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Question:
Hi Melissa, I wanted to ask you a question,I had asked you a question before and you were so helpful:) This probably going to sound strange but here goes. When I first started dating my boyfriend 7 months ago, I developed allergies. My eyes would swell and my eyes would look black and blue! I thought maybe it was his cats, perfume, ect... I had never had allergies prior to meeting him. Anyway my doctor put me on allergy medicine and it helped. But I have notice the only time my eyes have this reaction is after we have sex. When we don't have sex this doesn't happen. I am on the pill and that is the only birth control we use. He takes medicine for his overactive thyroid called synthroid, I have heard that through semen you can be exposed to your partners medications?

Answer:
by Melissa BEE: (06/04/2004)
What you describe certainly sounds like you are hypersensitive to something - but I guess the problem is in identifying what the something is. It is possible that his semen could be a problem, but possibly not his medications, as they would be in an altered form and unless you are swallowing his semen a number of times a day, it's unlikley you will absorb enough of the drug to cause any serious problem. Quite often allergies causing sinus congestion and mucous membrane inflammation (your conjunctiva in your eyes) are more often caused by pollens, dusts or by foods, or a chemical hypersensitivity to something in your environment. I think its probably wisest to seek an allergy specialist to give you a full allergy screen. I'd be looking more along the lines of things that may be in his bed (besides him) such as bed linen fabrics, dust mites, or products he may use - washing powder, soaps, detergents, shaving cream, after shave lotion etc. Whatever you are likley to make intimate contact with - even the rubber on the condom. Also look at the foods you have when you are together, coffee, tea and wines, beers anything that may have been fermented. What about the lubrication you are using. Is it flavored or scented? Happy Hunting. Melissa BEE

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