So, I've seen two LLMDs in the past month and both have warned me of the risk of passing Lyme to my significant other. It sounds plausible (given the physical similarities to syphilis) but we've been dating for 5 years and he is still completely healthy in every way. Nevertheless, the doctors said he could be an asymptomatic carrier. Has this happened to anyone else? If so, what did you do about it? If your partner was asymptomatic, how did you find out? Should he seek treatment or get tested even though he's totally fine?
Very frightening prospect... I hate to think I could potentially make him as sick as I am.
Posted by bcb1200 (Member # 25745) on :
My doc indicates the jury is still out. Yes, cases reported, but nothing absolutely proved.
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
My doc says no. I think they just don't know for sure.
My husband never got sick from me, and since I've been well, I haven't gotten sick from him if he's asymptomatic. I think he might have gotten a mild case of bartonella since he used to get sore feet, but that went away after a round of Humaworm.
Posted by abbyjo (Member # 16073) on :
From my own experience I believe it is sexually transmitted, at least from man to woman. I feel I
may have got it from my husband. Every time we had sex I got sooo sick afterwords until symptoms
were so severe I thought I was dying. He tested positive after I did. He had very few small
symptoms whereas I was very very ill. He did treatment for about a year and is fine. I
continue to improve. I would have him tested and just to be safe definitely use protection. I know
how frustrating this all is. I just wish they knew more about this disease and how it's spread.
I'm constantly stressed not knowing if my 6 yr. old has it, or if I can spread it to her. Her
test came back inconclusive. That's the worst part of this whole disease. Best of luck to you both.
Posted by erikjh1972 (Member # 20964) on :
from my experience, no its not.
Posted by Paul Mall (Member # 27581) on :
I got it sexually from my GF and she has only mild symptoms and is not currently in treatment.
if it's passed from mother to child and man to women it's passed from woman to man also.
it's just everybody's immune system handles it differently so one partner may appear to be fine
my concern is I will kill it just to get it back from my GF who only has mild symptoms
it sucks but I can't see how it is not the case.
not to mention I never had a bite or rash but my GF has had bites
Paul
Posted by 'Kete-tracker (Member # 17189) on :
Dr. R doubts it. "Just have fun!", he says. Dr. B says we just don't know yet. Dr. J suspects it. Dr. K says it's theoretically possible but likely very rare.
So who knows? Personally, I think ANY microbe can pass via "intimate contact". It's the chances it'll survive that are arguable.
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
My understanding is that you can NOT compare it to syphilis because syphilis causes sores on the genitals that are infectious, whereas Lyme does not.
I think it is irresponsible for a physician to tell people for a fact that it is sexually transmitted, because there is no proof that it is, and there are plenty of couples with healthy partners (so in other words, there's no scientific proof and beyond that, even life experience suggests the sexual transmission fear is incorrect). A spouse or partner being "exposed" to the Lyme bacteria proves nothing, because you can be exposed to ticks and not know it. So why would one assume it was sexual transmission? Very difficult, if not impossible, to prove after the fact.
Posted by bcb1200 (Member # 25745) on :
Paul...how do you know for sure? You live in hyper-endemic Connecticut. I never had a bite nor did I have a rash that I recall. Doesn't mean I didn't get it from a bite.
I'm doubtful unless people are vampires and bleeding all over each other.