Allergy to Husband’s Sperm Was ‘Game-Changer’ in Marriage

Sperm Allergy or STD?

By SUSAN DONALDSON JAMES (@SusanDJames)

April 10, 2012

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Newlyweds Jeff and Clara, both 35-year-old professionals, fell in love quickly and were convinced they were the “right match” — until they had sex.

“I had this bizarre reaction,” said Clara, who for privacy reasons did not want to use her real name. “I had burning and swelling and redness, which was very unusual. I thought I had contracted an STD [sexually transmitted disease].”

Horrified, she made an appointment with the gynecologist for testing and was nervous about having a “tricky conversation” with Jeff.

After several doctors’ visits and hours of research online, the North Carolina couple finally got some answers, but it derailed their sex life and shook their marriage.

Clara had seminal plasma hypersensitivity, an allergic reaction to the proteins in Jeff’s semen. Even using a condom didn’t help, so the couple avoided intimacy.

“It’s really bizarre,” said Jeff. “Neither of us had ever come across anything like that. It was a real problem, because everything else was great. We were madly in love, but it was a real game-changer for a while.”

Her condition affects an estimated 20,000 to 40,000 women in the United States, according to Dr. Jonathan Bernstein, a professor at the University of Cincinnati, who specializes in allergies and immunology and recently treated the couple.

“We feel they are more common,” he said. “Not common like asthma, but more than people realize.”

Some women have been known to sleep with their new husband for the first time and break out in hives. Women can experience abdominal swelling or a local reaction that they describe as “like a needle sticking in to their vagina,” according to Bernstein.

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Fertility is never affected. Once the woman is desensitized and can have sex comfortably, the chances of getting pregnant are the same as any other couple.

But women often don’t get an accurate diagnosis because the condition can be confused with yeast and vaginal infections.

Dr. Andrew Goldstein, director of the Centers for Vulvovaginal Disorders in Washington, D.C. and New York City, said the condition is so uncommon, he has only treated “about a dozen” cases in the last 10 years.

“What is more common are hypersensitivities to latex or spermicides or even a chemical on your partner,” he said. Lubricants and warm gels can also be allergens, he said.

Goldstein, who did not treat the couple, said men do not typically experience allergies to their wives. But a lingering mystery that still baffles the couple: Jeff has had similar allergic reactions to Clara — but only when she has pain. Taking antihistamines on the advice of his allergist helped.

“His reaction is not typical and he only had it once or twice,” said his doctor, Bernstein “I’m not sure what to make of it.”

Oddly, Clara was also developing yeast infections after sex. She said this and the allergic reaction had never happened before in previous relationships.

“The swelling was worst immediately after sex,” Clara said. “It would take 24 hours to subside and my skin would be irritated as if you’d put a chemical on it that caused it to burn. It was almost raw and took a while to heal.”

The “gold standard” for treating semen allergies is to isolate the proteins in the man and do skin testing on the woman to determine which are to blame. Then, the woman is desensitized to the allergen.

The couple said they knew Bernstein was the top expert in the field, but the cost was daunting, so they put off making an appointment. But that took a toll as the couple started to avoid sex.

“In a normal romantic relationship, you want to feel attractive to your partner and want to do things that make you feel sexy,” Clara said. “I feel like we actually started to define ourselves — minimizing things to avoid sex. Funny, I started thinking I wouldn’t wear sexy underwear. … What seemed like medical problems had bigger effects.”

“It pretty much dramatically reduced our libido,” Jeff said. “We really haven’t had much sex at all for the last 10 months.”

They didn’t share their concerns with anyone.

“When your mom calls up and asks how’s married life? … It’s something we’ve been facing privately,” Clara said.

Jeff said they started feeling “isolated, like total weirdoes,” wondering why this would happen to them. “The intimacy level drops dramatically — all of a sudden instead of living with your new wife or husband, you are more like roommates.”

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The emergence of electronic medical records has left many patients wanting access to their own health information. But a new Accenture survey shows that many doctors don’t think it’s a good idea for patients to see their records.

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By Jeffrey Kopman, Everyday Health Staff Writer

Who do you think should have access to your private medical records?

TUESDAY, March 26, 2013 — According to a new Harris Poll survey, conducted on behalf of the management consulting firm Accenture, less than one-third of U.S. doctors think patients should have full access to their own electronic health records.

As a patient, you may literally trust your doctor with your life, and the doctor-patient relationship relies on this level of trust. The relationship should be one of give and take, even if the exchange is sometimes dominated by the professional.

So it may come as a surprise that 65 percent of docs believe their patients should have only limited access to their electronic health records, and 4 percent believe patients should have no access at all.

One thing is clear — patients believe electronic medical records improve their care. According to a 2011 survey, conducted by GfK Roper on behalf of Practice Fusion, a San Francisco-based electronic health record provider, 78 percent of patients whose doctors kept electronic medical records felt that their care improved.

“Patients want their healthcare to reflect the fact we’re in the 21st century,” said Ryan Howard, CEO of Practice Fusion. “They want to have prescriptions sent electronically, to receive email appointment reminders and to review past diagnoses and upcoming appointments online.”

“Several US health systems have proven that the benefits outweigh the risks in allowing patients open access to their medical records, and we expect this trend to continue,” said Mark Knicrehm, senior global managing director of Accenture Health, of the poll’s results.

While a majority of doctors in the Accenture survey wouldn’t trust patients with full access to their records, 81 percent said they wanted their patients to keep the records up to date, which may seem like a disconnect.

Primarily, though, the doctors are … read the entire story here.

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Looks like more public health centers that can test for STDs are closing.

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By Cherri Gregg

The post Pa. Department Of Health Planning To Close Some State-Run Health Centers appeared first on STD Testing | Same Day and Local STD Testing.

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Daily MailPublic university set to host ‘STD Bingo’ as part of ‘condom casino’ nightCampus Reform (blog)Central Michigan University (CMU) will host a “Condom Casino” on Wednesday night, in which students can gamble to win condoms in games such as “5 …

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Why is it important to notify your sexual partner(s) about your positive result?

Simple. To prevent the spread of the disease. If you’re infected, there’s an higher than normal possibility your partner is infected as well. Letting them know of your positive result can be challenging. However, you owe it to them to tell the truth. Show them the respect they deserve so they can obtain immediate testing and treatment solution if necessary.

When the truth is not spelled out to the sexual partner and sexual relations is ongoing, one takes the danger of reinfecting them self as well as their companion. Leaving the condition untreated can lead to numerous complications. For instance, some women may develop the inability to conceive resulting from not seeking treatment from A sexually transmitted disease.

Ways to Tell My Partner

You ought to meet with your partner in person. This isn’t something you want to do via text message or instant messaging, e-mail, or even on the phone. Find a spot where you can be together and focus on the situation. Before you meet, make sure you inform yourself concerning the condition for which you have screened positive. The more you know about the subject, the less frightening will probably be. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is an excellent learning resource for info on STD’s. They even have literature you can print to take with you.

Simply tell him or her that you have screened positive for (whichever Sexually transmitted disease it is) and ask them to be tested as well. Share every piece of information you’ve uncovered. They may not be even be showing any signs or symptoms. Do not let them fall under a false feeling of security because of this. Several STD’s can be asymptomatic, or have very vague symptoms that could definitely be taken wrongly for some other condition. Even if they feel okay, you should recommend them to get tested. Make sure they know how effortless your testing encounter was so they are much less anxious about the actual test.

Can You Let the Person Know Anonymously?

If you cannot bring yourself to inform your partner face to face, you can let them know anonymously. Try your local County Health Department. They’re required to tell partners of any positive results in STD testing.

If you require even more advice, you can head over to the CDC’s web site or call the number listed below to speak to a live counselor.

Chlamydia testing can identify chlamydia with a simple laboratory test. Find std testing facilities conveniently found near you or contact us toll free at 888-837-8823.

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