This is an embarrassing one so im afraid Ive namechanged........

[AllergicNEmbarrassed]

for obvious reasons.

I appear to have developed an allergy to condoms or the lubricant on them since I gave birth last year.

KY doesnt help - the instant it touches "down there" everything seems to dry out, no matter how, er, moist I was to start with (sorry if tmi ). Its a bit itchy afterwards too.

I dont really know what to do. I dont get on very well with the pill. I have tried many different ones in the past and either it totally disrupted my periods (which ended up with me getting pg when I was in my teens and not knowing for 2 months), or I suffered the most horrendous migraines.

I dont want DH to have a vasectomy - nor do I want to be sterilised. Whilst we do not want another child at the moment, we know we will do in a few years.

The last resort is the coil - again something that my GP suggested was probably not for me due to other problems (many years ago....)

We dont have many options, and I'm not about to spend a fortune experimenting on different brands of condoms - they are very expensive!

Any advice would be most welcome.....

[ComeOVeneer]

Is it a latex allergy? If so investigate if there is such a thing as latex free condoms.

[NotAnOtter]

I have the perfect answer - go to a family planning clinic. DP went yesterday and they gave him a pick and mix bag of different condoms.
They told him to choose which he liked best and next time he could have just them if he wanted or a mix again.
(((((TMI ALERT))))
We tried one last night and it was not rubber i thought it was maybe silicone ( durex avanti)
Anyway its all FREE good luck!

[FlameSparrow]

Are you sure it is the latex. Weird question here, but do you use tampons or towels?

I started having very very painful experiences, it wasn't condoms (we weren't using them), but it sounds similar to you. I stopped using tampons, and eventually towels (I'm one of the mooncup touting maniacs ), and it healed.

[liquidclocks]

Are you sure it's the condoms? There's a few bacterial infections you can get that cause symptoms like the ones you've described including bacterial vaginosis - see here .

There are now 'safe' versions of the pill now for people who have migraines so that coud be worth reviewing with your GP.

Roll on the male pill!!!

[SminkoPinko]

Would the mirena coil be any better than the coil? I want to control my fertility in exactly the same way as you- e.g. don't want a baby now but may well do at some point in the future- and have found the ordinary coil to be excellent. If you were advised against the coil years ago things may have changed so worth asking again, perhaps?

[AllergicNEmbarrassed]

No, I use towels - have never got on with tampons.

I don't know if it is the latex or the lubricant stuff. Sex itself isn't a problem at all. Obviously though, we don't want to risk me getting pregnant just yet. I might try the local FP clinic, but I didnt know that there were different types of condom "materials".

[AllergicNEmbarrassed]

TBH Sminko - I have heard a few "horror" stories about the coil too and it has put me off.

I think I may just have to front it out and go to my GP. I haven't heard of bacterial vaginosis - I don't understand why sex without condoms wouldnt bother me though but sex with does.

[AllergicNEmbarrassed]

Thank you people for the advice.

Its not the sort of allergy you can "slip" into conversation, is it?

[SminkoPinko]

Well, each to their own, but the coil has been the easiest contraception ever for me and partner and I highly recommend it.

[JackieNo]

It could be the lubricant on the condom? DH is slightly allergic to that, so has to, ahem, rinse, you know, afterwards. Maybe try ones without lubricant? And there are other lubricants too, is there one from Durex called 'Play'?

[Mimixx]

Had similar problem and it ended up being (maybe I was just a bit ignorant) a specific type of thrush - I can't remember the name. It used to flair up just after sex with condom, so I assumed it was an allergy but it wasn't. Got treated for thrush with over the counter meds and now no problems. Actually, we're trying for another baby so don't use condoms anymore!! Check with your GP to see if it could be a similar problem... PS, I can't get on at all with the Play lubricant from Durex, it just BURNS!!!!! Also, things were just not the same 'down there' for a long time after birth in terms of lubs, even if I had a C section...

[NotQuiteCockney]

There are lube-free condoms. There are latex-free condoms. There are lubes made out of different stuff than KY. There are a lot of glycerine-based lubes out there, and although they're generally marketed for anal sex (which is stupid, but don't get me started!), they should be fine for vaginal use.

But it doesn't sound like you need lube. I would buy unlubricated condoms and just try rubbing one against a relevant place, and see what happens.

[williamsmummy]

you can get latex free condoms on the internet.
Are you allergic to milk in any form? most brands of condom contain milk. ( again you can get milk free condoms on line) hope this helps

[tatt]

get a good magifying mirror and have a thorough look at the itchy bit as there are auto immune skin conditions that can start like this and are possibly sparked off by pregnancy. Non infectious and often take a long time to be diagnosed because women are embarrassed about them. A family planning clinic would be a good place to ask about it.

[thirtysomething]

I have a latex allergy and dh found latex-free condoms (durex avanti) which has solved the problem. My symptoms sounded very similar - good luck!

[onlyjoking9329]

could well be a latex problem, i have latex allergy, latex is related to kiwi so be careful of kiwi too.

[fairyjay]

Have you thought about using the contraceptive injection?

[Reece]

I have the Mirena and it is fantastic.
Had similar problems with condoms and can't take the pill due to blood pressure. Don't want any more kids at present ao thought it was the way to go.
Please don't be put off by horror stories. You will always hear those about everything. Don't we all hear them about child birth etc?!
It took about 6 months to settle in but now its great. No more problems down below at all

[tatt]

realised I probably should have said what you need to look for - any tiny spots or discoloured area of skin. Itching can be a lichen problem (lichen planus or sclerosis) and if its lichen planus it will clear up but possibly recur. It's quite difficult to spot so you may have to get your partner to look but I don't imagine they'd mind

[3littlefrogs]

Mirena coil is great. This problem may be hormonal and nothing to do with local allergy or infection. It is common after childbirth and can persist for a while. The dryness and soreness is caused by low oestrogen and can be corrected by a vaginal cream containing oestrogen that can be used once a week. Ask your Gp.

[morocco]

no advice as such but I experienced similar probs after ds2, we moved to latex free and it was ok, we'd worked our way through most other types of contraceptives by then

you will now find me posting on the due in march thread though, so you might want to think about a more reliable contraceptive if it is a big issue

[Ternet]

From my own personal experience I would suggest putting any embarrassment aside and visiting the Doctor. You may not have an allergy at all. There is a condition called Lichen Sclerosis that both men and woman can get. It is rarer in Woman and more complicated to keep in remission but it's a serious condition that requires support and treatment. I'd visit the Doctor

[Ternet]

Please visit your Doctor and ask for an examination for Lichen Sclerosis. It is a life long mutant genetic rare condition that can be mistaken for thrush and not so easy to treat.

[bananaandcustard]

milk is in condoms so can be an issue for those with milk allergy.

are you sure its the condoms and not the sperm causing an allergy?

agree with other posters to rule out thrush, or skin conditions before considering allergy.

good luck with getting this sorted!