Itchy/burning vagina caused by possible latex allergy

[ms-octopus-lady.livejournal.com]

How can you tell if you're allergic to latex?

My boyfriend and I have finally managed to somewhat overcome my vaginismus problem (WOOOO HOOOO!) and we technically had sex about a week ago. All we were able to manage was him getting his penis inside for a few minutes (it hurt SOOOO much), but still! That was quite the hurdle we had jumped! YAAAY!

Two nights ago, my boyfriend and tried having sex again, and it hurt a little less than the time before. But he slipped out at one point, and when he tried to go back in, then it really hurt. OH WOW I have NEVER felt pain like that before. I don't know why it hurt so much the second time, but within minutes of him being inside me, I was crying and telling him to get out. For the rest of the night, my vagina felt really...uncomfortable, I guess is the word. It wasn't really in pain, it was really more like...discomfort.

Yesterday, I awoke to an uncomfortable burning feeling in my vagina, and the entrance to it felt itchy. I couldn't really sit comfortably all day. This morning I woke up with the same itchy/burning feeling, but it isn't as bad. I can sit comfortably, but I'm still, you know, itchy!

So, yeah, we used a condom both times, but I'm wondering if this burning/itchy feeling is because I'm allergic to latex. Is it possible for the rest of my body to NOT be allergic to latex (I can wear latex gloves, and I've given my boyfriend head using a latex condom) but my vagina is? Or maybe it was the lube on the condom? We used Lifestyles Sensitive lubed condoms, along with a TON of Astroglide and I know I'm not allergic to Astroglide. Or maybe it was just irritation due to friction or something?

Comments

[symbolforbird.livejournal.com]

the first time i had sex (and a lot of times when it's the first time after it's been a while) i got a wicked yeast and/or bacterial infection, and it seems like one of those may be the more likely explanation. the vag just always doesn't love it when things like penises come crashing in and disrupting its delicate chemistry, you know? either one is more an annoyance than something to worry about, anyway, but you might want to go get swabbed and find out what you're dealing with, if only so that you'll recognize it in the future.

[spokenonlyonce.livejournal.com]

I learned that I have a latex sensitivity when I was with someone who had a serious latex fetish. He had all kinds of latex clothing items that he liked to wear during sex and oh man... after just a few minutes of that I'd be itching all over and want to jump out of my skin. We didn't use condoms--he was a virgin and I have PCOS and am on HBC--but my vagina always burned after we had sex when the latex was involved, so I think even just having it around and present it affected me that way.

So, I'm not going to tell you that definitely was the problem with you, but the symptoms sound exactly identical to what I experienced from a latex sensitivity. It's possible that you have a sensitivity like me, that's not an outright allergy, but that it would manifest more in such a sensitive membrane on your body. I am also able to use latex gloves for heavy cleaning, wear band aids, etc. However, one thing to be careful of is that sensitivities can get worse, and even turn into allergies, over time, so this is probably something you want to pay attention to, and maybe try some polyurethane condoms or something else to test and see if that's really the issue :)

[jackdiamond.livejournal.com]

It sounds to me more like an issue with lube/spermicide/new to intercourse to me than latex, but I'm not saying it's not possible. With trying condoms again, I'd either try a non-latex one with spermicide (Trojan Supra) or a latex one without spermicide- that should help you narrow down if it's spermicide allergy (very common) or latex.

I'm allergic to latex, and I used a latex condom by mistake once. Ow. Inside and out, I was sore and burning and red and itched for a few days. I had a hard time sitting down. I can't use latex gloves or other rubber or latex products, including bandaids. Especially irritating is the constant reaction I get from the band in my bra and panties.

But don't think that if you're allergic or sensitive to latex you must have all my symptoms- I'm worse than many. I'd make sure you don't have a YI or something like it. I knew my latex condom reaction wasn't YI, but YIs do cause burning and itching. Try different condoms and see if it's spermicide.

[i-heart-hammies.livejournal.com]

I don't have anything to say about latex, but YAY for overcoming vaginismus!! *celebrates for you*

[br0ken_dolly]

i have a latex allergy that developed and then worsened over time.

it started out as just a bit of a rash i'd get on my hands when wearing gloves at work... and then i started getting yeast infections everytime i had sex. eventually it got to the point where contact with latex on my vagina made it swell shut (and after th endorphins were gone, it burned and hurt), so if my partner slipped out, it'd be tough to get it back in.

now it's to the point where if latex comes in contact with any mucous membranes, i have a reaction. after handling some thick latex gloves for a lab safety demo at work recently, i accidentally itched my eyes, and they swelled shut. the last time i used latex condoms, i got a raging yeast infection and a UTI. i've given up all hopes of using latex and buy EVERYTHING latex free now (including bandaids).

i know i've also been sensitive to nonoxyl-9, but i think that it paired with latex just exacerbated everything-- i'm already raw from the latex, and then rubbing a known-irritant into mucousy tissues is just asking for trouble, in my experience.

good luck though. it sure is miserable.

[whoa-breathe.livejournal.com]

Doctor told me to just lay a condom on my inner thigh and if that area was red and itchy after 10-15 minutes...allergic. Turned out to be the nonoxyl-9 in the spermicide in my case, nasty stuff.

[hufflepuppy.livejournal.com]

.. I had the same problem. i'm not sure that i'm really allergic to latex- i recently had surgery adn they asked and i said.. well how i would i know and they said often people that do, have reactions to balloons, and the elastic from undergarments.. but condoms irriated me to no end.

I thought at first it was spermicide, but we switched around to non-prelubed and all sorts and it made no difference and we switched to the polyuethane ones and .. no problems since. So, maybe try that!