posted
Years back I developed a bulls eye rash in the exact spot where my then partner ejaculated on me. Within moments of that ejaculation I had a bulls eye. I didn't think a thing of it until i came down with very severe lyme/fibro/cfs symptoms and wondered if maybe there was a sexual transmission and i responded immediately with some immune reaction. This partner has had many tick bites in the past but no current health issues.
Posts: 8 | From United States | Registered: Oct 2014
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posted
Ahhh don't know will pass on this one. Keebler lymetoo??
-------------------- HERX is a Four Letter Word! Posts: 716 | From If you're going through hell, keep going......Winston Churchill | Registered: Apr 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Tender territory and I applaud your courage to ask the question.
I don't know. However, here's what I think could be: with lyme, anything is possible. We have so much more to learn. From what I've read:
1. you may have already had / been exposed to lyme on your own. It does not always act out at exposure time but then, sometime with a stressor -- or just for no reason at all, poof! It lets you know it's there.
2. There is some research about sexual transmission. That could be - and an &/ or thing. Could be in addition to your acquiring it in another way.
3. as for that rash, that time (I saw other posts you said you have a recent rash where your first rash appeared) . . . could be an allergy of some kind (I assume that's not the spot where your first rash appeared or is this the first rash you are speaking of?) . . .
Is it possible? Maybe not. Maybe, I suppose as often the bulls eye rash will show exactly at the tick or mosquito bite but it can show anywhere.
If the spirochetes are in matter that is applied to skin, just as matter from a tick mouth, I suppose, it may not matter where it comes from if spirochetes are there.
As for infection THROUGH the healthy skin, I'm not sure but there would have been other exposure at that time besides just on the skin, so it cannot be isolated to just the site of rash on skin.
Just my take on it. I'm just not any kind of expert. You might want to look at the research on this aspect. Bottom line is that it's hard to say. Your treating LLMD should be able to offer better insight.
As for the past, it really does not matter at this point for it would be impossible to know exactly when / how. Time and energy would be best spent on the here, now & future. -
[ 10-24-2014, 03:00 AM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Lymedin2010
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
I don't see that happening unless one has a cut in the skin. Borrelia can't burrow through dry skin.
Thin skin around the vagina, penis or mouth & where there is fluid, yes.
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
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posted
- Adding to Lymedin2010's thoughts:
If you did not have any broken skin at the rash site prior,
The bulls eye rash on your skin from the fluid could have been due to irritation of the fluid acidic / pH balance, etc. and if you already had lyme, it may be just that a bulls eye developed at that site of irritation from the fluid.
It's also possible to be allergic to semen and the rash had nothing to do with lyme / or a co-factor of sorts.
The bulls eye rash does not always appear at the point of infection. It can appear anywhere on the body and when something tips the scales, it's more likely to appear as a bulls eye, perhaps.
You say you "responded immediately with some immune reaction" (end quote) -- could be connected to:
. . . Symptoms usually start about 10-30 minutes after contact with semen . . . .
. . . can occur in any area that has contact with semen, including the skin and the mouth. Symptoms can last for a few hours or a few days. . . .
. . . For some women, the symptoms are localized – they stay in one main area.
But for others, the symptoms can affect their whole body. They may have hives, swelling, trouble breathing, or anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction. . . . -
[ 10-23-2014, 02:54 AM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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-------------------- +++++++ do i have lyme, please comment, derealisation,anxiety,floaters,hypertension,tinnitus,dizziness,minor aches,igenix results,igm,**83-93ind,igg**41++ what do u think,please comment Posts: 195 | From california | Registered: May 2011
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
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posted
- This can be excruciatingly painful and troublesome to those who experience such an allergy and very detrimental to the couple's relationship. It's not all that uncommon, either.
Nothing funny about that kind of pain and turmoil.
I can see that, for some unaware and unaffected, it may be a "who would have ever thought?" kind of thing. Still not funny, though. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
Thank you Keebler, thats always been a big question for me as to whether this was a sperm allergy bulls eye or a lyme bulls eye. I see sperm allergy can create many weird dermatological symptoms but none suggesting a bulls eye. Thats why I never really know if I have lyme or ME/CFS and fibro.
I agree, not funny at all, it's a very serious problem. Im not with this partner anymore and haven't been sexually active due to disability so i really dont know how much truth there is to the sperm allergy in my case.
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
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posted
- I would give up on trying to figure out when / how.
Here's what I think: a sperm allergy could have a rash site appear as a bulls eye if the person has had lyme for awhile already in their system. The irritation just took it over the top to show itself.
Had your partner been ill and had he lyme, it could be that (maybe?) contact with sperm that had spirochetes into to your skin could cause a bulls eye rash but you say he had no health issues (not all ticks are infected and/or some folks can "fight" it off within their systems, too).
There are so many variables as to if you had lyme already, or if a sperm allergy fueled the rash.
Just like the doxy is doing now to you - something brings it out (although doxy has a more direct correlation).
But a bulls eye rash can show up anytime in someone who is carrying lyme. It's just that when the body is at the tipping point with other stressors, it may be more likely.
Best to have a proper assessment with a LLMD who will sort out your symptoms, clinical presentations, history and suggest the best tests from there.
Anyone with ME / CFS, FM diagnoses are prime candidates for having lyme as the cause. However, there are other chronic stealth infections one might consider as well. Most LLMDs are aware of those and lyme is the place to begin, anyway. -
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
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posted
- Now, all that said, there are also other factors that need to be sorted out and you can start doing that right now so by the time you see a LLMD you have a good idea of how your body responds to changes by avoiding certain foods common in our processed world:
Excitotoxins; MSG; Aspartame; & "Natural" Flavors (that are not likely natural at all);
GMO foods that destroy the GI Tract; Gluten; Dairy. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
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posted
- From another current thread of yours, you state that you are being treated with doxycycline.
As TF points out there, that is not adequate (and the advice to find a LLMD who will offer more comprehensive treatment). Still, the fact that you had a bulls eye rash appear from that is certainly suggestive.
Many never do pinpoint exactly when or where they were infected. Ticks have a substance in their bite that numbs the skin so they are not felt and often go unnoticed. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
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posted
- From another current thread of yours, you state that you are being treated with doxycycline.
As TF points out there, that is not adequate (and the advice to find a LLMD who will offer more comprehensive treatment). Still, the fact that you had a bulls eye rash appear from that is certainly suggestive. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
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WHY you need an ILADS "educated" or "minded" Lyme Literate doctor (whether MD or ND, or both) - starting with assessment / evaluation for lyme, OTHER tick-borne diseases, and other chronic stealth infections - and all that goes along for the ride.
Medical "models" explained here, as to differences in the ISDA & ILADS models of assessment & treatment - and exactly why it is so very important to know the differences.
Diagnosing Lyme Disease (&/or whatever else is going on)
Other tick-borne infections and other chronic stealth infections - as well as certain conditions that can hold us back - are discussed here. -
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