posted
My husband recently has been dx'd with lyme disease after years of being told he had CFS.
Over eight years ago, one of the first real symptoms along with his fatigue and mental fog was ED.
In fact - that was what really motivated him to go to a doctor.
He did test with low testosterone and started using androgel (testosterone cream) daily. It seemed to work at first but then over time, the ED was back.
He now uses viagra or levitra. He is 49 years old.
He asked me if anyone on here has discussed ED as a symptom of lyme and so I'm asking!
Posts: 160 | From Abington, PA, USA | Registered: May 2005
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treepatrol
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 4117
posted
Symptoms Citations Reproduction/Sexuality Impotence (1) Central nervous system manifestations of Lyme disease. Pachner AR; Duray P; Steere AC. Archives of Neurology, 46(7):790-5. 1989. Pregnancy/maternal-fetal transmission of Lyme ``It is clear that B. burgdorferi can be transmitted in the blood of infected pregnant women across the placenta into the fetus. This has now been documented with resultant congenital infections... Spirochetes can be recovered or seen in the infant's tissues including the brain, spleen and kidney.'' (1) ``There is no placental protection or barrier that protects the fetus from the spirochete once the microbe has entered the maternal bloodstream.''... ``It is documented that transplacental transmission of the spirochete from mother to fetus is possible.'' [Includes photographs of Bb in fetal brain, kidney, myocardium, and placenta.] (2) ``We now demonstrate B. burgdorferi in the brain and liver of a newborn whose mother had been treated with oral penicillin for LB [Lyme borreliosis]... The death of the newborn was probably due to a respiratory failure as a consequence of perinatal brain damage.'' (4) ``We report a culture positive neonatal death occurring in California, a low endemic region. ...Bb was grown from a frontal cerebral cortex inoculation'' (5) ``both humoral and cellular B. burgdorferi-specific responses can be detected in cord blood of previously infected neonates'' (7) (1) Clinical pathologic correlations of Lyme disease by stage. Duray PH; Steere AC. Annals NY Academy of Sciences, 539:65-79. 1988. (2) Gestational Lyme borreliosis: implications for the fetus. MacDonald AB. Rheumatic Diseases Clinics of North America, 15(4):657-677. 1989. (3) Maternal-fetal transmission of the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi. Schlesinger PA; Duray PH; Burke BA; Steere AC; Stillman MT. Annals of Internal Medicine, 103(1):67-8. 1985. (4) Borrelia burgdorferi in a newborn despite oral penicillin for Lyme borreliosis during pregnancy. Weber K; Bratzke HJ; Neubert U; Wilske B; Duray PH. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 7:286-9. 1988. (5) Culture positive seronegative transplacental Lyme borreliosis infant mortality. Lavoie PE; Lattner BP; Duray PH; Barbour AG; Johnson HC. Arthritis Rheum, 30(4), 3(Suppl):S50. 1987. (6) Clinical manifestations of Lyme disease in the United States. Trock DH; Craft JE; Rahn DW. Connecticut Medicine, 53(6). 1989. (7) Immunologic aspects of Lyme borreliosis. Dattwyler RJ; Volkman DJ; Luft BJ. Rev Infect Dis, II(Suppl 6):S1494-98. 1989. Aditional Quotation ``In a prospective study of abortuses in an area endemic for Lyme disease, four cases of fetal borreliosis were described with B. burgdorferi isolated from fetal liver. This observation suggests that B. burgdorferi may be an etiologic agent in fetal demise of uncertain cause. The development of these infants warrants further observation, especially since in another spirochetal infection, congenital syphilis, abnormalities are not always evident at birth'' (6) Testicular or pelvic pain/swelling ``orchitis'' (1) (1) Clinical pathologic correlations of Lyme disease by stage. Duray PH; Steere AC. Annals NY Academy of Sciences, 539:65-79. 1988. (2) The early clinical manifestations of Lyme disease. Steere AC; Bartenhagen NH; Craft JE; Hutchinson GJ; Newman JH; Rahn DW; Sigal LH; Spieler PN; Stenn KS; Malawista SE. Annals of Internal Medicine, 99(1):76-82. 1983.
Yes it happens
Posts: 10564 | From PA Where the Creeks are Red | Registered: Jun 2003
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janet thomas
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7122
posted
Usually one hears about hormonal dysfunction in women with Lyme. Is that because we're more vocal? I do hope that with good Lyme treatment your hubby's problems will resolve.
There is a dr in Pa who works with men and hormones-Dr S... email me if you want more info- I think this doc is on tree patrol's list as a Lyme doc but he's actually not.
Does your husband have a good Lyme doc? Where's Abington, near Philly?
posted
The very first doctor my husband went to was Dr. S and he was very focused on the testosterone syndrome as the cause of all my husband's symptoms. He had a lyme test run and when it came back negative, assured us that there was no way my husband had lyme.
We just started seeing Dr. B in West Chester, PA and so far are very pleased (though we've only been there once)
We're still waiting for the Igenex test results before they'll start him on ABX.
Between the fatigue and ED (erectile disfunction) problems, sexual intimacy is not what either of us would like.
It's just one more thing that Lyme has taken away from us.
I hope that with treatment, I can look forward to a happier, healthier hubby.
Posts: 160 | From Abington, PA, USA | Registered: May 2005
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posted
We both understand why it would effect the libido especially with the amount of fatigue he's experiencing, but weren't sure whether his inability to achieve or maintain an erection was related to the lyme.
His testosterone levels were low prior to using androgel regularly, but even now without the viagra we can't trust in a reliable erection.
Posts: 160 | From Abington, PA, USA | Registered: May 2005
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docdave130
Unregistered
posted
levitra works better and is more reliable. i take ssri antidepressants and have no sexual desire, except when i'm with Donald trump and his girls(little group side joke) ssri's totally destroy the libido. levitra works for three hours and has been for me much more reliable. if you need it use it i'm 51 with 13 years of lyme and pop the pills all the time when in the mood, not very often, since i'm usually in lyme rage and yelling at my wife, but my girlfriend like it(sorry nother joke). its funny my ears get warm when i feel the levitra woking that's when i know its time. things could be worse, at they now have these pills that do work most of the time. just pop another pill and be happy, hey thats a good lymie slogan.
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