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Smells fishy? Rare disease is a daily struggle for this woman

The stench she emits can fill up a whole room - but she cannot smell it. 

Londoner Cassie Graves, 22, has had Trimethylaminuria - also known as fish odour syndrome - since she was three, reported The Mirror. 

"You know when you go to the food market and there's rotting fish? That's what I smell like," Ms Graves said.

She has to rely on friends and family to tell her when she reeks.

"The fact that I can't sniff it out myself is the most frustrating thing about the disorder. It makes you paranoid," the singer-songwriter added. 

Rare metabolic disorder

The rare metabolic disorder happens when the body can't break down trimethylamine, which is found in certain foods like fish, red meat, eggs, and dark leafy green vegetables, reported Daily Mail.

The chemical builds up in the body and is released in her sweat, urine and breath - together with a fishy smell.

"There were times when I smelt so badly of fish that my mum wouldn’t let me go to school because she didn’t want me to be bullied by the other kids," Ms Graves said.

Her sources of support include her understanding boyfriend, who helps with her restricted diet. 

"I'm lucky I've found a boy who has a sense of humour about it."

"(His) family have accepted me with it too - in fact, his dad often make jokes about me smelling!"

Educate people

But the talented musician, who is working on her first solo album, has come to terms with her condition and wants to educate more people about the disorder.​

"I've got to a point where I don't want to hide it anymore."

"It's a tricky thing to admit that 'Yeah, I stink' but at the end of the day, there are worse things in life than smelling of fish."

Sources: The Mirror, Daily Mail

fish odour syndromeUncategorisedCassie Graves