribly one cannot even be close to such patients,my mother died seven months ago of air and water pollution had sever asthma the whole system collapses there is internal bleeding but does not smell.

Hello My thoughts and prayers are with you and the family. I too am a professional working with people near to death and have never heard of this. Like Valerie, I know we can emit certain smells when body out of kilter e.g. the smell of diabetic ketosis on breath which is a sign to get medical help immediately. Remember also that when they are nearing the end, hearing is the last to go, so even if they are in a coma, you can still speak to them words of comfort and reassurance and reminiscence. It is a way which can help you go through this part of their journey with them. However, Valerie and others are right in saying you should change the doctor as soon as possible. God bless you and uphold you all.Magdavina

Nonetheless if it's true or not, The doctor should know better and act professionally among his/her patients.

It's not a very nice thing to say, And it's certainly not comforting either.


If you're deadly sick you're most likely not interested in someone telling you that you smell awful, you should not have to put up with that.

period.