posted
My wife was diagnosed with chronic Lyme about 6 months ago. She is seeing a reputable Lyme Dr for treatment. During her last visit he suggested I be tested for Lyme also. As I have been told the Western Blot came back positive. I have a new patient appointment scheduled for next month. My question is... is it common for Lyme to be passed from wife to husband? Is this through sexual contact? My wife is from NY where Lyme is common I understand. I am from California. I think the odds are remote that we have both been infected by a tick carrying Lyme. I have been very healthy and have felt fine until about 6 months ago and now I don't have the energy I should have. Could one recommend the best book for the lay person that will educate me on the disease?
Posts: 3 | From Northern California | Registered: Dec 2006
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The jury's still out on whether it's sexually transmitted. The thing is, in most cases the husband and wife spend time together, so are in the same areas! That makes it hard to prove it was from sexual contact.
Also, I know someone from California who has it and I contracted it in an area that is "no risk."
I had Lyme before I was married and have been married for 22 years. My husband does not have it. That's just anecdotal evidence though.
I look forward to someone proving it either way!
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
I asked this question a few days ago because I was also concerned although my husband hasn't shown any solid symptom for lyme...
Since you don't feel quite like before, why don't you go ahead and test for it just for peace of mind and prevention? Also, from now on, use precaution.
Posts: 196 | From atlanta/norcross, georgia | Registered: Feb 2007
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WildCondor
Unregistered
posted
Have you ever stepped foot off pavement and into grass? If so, the answer is more likely that you got bit by a tick! It is so easy to overlook them. Just as easy if a mosquito bite that did not itch. Remember back to when you could have been bitten...its sure likely!
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posted
i'm also wodering if this should be a bigger concern of mine. My fiance has lyme. he was told by his LLMD that the really is no proven risk of getting lyme though sexual intercouse however he did mention the use of condoms as a barrier at one point. He mentioned that its a very slim chance or next to zero of getting it from him yet im stilled worried.
Posts: 1 | From new york | Registered: Mar 2007
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oxygenbabe
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5831
posted
Well, northern California is full of lyme. You could have both gotten it hiking, camping, or just going into some nice parks--out in California! I'm personally a bit skeptical of the sexual transmission idea, especially from woman to man, however there may be other tickborne bugs or viruses that could be transmitted that way.
Posts: 2276 | From united states | Registered: Jun 2004
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posted
I know very little about the disease and I know that many people have the disease and aren't aware of it, but, I would think that the odds of both my wife and I having it are remote, but, I guess we beat the odds.
Posts: 3 | From Northern California | Registered: Dec 2006
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posted
This is common. Remember, Lyme is not just from ticks. Also commom airborne pathogens cause the immune system to break down like Chlaymydia Pnuemoniae and Mycoplasma Pneumoniae.
I think Lyme is just a part of bigger, widespread, communicable immune dysfunctional problem.
Do the research. Start with "Olsers Web'.
Posts: 770 | From USA | Registered: Jul 2006
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Marnie
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 773
posted
There are many protective measures that come into play to prevent transmission via intercourse.
I won't go into detail, but...vaginal fluid is acidic...for starters.
If you are circumcised, that should also help.(It helps prevent HIV...very recent research...60% drop in transmission.)
The normal pH of vaginal fluid is between 4.5 and 6, whereas male semen is typically between 7.1 and 8 (a neutral substance has a pH of 7).
Good "intro to lyme" is a paperback book titled: Everything You Need To Know About Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Disorders by Karen Vanderhoof-Forschner (she was founder of the Lyme Disease Foundation).
She transmitted lyme to her child who passed away. Later, she had another child who survived.
Harvard says lyme cannot be transmitted sexually, but can pass from mother to child in utero and thru breast milk.
There is a lot to learn about this disease. It is one very, very, very complex pathogen.
Posts: 9426 | From Sunshine State | Registered: Mar 2001
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Rianna
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11038
posted
I have chronic lyme and was positive on all tests - I met by husband 2 years AFTER I contracted it and he is now also positive. So therefore in my eyes it must be sexually transmitable.
The jury's still out on whether it's sexually transmitted. The thing is, in most cases the husband and wife spend time together, so are in the same areas! That makes it hard to prove it was from sexual contact.
Also, I know someone from California who has it and I contracted it in an area that is "no risk."
I had Lyme before I was married and have been married for 22 years. My husband does not have it. That's just anecdotal evidence though.
I look forward to someone proving it either way! [/QB][/QUOTE]
Posts: 1172 | From UK | Registered: Jan 2007
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Rianna
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11038
posted
The spirochete that causes Lyme disease has been found in semen, urine, blood, breast milk and other body fluids and tissues. I beleve this was done by the scientists Brorson and Brorson in sweden.
oxygenbabe
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5831
posted
ThreePutt,
Nymph ticks are an ideal vector because they're the size of the dot at the end of a sentence and they are painless (they actually inject anesthetics and blood thinners into you when they bite). If you don't get a rash you never know the tick is on you. Often they choose a hidden spot like behind the knee or the armpit. You would never know. It would, IF you saw it, look like a teeny freckle. New York is a hotspot but so is Northern California. If there are deer anywhere that you've spent time vacationing, at friends, at outdoor parties, camping, hiking, taking a walk in the woods etc etc, you both easily could have gotten one or multiple tickbites. In fact, you might want to really investigate this and take care you don't get re-bitten, if that is the case.
Regards the semen, saliva, body fluid theory, I'm not convinced its' transmitted that way. If it were transmissable that way there would be no hotspots. It would have a different geographical distribution. Not that it isn't everywhere, but in some places its HIGHLY endemic.
Posts: 2276 | From united states | Registered: Jun 2004
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savebabe
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9847
posted
My guess would be that you got bit at one time. Many of us do not remember ever having a tick on us. Good luck with treatment.
Posts: 1603 | From ny | Registered: Aug 2006
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groovy2
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6304
posted
Yep I think the jury is still out on this too--
I got infected by a tick-- within about 1 year my wife mentialy Fliped out Real Bad-- Funny farm ect--
She did not show any other signs tho--
I have long wondered about the cause--
Girl friends I had later did not so any signs at all--Jay--
Posts: 2999 | From Austin tx USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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